Investigation of English Language Learners’ Attitudes Toward Global Englishes and Global Englishes Language Teaching in Relation to Their Academic Interests and Experiences With English as a Global Lingua Franca

ABSTRACT This study investigates Japanese university students’ attitudes toward Global Englishes (GE) and Global Englishes Language Teaching (GELT), focusing on how these attitudes are shaped by students’ academic interests and experiences using English as a lingua franca (ELF), both abroad and in domestic EFL contexts. Drawing on survey data from 531 undergraduates, the study examines learners’ GE and GELT attitudes, including desire for ELF communication, attachment to “native” English, and openness to GELT. Independent samples t‐tests revealed that English majors and students with study abroad experience demonstrated stronger support for GELT and ELF communication, and the latter group also showed lower attachment to “native” speaker norms. Structural equation modeling indicated that learners’ experiences using ELF locally had complex effects: they increased both the desire for ELF communication and attachment to “native” English, with opposing implications for GELT attitudes. While ELF experience indirectly supported GELT openness through increased ELF desire, it also hindered acceptance via strengthened native‐speakerism. The findings highlight a persistent tension in learners’ beliefs about linguistic diversity, shaped by deeply embedded ideologies and limited opportunities for multilingual engagement in Japanese local contexts. The study calls for pedagogical environments that recognize and promote ELF affordances and multilingualism to foster more equitable and contextually relevant English language education.