ISJ October 2019: Book Review: Second Language Learners in International Schools. Maurice Carder, Patricia Mertin, Sarah Porter

Melanie Sanchez

I have always been an educator who believes that without the constructive criticism and thoughtful reflective prowess of others in our field, education would fail to reach its goal – one of pedagogy and learning; the primary focus of which is on the students it serves. When I picked up my copy of Carder, Mertin, and Porter’s Second Language Learners (SLLs) in International Schools, I approached it with a critical eye, as any classroom teacher should do who believes that reflection in education is a necessary component for growth and ultimately for serving the students we teach. As I read through the chapters of the book, I was reminded of the many ways that second language learners in the international school setting are often overlooked, marginalized, or underserved because of the larger questions that are related to curriculum, teaching and learning.