Language Lessons: Stories for Teaching and Learning English

In today’s linguistically diverse classrooms, it is essential for teachers to understand the needs of students who are acquiring English as an additional language. A firm knowledge of theoretical and practical issues must be paired with a deep understanding of the human side of language learning. Language Lessons: Stories for Teaching and Learning English is a short story anthology that offers valuable insight into the inner lives of language learners. A wide variety of linguistic backgrounds is represented in the collection, and the stories examine language learning issues over a broad range of time, highlighting cultural, political, and social realities that can shape the language learning experiences of children and adults.

This volume can be used in a variety of education settings including undergraduate and graduate courses in TESOL, Literacy Studies, and Language Arts and faculty development workshops. Suggestions for guiding written responses to the material are given, and questions encourage readers to reflect on each story and to explore the multifaceted connections among stories.

Ruth Spack is a professor of English at Bentley University. Vivian Zamel is a professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Boston.