'If I could not make a difference why would I be a teacher?' Teaching English as an Additional Language and the quest for social justice

English speaking countries such as UK and US have a growing number of children and young people for whom English is a second or an additional language. Educational under-achievement can be traced to insufficient command of the English language. Unequal access to the curriculum can lead to social injustice and educational inequality. Schools are tasked with preparing children and young people for further/higher education and future employment opportunities. Adequate and timely support for English as an Additional Language (EAL) is critical. Research in UK and US has shown the differences in policies in both countries. This chapter reviews recent research and looks at how teachers cope with EAL. It reveals the extent of teachers’ commitment to their students, as well as a three way interpretation of classroom experiences from the perspectives of student researchers, teachers and principal researchers. It is suggested that well-resourced EAL provision can help to counter marginalization by building students’ capacity to learn and perform well at school