In this insightful examination of second language (L2) teacher education, Johnson does more than call into question the long-dominant epistemology of positivism; she shows the promise and potential of an alternative epistemology—one rooted in sociocultural theory. As noted in the preface, this “is a book about how to think about what we do in teacher education” (p. ix). Johnson addresses five areas relevant to the education of L2 teachers and explores how each might be reconceptualized through a sociocultural perspective. Extending arguments put forth in Lantolf and Johnson (Reference Lantolf and Johnson2007), the book offers a broader consideration of L2 teacher development.
Johnson first considers learning, specifically learning to teach. In chapter 3, she notes that much of the research informing L2 teacher preparation comes from studies of language learning rather than studies of teaching. Putting the focus back on teachers, Johnson succinctly outlines central concepts in the sociocultural theory view of cognition and then illustrates how such a perspective can be used both to interpret teacher narratives and to trace teachers’ conceptual development. Chapter 4 questions the utility of a structure-based definition of language for teacher education. Johnson advocates a view of language as social practice, explains how this better fits a sociocultural perspective, and gives convincing examples of how teachers can use such a view to promote their own language awareness and that of their students. Chapter 5 presents an alternative view to teaching as knowledge transmission. From a sociocultural perspective, instruction ideally creates opportunities for dialogic mediation that allows for the “reconceptualizing and recontextualizing of knowledge” (p. 62). Examples from the classroom illustrate how teachers can structure and engage in goal-directed activity with their students and how such activity can lead to conceptual development.
A sociocultural perspective holds that cognition is inextricably connected to social, cultural, and historical settings. As such, chapter 6 posits that L2 teachers’ learning and teaching is influenced by what Johnson calls macro-structures that are part of the teaching profession. Teacher education should “make L2 teachers aware of the sanctioned policies, curricular mandates, assessment practices, and norms of schooling that can and will shape their work” (p. 77). Johnson demonstrates the relevance of these macro-structures on teacher development by reporting on case studies that investigate the influence of TOEFL on learners as well as teachers and summarizes examples of research that examine the complexity of different curricular reforms through the analytic framework of activity theory. Chapter 7 addresses professional development through inquiry-based approaches. Before presenting five different models that teachers have used to examine classroom practice, Johnson points out how (a) the use of narrative structure as a means of interpretation, (b) the importance of context and culture, (c) the linking of teaching experience to the wider professional discourse, and (d) the creation of meditational space for development are features that all locate inquiry-based approaches within a sociocultural perspective.
On the whole, the text is extremely accessible. Johnson articulates her points clearly and succinctly. Her judicious use of examples from a wide range of scholarship achieves two ends by communicating the theoretical foundation of a sociocultural view of L2 teacher education and by signaling the promise that such a view holds for actual practice. Although a background in sociocultural theory is not a requisite for readers, those without one might be left with a few questions. For example, even though Johnson is careful to keep a distinction between learning and development throughout, she never explicitly explains the difference from a Vygotskian perspective. What readers should fully expect is to be intellectually engaged as they consider important questions on the nature of learning, language, and teacher preparation. Johnson has made a thoughtful and significant contribution to the literature of L2 teacher education.
