How do language policies in education serve the interests of dominant groups within societies? How do policies marginalize some students while granting privilege to others? How do language policies in schools create inequalities among learners? How can schools further the educational, social, and economic interests of linguistic minorities? These questions--the focus of the chapters in this book-- are at the heart of fundamental debates about the role of schools in society; the links between language policies and inequalities of class, region, and ethnicity/nationality; and conflicts between linguistic minorities and "mainstream" populations. The connections between language policies and inequality are examined, as well as successful efforts to use language policies in education to assert the social and linguistic rights of language minorities. *All of the chapters are original and substantial contributions to the study of language policy and exemplify major theories and research methods in the field. *The case studies are international in scope, including cutting-edge analyses of important language policy debates in North America, Australia, Eastern Europe, Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific. *The multiple meanings of criticallanguage policy study are highlighted. First, the term refers to the field of critical linguistics. Second, the book seeks to develop readers' ability to critically "read" language policies--that is, to understand the social and political implications of particular policies adopted in specific historical contexts. Third, it features chapters that are critical of traditional analyses that fail to capture the full social and political context of language policies and too often accept uncritically the claims of policy. *Sections are included on theoretical issues in language policies; the use of language policy for governance; the role of language policy in managing ethnic conflict; the link between language and globalization; and the impact of critical pedagogy on social change. This volume is intended for scholars and other specialists in language policy, education, applied linguistics, critical linguistics, and language teaching. It is designed for use as a textbook in graduate and advanced undergraduate courses on language policy and language education.

This revised and updated edition provides a practical and readable explanation of how language can be understood and significant implications for classroom and teaching practices.

Bringing together an international and interdisciplinary team of contributors, this Handbook is a wide-ranging and invaluable reference guide to language teaching. A comprehensive reference work on language teaching, which combines the latest research findings, coverage of core topics, and examples of teaching experience from a variety of languages and settings Provides a unique breadth of coverage, including: the psycholinguistic underpinnings of language learning; social, political, and educational contexts; program design; materials writing and course design; teaching and testing; teacher education; and assessment and evaluation Offers a balanced evaluation of the major positions and approaches, including examining the increasingly important social and political context of language teaching Written by an international and interdisciplinary group of authors from a dozen different countries; English is only one of the many languages used as examples throughout the volume

Rethinking Languages Education assembles innovative research from experts in the fields of sociocultural theory, applied linguistics and education. The contributors interrogate innovative and recent thinking and broach controversies about the theoretical and practical considerations that underpin the implementation of effective Languages pedagogy in twenty-first-century classrooms. Crucially, Rethinking Languages Education explores established understandings about language, culture and education to provide a more comprehensive and flexible understanding of Languages education that responds to local classrooms impacted by global and transnational change, and the politics of language, culture and identity. Rethinking Languages Education focuses on questions about ways that we can develop farsighted and successful Languages education for diverse students in globalised contexts. The response to these questions is multi-layered, and takes into account the complex interactions between policy, curriculum and practice, as well as their contention and implementation. In doing so, this book addresses and integrates innovative perspectives of contemporary theory and pedagogy for Languages, TESOL and EAL/D education. It includes diverse discussions around practice, and addresses issues of the dominance of prestige Languages programs for ‘minority’ and ‘heritage’ languages, as well as discussing controversies about the current provision of English and Languages programs around the world.

This book considers the importance of language education in a rapidly changing world. The authors look at language education from different perspectives: the teaching and learning of foreign or second languages; the role of literacy, oracy and language across the curriculum; the part played by different stakeholders in educational policy; and the current state of language teacher education and the ways in which language is addressed in the education of teachers of all subjects. Drawing on their extensive experience of language education, and on case studies and data from around the world, the authors consider how a different approach to language in education might help students to develop the language awareness and linguistic and communicative competences they need in order to participate fully and confidently in our increasingly diverse societies.

Teachers in any subject area must have a basic understanding of how language is learned and used in educational contexts because language impacts teaching and learning across all subjects. This book is written specifically for those teachers and teacher traineeslearning to teach who want to know more about language learning and use in educational contexts and, especially, those who care about the social implications of language in education. Chapters address crucial questions that teachers must address: How is language structured? How is language learned at home and in school, by first, second and bilingual language learners? How is language used in classrooms to shape learning? How does language vary in different regions and due to social characteristics of users? How can language be used to make meaning in different modes (oral/written) and contexts? How do language policies intersect with education policies, and how do these impact teachers? The chapters are full of examples of language use in educational contexts to help readers understand language in action. The examples not only highlight key points, they also provide opportunities for readers to deepen their understanding by experiencing analysis of language. Each chapter closes with a discussion of relevance to educational settings and questions which can be used for in-class discussion or personal reflection. Suggestions for further readings and online viewing are included, and a comprehensive companion website is available

The Handbook of Educational Linguistics is a dynamic, scientifically grounded overview revealing the complexity of this growing field while remaining accessible for students, researchers, language educators, curriculum developers, and educational policy makers. A single volume overview of educational linguistics, written by leading specialists in its many relevant fields Takes into account the diverse theoretical foundations, core themes, major findings, and practical applications of educational linguistics Highlights the multidisciplinary reach of educational linguistics Reflects the complexity of this growing field, whilst remaining accessible to a wide audience

The Routledge Encyclopedia of Language Teaching and Learning is an authoritative reference dealing with all aspects of this increasingly important field of study. Offering a comprehensive range of articles on contemporary language teaching and its history, it has been produced specifically for language teaching professionals and as a reference work for academic studies at postgraduate level. In this new edition, every single entry has been reviewed and updated with reference to new developments and publications. Coverage has been expanded to reflect new technological, global and academic developments, with particular attention to areas such as online and distance learning, teacher and learner cognition, testing, assessment and evaluation, global English and teacher education. Themes and disciplines covered include: Methods and materials, including new technologies and materials development Contexts and concepts, such as mediation, risk-taking in language learning and intercomprehension Influential figures from the early days of language teaching to the contemporary Related disciplines, such as psychology, anthropology and corpus linguistics It covers the teaching of specific languages, including Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and African languages, as well as English, French, German and Spanish. There are thirty five overview articles dealing with issues such as communicative language teaching, early language learning, teacher education and syllabus and curriculum design. A further 160 entries focus on topics such as bilingualism, language laboratories and study abroad. Numerous shorter items examine language and cultural institutions, professional associations and acronyms. Multiple cross-references enable the user to browse from one entry to another, and there are suggestions for further reading. Written by an international team of specialists, the Routledge Encyclopedia of Language Teaching and Learning is an invaluable resource and reference manual for anyone with a professional or academic interest in the subject.

Spolsky here examines the conditions under which languages are learned, and how learning related to teaching. His theory, set out in the form of a preference model, emphasizes the need to be precise and clear on the nature of the goals and outcomes of learning, and to recognize the complexity of the concept of "knowing a second language."

In its exploration of four themes, this book shows how researchers, teachers and pupils for whom English is an additional language can develop together. The first theme is research - of a kind that is of direct benefit to teachers - done by teacher and teacher educators, with and for teachers. The second is professional development and shows how the research contributes to becoming a better teacher. The third theme is collaboration - of learners with teachers, teachers with teachers and teachers with teacher educators. Finally, the studies are set within different language education contexts, seeking commonalties where the terms 'foreign', 'second' and 'modern' have generally been divisive. The issues covered include the role of language across the curriculum, the links between oracy and literacy in bilingual learning, the relationship between communicative teachering and communicative testing, teacher development through distance learning programmes, and the appropriacy to context of educational philosophies and technologies. Illustrating how colleagues in schools and higher education institutions can work together effectively for the benefit of all learners, it will be invaluable to educators searching for examples of practitioner research to further their own development. -- from back cover.