Reviews of our British Council book

Time flies! It’s already 3 years since Gender and Sexuality in English Language Education: Focus on Poland came out! As Google Scholar citations might suggest, this publication is receiving more and more attention on the part of the academic community. Fantastic!
The community itself also did take a critical look at the book-cum-report and decided its worth having it reviewed in two top journals in the field of Language, Gender, and Sexuality.

Below are excerpts of the two reviews along with links to their full versions.

Review by Allyson Jule (Trinity Western University, Canada) for Gender and Language

“Pakula, Pawelczyk and Sunderland have given the field of ELT a powerful gift. Chapter 2 in particular should be required reading in all ELT programs, where too few resources exist to help explore the vast research on gender in language learning contexts alongside sexuality in these same classrooms. The reality of sexuality in our everyday lives and in classrooms around the world makes this small book worth the read. As education systems all over struggle with how to handle emerging LGBTQ+ communities, this report is timely. It is also carefully written and thoughtfully considered by three experienced scholars in the field who come with a wealth of insight into classroom life as well as with much knowledge of the emerging sexuality research. At first I thought the book would be only of importance to those teaching English in Poland, but I was quickly freed from this perception. I believe my own teaching and interacting with students, particularly those I teach in teacher educational programs, will be enriched by engaging with the ideas in this book. It is thorough, in-depth and engaging and with such universal appeal. I believe it will take its place on the bookshelves of various scholars and practitioners in the field of language learning and critical dis- course analysis for many years to come.”

gender and sexuality in english language education: focus on Poland

Review by Helen Sauntson (York St John University, United Kingdom) for Journal of Language and Sexuality

“In sum, I wholeheartedly agree with the authors’ assertion in the introduction that the book will be of practical use to ‘teachers, teacher educators, policy makers, textbook writers and illustrators, publishers, series editors and reviewers’. The book does an impressive job of helping to raise awareness of gender and sexuality- related issues in EFL teaching in Poland. I highly recommend this volume as a valuable addition to the field of language, gender and sexuality in education.”