ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book discusses the other languages of England–what these South and East Asian, Southern and Eastern European languages are, who speaks them and for what purposes. It also discusses the significance these languages have for their speakers and for society as a whole. The book conveys the richness that their linguistic and cultural skills offer or the difficulties that they may impose on them. It reflects wide perspective on the educational issues relating to mother tongue teaching in England. The book considers some of the educational implications of bilingualism for adults, and of the language socialisation process experienced by many bilingual children in state schools. It outlines a conceptual framework and offers an empirical base for exploring bilingualism as a social process. The book illustrates that what may be desirable in theory is not necessarily feasible in practice.
