This course will introduce students to contemporary debates in foreign and second language education both in Australia and internationally, and examine these from a range of perspectives. Students will learn about key pedagogical issues by drawing on the latest research findings. Particular attention will be given to learner contributions to language learning, including the examination of critical aspects of individual learner differences from a sociocultural and psychological perspective. Other areas include identity of the language teacher in native and non-native language settings; a critical analysis of various language teaching methodologies in changing local and global contexts; and the politics and pedagogical implications of English as a lingua franca.