Research Article

From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion

Volume: 25 Number: 4 December 15, 2025
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From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion

Abstract

Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion (1912) dramatically illustrates the connection between language and social perception. This study explores the potential of Pygmalion to develop sociolinguistic awareness of pre-service English language teachers (PTs) by illustrating how standard and non-standard English varieties are depicted in the play as markers of distinct social classes and regional identities. As educational design research, the study utilizes a qualitative document analysis of the play and employs purposeful sampling to intentionally select Pygmalion for its rich linguistic themes and suitability for textual analysis. In addition to the analysis, the study provides recommendations for using the play in the classroom. The analysis focuses on how the play portrays the intricate relationships between language and regional identity, social status, and professional identity. The findings underscore the educational value of Pygmalion in illustrating dialectical shifts, the social implications of standard and non-standard English, and the power of language in shaping social and professional perceptions. Consequently, the research reveals the potential of carefully chosen literary texts to effectively foster PTs’ sociolinguistic awareness, ultimately developing more critically aware educators. Additionally, the research provides practical in-class activities designed to effectively integrate Pygmalion into pre-service teacher education curricula.

Keywords

References

  1. Bourdieu, Pierre. (1991). Language and Symbolic Power. Harward University Press. Brumfit (Eds.). Literature and the Learner: Methodological Approaches. Modern English Publications.
  2. Chik, A., & Melo-Pfeifer, S. (2023). Do societal and individual multilingualism lead to positive perceptions of multilingualism and language learning? A comparative study with Australian and German pre-service teachers. Language Awareness, 33(1), 182–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2023.2234288
  3. Collie J. and Slater, S. (1987). Literature in the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press. Conceiçao, & L. G. Martin (Eds.), Mapping the field of adult and continuing education (pp. 609-613). Routledge.
  4. Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Pearson.
  5. González Rodríguez, L. M., & Borham Puyal, M. (2012). Promoting intercultural competence through literature in CLIL contexts. Atlantis, 34 (2), 105–124.
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  7. Guo, F. (2024). The role and value of Sociolinguistics in English Language teaching. Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 8(8), 193–201. https://doi.org/10.26689/jcer.v8i8.7996
  8. Guy, G. R. (2011). Language, Social Class and Status. In R. Mestherie (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Sociolinguistics (pp. 159-185). Cambridge University Press.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Other Fields of Education (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

December 6, 2025

Publication Date

December 15, 2025

Submission Date

April 15, 2025

Acceptance Date

October 13, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 25 Number: 4

APA
Coşar Çelik, S. (2025). From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 25(4), 2182-2200. https://doi.org/10.17240/aibuefd.2025..-1676434
AMA
1.Coşar Çelik S. From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. BAİBÜEFD. 2025;25(4):2182-2200. doi:10.17240/aibuefd.2025.-1676434
Chicago
Coşar Çelik, Seda. 2025. “From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion”. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 25 (4): 2182-2200. https://doi.org/10.17240/aibuefd.2025. -1676434.
EndNote
Coşar Çelik S (December 1, 2025) From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 25 4 2182–2200.
IEEE
[1]S. Coşar Çelik, “From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion”, BAİBÜEFD, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 2182–2200, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.17240/aibuefd.2025..-1676434.
ISNAD
Coşar Çelik, Seda. “From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion”. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 25/4 (December 1, 2025): 2182-2200. https://doi.org/10.17240/aibuefd.2025. -1676434.
JAMA
1.Coşar Çelik S. From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. BAİBÜEFD. 2025;25:2182–2200.
MLA
Coşar Çelik, Seda. “From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion”. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, vol. 25, no. 4, Dec. 2025, pp. 2182-00, doi:10.17240/aibuefd.2025. -1676434.
Vancouver
1.Seda Coşar Çelik. From Covent Garden to the Classroom: Developing Sociolinguistic Awareness in English Language Teaching Using Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. BAİBÜEFD. 2025 Dec. 1;25(4):2182-200. doi:10.17240/aibuefd.2025. -1676434