The role of TESOL in educating for peace

Abstract

As communication specialists, teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) professionals should be at the forefront of promoting peaceful interaction. Yet, at present they only play a peripheral role in educating for peace. The present article investigates the interplay between English, as expressed in terms of being a global language, and the social responsibility of TESOL teachers. It will focus on the ways in which TESOL teachers can engage with, and contribute to, the establishment of sustainable peaceful communities. The current teaching paradigm, in which communicative language teaching and content-based approaches are dominant, offers TESOL teachers the possibility to engage learners with issues surrounding peace and the creation of a peaceful future. However, teachers should not only provide learners with the opportunity to consider, understand, and appreciate global issues and peace-related content, but should also provide them with the necessary skills to address everyday problems peacefully. By adding dimensions of social consciousness to their curriculum, TESOL teachers can equip learners with the necessary skills to contribute positively to both local and global society.