ABSTRACT
Though it may be an ideal goal, it is far beyond linguists to solve problems of language inequality and linguistic discrimination in the U.S. Linguistics is a highly specialized, somewhat esoteric discipline housed almost exclusively in institutions of higher education, with a highly technical, often-opaque jargon and obscure public reputation. The linguists who care about language, society, and education need a synergistic relationship with primary practitioners who stand at the intersection of language use in everyday venues of social and educational life. This is the reason why I excitedly devoured the essays of the classroom teachers who have experimented with and incorporated dimensions of linguistics and language awareness into their secondary education curricula. These essays constitute a rich set of perspectives on the utility and integration of linguistic understanding and the relevance of language ideology and language variation in education. The inclusion of lesson plans and activities for each chapter also provides substantive models for other educators and practitioners.
