Overview

This open access book argues that language teacher agency is not simply a matter of individual choice, but is also shaped by the complex social, political and educational contexts in which language teachers work. It provides a framework for understanding the complexities of language teacher agency in a wide range of language. It offers practical advice on how to support language teachers in developing and enhancing their agency towards social, cultural, political and linguistic discourses and practices that have an impact on language teachers’ efficacy, intentionality, self-reflectiveness and identity. Through a wide range of methodological approaches such as (duo)ethnographic work, pedagogical interventions, narrative case studies, dialogic approaches and curriculum innovations, this book critically examines the individual and collective efforts of languages teachers as they build and exercise their agentic capacity within and across the contextual conditions in which they are situated. Part I considers the socio-cultural and socio-political factors which facilitate, or interfere with, the exercise of teacher agency in language classrooms, and the ways language teachers can exercise their agency to design locally relevant pedagogies. Part II examines the structural, systemic, ideological and pedagogical transformations needed in order for language teachers to be empowered to displace dominant pedagogies with more socially-just pedagogies to meet the needs of diverse students and of the curriculum. Finally, Part III looks at what dialogic practices can assist language teachers in mitigating dominant discourses and structural procedures, as well as what professional support is needed to assist language teachers in developing a sense of agency. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the University of New England, Australia; University of Melbourne, Australia; and Monash University, Australia.

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9781350454798

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Reviews

This book is an excellent resource on language teacher agency for graduate students, applied linguists, and language teacher educators. The rigorous research presented in the chapters unpacks the complexities associated with language teacher agency. Analyzing agency in different geographical settings and diverse contexts through a wide range of research methodologies, the chapters deepen our understanding of the links between agency, identity, and practice. The critical lens evident throughout the chapters invites the reader to engage with agency and other relevant constructors deeply and critically. * Hayriye Kayi-Aydar, University of Arizona, US * This volume offers a polyvocal conversation on language teacher agency with accounts from diverse geographical and sociopolitical contexts such as Chile, Finland, and Vietnam among others. Readers will find a careful discussion of theoretical perspectives around the construct of teacher agency as a relational concept in which individual and societal factors coalesce. * Dario Banegas, Senior Lecturer in Language Education, University of Edinburgh, UK * Language Teacher Agency illuminates how teachers navigate complex sociopolitical landscapes with resilience and creativity. With critical insights and rich empirical studies, it powerfully redefines agency as collective, situated, and transformative — a vital resource for educators committed to justice, diversity, and meaningful change in language education. * Susan Ollerhead, Macquarie University, Australia * At a time when educational justice being dialed back due to political pressures, this much needed volume provides valuable insights on how teachers across the globe have and can effectively negotiate identity politics and constraints while carrying out their professional responsibilities in an agentive and uplifting manner. A must read! * Peter De Costa, Michigan State University, USA *

Author Information

Leonardo Veliz is Associate Professor in Language and Literacy Education at the University of New England, Australia. Minh Hue Nguyen is Senior Lecturer in TESOL Education at Monash University, Australia. Yvette Slaughter is Associate Professor in Languages and Literacies Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Gary Bonar is Senior Lecturer in Languages and TESOL at Monash University, Australia.

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