Author Description

The current situation in Great Britain regarding equal opportunities for pupils learning second languages is examined. Focus is on race, class, and gender, with consideration also given to issues of pupils with disabilities. The report includes five chapters that include possible teaching strategies and points for departmental discussion. The chapters are as follows: (1) Using Existing Resources (presenting and practicing new language and producing the language); (2) What We Teach--Rethinking Tasks in the Syllabus (creating topics and tasks, choosing the linguistic exponents, and expressing opinions); (3) How We Teach--Managing Classroom Interaction and Groupings (classroom interaction and group work); (4) Exploring Language; and (5) Getting the Message Across--The Contribution of the Languages Department to Equal Opportunities in the School (raising awareness and cross-curricular collaboration). It is concluded that teachers should routinely build into their lessons different ways of looking at the world. A list of selected reading materials (19 citations) is appended. (LB)