Teaching English Learners: Fostering Language and the Democratic Experience

This book examines the teaching of English language learners (ELL) by exploring topics not typically covered in theory or methods textbooks. Although methods texts commonly draw readers through well-known strategies such as the audio-lingual method, this book, by contrast, focuses attention on how music can advance and improve language skills. Looking broadly at the sociocultural implications of ELD, Tellez examines the role of the teacher in introducing and inspiring students to learn both a new language and a new society. Furthermore, he offers alterative views of language, and shows how a deeper understanding of it can shape and enrich the lives of both students and teachers. Drawing upon progressive pragmatic philosophy of Dewey, Addams, and Rorty, this book helps teachers to understand the important lineage and profession they have joined (or will join), and the urgent role they play as agents of democratic ideals and actions."