Book Suggestion: “Words and Actions: Teaching Languages Through the Lens of Social Justice”

I’ve added another book to my reading list, and perhaps you should too! Published early this year, “Words and Actions: Teaching Languages Through the Lens of Social Justice” is a short, (less than 200 pages) e-book produced by authors Cassandra Glynn, Pamela Wesely, and Beth Wassell through the The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). After reading the press release announcing the book, I think it would be a valuable resource for teachers that are looking to make their classrooms more than grammar labs and place to promote the justice and peace our Anabaptist faith compels in us.

Consider this quote from the release from one of the authors: “When asked about the connection between language education and issues of social justice, co-author Cassandra Glynn says, ‘I consider the world language classroom to be a transformative place in that it can change students’ lives and their perspectives about the world outside of their own school or community. Integrating social justice education into the world language classroom leads to greater transformation, challenging students and allowing all students to reach their full potential.  In my opinion, social justice education is a natural and necessary component of world language teaching.'”

The e-book can be found for purchase here.