‘If I Could Not Make a Difference Why Would I Be a Teacher?’ Teaching English as an Additional Language and the Quest for Social Justice

摘要

This chapter is about the education of children and young people who find themselves in countries where learning English is an absolute necessity. Their inclusion is not possible without the pivotal role played by teachers who can make a real difference, and whose values can be seen as social justice in action (Griffiths 2003). The chapter is in two parts; the first considers policy and practice in relation to English as an Additional Language (EAL) mostly from a British perspective, with reference to some research findings in the United States (US). The second is based on a research project in Henrico County US involving Bath Spa University (BSU) in the United Kingdom (UK) and in Bristol, UK involving students from the College of William and Mary (WM) in US.