BACKGROUND SPEAKERS: DIVERSITY AND ITS MANAGEMENT IN THELOTE CLASSROOM.Michael Clyne, Sue Fernandez, Imogen Y. Chen, and RenataSummo-O'Connell. Belconnen, ACT, Australia: Language Australia, 1997. Pp. vi +177. A$30.80 paper.

Abstract

One of the growing challenges facing foreign language educators in many societies is that created by the presence of “native speakers” in second language classrooms. Especially in countries with significant immigration patterns, such as Canada, the United States, and Australia, there are growing numbers of students enrolled in courses in languages other than English (LOTEs) with which they have some background familiarity or knowledge. All too often, these students have been seen as something of a problem in the foreign language classroom, especially in K–12 settings. Background speakers constitutes an important and valuable first step in changing such perceptions.