Multiculturalism, Language, and Race in English Education in Japan: Agency, Pedagogy, and Reckoning

The overall purpose of this volume is to initiate important conversations on race, language, and multiculturalism and how they currently inform pedagogical practice in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Japan. The editor and contributors explore the issues with the hope that the experiences and pedagogical actions documented in this volume will motivate others to take similar action.

In ELT, problematic discourses regarding the notion of the “ownership of English” and the ‘idealized speaker of English’ linger due to the dichotomy between so-called ‘non-native’ English speaking teachers (NNESTs) and ‘native’ English-speaking teachers (NESTs) — a dichotomy that unfortunately intersects with views of ethnoracial and cultural difference. These discourses influence pedagogical practices, educational cultures and social structures in educational institutions, thereby enhancing or constraining teacher and learner identities. More than ever, in our field, we need to establish pedagogical practices that can promote intercultural awareness, raise appreciation for diversity, and dismantle inequities.