Black Teachers of English(es) in Japan

In-depth study focusing on the experiences and challenges faced by Black Teachers of English (BTEs) in an international TESOL setting

This book examines the trajectories of a transnational group of teachers of African descent who live and teach English in Japan. The author argues that while multiculturalism and diversity within ELT in Japan may seem to be gradually improving, raciolinguistic native-speakerism still affects the livelihood of racialized teachers.

This book examines the pedagogical and professional experiences of a transnational group of teachers from the African continent and diaspora who made the decision to live and teach English in Japan. Through a layered analytical framework, it explores how these teachers struggle to negotiate their raciolinguistic identities in contexts that may prove to be professionally supportive in some cases but marginalizing in others. The author contends that although multiculturalism and diversity within ELT in Japan may currently seem to be more prevalent, the agency that Black teachers exercise in promoting their own cultures and language varieties may be constrained depending on the characteristics of the institutions in which they teach. The issues raised in this volume will be relevant to educators, administrators, curriculum and materials developers, and researchers committed to promoting equity, racial harmony and intercultural understanding in language education.