The role of the secondary English as a second language teacher in the era of schools renewal

The purpose of this study is to define the current role of the secondary English as a Second Language teacher in New South Wales Government schools in an era of major structural reforms. These major reforms of Schools Renewal will be considered and their affects on the role of the Secondary English as a Second Language teacher assessed. Issues such as the relationship between the economy and education, educational reforms and changes in the role of the secondary English as a Second Language teacher and school principal will be examined. The study involves data-gathering from a state-wide survey via the Association for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, a casestudy undertaken at a large co-educational Sydney High School and a series of semi-structured interviews with secondary English as a Second Language teachers and consultants. A number of issues concerning the roles of the secondary English as a Second Language teacher and school principal emerge from this study as well as issues related to Department of School Education documents, schoolbased management and teacher workload. The study also makes a number of recommendations.