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A Narrative of Intransigence and Disingenuousness

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Effecting Change in English Language Teaching

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Abstract

Following earlier discussion on language, ideology and power relations, this chapter provides readers with an account of an English as a Lingua Franca program in a well-established Japanese university. The unfolding of events epitomize the manner in which narratives bear (bare) out instances of professional inconsistencies and intransigencies which banefully disrupt genuinely enlightened and emancipatory ways of approaching language teaching. Resistant and intransigent behaviors on the part of teachers roped albeit involuntarily into change initiatives for which they have little understanding or sympathy are seen to be sources of misalignment (and mischief), adversely affecting transformative ideals. The chapter concludes with the observation that contradistinctive epistemologies and contrary ideologies frustrate sincere attempts at advocating for more dynamic, accommodative and humanizing understandings of language and language teaching.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Language and Communication Centre, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Glenn Toh

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  1. Glenn Toh
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Toh, G. (2019). A Narrative of Intransigence and Disingenuousness. In: Effecting Change in English Language Teaching. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15261-1_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15261-1_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-15260-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-15261-1

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