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.
Part I. Introduction: 1. Approaching ontologies of English Christopher J. Hall and Rachel Wicaksono; 2. An ontological framework for English Christopher J. Hall; Part II. English In/For L2 Learning and Teaching: 3. English in the real world: norms and the ontology of English(es) Peter Harder; 4. From constructions to social action: the substance of English and its learning from an interactional usage-based perspective Søren Wind Eskildsen; 5. Native and non-native speakers of English Rachel Wicaksono; Part III. English In Schools: 6. The origins and adaptations of English as a school subject Andy Goodwyn; 7. A 'God-like science': English teaching in Secondary schools Rachel Roberts; 8. Beliefs about 'good English' in schools Clare Cunningham; Part IV. Assessing English: 9. English varieties and targets for L2 assessment Claudia Harsch; 10. The role of the L1 in testing L2 English Fumiyo Nakatsuhara, Lynda Taylor and Suwimol Jaiyote; 11. Mind the gap: dis/continuities in the UK assessment of L1 English language Angela Goddard; Part V. English in Lingua Franca Contexts: 12. What is English in the light of lingua franca usage? Iris Schaller-Schwaner and Andy Kirkpatrick; 13. English as a lingua franca and transcultural communication: rethinking competences and pedagogy for ELT Will Baker; 14. Exploring standards-based, intelligibility-based, and complex conceptions of English in a lingua franca context Nathan Page; Part VI. English and Social Practice: 15. English as a resource in a communicative assemblage: a perspective from flat ontology Suresh Canagarajah; 16. Mobile learners and 'English as an additional language' Robert Sharples; 17. Mobility and English language education: how does mobility in study abroad settings produce new conceptualisations of English? Khawla Badwan; Part VII. Commentary and Conclusions: 18. Pushing the ontological boundaries of English Alastair Pennycook; 19. Using ontologies of English Rachel Wicaksono and Christopher J. Hall.
