Mr. John Robertson is the Head of ESL and the Primary Language coordinator at Woodstock School, Mussoorie, India.

He has been teaching English as a second language for 12 years—in China, Canada (his country of citizenship), and India.

Two years ago, he arrived at Woodstock School in the Himalayas. In his role at Woodstock, he sees the great value in students’ first-language maintenance alongside English language development. He believes maintenance of students’ first languages is central to a secure identity, cognitive development and second-language acquisition, and that a second language should not be a replacement for the first. Through his dual role as head of ESL and Primary Language coordinator, he is attempting to bring English second-language teaching techniques into mainstream classes, and also helping to create an inclusive environment for diverse languages and linguistic backgrounds. John understands both of these to play an important role in helping students develop both strong identities and the linguistic depth required for critical thought.