NEW DIRECTIONS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING : ISSUES, PRACTICES, CHALLENGES

Book excerpt: New Directions in English Language Teaching: Issues,Practices, Challenges attempts to create a comprehensive vision of critical and culturally relevant English teaching methodologies at the cusp of the 21st century. The present book is multi-voiced. It includes perspectives from classroom teachers, teacher educators and researchers in language and literacy, positioned to respond to recent changes in national conversations about literacy, learning and assessment. These vividly situated authors also recognise the rapidly changing demographics in colleges, the changing nature of teaching English in the digital age, and increasing demands for teaching pedagogies. This book is critically placed at the juncture of numerous directions in novel techniques. At all times, education is a political act, and colleges are embedded with a socio-culture reality that benefits some at the expense of others. Therefore the approach advocated through many of the chapters is one of critical literacy where English students gain reading and writing skills and proficiency with digital technologies that allow them to become more able, discerning, and empowered consumers and producers of texts.