Linguistic Diversity and Teaching (review)

Linguistic Diversity and Teaching, the latest volume in the series Reflective Teaching and the Social Conditions of Schooling: A Series for Prospective and Practising Teachers, edited by D.P. Liston and K.M. Zeichner, offers a unique and welcome contribution to the professional development literature. One of the strengths of this volume, paralleled in the series as a whole, is the effort to go beyond a focus on methods in teacher education. Instead, detailed case studies and responses involving various education providers (e.g., pre-service and in-service teachers, graduate students in education, literacy support staff, administrators) explore the complex sociocultural issues that shape teaching and learning in diverse contexts. I approach this review by analyzing features of the format and content of the book, integrating discussion of the relevance of this resource for Canadian teacher education contexts.

The book contains four cases that address a variety of issues pertaining to teaching in linguistically diverse environments. Topics include concerns around comparing native and non-native English-speaking students; difficulties that arise when teachers' backgrounds are vastly different from those of their students; how diversity affects school organization; and issues with standards-based assessment and second language learners. The cases are well written and detailed enough to situate the contexts effectively, yet succinct enough that a single case could be analyzed within a one- or two-hour teacher education class or workshop (depending on whether participants have had the opportunity to read the case in advance). Following the presentation of the cases, the book analyzes public arguments on issues of English-only policies in the United States, the benefits of bilingual education, and a focus on pragmatics in language education. In conclusion, the authors present their final thoughts, suggestions for teachers working within contexts of diversity, and activities for further reflection.

Each case is separated into three elements: the case; reader reactions to the dilemmas presented in the case; and a summary and additional questions. The content of the cases and reactions is clearly articulated, thoughtful, and provides a range of viable options educators that might consider in addressing each situation. The separation of the elements also allows each case to function as a multi-part dialogue, with obvious 'pauses' where teacher input and discussion could easily be integrated during a pre-service class or in-service professional development session.

However, some improvements might be made in the way certain elements of the volume are labelled, organized, and represented. For example, the titles of the cases do little to convey their content or engage the reader. Case 1, rather vaguely titled 'The Cycle: Frank and Vu,' leaves too much to the imagination for a busy teacher educator wanting to locate a suitable case quickly. Further, confusion arises from the way in which different sections are labelled in the table of contents and throughout the book. The 'reader reactions' portion of the text really represents only one section of each case, yet this one part is described using three different, but barely distinguishable, headings (e.g., case 1 labels the reactions as 'Reader Reactions to Frank's Situation'; 'Reactions to "The Cycle: Frank and Vu"'; and 'Reader Reactions to "The Cycle: Frank and Vu."' These multiple headings (provided for each case in the table of contents) seem unnecessary, since two of the three headings seem to function merely as subtitle pages in the book and contain no other content. Finally, the reader reactions, though representing a range of educators' viewpoints, do not include student or parent voices – a fairly important oversight, given that the cases describe the experiences of linguistically diverse students and their families.

From a Canadian standpoint, this resource shows promise for teacher educators, who often face challenges locating professional development materials relevant to the needs of Canadian teachers. Linguistic Diversity and Teaching is refreshingly applicable because the wide range of diversity, examples, and issues reflected expands beyond dilemmas found mainly in US schools. Even in instances where certain American institutions are mentioned (e.g., a response to...