In this first-hand study of the relationship of gender, ethnicity and the participation of children within an English-language teaching classroom, Julé re-assesses Lacan's approach to belonging with other theoretical approaches to gender and language, making use of case-study methods. She asks key questions: Are there observable tendencies in the way that boys and girls receive and use talk in the classroom? How might such tendencies be constructed or encouraged within an ESL classroom, where gender and ethnicity intersect in particular ways?
'This book would be a wonderful resource for any Teacher Education Program, as it deeply explores the effects of a well-meaning teacher on the linguistic, intellectual, social, and personal development of her students and how, without realizing it, teachers can inhibit or limit their students' participation through preconceived stereotypes about gender or home culture.' - Laura Hill-Bonet, Journal of Sociolinguistics