Introducing Critical Pedagogy to English Language Teachers at Tertiary Education in Oman: Definitions and Attitudes

Author(s):  
Thuraya Al Riyami ◽  
Salah Troudi
2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 35-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuraya Al Riyami ◽  
Ali Al Issa

Critical Pedagogy (CP) has been proposed as an alternative pedagogy capable of meeting the complex demands of teaching English within a particular sociopolitical context. Despite the fact that CP has been present in education since the 1960s, much of the research on CP has been conducted recently in Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) contexts. There is a growing but as yet small amount of research that addresses the usage of CP in TESOL contexts, to which this study hopes to make a useful contribution. Therefore, this study investigates the extent to which TESOL teachers from four higher education institutions in the Sultanate of Oman are aware of CP. In order to achieve this, a questionnaire is administered to 178 English Language Teachers. The main findings reveal a widespread lack of awareness of the concept of CP among TESOL teachers. Nonetheless, minorities of teachers are aware of CP and implement it in a limited fashion in their classes. On the other hand, there are teachers who, whilst being aware of CP, do not implement it. The implications of these findings are discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 132-146
Author(s):  
Jagqadish Paudel

Critical Pedagogy (CP), a mode of pedagogy, aims to empower learners and provide justice by offering preferential options and deconstructing authoritative and logo centric tendency in education. The current study, by using a mixed methodological design (qualitative and quantitative), illustrates a group of Nepali English language teachers’ attitudes regarding CP in ELT, focusing on how they employ CP in their classrooms. For this research, a sample of 10 teachers was purposively selected from Baitadi and Dadeldhura districts. Five teachers’ classes were observed. Analyzing the data collected through a survey questionnaire, it was found that all the teachers are in favour of CP in most cases in ELT. Even if all the teachers were notionally appeared in favor of practicing CP in most of the aspects that were asked to them, quite contrary to it, observation results of the teachers’ classes revealed that they did not, in any real sense, embrace CP in their teaching practice. Hence, this study invoked the ELT teachers to embrace CP practically in the classrooms. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/nelta.v19i1-2.12086 Journal of NELTA, Vol 19 No. 1-2, December 2014: 132-146


2021 ◽  
pp. 136216882110362
Author(s):  
Stefan Rathert ◽  
Neşe Cabaroğlu

Addressing an underappreciated research area, this study reports on how two English language teachers in a Turkish tertiary education context use a global coursebook. At the beginning of the study, a metaphor elicitation task and pre-study interviews were employed to detect the teachers’ coursebook conceptualizations. Then, a total of 12 lessons were video-recorded and adaptations were identified using a research-informed framework developed for this study. The participants examined and evaluated their own practices in stimulated recall sessions, reflective conversations and journal writing. The study was concluded with post-study interviews. Data revealed that the teachers’ instructional practice was driven by the coursebook to a large extent as they stuck to minor adaptations and followed the guidance given by the coursebook. Along with the institutional constraints, the teachers’ practices were influenced by their own personal preferences, attempts to make coursebook tasks accessible to learners, lack of planning and the highly structured delivery of tasks in the coursebook. However, pedagogic considerations were not foregrounded by the teachers. The results of the study call for professional teacher development on coursebook utilization, coursebook-based instead of coursebook-led program planning alongside redesign of coursebooks as resources rather than instructions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charanjit Kaur Swaran Singh ◽  
Amreet Kaur Jageer Singh ◽  
Nur Qistina Abd Razak ◽  
Thilaga Ravinthar

The educational context in Malaysia demands students to be equipped with sound grammar so that they can produce good essays in the examination. However, despite having learnt English in primary and secondary schools, students in the higher learning institutions tend to make some grammatical errors in their writing. This study presents the grammatical errors made by tertiary students in their writing. The participants were a group of Diploma students who sat for a university entrance exam. One hundred and forty-four written essays of the students were collected and analysed using content analysis. Findings revealed that subject-verb agreement and tenses were the most common type of errors. Students over-generalised and perceived that the tenses could be used interchangeably. Another common error found was in the students’ construction of complex sentence. In such constructions, they failed to include essential and nonessential clauses. If teachers do not teach strategies to assist students in comprehending the concept of Subject-Verb Agreement (SVA), tenses, essential and nonessential clauses, these students will continue to make such errors in their tertiary education. The findings may have useful implications for English language teachers as understanding students’ learning difficulties and providing appropriate grammar instruction is the key to effective teaching for ESL teachers.


Author(s):  
Charlotte Fofo Lomotey

This study examined the views and opinions of Senior High School (SHS) English language teachers on critical pedagogy as well as its applicability in their classrooms. To achieve these objectives, 220 teachers of English were sampled to respond to a questionnaire, with 50 out of this number selected to take part in an interview. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS and thematic analysis by a simple system of coding. Results suggest that teachers consider critical pedagogy as a viable alternative to the traditional teaching practice. Based on the results, it is suggested that it is important for teachers to practice democracy in the English language classroom in order for students to see themselves as valued members of the society who can practice education as freedom.


2021 ◽  
pp. 14-26
Author(s):  
Binod Neupane

Critical pedagogy (CP) is an educational movement that primarily aims to support the students in developing a consciousness of freedom so that they can connect the knowledge to power for social reformation. The supporters of CP argue that language teachers should emphasise developing the social skills of the learners along with language skills. Studies show that many English language teachers may have inadequate knowledge and skills about CP and the spirit of CP may not be followed while designing curriculum and writing textbooks. The purpose of the study was to examine the use of CP in English Language Teaching (ELT) focusing on classroom practices, curriculum designing and textbook writing at the secondary level. For this, I used a qualitative research design in which data were collected from six English teachers through in-depth interviews from three schools. I investigated that while designing curriculum, selecting textbooks, and making ELT policy, CP has not been practically implemented. Language policy, curriculum and textbooks are designed by a specific group and imposed on the teachers and learners. There has been a political influence in ELT policy as well. However, some teachers were found positive to CP and implemented it in the classroom, but they demanded special training.  


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Lowe ◽  
Luke Lawrence

Issues surrounding native-speakerism in ELT have been investigated from a diverse range of research perspectives over the last decade. This study uses a duoethnographic approach in order to explore the concept of a 'hidden curriculum' that instils and perpetuates Western 'native speaker' norms and values in the formal and informal training of English language teachers. We found that, despite differences in our own individual training experiences, a form of 'hidden curriculum' was apparent that had a powerful effect on our initial beliefs and practices as teachers and continues to influence our day-to-day teaching.


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