Embedding social justice in MA TESOL programme design

English is the most widely spoken language in the world. English language proficiency is often synonymous with access to resources and opportunities, not least due to the colonial backdrop of the spread of English, making it a social justice matter. Yet the number of people using English as a second or foreign language today vastly exceeds that of so-called native speakers. With an ever-growing number of English language learners, teachers of English as a foreign language are globally in high demand, and as a consequence, there is an increasing need for programmes that equip graduates with the skills to become inclusive and mindful English language teachers.

With this in mind, we have developed a new MA programme on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) that aligns with the principles of the Curriculum for Social Justice. Students will engage with questions of how linguistic knowledge can enhance social justice, what English is and whose English is being taught (or not), and the programme seeks to embed opportunities like working with charities supporting asylum seekers.

In this presentation we will give an account of how social justice issues lie at the heart of TESOL and Applied Linguistics and how studying these subjects can foster socially aware and responsible professionals. We will then reflect on how we have designed the new MA TESOL programme and its assessments to maximise inclusivity and provide space to address and critique contemporary global issues, such as native speakerism and linguistic discrimination in the English language teaching sector, and injustices related to language and the law. We will conclude by opening the floor to discussions of how we can further enhance inclusivity and social justice in our provision.