ISJ Internation Schools Journal Envisioning the K-Graduate Education Paradigm
ACS Athens

ISJ April 2015: Historical Vignettes – Tracing the path of ESL provision in international schools over the last four decades

10,00

Maurice Carder

Abstract:

The overview given in the first part of this article (ISJ, November 2014, page 85) encapsulates much of what has taken place over recent, and even not so recent, years in the development, or better said, lack of development of English as a Second Language (ESL) provision. Well-meaning researchers have proposed supposedly better methods for ESL students to learn the language of the curriculum, but in the realities of daily life in schools many other factors relating to human relationships and human foibles have come in the way of realising the goals.

  As Davison (2006: 472) concludes: ‘Among the many conclusions that can be drawn from this study is that partnership between ESL and classroom teachers is neither easy nor unproblematic.’ To be noted is the comment by the head of a successful ESL department in a large international school. He said ‘I have given up trying to persuade the director to always employ content teachers who have undertaken serious professional development in “linguistically responsive teaching”.’

X