Critical Pedagogy

Have you ever watched ‘Dead Poets Society’, a Peter Weir film, which is set in a 1950’s American school. There the teacher, John Keating, encourages students to think out of the box, question or even challenge social norms, and «seize the day. All these ideas have something to do with the Critical pedagogy approach.

What is critical pedagogy?

Critical pedagogy as an approach appeared in the late 60s. Its creator, a Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, examined critically the conditions under which language was used, as well as social and cultural purposes of its use. Some other proponents of this theory are Adorno, Marcuse, and Habermas. 

Everything started off with the book. In 1968 Freire wrote his widely read book, ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’, in which he shared his experience of teaching reading and writing to illiterate adult learners. He contrasted traditional teacher-led approaches to education with a new one based on dialogue and cooperation.  Freire called the old approach ‘banking education’ Teachers there were supposed to know everything and fill students with their knowledge. They were choosing the content, leading the lessons and asking questions. All students had to do was listen and comply. 

Critical pedagogy proposed problem-posing educational model which was deeply based on cultural and social issues. It appeared as an attempt to develop students critical thinking skills and, as a result, give them an instrument for improving their life. It showed people that they have the right to ask questions.

Critical pedagogy has been influenced by the learner autonomy movement with their aim of empowering learners to become independent and responsible for their own learning. It has also got some influence from humanism with its focus on engaging the ‘whole learner’. 

Critical pedagogy principles

• Curriculum should be highly student-centred. There isn’t one single methodology or approach that can work for all learners due to a variety of  backgrounds, interests, or social and cultural differences. All decisions related to curriculum and materials should be based on the needs and interests of students.
• The use of authentic material is appreciated. Websites, leaflets, TV programmes or commercials might be  representative of a certain culture and serve as a springboard for speaking activities and critical reflection of this culture.
• Both teacher and students should take part in selecting materials. By choosing the materials, students have a chance to share their own life experiences. Students are welcome to speak or write about the topics that are meaningful to them and relevant to their lives. 
• Special attention should be paid to learners’ cultural heritage, values, traditions, background knowledge, and native languages. Learners’ mother tongues should not be forbidden or penalized in the classroom.
• Teacher acts a problem poser. Students learn through problem solving and practical application which leads to the development of their autonomousness. A critical teacher should elicit students’ opinions about the programme and learning process to create a classroom that implies dialogic interaction. Students are active participants who contribute to classroom decisions and the choice of materials. 
• Critical pedagogy promotes cooperative and collaborative learning environment. 
• Critical thinking skills development is fostered and encouraged. Learners are more than welcome to ask question, make hypotheses and speculate both about classroom issues and life-related topics. Critical pedagogy aims at developing necessary strategies and skills that help learners become social critics and make decisions which affect their social, political, and economic realities.

Classroom implications

Base your teaching on students’ local culture. Set up discussions on current issues of learners’ own country or neighbourhood, work on problem-solving activities. Include more of students’ real-life concerns: devote some time to discussing the news and what they are busy with. 

Practise journal writing which is reflective and helps learners develop attention to details and their ability to analyse. 

Encourage critical thinking. Ask students to analyse the language of a certain add, examine the underlying messages of a popular song, a graffiti or a mass media issue. Use more of ‘Why?’ and ‘What can be done?’ kinds of questions.

Explore, at least to some extent, the topics that tend to be sugarcoated or even ignored in coursebooks, especially if you see that they are of interest or your learners. 

Develop students’ speaking skills in terms of public speaking. Teach them some rules and techniques of giving a successful speech, watch a TED-talk by a successful speaker that inspires them, discuss what tricks you could steal.

Regard learners’ L1 as a resource to be used. L1 can be successfully used for classroom management purposes or to provide instruction. It can also be beneficial in grammar explanation, especially at lower levels.  

Find more thoughts on Critical pedagogy in this article by Scott Thornbury, ‘Education For Critical Consciousness’ by P. Freire and ‘Critical pedagogies and language learning: An introduction’ by B. Norton and K. Toohey.