Innovation and Change in English Language Education ed. by Ken Hyland, Lillian L. C. Wong (review)

Innovation and Change in English Language Education is an edited collection of theory-informed practical case studies addressing four broad areas in innovation and change: conceptions and contexts of innovation and change; innovation and change in teacher education; innovation and change in the language curriculum and; innovation and change in teaching practice. Each chapter starts with theory and then discusses and reflects on a practical example, considering why each example was successful or unsuccessful, before ending with suggestions for further key reading. This provides a highly engaging and extremely valuable collection. If you work in the field of English language education or are studying for a dissertation or thesis in the field, and you aim to introduce or explore an innovation or process of change, then this volume is essential reading.

Chapter One considers the concepts of innovation and change and outlines the rest of the book. As rightly noted, “innovation does not always mean change” (p. 2), a key theme and strength of the book. Chapters 2 to 5 constitute Section I. Chapter 2 outlines three models of change: mechanistic, individual, and ecological, justifying why an ecological model is most effective, drawing on a project in Tunisia. Chapter 3 adopts an ethnomethodological approach to analyse the micro-context of change. There is very detailed analysis (cf. Potter & Hepburn, 2012) of transcripts from student task-related dialogue from an energy ESP course to investigate how successful change is at the micro-level of pedagogical approaches. Chapter 4 presents initial data from a larger ongoing project to introduce more localised context-driven materials in Chinese School textbooks. This is part of the China government’s 2010–2020 National Mid- & Long- Term Educational Reform and Development Plan. Chapter 5 outlines and critiques three “basic concepts” of the management of change and reflects on the Philippines’ English Language Teaching (PELT) project, considering how these concepts helped with many achievements, but also revealed many missed opportunities.

Section II, Innovation and Change in Teacher Education, contains four chapters. Chapter 6 focuses critically on Second Language Teacher Education (SLTE), describing an innovation to help teachers team teach. Transcripts are again presented in detail, and there are key questions to ask when developing innovations for SLTE programmes. Chapter 7 overviews Action Research (AR) within a dialogic (cf. Bakhtin, 1982) approach to change, drawing on Australia’s ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) programme. It shows that to succeed, AR needs administrative, institutional, and collegial support. Chapter 8 details a mixed methods study to explore how teachers reflect both privately and publicly. It shows the challenge for institutions is to allow teachers to reflect but also allow their personal initiative. Chapter 9 is a critical deconstruction of innovation and change within teacher education. This is placed within the context of “manifest” observable actions, or “latent” thought based processes. Machiavelli (1532) is drawn upon to underline the complexity of change, and it is rightly noted that attention should be drawn to teachers’ understandings of what they can manage and what they believe is outside their control.

Section III, Innovation and Change in the Language Curriculum contains four chapters. Chapter 10 considers policy planning at government level, showing how Malaysia’s attempt to introduce English medium Instruction failed to consider practical pedagogical issues in favour of overall policy drives. Chapter 11 describes a Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) approach to changing primary school language teaching, showing opportunities for change and complexities involved. Chapter 12 considers the secondary sector and focuses on Hong Kong, showing change remains rooted in cultural, technological, and political perspectives. In Hong Kong’s case change has been symbolic rather than real. Chapter 13 shows how higher education can be a constraint on change and shows how change is steered primarily by senior management.

Section IV, Innovation and Change in Teaching Practice contains 5 chapters. Chapter 14 provides an extensive and thorough overview of what is the norm...