This book explores Singapore's language education system. Unlike previous volumes, which discuss the bilingual requirement for learning, it focuses on Singapore's quadrilingual system, bringing together articles on each of the four languages - English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil - as well as articles that examine more than one language. It highlights past successes, current concerns, and future directions for language education. The book focuses on classroom pedagogy in all four official languages, showcasing how languages are taught and learned in Singapore as a basis for better understanding the system "from the inside out." The authors present empirical, classroom-based studies on language pedagogy in all four languages, as well as updated information on the current socio-political context and how it has influenced attempts at pedagogical innovation. Consideration is given to the dialectical relationship between policy and practice. The chapters also include discussions of pre-school-age learning, influences of language policy, home literacy practices, and commentaries by international language-in-education scholars. This approach also provides a basis for international comparison - especially for those who are interested in fostering English proficiency while maintaining one or more national languages. The volume is particularly important in light of the continuing international efforts to integrate English into national educational systems where it is not the dominant language.

This book explores the importance of language in content learning. It focuses on teachers' roles, knowledge and understanding of language in school contexts (including academic language and disciplinary languages) to support students. It examines teachers' language-related knowledge base for content teaching, which include teachers' knowledge of and about language, knowledge of (their) students and their pedagogical knowledge. This book also explores how teachers' knowledge of language, students and content are linked as part of a larger pedagogical content knowledge, which includes knowledge of the role of language in content learning. As well, it further considers literacy (and literacies) as part of this examination of teachers' knowledge of language.

This title examines economic, social and political factors influencing language education, and presents a global perspective on English language acquisition. This book is dedicated to the exploration of English language acquisition and development outside of the largely monolingual environments of North America, the United Kingdom and Australia. Specifically, the studies investigate different facets of English language learning in Singapore, and use this experience to forge connections with other New English contexts.Using empirical data drawn from a range of language classrooms, the contributors emphasise the place of education within a global framework of English language learning. In so doing they examine economic, social and political factors influencing language education, and present a refreshingly global perspective on English language acquisition. This comprehensive examination of language learning in New English contexts will be of interest to researchers in applied linguistics and world Englishes.

This edited volume is dedicated to the exploration of English language acquisition and development outside of the largely monolingual environments of North America, the United Kingdom and Australia. Specifically, the studies investigate different facets of English language learning in Singapore, and uses this experience to forge connections with other New English contexts. Using empirical data drawn from a range of language classrooms, the contributors emphasise the place of education within a global framework of English language learning. In so doing they examine economic, social and political factors influencing language education, and present a refreshingly global perspective on English language acquisition. This comprehensive examination of language learning in New English contexts will be of interest to researchers in applied linguistics and world Englishes.

Teachers in any subject area must have a basic understanding of how language is learned and used in educational contexts because language impacts teaching and learning across all subjects. This book is written specifically for those teachers and teacher traineeslearning to teach who want to know more about language learning and use in educational contexts and, especially, those who care about the social implications of language in education. Chapters address crucial questions that teachers must address: How is language structured? How is language learned at home and in school, by first, second and bilingual language learners? How is language used in classrooms to shape learning? How does language vary in different regions and due to social characteristics of users? How can language be used to make meaning in different modes (oral/written) and contexts? How do language policies intersect with education policies, and how do these impact teachers? The chapters are full of examples of language use in educational contexts to help readers understand language in action. The examples not only highlight key points, they also provide opportunities for readers to deepen their understanding by experiencing analysis of language. Each chapter closes with a discussion of relevance to educational settings and questions which can be used for in-class discussion or personal reflection. Suggestions for further readings and online viewing are included, and a comprehensive companion website is available