Ontologies of English
Conceptualising the Language for Learning, Teaching, and Assessment

A critical study of the ways in which the English language is conceptualised for learning, teaching, and assessment.

Christopher J. Hall (Edited by), Rachel Wicaksono (Edited by)

9781108482530, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 2 January 2020

402 pages
23.5 x 16 x 2.2 cm, 0.75 kg

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.

Subject Areas: Applied linguistics for ELT [EBAL], Linguistics [CF]