The Illusion of Inclusion: Blackness in ELT

The field of TESOL has experienced a renewed interest in the role of race in language teaching and learning within the context of the recent “racial reckoning” in the US. As a result, the field has seen a plethora of DEI position statements, initiatives, and publications on race, racism, and anti-racism over the past two years. However, the persistence of linguistic, racial, and cultural hegemony, bias, discrimination, linguicism, and marginalization leads us to ask whether inclusion is an illusion. In answering this question, we describe the effects of this illusion in two areas: ELT curriculum and materials (Grant & Wong, 2008) and faculty hiring practices (Romney, 2010). With critical race theory and raciolinguistics as frameworks, we discuss the policies and practices that continue to marginalize Black TESOL professionals and disadvantage Black preservice teachers and English learners. We conclude the essay with recommendations for effective DEI and actionable allyship.