C E L E A N E W S CELEA News · More information on the 2010 CELT and TESOL Convention in Boston...

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CELEA News

Letter from the PresidentThe More the Merrier!Thanks to our newsletter editors Michael, Jan, and Mary Beth. Thanks also to Daniel for his work on layout. It is great to see the involvement of many people as we continue to develop the Christian English Language Educators Association (CELEA). I am also excited that a committee chaired by Frank Tuzi has been assembled to help prepare for a Christians in English Language Teaching (CELT) conference in Boston before the TESOL convention there. If you

are interested in helping with the CELT conference, please contact me or Frank ([email protected]). Planning is also well underway for activities in Boston at TESOL. We are planning an academic session entitled “Social Justice, Faith, and ELT.” We will also be planning a fun time together as a forum that will include food, meeting other Christians in TESOL, and doing some planning for the next convention. We look forward to seeing many of you in Boston! More information on the 2010 CELT and TESOL Convention in Boston will be available soon. In the meantime enjoy your autumn activities!

Michael Pasquale teaches linguistics and TESOL and is Chair of the Humanities Division at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI, [email protected]

Newsletter of the Christian English Language Educators Association

Connect Through EnglishHiromi Takahashi tells about a Coffee-House Ministry in Sapporo, Japan

Page 2

A Call to TeachJan Edwards Dormer shares about her experiences as a Christian teaching in a Muslim School.

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CETA BeginsG. David Rath reports on the 1st Christian English Teachers’ Association Symposium.

Pages 7-8

SpotlightThis regular feature will introduce you to colleagues in the field. This month we feature Maerowati and Mary Beth Haan.

Pages 8-10

Be BoldMakoto Tokudome discusses how to respond to criticism of Christians in ELT and promote further dialogue.

Pages 10-14

Book ReviewA review of Christian and critical English language educators in dialogue: Pedagogical and ethical dilemmas. Wong, M.S. & Canagarajah, S. Eds.

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A Biannual Newsletter Volume 1, Number 2 ~ October 2009

Christian English Language Educators Association [www.celea.net]

CELEA is a non-profit educational association which functions as the

Christian English Language Educators Forum (CELEF) in conjunction with the

annual TESOL convention, where it holds an academic session, booth, and

networking session.

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2 CELEA News Vol. 1, No. 2

F R O M T H E E D I T O R S

Welcome! Michael Lessard-Clouston has been joined by co-editors Jan Dormer and Mary Beth Haan, along with Daniel McClary on layout – enjoy his work on these pages! You can learn more about Mary Beth in her Spotlight, and about Jan from her article, based on her presentation at the TESOL convention this year in Denver.

This issue reflects our international group. Apart from the CELEA president’s letter, we have reports on an English teaching ministry in Japan and a Christian teachers’ conference in Taiwan, plus articles on working in a Muslim school in Indonesia and responding to criticisms of Christians in ELT wherever we are. Our Spotlight feature introduces one teacher in Indonesia and another in the U.S. Finally, there’s a review of an important book, and information on CELT 2010 in Boston and on contributing.

While the newsletter appears twice a year, the conversation can continue throughout the year with the CELEA News forum on the website, at http://www.celea.net. In particular we’d be interested in responses to articles there. Please consider writing an article or doing a Spotlight for our February 2010 issue (deadline: January 4th). Just contact us about it. Thanks for reading!

Connect through English – A Coffee-House Ministry in Sapporo, JapanHiromi Takahashi, Biola University

I recently began my MA TESOL studies, and one of my first assignments was to write my reflections on Christian English teachers and ministry. I was involved in an English coffee-house ministry before I came to the U.S., and in this article I would like to describe it.

This coffee-house ministry started from the vision of a missionary couple, Mark and Athlee Bowman, of the Evangelical Free Church of America. They had previously done a coffee-and-chat ministry at a church in Sapporo and had seen great potential in it; people who would be shy to step into a church building came and enjoyed talking there. After many hours of prayers and preparation, they opened a coffee house in 2007. They named it Café Co-En (Connect through English, but it sounds like the Japanese word “koen”, for park) and started serving people in the community by providing English lessons as well as food and drinks. God provided them with everything they needed: a place, workers, and all the other necessities. Although it was located near a university in a commercial and residential area, Café Co-En’s beginning was rather slow; the first couple of months saw more staff than customers. However, God brought new customers one by one, and the news about this new English café spread across the city by word of

mouth. It has even been featured in local magazines.

People from different backgrounds come to Café Co-En because of their interest in practicing English. They include university students planning to go overseas, mothers with children for kid’s English lessons, and homemakers and retired businessmen who are eager to continue to study English. Both one-on-one and group lessons are provided at much less cost than other language schools, and

customers sign up according to their needs. In addition to regular classroom lessons, English-speaking staff are available in the coffee-house area, and anybody can walk in, have a conversation in English over a cup of coffee, and make friends.

All the English-speaking workers and some of the

Japanese staff are Christians, and serve the

customers not only by talking to them in English but also by listening to their needs and caring for them as precious masterpieces of the Creator. Customers who come to the coffee-house just to practice English see something different in the Christian staff and gradually open their hearts. They start talking about their life stories, family issues and daily concerns. These are the moments when the doors of customers’ hearts are opened to Christ’s love. We do not hide our identity as Christians at Café Co-En, but do not evangelize forcefully and loudly, either. Our motto is hitasura, a Japanese word which means “one focus.” It is written in two Japanese characters which can also be read tada-kuda, meaning “simply a conduit.” We are

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like conduits for the love of God; we do not make a difference in people’s lives, but God does. Café Co-En is an opportunity for the love of Christ to direct the flow from above into people’s hearts. Connecting through English with non-Christians, we serve them with Christ’s love so that they will come to the source of that love.

I was involved in this ministry as a volunteer and experienced how powerfully English worked as an initiator of relationships in Japan. For example, when I was talking to the staff in English, I was often approached by a customer who spoke to me, saying, “How did you learn to speak English?” Her interest in English caused her to have the courage to speak to someone she had never spoken to. After some exchange of our experiences in English learning, I gradually started asking more personal questions to understand the person better. As time went by, the initial conversation in English would often turn into a more serious, personal talk about life. I even had an opportunity to share with the customer my faith in Jesus Christ. Thus I witnessed how English worked in building relationships with people who were motivated to learn it.

While I was excited about reaching out to non-Christians in my home country and making a difference for the kingdom of God through my English skills, I was made to realize that I could not go any further if I did not have practical and effective tools for teaching the language. Last year, I was given an opportunity to teach English at Co-En. It was a one-on-one lesson with a woman in her late sixties. I had little experience in teaching, and teaching a student who was as old as my father was a challenge for me. As I taught her English, I was insecure about my lack

of skills and knowledge in teaching English. Simply put, I could communicate in English well but did not know how to help a learner become like me. When she asked me what she should do to improve her overall communicative skills, I could not do anything but share my own struggles as an ever-studying English learner. I wanted to help her, since she was studying English to fight her fear of aging, but I was of little help. Although this student was patient with me and let me continue to be her teacher, other people may not be as forgiving. If I cannot meet their needs, they will have little interest in me as a language teacher and even less interest in me as a witness for Christ. In addition, if I do not provide them with the services they need, I will do them a disservice. From this experience, I realized that it is necessary for Christians in language-teaching ministries to have professional training in TESOL.

For a Christian English ministry like Café Co-En to continue to be attractive to non-Christian English learners and to make a difference for God's Kingdom, it should have well-trained, qualified English teachers as well as well-trained Bible teachers and other Christian workers. There is a great demand for English education in Japan, and opportunities for ministries seem to abound. However, the market is very competitive. There are a large number of language schools, and students shop around for better services. Therefore, it is essential for English-language ministries to have teachers who are capable of meeting students’ needs in order to reach out extensively. In addition, providing excellent, first-class services delivers to non-Christians an unvoiced but powerful message: “We care because God loves you.” Mark Bowman recently

commented in an email to me on the importance of providing high-quality services in this ministry: “I realized that it is most difficult to show Christ’s love to many unless we have excellence in the services we provide, not only in English classes, but also in serving customers in the café.” As his comment points out, excellent, professional services are the key to opening the hearts of non-Christians. They see the love of God in our services for them, and that makes Christian English ministries different from secular language schools.

Before I came to the U.S. for my graduate studies, I was afraid I would find myself putting my soul, heart, and mind into the coursework only to become a professional language instructor; I was afraid of losing my passion for the Lord in the process because of the hard work my program would require of me day in and day out. After the first month in graduate school, however, I gladly admit that I was wrong. I will put all that I am given from God into my studies and into all the challenges I will face in the process of growing as a professional English teacher. That is what it takes to become a more effective catalyst for Christ in the world.

Hiromi Takahashi is an MA TESOL student at Biola University in La Mirada, California. She plans to pursue a teaching career in Japan after completing her studies. She also enjoys singing hymns in English and Japanese. Her areas of interest include second/foreign language writing.

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“Teachers know their lives in terms of stories. They live stories, tell stories of those lives, retell stories with changed possibilities, and relive the changed stories” (Clandinin & Connelly, 1995, p. 12).

I have just “lived a story” that I believe bears telling. I have recently returned from Indonesia where I, a Christian, taught English in a very conservative Muslim elementary school for three years. First, I tell my story for my own learning. Clandinin and Connelly (1995) claim that “Storytellers are influenced by the telling of their own stories…. The storyteller learns through the act of

storytelling” (p. 155). Johnson and Golombek (2002) state that “through such inquiry, teachers recognize the consequences of their beliefs, knowledge and experiences on what and how they teach” (p. 5). These assertions have proved true for me: I have uncovered much about my assumptions, identity, values and faith in relation to teaching, as I have told this story. But I also tell it in hopes that a narrative rather than summative approach to my experience may spark reflection in this community of Christian English teachers as we consider together the appropriacy of “English ministries” in similar contexts.

Reflection through Narrative Inquiry

My approach to learning through the telling of my story is grounded in autobiographical narrative inquiry. Bullough and Pinnegar’s (2001) “Guidelines for Quality in Autobiographical forms of Self-Study in Research” provide a useful list for validating autobiographically-oriented study:

1. It should ring true and enable connection.

2. It should promote insight and interpretation. It should contain “nodal moments” – “those central to teaching and learning” (p. 16).

A Call to Teach:

A Christian in a Muslim SchoolJan Edwards Dormer, Anderson University

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3. It should engage history forthrightly and the author must take an honest stand.

4. It should be about the problems and issues that make someone an educator.

5. It should attend carefully to persons in context or setting.

I have made an effort to follow these guidelines in my story-telling, as I looked inward, outward, backward, and forward in my inquiry (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000). I hope that the story which follows will “ring true”, especially with those who may have taught in similar contexts. I will share some “nodal moments” – specific events which helped to shape my thinking about this teaching context. I have tried to take an honest and in-depth look at the school setting, the students, and my attitudes and actions within that setting.

The Call

While working in Indonesia directing a Master of Education program, one day I felt a ‘call’ to go to a Muslim elementary school and offer to teach English. This call was not an audible voice from God, but it was the closest thing to it that I have ever experienced. I did not even know where there was such a school, but I went out walking one day through Indonesia’s narrow alleyways, believing that God would direct my path. After twenty minutes, I found myself standing at the entrance to a Muslim elementary school. Once again I felt the surreal impression: “this is the place”.

I returned a few days later to talk with the leadership there. I introduced myself as an English teacher who just wanted to volunteer at their school. I told them that I was

a Christian, and that my husband taught in a local seminary. I added, “But our God is the same, right?” I knew that this statement was theologically controversial at least on the Christian side, and probably on the Islamic side as well. He gave a little laugh, which I had no idea how to interpret, and then asked me a pointed question: “Is this a mission?” Wow. I wondered if he had been reading Pennycook and Coutand-Marin’s (2003) article, “Teaching English as a Missionary Language.” But I was quite certain he hadn’t. I assured him that all I wanted to do was help the students learn English. With that I was in, and for the next three years I taught as a volunteer at the school an average of 3-4 days per week, 1-2 hours each time.

Rote Repetition

From the beginning, it was the hardest teaching I’ve ever done. I worked with third through sixth graders who seemingly had learned largely through rote repetition. Early in my time there, the depth of the rote repetition orientation became clear to me through a particular incident. I was endeavoring to teach the pronouns “he” and “she” – difficult in Indonesia as their language does not have gendered pronouns. I walked through the classroom tapping boys and girls on the shoulder, saying the correct pronouns. The children seemed to be trying to say the words correctly along with me, so I felt I was making progress. Then, I pointed to my daughter at the front of the class, who was helping me teach that day. “He or she?” I asked. You can guess the response: “he or she” yelled loudly in unison. I quickly changed my intonation to make it clear, I thought, that “he” and “she” were the possible answers to this question. Still the loud chorus echo rang out: “HE or

SHE!” Then it suddenly dawned on me that my students didn’t know the word “or” in English, so I changed that to Indonesian. Pointing to my daughter once again, I asked “HE atau SHE?” Without a moment’s pause, the excited choral response was “HE atau SHE!” The children were enjoying this fun game of repetition, with nary an inkling that they were being asked a question. From then on, I realized that this teaching context would challenge many assumptions I had held about English teaching.

Acceptance

I had urged the school to view my classes as supplementary. I did not want them to abandon their own teaching materials, as I feared that my purely communicative activities would not prepare students for their national test. However, I soon discovered that my classes were indeed replacing the other classes, and I worried that the children weren’t using any texts. Their own Indonesian-produced English workbooks contained traditional exercises in very small print on extremely thin paper. In addition, they were obviously produced for public, not Muslim school education. I wondered if perhaps the school would like materials with more modern activities and a more religious orientation. In my previous work in Brazil we had produced a set of children’s English learning materials with the theme God is good. I set about adapting this material to make it suitable for a Muslim rather than a Christian context. I showed the set to the school leadership and asked if they felt it would be appropriate for their students. They were thrilled! I am still not sure if their excitement came from the more attractive and ‘modern’ look of the pages, the fact

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that my organization footed the bill for the materials, or the inclusion of religious content. For whatever reason though, the school was pleased with the materials, and I was able to use them there for the next two years. The school embraced other initiatives of mine as well. We were able to hold a special “English Day” at the school, with the help of a group of North American volunteers. We had a special Thanksgiving Day as well, during which it seemed to me that the students were surprised to learn that Christians prayed just as they did.

Rejection

In my third year however, something changed. It was Christmas time – my last Christmas there. Having always shown an interest in the Muslim holidays and their meanings, I asked if I could tell the oldest group, the sixth graders, what Christians celebrate on Christmas. I was disappointed in the response from the principal: “I would like to, but I’m afraid of the leaders.” Around this same time, my request to have the children come to my home to bake ‘holiday cookies’ was also denied. I felt defeated, and was saddened that my presence in their school over two years’ time had not resulted in more trust. (We did decorate cookies in class, which the children loved!)

I was soon to find out that a new school leader had come in. Did this have anything to do with me or my work there? I will probably never know. It’s possible that I had over-stayed my welcome – that the school had decided that having a Christian teacher on staff was too great a threat to their Islamic values. It is also quite possible, however, that the changes had nothing to do with me, but were simply the result of a new leader implementing new policies. I

desperately wanted to know what was going on, but worried that asking questions could make things worse, and would likely elicit face-saving rather than genuine responses. So at the end of the school year, knowing that I would then be spending a few years Stateside, I held a closing party for the children, and simply left.

Questions…and Tentative Answers

What was my purpose in this school? There were no grand ‘successes’ of the type that are usually measured in either ELT or religious circles. Instead, there are questions. I pose four here, and note something of my tentative responses (in italics) at this stage:

1. What type of English teaching and learning assistance is most helpful for a traditional Muslim school? Is it helpful to bring in new methodologies at the outset, or should I have first embraced their cultural rote learning patterns? As Holliday (1994) has shown, “classrooms often have functions other than the transfer of knowledge” (p. 51). Did I upset some important school ecosystem with my immediate introduction of non-traditional methodologies?

In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, I concluded that active, student-centered methods do eventually work in such contexts. They foster student motivation and critical thinking — both of which appeared to be lacking in this particular school. However, there are two essential teacher attitudes which must accompany the introduction of such methodologies: 1) Teachers must demonstrate respect and appreciation for traditional methods, especially when used by local teachers; and 2) Teachers must have patience as they gradually equip students to engage in new classroom activities.

2. Did my Christian beliefs help or hinder in a Muslim school setting? As a Christian, I believe in God, am supportive of the integration of this belief into every aspect of life, and agree with many of the tenets of the Muslim faith. Am I, therefore, better equipped to teach in a Muslim school than, say, an atheist who shares none of these beliefs, or someone who believes strongly that faith issues have no place in the classroom?

I came to feel that our similarities outweighed our differences. Sharing many of the same beliefs, I connected with the religious school setting and its spiritual emphasis. I felt that as a Christian I could provide materials that were suitable for a Muslim school, and I was able to genuinely affirm their school values by valuing their prayer times and teaching shared beliefs about God (such as “God as creator”) in English class.

3. What long-term effect might my three years there have? Have my students developed a more authentic and motivating view of English? Will the students I taught be more open to and less skeptical of foreigners and Christians than they would otherwise have been? Have they developed some critical thinking skills which may not have been developed in their other classes?

Only time will tell. These children have known a Western Christian who cared about them and taught them English in fun ways. It would seem that such teaching could help to correct misperceptions and lead to more peaceful and productive inter-faith and intercultural relationships. Where critical thinking is concerned, I saw many students change from rote-response mode to engagement in thoughtful pair and group interaction.

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4. How can this experience inform faith-based teaching initiatives? This may be my most important question, given that my paycheck at the time came from a Christian mission organization. How can I justify the time I spent in this school? It was never my intent to evangelize, which is illegal in Indonesia, especially where minors are concerned. This fact alone may be cause for some organizations to not engage in work such as this. Some groups, however, may value it as ‘service’ or ‘peacemaking’ or ‘promoting intercultural understanding’, to borrow Snow’s (2001) categories in English Teaching as Christian Mission. What are the evaluation criteria for work such as this? Should Christian organizations actively promote such work? If so, what would qualify a person to engage in such work?

This type of work is service: a needy school had an unpaid qualified English teacher on staff for three years — something they felt they needed and wanted. My work there hopefully planted seeds of peace and intercultural understanding. In my opinion, these characteristics qualify my efforts as “Christian ministry.” However, those engaged in such work must be well-prepared not only in TEFL, but also in working with children in “traditional” educational environments. Candidates for this type of ministry must also see themselves as learners, respecting Muslim traditions and school authority at all times. I am not certain that Christian ministry groups always take the care needed to ensure that those sent to do work such as this are fully prepared in all of these ways.

Also, this is a one-sided analysis from only the Christian perspective. The Muslim perspective is needed. As mentioned previously, it is very difficult to gather accurate feedback from school

personnel and students concerning the effectiveness of such volunteer teaching contexts like this one. However, this difficulty does not absolve us from trying to gather such data. We should never content ourselves with a one-sided approach to ministry evaluation. We need input from those we serve.

Conclusion

My story encompasses two worlds: the world of Christian ministry and the world of TESOL. Sometimes there is an uncomfortable stretch for those of us with a foot planted in each of these two worlds. My Christian faith is paramount in my own life, but my working out of that faith within the context of my profession – especially on the ‘mission field’ – is neither simple nor straightforward, and may result in misunderstandings either from fellow Christians or fellow TESOL professionals. It is my prayer that stories like mine will prompt thoughtful dialogue, and will help promote effectiveness and integrity in English teaching as ministry.

References

Bullough, R. V., & Pinnegar, S. (2001). Guidelines for quality in autobiographical forms of self-study research. Educational Researcher, 30(3), 13-21.

Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (1995). Teachers’ professional knowledge landscapes. New York: Teachers College Press.

Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Holliday, A. (1994). Appropriate methodology and social context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Johnson, K. E., & Golombek, P. R. (2002). Teachers’ narrative inquiry as professional development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pennycook, A., & Coutand-Marin, S. (2003). Teaching English as a missionary

language (TEML). Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 24, 337-353.

Snow, D. (2001). English teaching as Christian mission: An applied theology. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.

Jan Edwards Dormer has worked in ESL/EFL for 20 years, in Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia. She completed her EdD at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT) in Canada. She currently teaches at Anderson University in Indiana, while continuing to teach in the Indonesian M.Ed. program by distance.

[email protected]

CETA Begins: The 1st Christian English Teachers’ Association SymposiumG. David Rath, Christ’s College, Taipei

The integration of faith and English teaching is rarely appreciated in secular English teaching associations. Therefore, in order to encourage Christian English teachers in Taiwan to share their ideas and to provide opportunity for them to share their research, Christ's College in Taipei hosted the first annual symposium and book fair of Christian English Teachers’ Association (CETA) on September 11-12, 2009. Over 60 teachers from around the island attended, representing secular and



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Christian schools, from K-University, as well as language schools and publishers.

The conference began with a speech by Dr. Doris Brougham, the Editor in Chief of Studio Classroom magazine and founder of Overseas Radio and Television (ORTV). Her topic, “Integrating Faith and English Teaching,” focused on what to teach and why. Dr. Brougham reminded us that secular education and media provide students with more than enough reason to lose hope. Christian teachers should provide excellent teaching along with the hope that students are missing. Afterward, the “Sunshine Singers” from ORTV demonstrated skits and songs they use when they are invited into Taiwan's public middle schools. The theme was “how to make right choices.”

CETA sessions addressed a variety of interests, from the application of existing theory to academic research. For example, Ms. Lovely Ko-Alagata (Ming-Chuan University) demonstrated on how to use Christ-centered activities. Dr. Nea-Yuh Huang (National Taiwan Normal University) elaborated on the use of children’s literature. Ms. Hazel Johansen (Studio Classroom) provided numerable techniques for motivating students. And Ms. Joanne Liu (Cat’s English Education Center) involved the audience in a number of ways to use stories. For the more academic minded, Dr. Lisa Hsu (National Taichung Institute of Technology) presented her research results on nonverbal communication in the Taiwanese classroom, and Mr. Joseph Sorell (Christ's College) presented a corpus linguistic study on variation in the vocabulary of spoken English.

In the closing session, Dr. Quentin Nantz, President of Christ’s College,

reminded the audience of our need to make our profession a ministry, for we are not just English teachers, but Christian English teachers. And, as such, we must be “the sweet smell that Christ is spreading among people who are being saved and people who are dying” (2 Corinthians 2:15, NIrV).

A survey conducted of the participants shows that overall satisfaction was quite high. Personally, I was delighted with the conference. After the excellent presentations, questions, answers and suggestions were freely offered and gladly received. During mealtimes, attendees mingled, sharing their backgrounds and interests. I was able to renew ties with old colleagues and revel in the successes of former students—now teachers. And I made many new friends, perhaps even a new research partner. Going beyond a feeling of collegiality, this conference encouraged us to sharpen our skills to be better professionals and to be more effective ambassadors for Christ. Indeed I look forward to the next symposium. Information on next year's conference will be found at the Christ's College website (http://www.christc.org.tw).

G. David Rath, Ph.D., has taught in the United States and China. He is currently Director of Academic Affairs for Christ's College in Taipei and teaches courses for the English department.

[email protected]

Spotlight~MaerowatiEnglish School Teacher and Director; Malang, Indonesia, [email protected]

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How are you connected with the world of English language teaching? My name is Merro. I am from Indonesia. English literature was my major when I was in college. After graduating from college in 1997, I started teaching Indonesian to expatriates and English to Indonesian students. Being a teacher is my childhood dream. I have been enjoying teaching, developing teaching materials and being with my students. However, I felt inadequate being a teacher as I didn’t have a teaching education background. In 2007, I joined a Master of Education program. I have been learning and discovering many new things. At this moment, I am in the last year of my study and doing my research. I have been directing and teaching at a language course in Malang, Indonesia. Is there a relevant joy or challenge you experience which you could share with CELEA News readers? The joy of teaching for me is first, seeing my students understand, and apply what they learn. Secondly, is when I can have an opportunity to

http://www.christc.org.tw








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share God’s truth through my teaching time with them. The challenge is keeping the student motivated to learn out of pure joy of learning and not just to receive a certificate or just join a class because their parents want them to do it. It’s hard when we apparently can’t see them grow or make progress.

What is your favorite Bible verse, and why? My favorite Bible verse is 1 Peter 4:11. “Are you called to be a speaker? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory in everything through Jesus Christ. All glory and power belong to him forever and ever. Amen.” This is the promise I always come back to when I feel discouraged with my students or when I am frustrated and lack ideas to teach. His promises are true and strengthen me every time. God always enables me to complete the task I am given for His glory.

Is there a book, article, or individual related to ELT that has influenced you and/or your teaching? If so, could you explain how? My professor, Jan Edwards Dormer has greatly inspired me to not only transfer knowledge to my students but to use the opportunity to change lives. I understand more and more that my call as a language teacher is not only to teach English or Indonesian, but it is a higher calling than that. It is a big opportunity to share God’s Word and to influence lives. She has challenged me to be the best I can be as a person and as teacher. Being a non-native English teacher has been challenging, however the encouragement I always value from her is that she believes in me more than sometimes I believe in myself. It has kept me moving and

growing to be the best I can be for God.

Spotlight~Mary Beth HaanESL Teacher; El Paso, TX, U.S.A., [email protected]

Tell us a little bit about yourself. How are you connected with the world of English language teaching? Hi. My name is Mary Beth Haan. While growing up in rural South Dakota and attending a one-room country grade school, I could not have fathomed the path my life would take. I am thankful I did not heed the advice of mapping out my life in detail in order to be “successful.” If I had done so, I would have missed out on a multitude of blessings from traveling to different countries and working with (and learning from) people in different cultures. A summer mission trip to South Korea was my introduction to EFL and the start to a new calling in life. Since then, I have had the privilege of teaching four semesters at Han Nam University in Taejon, South Korea; working with the Christian East-West Foundation based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Tokyo, Japan; teaching Kuwait military men at Fort

Bliss, Texas; college students at Monterrey Institute of Technology in Juarez, Mexico, and finally teaching ESL at El Paso Community College in El Paso, Texas. At some of those locations, I also had the honor of working with Sunday School or EFL/ESL classes in Korean, Japanese or Hispanic churches.

Is there a relevant joy or challenge you experience which you could share with CELEA News readers? Many of the joys in teaching ESL/EFL stem from that sparkle in the student’s eyes that show comprehension and a feeling of success in communicating a personal thought in a language other than one’s first language. However, my days have been brightened when a former student has purposely chased me down in a store during vacation just to talk or when a Japanese lady told me that the children’s lesson I gave in church seven weeks earlier touched her heart and helped her through a difficult time. The challenges are to remain current in our field (and technology) and demonstrate/live a Christian life-style in a world not always receptive to those values.

What is your favorite Bible verse, and why? My favorite Bible verse has been I Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Both parts of that verse speak to me. The first part is a reminder to give God the burden when there is the daily bombardment of ‘worries’ regarding finances, employment, health, relationships, and so forth. The second part is an encouragement and comfort, especially when one is thousands of miles from family (or even a room away but feeling alone).

Is there a book, article, or individual related to ELT that has influenced you and/or your teaching? If so,



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could you explain how? My teaching has been influenced by great professors at Sterling College, Sterling, Kansas, (Dr. Sara MacDonald, Ms. Fran Calderwood,

and Dr. George Stone) who modeled creative thinking, solid teaching methods, and a sincere desire for students to succeed academically, spiritually, and personally. In

addition, my Japanese teacher demonstrated the skills vital to teach a second language that students can embrace and internalize.

Be BOLD: Responding to Criticism and Promoting Further DialogueMakoto Tokudome, Biola University

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting.

It has been found difficult; and left untried” (Chesterton, 1994, p. 37).

Introduction

Christians and missionaries involved in English language teaching (ELT) have been the subject of recent criticism (see, e.g., Edge, 2003; Johnston & Varghese, 2006; Karmani & Pennycook, 2003; Pennycook & Coutand-Marin, 2003; Ramanathan & Pennycook, 2007). Much criticism has been directed towards the ethics of using English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) teaching for evangelism and missionary activity. Pennycook

and Makoni (2005), for example, argue:

With the massive increase in the global demand for English, the language has now become the bait for the missionary hook…there appears to be no concern about viewing the increased demand for English as ‘a gold mine rich with mission opportunity.’ Nor does the question of gaining students’ trust in order to preach the gospel appear to raise ethical questions about this pedagogy. (pp. 141-142)

With its clear God-given mandate to spread and preach the gospel, some critics find Christianity to be at odds with the role of an impartial teacher. How then should a Christian respond? I would humbly suggest that one be BOLD: Be a true Christ-follower, Only hold to moral absolutes, Love each student unconditionally, and Do everything with excellence.

As followers of Christ, our response must begin with a clarification of definitions. The next response must involve the agreement on and establishment of moral absolutes. The last response

represents a first-step of sorts in establishing ethical standards that would be applicable to all ESL/EFL teaching.

Some of the concerns and criticisms that have been raised against Christians are indeed valid. Christians and Christian organizations by no means claim to be faultless. Some may even be intentionally engaged in unethical or immoral activities and should certainly be criticized for them. Yet the focus of this article is the basis on which we can discern innocence or guilt. I hope to achieve two purposes here: first, to dispel the myth of moral relativism, and, second, to start dialogue towards establishing universal ethics and standards for ESL/EFL instruction. I look forward to future dialogue and discussion from the ELT community to come to agreement on more standards that could be universally applicable (perhaps a Ten Commandments of sorts).

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Be a True Christ-Follower

Our discussion in responding to these criticisms must first begin with an accepted definition of what a Christian is and believes. Terms such as ‘conservative-right’ or ‘liberal-left’ are of little help. In fact, the term ‘Christian’ itself seems to have become pejorative. Pennycook and Coutand-Marin (2003) portray us as follows: “…once the mission becomes to spread Christianity itself, and particularly when that message becomes conflated with right-wing politics, we are dealing with a project always more oriented towards the opposites of disparity, difference and desire: conformity, conservatism and coercion” (p. 351). Yet an extreme ‘right-wing’ agenda is not inextricably tied with Christianity – as some would lead us to believe.

To avoid confusing and politically loaded connotations, I will use a more precise and coherent label: Christ-follower. In its most basic sense, a Christ-follower is simply a person who believes Jesus Christ to be his or her Lord and Savior, and who follows the commands of the Bible. Making this distinction of a Christ-follower is crucial precisely because the basis for making any judgment or criticism needs to be grounded in some agreed upon standard. If a Christ-follower or a Christ-following missions organization professes to obey Christ and follow the commands of the Bible, then they ought to be held accountable by such standards.

The following section argues for the existence of moral absolutes. For a Christ-follower, these standards come undeniably from

God. For others, the moral standards may originate from someone or something else. Whether the moral law giver is in fact the Christian God is beyond the scope of this article. The point is simply that we live in a world in which morality and ethics are governed by a universal standard.

Only Hold to Moral Absolutes

Those who criticize Christian ESL/EFL teachers often come from a morally relative ideology. Johnston and Varghese (2006) state that, “The absence of all-powerful conceptual frameworks and the multiplicity of voices and value systems that is the postmodern condition force us to continually doubt the absoluteness of any belief or value” (p. 199). Pennycook and Coutand-Marin (2003) argue that the “…moral project of TEML [teaching English as missionary language] all too often lacks an adequate ethics. While religious thinking is supposed to encourage engagement with hard ethical questions, all too often it does little more than promote a prior moral absolutism” (p. 351). The criticisms cited against Christians and ELT missionaries presuppose that there has been a breach of some ethical or moral standard. Yet we immediately detect a contradiction. It is puzzling how Pennycook and Coutand-Marin can simultaneously criticize missionaries of holding to ‘moral absolutism’ yet lacking ‘adequate ethics’. This would only make sense in a world in which moral relativism is true.

“Moral relativism teaches that when it comes to morals, that which is ethically right or wrong, people do their own thing. Ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups who hold them” (Beckwith & Koukl, 1998, p. 28). Therefore, when ELT missionaries are criticized for lacking ‘adequate ethics’, their ethics are said to be faulty simply because they do not align with the moral standards held by critics like Pennycook and Coutand-Marin. Yet the dilemma for moral relativists is how they can explain why their standards must supersede the standards of the ELT missionaries they condemn.

The reality is that moral relativism is an utterly sterile and bankrupt ideology. If it were true, no person could ever protest, “You shouldn’t push your religious views and beliefs on me”. This could summarily be countered with, “Why not? You shouldn’t force that belief on me”. Lewis (2001) argues that, “Quarrelling means trying to show that the other man is in the wrong. And there would be no sense in trying to do that unless you and he had some sort of agreement as to what Right and Wrong are; just as there would be no sense in saying that a footballer had committed a foul unless there was some agreement about the rules of football” (p. 4). He correctly states that if there is no universal agreement on the rules of conduct, then there is no basis for criticizing someone for unethical behavior. If ethics are simply governed by personal taste, “then you surrender the possibility of making moral judgments about the others’ actions, no matter how offensive they are to your intuitive

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sense of right or wrong. You may express your emotions, tastes, and personal preferences, but you can’t say they are wrong” (Beckwith & Koukl, 1998, pp. 61-62). We are left with a world in which no moral or ethical standard could ever be demanded. Even a sense of fairness and justice would be void of any common grounding. Johnston (2003) recognizes how he is left with baseless criticisms against a Christian teacher: “Ultimately, our rejection of his practices can only be based either in legal arguments (which are only indirectly related to moral judgments) or in our own beliefs, themselves rooted in faith, like the teacher’s, not in logical argument” (p. 114). Without moral absolutes, the basis for rejecting evangelism or indoctrination in the classroom is only based on personal taste.

Nevertheless, this has not prevented moral relativists from criticizing the ethos of Christian ESL teachers. Pennycook and Coutand-Marin (2003) declare: “Our point here is that it is this central belief in a natural state of things that stems from God, which is therefore unquestionable, that is the most dangerous as a fundamentalist belief” (p. 345). In reality, the most dangerous and destructive doctrine is a world in which moral relativism is held to be true:

On their view, the worst that could be said of Charles Manson is that he had a bad-hair day or of Jeffrey Dahmer that he had an eating disorder. Simply denying morality is not good enough. One needs to offer some compelling reason why rape, torturing a newborn child for pleasure, or punishing innocent persons are morally benign. (Beckwith & Koukl, 1998, p. 153)

Moral relativists have much to answer for. Pennycook and Coutand-Marin (2003) continue saying, “When coupled with an English language teaching project, it is this unquestioning belief in God-given conditions, coupled to a highly conservative agenda, that presents a serious threat to the world” (p. 345). If morality is relative, these two critics must explain why their personal opinions about missionaries and Christians posing a serious threat to ESL/EFL should have any relevance to the rest of the world.

A moral relativist may be quick to argue that it is not necessarily the individual that dictates the moral and ethical standards, but it is the standards agreed upon by a group or society. Yet, one can quickly see how this ideology is also illogical and self-defeating. For example, the forced labor and extermination of six million Jews by Nazi Germany could not have been condemned by a minority of Germans who might have opposed it. In fact, the Germans who disapproved these unconscionable acts, “…would have had a moral obligation to participate in the murder of innocent people… All those under the authority of the Third Reich–their ruling society–would have been morally bound to cooperate in genocide” (Beckwith & Koukl, 1998, p. 51). It is clear that we live in a world in which morality and ethics are not subjectively established by any individual or any society.

Christ-followers as I have defined them believe that moral and ethical absolutes exist because they have been set in place by God. The Bible makes it clear that God has not only established a moral conscience in each of our hearts, but that the Bible itself is instructive in ethical and moral standards (Romans 2:14-15, 2

Timothy 3:16-17). Various scholars have demonstrated the accuracy, reliability, validity, and historicity of the Bible (see, e.g., Bruce, 2003; Blomberg, 2007; Kitchen, 2003; McDowell, 1999). The truth remains that a universal ethic and moral law exists for all to follow.

The acknowledgement and acceptance of moral absolutes by all teachers is crucial precisely because the nature of teaching is inherently one of change and persuasion (Baurain, 2007, p. 205). Varghese and Johnston (2007) find evangelical Christian teaching to be objectionable because teachers may be propagating a certain set of beliefs in the classroom. Yet in their discussion they admit that “…nonevangelical TESOL [Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages] is of course not so pure in this regard, either” (p. 26). Pennycook (1994) recognizes such an impossibility and says, “…it is incumbent on us as teachers and applied linguists to discard ways of thinking about ELT as if it were some neutral enterprise and, instead, to start exploring the interests served by our work” (p. 24). He goes on to argue that moral neutrality is not only a myth but that the propagation of a particular belief or value is unavoidable: “It is not that as English language teachers we are necessarily either overt messiahs or duped messengers, but rather that the constant advocacy of certain teaching practices that have become bound up with the English language necessarily represents a constant advocacy for a particular way of life, a particular understanding of the world” (Pennycook, 1994, p. 178). If the emphasis and the propagation of a certain worldview are inevitable and unavoidable, the need for universal ethics is all the more crucial. Teaching ESL/EFL demands a

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universal code of conduct and standards that govern its practice, and I now turn to this topic.

Productive dialogue and discussion is only possible after we have agreed on the existence of moral absolutes. If this can be accepted, we can agree that there must be universal standards that specifically govern ELT. I propose two ethical absolutes in the hopes of initiating future discussion and exploration of the standards that would specifically apply to teaching English.

Love Each Student Unconditionally

The first ethical standard I propose is for all teachers to love each student unconditionally and show no favoritism. The Bible teaches us, “brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (James 2:1, TNIV). We are commanded to love each person with unconditional love: “You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44, TNIV). According to these verses, Christ-followers have an ethical and moral responsibility to love each person and to treat people equally.

It is no secret that a Christ-follower in ESL/EFL hopes for the salvation of all people, including his or her students. Snow (2001) discusses the effect of impartial conduct:

If what students see in a CET [Christian English Teacher] is equal interest, care, and attention toward all students, no matter how they feel about the CET’s faith, the witness of the CET will gain credibility from responsible handling of power and influence. It will also reflect the fact that God loves all of his children,

not only those who have already responded to his call. (p. 79)

It would certainly be unethical and unbiblical to neglect some students simply because they show no interest in the Bible. Demanding or expecting conversion in exchange for teaching would be a further violation of this ethic. Ultimately, the standard to love each student unconditionally goes beyond Christ-following teachers. Fair and equal treatment of each student is a moral obligation for all teachers. Regardless of religious or political beliefs, each student ought to receive equal attention and devotion from his or her teacher.

Do Everything With Excellence

The second ethical standard I propose is for each teacher to do everything with excellence. Teachers have a moral and ethical obligation to provide quality education for their students. Some Christians and missions organizations have been accused of using English teaching as a means of gaining access to non-Christians. Yet the primary duty of an ESL/EFL teacher is to provide English education. It is indeed unethical and unbiblical to neglect one’s teaching obligations in order to focus solely on evangelism. Not only will Christ-followers lose respect and influence if they neglect their professional duties, it will also be an affront to God.

The Bible teaches us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24, TNIV). God has clear expectations of Christ-followers in regard to their job or profession. By working hard and being diligent, Christ-followers

ultimately bring honor to God: “Doing all professional tasks is an expression of devotion to God, not simply a good thing to do. Again, many in the field of TESOL approach their work with diligence and excellence; however, as a Christian I have an extra incentive to do a good job” (Purgason, 2009, p. 189).

This obligation to do all things with excellence applies to all teachers, not just Christ-followers. Each teacher has a duty to be equipped and trained to teach each class well. Appropriate training and preparation ought to be a prerequisite for any teacher. Doing everything with excellence also involves putting the interests and needs of students above all else. Just as it would be unethical for a Christ-following teacher to neglect his or her teaching duties for evangelism, it would be unethical for other teachers to neglect their duties for other personal priorities.

I believe that morality and ethics concerning ELT are not dictated by personal preference or taste. Instead, universal standards exist that govern the teaching of English. In these sections I have proposed two standards in the hopes of establishing more explicitly the expected ethics and standards of ELT. These suggestions can serve as universal standards not only for Christ-following ESL/EFL teachers, but also for the ELT community at large.

Conclusion

Christ-followers don’t claim to uphold moral and ethical standards perfectly. We do fall short and make mistakes: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, TNIV). Christ-followers also believe that our actions will be scrutinized by others and ultimately judged by God: “Nothing in all

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creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13, TNIV). Some of the criticisms that have been leveled at Christ-followers involved in ELT are legitimate. Yet the reason that these criticisms are valid is not because the actions of some missionaries and Christ-followers are simply distasteful to certain individuals. Certain actions can only be condemned because they betray a universal standard. When we come to agree on the existence of moral and ethical absolutes, we may finally have the basis for calling others to account in the profession of ESL/EFL. Once this is established, constructive criticism and dialogue can take place.

“We must pursue both respect for people’s worth and integrity and respect for the worth and integrity of truth. If I met people who did not believe in gravity, I would certainly treat them with respect and dignity, but I would just as certainly work to change that belief” (Baurain, 2007 p. 212). We indeed have a moral obligation to respect each of our students, but there is a moral obligation to respect absolute truth as well. I have argued above that we live in a world in which moral absolutes do exist. As a Christ-follower I also believe that these moral absolutes have been set in place by a moral lawgiver, God. Many Christ-followers have examined the veracity of the Bible and Jesus Christ and have found them to be true and trustworthy. I invite others to seek absolute truth and discover the moral and ethical standards that undergird our lives so that “…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32, TNIV).

As Christians in ELT, we should be BOLD: Be true Christ-followers,

Only hold to moral absolutes, Love each student unconditionally, and Do everything with excellence.

References

Baurain, B. (2007). Christian witness and respect for persons. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 6, 201-219.

Beckwith, F. J., & Koukl, G. (1998). Relativism: Feet firmly planted in mid-air. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Blomberg, C. (2007). The historical reliability of the Gospels. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

Bruce, F. F. (2003). The New Testament documents: Are they reliable? Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans.

Chesterton, G. K. (1994). What’s wrong with the world. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.

Edge, J. (2003) Imperial troopers and servants of the lord: A vision of TESOL for the 21st century. TESOL Quarterly, 37, 701-709.

Johnston, B. (2003). Values in English language teaching. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

Johnston, B., & Varghese, M. M. (2006). Neo-imperialism, evangelism, and ELT: Modernist missions and a postmodern profession. In J. Edge (Ed.), (Re-)locating TESOL in an age of empire (pp. 195-207). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Karmani, S., & Pennycook, A. (2003). Islam, English, and 9-11. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 4, 157-172.

Kitchen, K. A. (2003). On the reliability of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

Lewis, C. S. (2001). Mere Christianity. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco.

McDowell, J. (1999). The new evidence that demands a verdict. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

Pennycook, A. (1994). The cultural politics of English as an international language. London: Longman.

Pennycook, A., & Coutand-Marin, S. (2003). Teaching English as a missionary language. Discourse: Studies in the cultural Politics of Education, 24, 337-353.

Pennycook, A., & Makoni, S. (2005). The modern missions: The language effects of Christianity. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 4, 137-155.

Purgason, K. (2009). Classroom guidelines for teachers with convictions. In M. S. Wong, & S. Canagarajah (Eds.), Christian and critical English language educators in dialogue: Pedagogical and ethical dilemmas (pp. 185-192). London: Routledge.

Ramanathan, V., & Pennycook, A. (2007). Talking across time: Postcolonial challenges to language, history, and difference. Journal of Contemporary Thought, 25, 27-53.

Snow, D. B. (2001). English teaching as Christian mission: An applied theology. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.

Varghese, M. M., & Johnston, B. (2007). Evangelical Christians and English language teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 41, 5-31.

Makoto Tokudome is completing an M.A. in Applied Linguistics at Biola University in La Mirada, CA, U.S.A. He is interested in TESOL and holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.

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AnnouncementPosition Available in Applied LinguisticsLCC International University's English Department in Klaipeda, Lithuania is looking for an Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics who can start in January or August 2010, with the length of commitment negotiable. This person will teach courses such as Language Research Methods, Introduction to Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition and other courses as needed. MA in Applied Linguistics or related field required, PhD preferred. Inquiries should be sent to: Dr. Geri Henderson, [email protected]. More information about LCC and about living in Lithuania can be found at: www.lcc.lt.





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Wong, M.S., & Canagarajah, S. (Eds.). (2009). Christian and critical English language educators in dialogue: Pedagogical and ethical dilemmas. New York: Routledge.

Eleanor J. Pease, Nyack College

This book provides a much needed dialogue on critical issues related to Christian English language teachers and how their identities, their faith, and their pedagogy are integrated. The editors have presented the positions of Christian English Teachers (CET) and critical practitioners (CP) who bring their concerns regarding how English teachers handle the power they have in the classroom. 31 writers have expressed their positions; of these, some wrote responses to what the others expressed. The editors state that approximately half of the writers are identified as Christians; the others are identified with other world beliefs. The chapters are divided into four parts: 1) Setting the Tone: Dialogue and Discourse; 2) Ideological and Political Dilemmas; 3) Pedagogical and Professional Dilemmas; and 4) Spiritual and Ethical Dilemmas. Each part is divided into two sections. The first section gives each author’s position

and the second section gives other authors’ responses. Finally, each of the four parts is concluded with 12 to 14 discussion questions.

I have given the above detail because one of the many strengths of this book is the organization. The content is also excellent. In this review I will highlight some of the issues that were covered.

In the first section, writers with differing views discussed dialogues related to controversial issues. Some touched on whether or not dialogues are possible between CET and their critics. A noteworthy consideration speaks to the readers when Canagarajah emphasized the need for exchanging ideas, respectfully looking at others’ positions, and moving into the dialogue with a sense of vulnerability (p. 77). These qualities form a platform for effective dialogue.

In the second section, Ideological and Political Dilemmas, Wong (Ch. 10) made a distinction between CET who teach English as a vocation and those who teach English as access; that is, using teaching English as a way to enter a country otherwise closed to foreign missionary endeavor (Creative Access Countries). It appears that several authors focus on the latter although teaching English in countries open to foreign missionaries can be used as a way to influence English learners with the goal of seeing them become Christ followers. Wong cautioned against proselytizing in an American church English program and pointed out the vulnerability of immigrants and the power of teachers who represent the dominant majority. This issue of pedagogical negotiation of power in the English classroom is threaded throughout the whole book. In her chapter, Language Teachers as

Charitable Guests, Byler concluded with this statement: “Language teachers can be a force for reconciliation and change, but they must be learners who teach with humility” (p. 130). This attitude of humility, not arrogance and power must be displayed by CET whether in the home country or overseas.

In the third section, Pedagogical and Professional Dilemmas, Snow discussed his concern that while “Christians are called to humble themselves,” there is the possibility that they are “too comfortable drawing on” the power afforded them by teaching a powerful language (p. 176). From this launching pad, Snow made a strong appeal for English teachers, especially those from Inner Circle nations, e.g. U.K. and U. S., to learn a second language. All teacher training programs must include second language study. In so doing, English teachers step out of their positions of dominance and become learners.

Liang introduced the topic of feelings of inadequacy as a nonnative speaker (NNS). His experiences with friends and an incident when he was told he would not be hired to teach English in spite of speaking English without an accent brought him to the point of not only feeling inadequate, but fearing inadequacy. His confidence was restored through positive English language student feedback and eventually through his Christian faith and the sense that “ . . . teaching is a service, a worshipful activity that exalts the glory of God rather than the glory of the self” (p. 168). It should be noted that Kubota (Ch. 23) and Mahboob (Ch. 28) also discussed the issue of NNS English teachers. An awareness of this issue must be acquired by the many sending agencies and ESOL teacher training programs in Inner Circle nations.

Photo: Corbis.com, available Oct. 14, 2009.

Book Review

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The final section, Spiritual and Ethical Dilemmas, provided varying opinions on the role of spirituality in the English language classroom. Smith offered the following regarding the relationship between spirituality and language teaching methods: 1) Nothing in his chapter gives a "straight, deductive line" from spirituality to teaching methods; 2) "Christian faith itself is pluriform," that is, worldviews change throughout history; 3) CET may demonstrate beliefs and attitudes that are not necessarily "unique to Christianity;" and 4) " . . . secular approaches may just as easily indoctrinate as religious ones" (pp. 248-249). In his conclusion, Smith pointed out that while CETs’ desire to share faith experiences raises the issues discussed in this book, a greater concern is the need “to take into account the role of such orientations and dispositions in shaping pedagogical approaches and learner responses” (p. 251).

Kubota brought out important, thought-provoking observations from the perspective of a Japanese whose family holds to the traditions of both Buddhism and Shintoism, but who also attended a Christian kindergarten and continued in the church’s Sunday school for a couple years after that. She used the terms additive and subtractive perspectives in reference to the role of religion in an English teacher’s pedagogy. CET who follow the additive approach maintain their own faith while affirming the religious and cultural backgrounds of their students. At the same time CET need to reflect “critically how teaching English is related to Anglo Christian hegemony and how political and military conflicts around the world might be implicated in religious, cultural, and racial arrogance among the self or

other” (p. 233). Mahboob (Ch. 28) in the response underscored this and suggested that Kubota’s section on additive and subtractive approaches is the most important in Part IV and should serve as the lens through which readers look at the rest of the chapters in the book.

The editors stated the purpose of the book as “ . . . a critical examination of how Christian English language teachers integrate their spiritual identities and their pedagogy and grapple with the dilemmas created when their faith agendas conflict with their professional ethic of respect for host countries and students” (p. xvii). The purpose was accomplished. This is a must-read not only for Christian educators who train professionals, but for missions organizations that send career missionaries and volunteer short-term lay workers overseas, and for leaders in U. S. churches who use teaching ESL as an evangelistic outreach to their communities.

To the broad spectrum of major points in the dialogue is impossible; rather, I have chosen to highlight key points threads that flow through the book and open the door for further dialogue. The discussion in the text was on teachers because this was the editors’ purpose; in the future, research on the students of teachers of different faiths along the overseas receiving agencies would be profitable. Vandrick briefly mentioned the fact that the text focuses only on the CET’s faith and not how the classroom is influenced by this (p. 143). Smith alludes to students who seek out Christian learning environments because of their own desires (pp. 249-250). The expectations of English language learners, their goals and motivation for study, and their own unique

cultural identities might cast a unique and certainly a new light on the major issues discussed in the book.

Wong and Canagarajah have given us a dialogue on pedagogical and ethical dilemmas. In debates there are winners, but in dialogues among those who are not only passionate about teaching English to speakers of other languages, but also have strong convictions about the role of religion in the English language classroom, readers are enlightened. A dialogue does not demand winners; rather, it provides a balanced approach to issues that we educators must consider. The editors have proven that dialogue is indeed possible by putting together the opinions of 31 authors in a highly organized way. The dialogues have revealed areas of agreement on issues related to professionalism and ethics. In other areas such as spirituality, religion, and personal identity, there will never be complete agreement; however, by carefully reading the positions represented, open-minded, vulnerable readers will come to a better understanding of the issues, their own positions, and the positions of those with whom they may not always agree.

Eleanor just finished 14 years of full-time teaching/administrative work at Nyack College. Previously, she taught public school for 10 years and was a missionary to Japan for 24 years. Although she continues as an online Nyack adjunct instructor, she and her husband have retired to Fort Myers, Florida.

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About CELEA News:Guidelines for Contributions: CELEA News is a publication of the Christian English Language Educators Association CELEA. We are particularly interested in receiving relevant announcements, news items, and especially submissions or ideas for our Articles section. We welcome short (about 500-1000 words) or longer (up to about 3500 words) articles that describe a favorite classroom activity or teaching technique, reflect on experiences or interests you have had or are developing, or report on classroom or other research, etc. We also invite book, software, and other reviews, plus response articles to something published in CELEA News or elsewhere, or to relevant presentations you have attended, talks you have heard, etc. Authors might offer another perspective, raise some questions, or present new practical, philosophical, or theoretical points of view on topics of interest to CELEA members. As you will see in this issue, submissions may be drawn from relevant conference presentations or report on readings you are familiar with or research you have carried out. Some articles will include a more

obvious or detailed Christian perspective, while others may appear less so. Yet our main audience is clearly Christians, and in particular CELEA members and other people interested in relevant topics and issues from a Christian point of view.

If you have an idea and are considering submitting an article, we would be happy for you to correspond with us about it. If it does not seem appropriate for CELEA News we might be able to suggest other options. If you have something for us to consider, please first review articles in recent issues of the newsletter for models and examples, observing the style and format (e.g., APA, etc.). Prepare your submission as a Word document, and be careful to quote sources appropriately, include all references you mention, and respect the copyright of any authors you cite. Then contact us to state that you have something for us to consider for publication, and we’ll work with you on it from there. We look forward to hearing from you, and possibly to working with you on your submission. Contact: [email protected].

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CELT 2010 Conference in Boston!!The Christians in English Language Teaching (CELT 2010) conference will take place on Wednesday, March 24th at Tremont Temple, 88 Tremont Street in Boston, MA. The plenary speaker will be Dr. Dana Ferris (University of California, Davis). The conference will run approximately 9-4, so those attending TESOL 2010 may head directly over to the convention center for Howard Gardner’s plenary at 5:30. Please see the CELT 2010 Call for Presentations on the CELEA website and check there for further information and updates. If you would like to present, volunteer, exhibit, sponsor, or be involved in the conference in another way, please check the CELEA website or email conference chair Dr. Frank Tuzi at [email protected]. Please plan to attend, and spread the word to others who will be interested. We look forward to a stimulating conference together in Boston.

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