In a world marred by political instability, social inequality, and ethnic and cultural intolerance, Johnston's book comes as a strong reminder that teaching is not a neutral act. The theoretical framework behind the seven chapters of the book is the centrality of morality and values in English language teaching (ELT).

In the first chapter, Johnston states his own understanding of morality and his belief that ELT is “profoundly a moral undertaking” (p. 18). He acknowledges, however, the complexity and ambiguity associated with morality, especially in philosophy and education. The second chapter is an exploration of three main issues: the moral dimension of classroom discourse, values implicit in curricula, and the tension between the teacher's role as an individual moral agent and his or her role as representative of their institution. Johnston stresses that his task is not to judge teachers' moral decisions but to understand the values that guide their actions. He adds that the moral agency of the learner as well as that of the teacher is at play. Using extracts from classroom-based data, Johnston illustrates how teachers often find themselves confronted with difficult moral dilemmas when it comes to classroom rules, interaction with students, and selection of pedagogical items. The extract on page 33 demonstrates particularly well the moral dilemma between urging the Asian student to speak and respecting her right to be silent, thus representing opposing views of what is right for the learner. Naturally, in his analysis of the chosen examples and classroom stories, Johnston cannot avoid making the inevitable moral judgment. After all, one's interpretation of data can never be free of values and beliefs.

Johnston's contribution to the debate about the political dimensions of ELT is his analysis of the moral issues that are parallel to the centrality of the political dimension. He reviews the controversial spread of English and its effect on indigenous languages and the difficulties encountered in revitalizing these languages. Critical pedagogy is offered as one solution to raise awareness about the political aspects of ELT, but Johnston is too careful to impose it on other contexts. He is aware of its limitations and its idealistic approach. In chapter 4, Johnston states that “testing” is also value laden and not objective. One important issue here is the paradox of the unmeasurability of language knowledge and the necessity of measuring this knowledge. This measurement can only be done in a subjective manner, reflecting teachers' views of what is right and wrong. The role of alternative assessment is addressed as well as the impact of the major standardized tests on learners all over the world. In chapter 5, the author treads uncharted territory. The issue of teacher identity in education and ELT is not completely new, but religious beliefs and values have not been addressed in ELT literature. Of particular importance is the issue of differences between the religious beliefs of the teacher and those of the students, the potential conflicts, and how the teacher reacts to them. Johnston argues that it is a matter of how the teacher's professional identity is related to his or her cultural and religious identity. The moral significance of teacher research as a central activity of teacher development is addressed in chapter 6. Teacher research, such as action research, exploratory practice, and cooperative development, values the teacher as a producer rather than a consumer of knowledge, with constant change being the catalyst of teacher development.

In a book about values, the author manages to avoid a prescriptive and preaching tone, a task not so easy to achieve given the complexities of discussing such an ambiguous subject. In the first six chapters, the reader has the opportunity to explore the issues a step further through a set of engaging questions related to the reader's own context. Another strength of this book is that the content of every chapter is explored in relation to the most recent and relevant literature and research studies in ELT, education, psychology, philosophy, and other relevant areas.

This is a book of great value to ELT teachers insofar as the author addresses some of the most vital issues that touch teachers' professional lives.