Second Language Learners in International Schools

Book excerpt: Available in paperback from mid-December 2018. By 2020 it is estimated that there will be more than ten thousand international schools educating five million students. Native speakers of English, the language of instruction in 90 per cent of these schools, will be in the minority.The learning needs of second language learners in national education systems differ fundamentally from those in the international community. This book argues that second language learners in international schools are better provided for within models of instruction that do not assimilate to any political system; where motivation can come from areas other than wanting to belong to a specific culture; and where students can develop all their languages equitably.The authors trace the theories underpinning second language learning programmes in international schools and delve into the complexities of teacher relationships and the influence of curriculum agencies on second language learning. Through case studies and vignettes, they argue for establishing a department of Professional English as a Second Language at the centre of the academic life in each school, whose staff will build on the widely acknowledged potential of second language learners and enhance their capabilities in all their languages.