Ontologies of English

In applied linguistics being explicit about ontologies of English and how they underpin educational ideologies and professional practices is essential. For the first time this volume presents a critical examination of the ways in which English is conceptualised for learning teaching and assessment from both social and cognitive perspectives. Written by a team of leading scholars it considers the language in a range of contexts and domains including: models and targets for EFL ESL and EAL teaching and testing and the contested dominance of native-speaker 'standard' varieties; English as a school subject using England's educational system as an example; English as a lingua franca where typically several languages and cultures are in contact; and English as broader social practice in a world characterised by unprecedented mobility and destabilisation. Readers are provided with a balanced set of perspectives on ontologies of English and a valuable resource for educational research and practice.