ABSTRACT
This chapter presents both a historical and a contemporary overview of the often conflicted nature of language education in the United States. We use the term ‘conflicted’ because the formation and implementation of educational language policies in the United States have often involved conflicts over the hegemony of English in the nation-building agenda, the best means of promoting instruction in English, the status and utility of languages other than English, and so-called ‘non-standard’ varieties of English.
