Imagined Communities and Teaching English as a Second Language

The article analyzes the research literature regarding the role of imagination and languages in creating real and imagined communities of practice for non-native speakers of English. Throughout our lifespan we inadvertently become members of numerous imagined and real communities; while some of them are crucial in our identity formation and life goals, others may be just fragmented and insignificant. On the other hand, some communities could be a matter of our choice or interest, whereas others are assigned to us irrespectively or even despite our free will. The dual nature of a human imagination may either empower or marginalize learners of English as a second language (ESL). The following paper addresses the role of English as a second language in terms of imagined and real learning communities of practice and presents some possible alternatives for both ESL teachers and learners in order to ensure the positive language learning experience.