Mirrors and Windows in Language Teacher Education

This book explores the relationship between language learning, interculturality, democratic education, global competence and reform pedagogy in schools and universities. It invites readers to look into the mirror and examine their own practice and personal theories about teaching and look out the window to discover other educators’ experiences and research results in order to develop professionally and ensure that we can successfully support every language learner and trainee teacher in classes where inclusion, joint effort and cooperation are the norm instead of competition and hostility. In order to achieve this, academia has to change, too.Looking into the mirror also symbolizes the importance of self-knowledge and self-awareness just as much as looking out the window represents the need for openness and curiosity about people with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds for successful intercultural communication in English or in any other language. Each chapter starts with focus questions, suggested activities and recommended research questions that aim to help the reader engage with the material. The book will appeal to teachers, teacher trainees, teacher trainers and researchers and people with any combination of these roles in education.