Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access

Abstract

Tearing Down Walls: Migration, Language, Culture, Literacy and Policy in Global Contexts

Joyce Pittman

This paper introduces learners, teachers, educators and stakeholders to a complex of socio-political contexts in which TIE-SOL [teaching in English to speakers of other languages] is embedded in the education and related experiences. The methodology includes the author’s experiential knowledge weaved with extensive research and literature to explore language teaching as a set of practices situated in, and constitutive of wider social and political relations manifest through policies influencing migration, culture, language and literacy. The context includes ESL administration, curriculum and pedagogy, such as multicultural, immigration, indigenous and racism policies that often crosses borders. Educational and language policy ‘contexts’ are explored for what they include and what they exclude; for their influence, or lack of, on the framing of second or least commonly taught language teaching and learning encountered by immigrants, and ultimately not limited to ELL/TESL teacher and learner identity but all teachers and learners. In this writing, we are concerned with teaching and learning in a country in which English is the dominant language of a substantial, often monolingual, majority and learners need English to communicate in their daily life. As such, the paper aims to enlarge the view-point of Andragogy and Pedagogy of Language Learning and Teaching and Less Commonly Taught Languages by transitioning theory to practice through exploring the relationships between elements of social and political contexts such as students right to own language (SROL) and the impact upon language pedagogy, theory and professional practice in global education. The outcomes or results culminate as the researcher recommends a platform to improve planning, designing and implementing professional development and training for leaders, teachers, educators and individual to inform them about the impact that practice-based Pedagogy can have in eradicating language barriers that often affect the quality of life and learning for all people (296 words).