| In this thesis I argue that mainstream English as a second language (ESL) pedagogy, which is presented as a neutral and scientific field, is not only unhelpful in many situations in the classroom, but can also be detrimental to teachers and students. We risk infantalizing and/or losing our students because we have not been able to support them. in their learning. In addition, we risk deskilling our jobs as teachers. Using ideas from the fields of translation theory and moral philosophy, I argue that teaching is not a neutral activity and language is a contested place where meaning is constructed. Since teachers share their role as "translator" with their students, their choices must be respected. Finally, teachers need to consider their social location. Teaching ESL is not, I argue, simply correctly applying scientific methodology, but is a creative process involving the whole person. |
