‘Bending Back’ To Move Forward: Contemplating Reflective Practice In TESOL

This paper looks into the challenges and prospects of implementing teaching of English to speakers of other languages(TESOL) approaches in Nigeria against the background of the Nigerian National Policy on Education (2004) which legitimise the teaching of English as a the official language. The review paper is a shift from the usual approach of examining the teaching of English as a Second Language(TESL) to teaching of English to Speakers of other Languages(TESOL).The two approaches recognize previous knowledge of English language but TESOL has a wider conceptual view. However, challenges of TESOL are highlighted in order to call the attention of stakeholders. The challenges of TESOL require urgent attention as previous studies have dwelt much on prospects which are interrelated with functions of English and importance of teaching English as a Second Language.

This paper examines the evolving landscape of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in Pakistan. It analyzes the interplay between historical legacies, policy directives, teacher education, and global pedagogical trends. Although English holds the status of an official language and functions as a medium of instruction across various tiers of the education system, the implementation of TESOL in Pakistan remains fraught with challenges. These include inconsistent language policies, lack of alignment between curriculum and classroom realities, inadequate teacher preparation, urban–rural disparities, and limited access to sustained professional development opportunities. This study highlights how institutional frameworks have historically shaped the quality of English language instruction, and how recent efforts—such as PakTESOL initiatives and capacity-building programs funded by the U.S. Embassy and Regional English Language Office (RELO)—are attempting to professionalize TESOL in the country. The paper discusses how context-sensitive teacher training, inclusive curriculum development, and reflective pedagogical practices can help reorient TESOL towards local needs while maintaining global relevance. The growing integration of educational technology and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is evaluated as a transformative factor in expanding access to language instruction, particularly in under-resourced regions. Critical pedagogy is also considered essential for empowering teachers and learners to engage with English in ways that support equity, identity, and meaningful communication. The paper concludes by offering practical and research-informed recommendations for strengthening TESOL in Pakistan. It also advocates for collaborative policy-making, initiate more teacher education programs, and equitable resource distribution. This study contributes to a sustainable, contextually aware TESOL framework that addresses Pakistan’s linguistic, social, and educational complexities.

This chapter describes the different aspects of teacher identity in Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in terms of a frames model, building on related prior applications of the notion of framing to English language teaching and to program development and management. It discusses the two categories of the model: Practice-centered/Contextual Frames of Teacher Identity in TESOL. The first set of frames represents teacher identity in TESOL in terms of different orientations to the practices involved in TESOL work. The global facet of TESOL teacher identity connects to content and pedagogical knowledge, as it requires the teacher to be knowledgeable about different varieties of English and conscious of what variety of English is being taught and how it is being taught. The different framings of TESOL work offer different perspectives from which both future teachers and those already teaching can examine aspects of their work-related identity and map a course for change and career development.

The United Nations’ Education 2030 Framework (2015) clearly stated that initial teacher-training should be enhanced to support education for sustainable development (ESD) practice. Instrumental to the acquisition of ESD learning objectives and key competencies is the advancement of trainee-teachers as agents of change (Mundy et al, 2008). Holding knowledge of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and transformative pedagogies for ESD enables educators to positively contribute to their communities. Trainee-teachers of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) are preparing to teach in a diversity of countries yet the inclusion of ESD in their training is not visible. This case study reports on the utilisation of the CoDesignS ESD Toolkit Planner (‘Toolkit’) for the learning design of a 15-credit module titled Introduction to embedding sustainability in TEFL and TESOL. The module aims to enable trainee-teachers to develop an understanding of the implications of local, national, regional, and global learning contexts upon their teaching practice. Micro-teaching was developed as part of the module to provide trainee-teachers with opportunities to tailor their pedagogical practice to the needs of their learners. The intended outcome of the learning design was to enable the trainee-teachers to feel better equipped to incorporate localised sustainability issues into their classes without detracting from delivering authentic English language learning. This case study report reflects upon the effectiveness of the design in achieving its goals at the completion of a first term of delivery to final year TEFL undergraduates and first term TESOL and Applied Linguistics postgraduates at the University of Essex, UK.

Based on a year-long, qualitative study of five East Asian women, pre-service teachers enrolled in U.S. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) teacher education programs, this article examines one Korean woman's journey as she navigates through her multiple identities as a daughter, spouse, mother, and language teacher inside and outside of Korea and the United States. In narrative accounts audiotaped during in-depth interviews conducted over a period of seven months, Han Nah shared experiences that have been shaped by her gendered identities while also being transformed by these identities. Han Nah's identities are viewed as a site of struggle in multiple contexts: (1) Han Nah was influenced by how her parents positioned her as a traditional Korean woman in the larger Korean patriarchal society, which in turn impacted her own decisions navigating through both Korean and U.S. educational and professional contexts; and (2) Han Nah's “mothering” and “spousal” identities influenced and somewhat superseded her professional aspirations, which led Han Nah to claim her dominant language and race in the Western educational system. This article concludes with TESOL teacher education implications.

In the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), studies and scholarly publications questioning the NEST/NNEST (Native-English-Speaker Teacher/ Non-native-English-Speaker Teacher) dichotomy have steadily increased over the last 25 years. This dichotomy has resulted in discriminatory practices against NNESTs, underpinning the contested assumption that native speaker status should be the gold standard in TESOL. This study explores how this problematic perception plays out in the specific context of the Preparatory Year Programs (PYP) in two Saudi universities. This study, based on the analysis of 18 teacher interviews, examines the lived experiences of university English teachers, both native and non-native, locally and internationally recruited, working in the same programs. This paper discusses two themes: the participants’ qualifications and their beliefs about the main reason why they were recruited. The data indicate that only a few teachers believe that being a NS is the main factor in being hired whereas the majority believe that qualifications are the most important requirements for job recruitment. As the most required and obtained certificate for English Language Teaching (ELT) in the PYP, The Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) does appear to replace the NS status requirement based on the participants’ opinions. However, CELTA does not escape criticism as an English teaching qualification. The study argues that buying into the CELTA requirement perpetuates colonialism in ELT..

The field of teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) brings people from various racialized backgrounds together in teaching, learning, and research. The idea of race, racialization, and racism are inescapable topics that arise in the contact zones created by teaching English worldwide and thus are valid topics to explore in the field. Nonetheless, unlike our peer fields such as anthropology, education, and sociology, the field of TESOL has not sufficiently addressed the idea of race and related concepts. This special topic issue is one of the first attempts in our field to fill the gap. This introductory article will survey key concepts and theories defined and debated in various fields, including race, ethnicity, culture, racialization, racism, critical race theory, and critical White studies, to provide a foundation for future explorations.

The rapid advancement of information technology and ongoing education reforms have introduced smart education as an innovative teaching model. This study aims to explore the application and impact of smart education platforms in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) within four junior high schools in China. Through a detailed analysis of questionnaire responses from English language teachers, the study investigates the impact of these platforms on teaching practices. Results indicate that using smart teaching platforms has increased teachers’ engagement, motivation, and satisfaction. Additionally, teachers have reported a deeper understanding of smart education concepts, improved practical teaching skills, and overall professional development. Despite these benefits, the study highlights the challenges of implementing smart education platforms. The findings suggest that while smart education platforms can potentially enhance TESOL effectiveness, further improvements, and extensive research are necessary to optimize their use fully.

This article presents select findings from a case study about applied theatre at a school for girls with refugee backgrounds in the United States. The data were collected through direct observations, semi‐structured interviews, and analysis of students' work. The study uses an intersectional analysis to explore relationships between gender, race, heritage cultures, and language use in arts‐based activities. The author describes one assignment in which students researched a woman from history and then wrote and performed a first‐person monologue from this person's point of view. The researcher discusses ways that the assignment's structure limited students' choices about whom to learn about and portray. In particular, the assignment centered gender over other aspects of students' identities related to heritage cultures, heritage languages, and race. Findings are also reported from interviews with students about how they navigated these parameters and their experiences as writers and performers. Finally, the author considers ways audiences may shape the narratives students are encouraged to tell. Findings highlight ways arts‐based practices directly and indirectly influenced the narratives students with refugee backgrounds created and performed in their resettlement community. The author concludes by discussing implications for arts‐based practices for teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

This study analyzes research trends in dictogloss within the field of Teaching Korean to Speakers of Other Languages (TKSOL) and proposes directions for future research. Data were collected from studies published in Korea through June 2025 using major Korean academic databases, including RISS, KISS, and DBpia. Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, 72 relevant studies were selected and categorized by publication period, research domain, participant characteristics, methodology, and topic. The results indicate that research on dictogloss in TKSOL has been conducted consistently since 2008. Grammar instruction emerged as the most frequent research domain (26 studies), and intermediate-level learners were the most common participant group (36 studies). However, most studies failed to specify participants’ nationality or learning purposes. Regarding methodology, quantitative research predominated (31 studies), followed by mixed-methods (7), qualitative (3), and meta-analyses (2). In terms of topics, verifying instructional effectiveness was the most prevalent (35 studies), followed by the proposal of teaching models (24 studies). This study is significant as it provides a comprehensive overview of research trends over the past two decades, incorporating both peer-reviewed journal articles and grey literature, such as dissertations and research reports. These findings are expected to serve as a foundational resource for future research on dictogloss.

This research attempted to identify the psychological factors that affect the speaking performance of students enrolled in Postgraduate English Language Teaching programs in Pakistan. A quantitative approach was used to address the main aim of this study. The participants of the research were 100 postgraduate students enrolled in English Language Teaching (ELT) and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programs of public sector higher education institutions and universities in Pakistan. The findings revealed that many students in this study reported finding it difficult to speak in English in foreign language classrooms due to psychological factors like lack of selfconfidence, lack of self-esteem, fear of making mistakes, shyness, anxiety and motivation mainly. The findings also revealed that almost all the psychological factors are interlinked with each other and have a direct effect on the speaking performance of the students in this study.

ABSTRACTThe emerging linguistic landscape of English as a global language calls for practitioners in Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) to move beyond monolingual instruction and adopt a more plurilingual pedagogy. Despite substantial research on implementing global Englishes language teaching (GELT) across the three circles, a research gap persists, especially in secondary education. To bridge the gap, this qualitative study explored the possibility of GELT integration in English classrooms from the lens of 18 students, nine teachers, and nine administrators at nine secondary schools in southern Thailand through focus group discussions and semi‐structured interviews. The data from the qualitative content analysis revealed participants’ positive perceptions of GELT since it was viewed as instrumental in preparing learners to take a practical approach when utilizing English beyond specific forms and norms. However, challenges remained in establishing GELT, especially in contexts dominated by native‐speakerism and linguistic imperialism ideologies. Achieving this goal demands coordinated efforts among TESOL practitioners at all levels. These initiatives involve both policymakers who shape English education through top‐down directives and educators, who implement these strategies from the bottom up. The success of this collaboration is critical in revisiting English learning aims, repositioning English proficiency assessment, embracing sociocultural relevance in ELT, introducing translanguaging pedagogy for ELT, and redefining English instructional models to reflect the global diversity of English more accurately.

Since the advent of the critical turn in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), researchers have addressed previously ignored or glossed over issues of race, gender, class, sexuality, cultural politics, and identity in the language classroom. Curiously, the issue of emotion in language teaching and learning, which would seem to be an integral part of the aforementioned constructs in a person’s identifications and performativities, was left largely unexplored from critical perspectives. Benesch’s thought-provoking, and in many ways, groundbreaking book is a much needed and welcomed contribution to the exploration of emotions that extend beyond the cognitive approaches prevalent in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research. Much like her 2001 book, Critical English for Academic Purposes, Benesch seamlessly integrates complex theories with illustrative classroom practices, providing avenues for researchers to pursue further explorations in this area as well as classroom examples for practitioners interested in expanding their own critical approaches with English language learners (ELLs).

Global textbooks (GTs) — full-featured English language teaching materials containing a range of workbooks, videos, CD-ROMs, and online materials — have become a major feature of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) pedagogy in the 21st century. However, they are much maligned by some scholars as tools of cultural imperialism that damage local cultures and contribute to the learners’ failure to acquire proficiency in English as a Foreign Language. This chapter uncovers a number of the sociopolitical dynamics that give rise to GT opposition, and questions some of the more strident claims of anti-GT scholars. The chapter then presents a six-year empirical study conducted at a university English language program in Japan, where nearly 700 students have used a GT as the core material. Drawing from both qualitative and statistical analyses, this chapter concludes that GTs have significant potential for becoming an effective resource for second language learning, but the greatest chance of pedagogical improvement seems most likely in language programs where major institutional stakeholders achieve an acceptable degree of political equilibrium.

Smith, A. F. V., & Strong, G. (Eds.). (2009). Adult Language Learners: Context and Innovation. Alexandria, VA: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). 175 pp. ISBN 978-1931185615 (paperback). With the fast development of globalization, adult education is undergoing constant and continuous transformations not only in the content and means of instruction but more profoundly in the fundamental understandings about the purposes of learning. In response to the pressing needs of seeking new perspectives in the teaching of adults, Smith and Strong's (2009) edited book, Adult Language Learners: Context and Innovation, provides a compendium of fresh ideas and insights for adult learners of the English language. With a total of 18 chapters, the text is organized into three sections. The first section focuses on professional development of teachers of adult learners of the English language in diverse contexts. This section addresses topics related to policy and practice. In terms of policy considerations of teacher development, the idea of decentralization is asserted by the author of a chapter, heuristically titled Thinking Locally Training Globally, as an alternative to the traditional approach--centrally planned locally implemented (CPLI) for the purpose of empowering teachers to gain greater ownership of their professional development. In regard to practices of teacher development, the authors of Section 1 write about their experimentation with state-of-the-art technologies to help teachers build their own perspectives of teaching and learning. Such a constructivist stance resonates with the pragmatic view espoused by Malcolm Knowles, one of the chief architects of andragogy, that all experiences could be used to serve the purposes of learning in one way or another without ideological constraints. Extending the general theme of ownership of teacher learning to student learning, six chapters in the second section of the text are presented with a focus on developing autonomy in adult learners of the English language. Drawing on principles of andragogy, authors of Section 2 explore ways to capitalize on the strengths of the diverse populations of adult learners. Coming from a variety of backgrounds, these learners vary in their English language proficiency, academic preparation, and expectations, which mirror the changing demographics of today's adult learners of the English language around the globe. The curricular engagements developed by the authors are meant to serve the dual purposes of teaching knowledge about the English language and modeling how to learn the language in an effort to meet the diverse needs of adult learners. The third section, comprising five chapters, looks at innovations from the perspective of a particular course or program. …