Reviews
In this issue, we are pleased to present six excellent book reviews. The first is an analytical review of Dominant Language Constellations: A New Perspective on Multilingualism, by Harsha Dulari Wijesekera, who characterizes the volume as “a stimulating and timely addition to contemporary multilingualism studies … offering a new conceptual vocabulary and an empirically grounded framework that better mirrors how individuals use and experience multiple languages in navigating today’s globalised contexts.” The second book, reviewed by Thomas Amundrud, is Plurilingual Education in a Monolingualised Nation: Exploring New Frontiers in Language Teaching in Japan. One of the features of this book is the author’s introduction of polyethnography, which according to Amundrud is an “intriguing innovation.” Promoting Reflection on Language Learning: Lessons from a University Setting, reviewed by Mizuka Tsukamoto, is our third offering. Characterizing the book as uniquely relevant because “all contributions stem from research and practice at Kanda University of International Studies (KUIS) in Japan”, Tsukamoto reveals the strengths of the work, at the same time offering suggestions for improvement. Paul Marlowe, who has reviewed books for JALT Journal in the past, has brought his analytical talents to a review of The Twenty Most Effective Language Teaching Techniques. Marlowe cheekily suggests that this volume could easily be re-titled Paul Nation’s Greatest Hits, and notes that “one of the book’s most notable strengths is its balance of empirical support and practical relevance.” Our fifth review, by Rebecca L. M. Funabashi, looks at a very timely Nicky Hockly’s 30 Essentials for Using Artificial Intelligence. While acknowledging that “[t]he pace of innovation in AI development creates obvious difficulties in writing a book about practical teaching applications of AI”, Funabashi praises the author for being “forward-thinking … by not focusing on particular tools, but on their main functionality.” Last but not least, we are pleased to present Takeshi Onodera’s review of Mindsets in Language Education. Acknowledging that the book focuses primarily on English rather than other languages, Onodera observes that “this volume makes a notable conceptual contribution and advancement by foregrounding the role of sociocultural and educational conditions in shaping mindsets, offering both context-specific insights and broader cross-contextual patterns.” We hope that JALT Journal readers will enjoy and benefit from reading the thoughtful reviews in this issue.
