An intricate, in-depth examination of complex themes, interlaced with examples and narrative from the authors and teachers they have met ... There are two clear messages in this book: that "Teachers have to embrace linguistic diversity" and that "if they wish to be taken seriously, teachers at every level have to own the disciplinary identity of the language specialist." I couldn't agree more.

Babel

An enjoyable and engaging read that I would recommend to all those interested in the global reality of English and the TESOL profession ... Marr and English aim to open a dialogue that doesn’t focus solely on pedagogy or methodology, but examines language awareness and the fact that good methodology stems from solid linguistic knowledge. This knowledge will empower teachers to be even more interested in language, to respect it and to become specialists in their field.

English Australia Journal

This book challenges many of the assumptions that teachers may have about the status of English, the TESOL profession itself, and issues related to linguistic inequality, politics, power, race, and economics. The message of the book is clear: English language teachers need to have specialized knowledge not only of the mechanics of language but of <i>how</i>, <i>why</i>, and <i>by whom</i> language is actually used.

Sarah Knowles, Professorial Lecturer, TESOL Program, American University, USA

Offers a timely examination of why so many teachers of English can articulate so little about how the language works, and predicts that the days of the unqualified native-speaking teacher 'winging it' in classrooms around the world may be numbered. The greatest rewards will in future accrue to those teachers who possess disciplinary expertise through their knowledge of the language system. The book explores how, in the era of global English as a Lingua Franca, these teachers will not necessarily be native English speakers.

David Oakey, Lecturer in TESOL and Applied Linguistics, University of Liverpool, UK