Critical Pedagogy for Foreign-Language Writing

Abstract

Despite the vast literature on critical pedagogy in general, a clear understanding of what critical pedagogy entails in foreign-language (FL) writing has not yet been articulated-perhaps due to the field's pragmatic orientation. In this article, I propose four intertwined key elements of a critical pedagogy for FL writing: relationship, agency, identity, and power. I argue first, drawing on Freire's theory of education and Bakhtinian philosophy, that the essence of applying critical pedagogy to FL writing lies in carving out a dialogical space in which FL learners can form new self-other relationships to disrupt their often-marginalized status. Second, inspired mainly by sociocultural approaches to language and literacy studies, I define agency as individuals' goal-oriented capacity to act, which lies at the core of the effective application of critical pedagogy in the FL context. Depending on power dynamics, agency may take negative (e.g., resistance) or positive (e.g., investment) forms. Third, identity, defined from the perspective of poststructuralist and narrative practices as individuals' multiple and evolving relationships with the world, is implicated in each literacy activity; as such, practitioners of critical pedagogy in FL writing should design ways both to validate learners' existing identities and to expand their identity options. Fourth, power, defined from the perspective of literacies as unbalanced yet pervasive social relations, shapes all human interactions and individuals' capacity to act as agents. These key elements influence each other, and the contextualized configurations of these interrelated elements provide flexible pathways to critical pedagogy in FL writing. A case study within a creative writing course illustrates all four elements and the effectiveness of such critical pedagogy in FL writing education in developing learners' agency. It is hoped that this study will encourage further discussion and localized explorations of critical pedagogy in FL writing education.