Book Review: Language as Power in the Language Teacher Education Ecosystem, by Jaber Kamali (Cambridge University Press, 2026)

Abstract

Standard language teacher education (LTE) programs have mainly prioritized technical skills, focusing on practical aspects such as curriculum design, classroom management, and instructional techniques. Although these elements contribute to the teacher’s professional development, they often leave sociocultural and ideological factors underexplored. Foundational elements within training programs, including teachers’ professional identity, the role of mother tongue, and broader views of culture, are often overlooked as the programs prioritize step-by-step instruction. Furthermore, hierarchical institutional systems frequently restrict teachers’ pedagogical autonomy and embed them within broader frameworks of monitoring and evaluation (Uysal & Gao, 2026). To address these shortcomings, Jaber Kamali’s Language as Power in the Language Teacher Education Ecosystem (2026) responds to these gaps by highlighting language as a central domain where authority and professional expectations are negotiated within the LTE ecosystem.