This chapter introduces and explores the impact of context on technology in second language teaching and learning and the emerging theories that are shaping its future. The focus of research in this field has shifted toward blended and distance learning, flipped classrooms, and the use of mobile devices in low-tech environments. Teaching languages through games, Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), and virtual reality are also becoming popular. Social interaction, collaborative learning, learner motivation, and training are key factors in successful CALL implementation. Digital media are also being used to promote interculturality and develop literacies for teaching. Teacher resistance can be overcome through online communities for professional development. Task-based language teaching can improve the four language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking, as well as pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. The chapter concludes by outlining how technology can provide opportunities for language learning that can be tailored to individual needs and preferences.

English Medium Instruction (EMI) is a burgeoning field of interest for researchers and practitioners; however, to date its sociocultural and political implications have not been widely considered. This book addresses that concern by situating EMI within wider sociopolitical contexts of knowledge and language. It foregrounds the notion of “Critical EMI,” bringing together applied linguists to revisit EMI in higher education from critical sociocultural perspectives. The notion of criticality is conceptualized as an attempt at addressing issues of ideology, policy, identity, social justice, and the politics of English. The chapters explore Critical EMI concerns in diverse settings across five continents, and present insights for the theory, research, policy, and practice of EMI. The book also problematizes the neocolonial spread and dominance of English through EMI. Calling for an explicit and inclusive EMI praxis, it is essential reading for researchers of applied linguistics and English language education, as well as teacher practitioners.

The introductory chapter breaks down the main features of what a focus on language policy in action entails. I discuss what recent reconceptualisations of ‘language’ mean for how we understand language policy, arguing in particular for a need to focus on how the exercise of authority in language alters the balance of power in discourse. Language policy is presented as a form of sociocultural practice and broken down into five broad actions: constructing, debating, interpreting, enforcing, resisting. The foundations of the critical approach of the book are also presented.

“Writing Is a System” debunks the popular view that writing is an art, best learned by reading selections of good writing and practicing composing. Instead, writing is a system that involves understanding what factors make sentences seem easy to read and paragraphs well organized. This chapter also examines the relevance of readability scores in assessing writing.

The use of English Medium Instruction (EMI) for teaching content subjects has gained popularity worldwide. There has been a significant interest in exploring different aspects of research in the EMI context, focusing on language and content learning, teaching disciplinary language, evaluating the effectiveness of EMI implementation at various educational levels, and investigating the perspectives of teachers, students, policymakers, and other stakeholders regarding the use of English for instruction. Within this complex landscape, researchers come from diverse backgrounds and orientations. The use of English as a medium of instruction and the exploration of teaching content subjects through English have garnered attention from researchers in various disciplines such as science, technology, mathematics, engineering, medicine, business, history, and sociology. In their recent publication, McKinley and Rose (2019) presented a comprehensive handbook on research methods in applied linguistics, covering the rapid changes in this field. They identify two main types of researchers in applied linguistics: “researcher-practitioners,” who focus on teaching and learning within language classrooms, and “educational psychologists,” who study the cognitive and psychological processes of language learning (2019, p. 1). These classifications are particularly relevant for EMI research, as they underscore the need for an interdisciplinary approach that can address the multifaceted nature of teaching and learning in EMI contexts. The diversity of research orientations represented by these classifications further emphasizes the imperative for a holistic approach to EMI research.

Chapter 1 outlines and discusses the issues and challenges early career teachers are faced with at different times in their first five years of teaching. Next, the chapter outlines the aims of the book and why it is important.

This chapter sets the scene for the remainder of the volume. It establishes the conceptual foundations of English language teaching as a profession and highlights its complexity. Professional teaching needs to be regarded as a multidimensional process that combines issues pertinent to the classroom context and teaching–learning with institutional and general pedagogical factors. The process of becoming a professional teacher therefore implies an ongoing commitment to educational change and growth. By adopting a broader perspective, practitioners will be able to teach in a manner that is beneficial to students and society alike. This chapter also elucidates the fact that professional language teaching entails the use of culturally and socially embedded communication and an ability to connect pedagogy with language learning. To address these issues successfully, teachers need to engage in ongoing processes of reflection and theorisation of their practice. To conclude the chapter, a synopsis of all the chapters in this book is provided, highlighting the key themes that emerge from each.

In order to set the scene for this volume, I begin the chapter with a narrative of my experience on the day when I got promoted to a professor at a Japanese university by combining my professional experience to the ideologies of native-speakerism and trans-speakerism. I also include the overall background of the study through providing the aims of the research, explicating the significance of the current inquiry, and outlining the core ideas of this book: native-speakerism and trans-speakerism. In other words, this chapter delineates how these two influential ideologies in language education come together in this book and makes a case for why the present inquiry is a fertile endeavor to make. The chapter concludes with a brief description of the structure and content of the volume.