Research in critical pedagogy: Implications for English language classrooms in Asia

Abstract

Recent scholarship in English language teaching has identified two important directions in developing socio-politically responsive education; namely, Post Method Pedagogy and Situated Literacies. In this meta-analytic work, I describe the prominent issues involved in research concerning critical pedagogy in English language teaching research. Specifically, this paper initially examines the theoretical and methodological approaches employed in investigations in the area, and proceeds with identifying established trends and potential issues concerning the applications of critical pedagogy in varied multilingual, multicultural contexts in Asia. Analysis of different investigations in the region suggests that, while critical pedagogy may be responsive to different needs (learner, socio-political, cultural), it also focuses on varying productive spaces of engagement, incorporation of multiliteracies and transformational practices.