ThePolitics of Language Education

This book highlights the importance of micropolitics in shaping language education policy, development and projects. It discusses background theory to understanding micropolitics, issues surrounding the research and publication of political behaviour by individuals and institutions, and presents case studies from a range of different contexts.

Charles Alderson is Professor of Linguistics and English Language Education at Lancaster University, UK. He was Director of the Revision Project that produced the IELTS test; Scientific Coordinator of DIALANG (www.dialang.org); Academic Adviser to the British Council’s Hungarian English Examination Reform Project; and is former co-editor of the international journal Language Testing and the Cambridge Language Assessment Series (Cambridge University Press). He has taught and lectured in over 50 countries world-wide, been consultant to numerous language education projects, and is internationally well-known for his teaching, research and publications in language testing and assessment, programme and course evaluation, reading in a foreign language and teacher training.

Charles Alderson is Professor of Linguistics and English Language Education at Lancaster University, UK. He was Director of the Revision Project that produced the IELTS test; Scientific Coordinator of DIALANG (www.dialang.org); Academic Adviser to the British Councilâ??s Hungarian English Examination Reform Project; and is former co-editor of the international journal Language Testing and the Cambridge Language Assessment Series (Cambridge University Press). He has taught and lectured in over 50 countries world-wide, been consultant to numerous language education projects, and is internationally well-known for his teaching, research and publications in language testing and assessment, programme and course evaluation, reading in a foreign language and teacher training.

This is an important new book presenting nine case studies on the micropolitical agendas of individuals and institutions involved in ELT projects in various parts of the world. It opens windows on some nefarious activities usually hidden from public eyes, but which may be well understood by those who work in the academic and professional worlds of (English) language education.

This is a brave, honest and challenging book which provides the missing piece in our understanding of the implementation of language education policy, in particular, and the management of change, more generally.

The contributions in this book offer eye-opening insights into the role of individuals and institutions in language education policy developments and implementation. It presents a thought-provoking collection of studies from a wide range of social and political contexts that focus on the necessity of recognizing the role of individuals and institutions, and addressing and where possible remedying the negative effects of the advancement of individual micropolitical agendas.