The concept of Language Awareness promotes conscious attention to the structure and functions of language as an element of language education. Although this concept is a relatively recent one, it has been very influential and is now widely applied in schools. However, most language Awwareness programmes are based upon contentious theoretical assumptions about language and schooling. whilst Critical language Awareness accepts the general case which has been made for Language Awareness, it offers an approach based upon critical theories of language and language education. The book consists of 13 specially-commissioned essays, with contributions from both theorists and practitioners with a variety of interests and professional concerns, including: language in multicultural education; the teaching of English in primary and secondary schools; industrial language training and race awareness training; literacy and adult literacy; language and gender; English as a foreign language; and theoretical interests in critical approaches to language study. An introductory chapter describes the critical approach to linguistics that critical language awareness presupposes and argues that a critical perspective is becoming necessary because of changes in the role of language in social life.