Crookes, G. (2009). Values, Philosophies, and Beliefs in TESOL: Making a Statement. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press Language Teaching Library.

In Values, Philosophies, and Beliefs in TESOL: Making a Statement, Graham Crookes aids both those new to the field of TESOL who are trying to develop a philosophy of their own teaching in order to include it as a part of their application materials or coursework, and experienced teachers who want to comprehensively reflect on why they teach.

To guide teachers on this reflective journey, Crookes first offers a review of terms and teaching methods as well as a rationale for developing a personal teaching philosophy. He also provides a fairly comprehensive history of second and foreign language teaching, in essence asking the reader to consider what the value of language teaching is, and how it compares historically to the teaching of imperialistic or dynastic languages like Latin and Chinese.

He also considers the ways in which theories of education and some philosophical schools of thought such as humanism and mass education can be considered as teachers' work to help develop their own personal philosophy within these larger frameworks. He continues with more modern philosophical areas such as idealism, realism, pragmatism, and progressivism.

Crookes continues his formal review of philosophical considerations in the realm of social and political areas that may impact language teachers and that they may need to consider in their own classrooms and in the larger societies in which they may find themselves working. Here, issues such as freedom, liberty, autonomy, justice, and equality are defined, explained, and considered. This work is expanded in a chapter that explores the ideas of educational thinkers from Confucius to Friere and movements from free libertarianism to feminism.

In his final chapters the author states frankly that even after language teachers go through the rigorous thought experiment laid out in the book, they may not get many thanks for it in their day-to-day practice in teaching situations around the world. In fact, once teachers have developed a cogent teaching philosophy and established their values and beliefs, school district or government requirements or other realities may require them to work in direct opposition to these values. In light of this, some of his final comments are centered on the ideas of resistance and autonomy and how to develop a relevant and yet flexible philosophical position that will allow teachers to work within an ethical framework.

In each chapter the author lays out several large ideas in detail and ends with concluding remarks and discussion questions, which makes the book suitable for individual or classroom work. The book is readable and well-researched and is clearly intended for a wide-ranging audience: from graduate students in masters’ programs to teachers new to the field during their application processes, and experienced teachers who are considering career moves. Crookes successfully reviews thousands of years of educational philosophy while keeping the practical needs of modern language teachers, especially those in the field of TESOL, in mind. His book has the potential to be an important tool for any teacher who desires to engage in deep reflection and the development of a meaningful teaching philosophy.

Lisa Wilkinson has taught academic ESL at St. Louis Community College for the past 17 years. Currently, she is an assistant professor at St. Louis Community College and the ESL coordinator. Professional interests include integrating technology and service learning in ESL writing classes.