Introduction

A diverse array of language education policies are put into practice in schools around the world, yet little research exists about the complex process of language policy implementation within educational contexts. At each level of an educational system, from the national ministry or department of education to the classroom, language education policies are interpreted, negotiated, and ultimately (re)constructed in the process of implementation. Both in countries with highly centralized educational systems and in those with decentralized systems, where language policies in education are explicit or in others where they are covert (Shohamy, 2006), the policy implementation process is defined by its dynamism; ultimately, a language education policy is as dynamic as the many individuals involved in its creation and implementation.