Language Awareness at School: A Practical Guide for Teachers and School Leaders

Language Awareness at School is an essential book for teachers, trainee teachers, and school leadership teams that aims to improve language education by exploring topics such as misconceptions about Standard English, local accents, cross-curricular speaking and writing skills, and Modern Foreign Languages. It helps to undo damaging prejudices about how students speak and highlights opportunities to encourage students to notice, examine, and debate language issues.

Format: Hardback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 02 May 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Language plays a vital role in education, and schools must make informed decisions about language policies to support their students' language development. Language Awareness at School is a valuable resource that addresses this issue by providing a comprehensive exploration of language-related topics. Written in collaboration by an academic linguist and an experienced teacher, the book combines professional experience and academic expertise to demonstrate how a language-aware approach to education can transform both whole-school policy and classroom practice.

The book begins by addressing misconceptions surrounding the use of 'Standard English' and explores the impact of teachers' and students' local accents on language learning. It also discusses the development of cross-curricular speaking and writing skills and how to reinvigorate Modern Foreign Languages.

Chapters in the book address a range of language-related issues, including language diversity, language acquisition, and language assessment. The authors argue that a language-aware approach to education can help to promote inclusivity, equity, and social justice by recognizing and valuing the languages and cultures of all students.

Furthermore, the book works to undo damaging prejudices about how students speak, highlighting opportunities to encourage students to notice, examine, and debate language issues. The authors believe that language awareness can help students to develop critical thinking skills, improve their communication abilities, and become more confident and aware speakers and writers.

Language Awareness at School is a crucial read for all teachers, trainee teachers, and school leadership teams who want to make more informed decisions regarding language issues in schools. The book provides a wealth of information and practical strategies that can help educators to create language-rich learning environments that support the language development of all students.

Weight: 432g
Dimension: 179 x 253 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032062327