Critical Pedagogy in English Language Education

Critical pedagogy in English language education foregrounds the relationship between language learning and social justice, treating the classroom as a space where power relations can be deconstructed and transformed. Drawing on philosophies that emphasise empowerment, dialogue and conscientisation, this approach challenges traditional hierarchies by positioning learners as active co-constructors of knowledge rather than passive recipients. Teachers adopt a reflexive stance, critically examining their own cultural assumptions, curriculum materials and assessment practices to ensure that diverse voices and experiences are represented. Curriculum content extends beyond grammar and literary analysis to include critical literacies that interrogate social, political and ideological discourses embedded in texts. By linking language skills with issues such as identity, equity and human rights, critical pedagogy equips learners to navigate and influence their social worlds. Practical applications range from collaborative project-based tasks that address community concerns to the use of authentic materials that reflect global and local contexts. Globally, educators have reported enhanced learner motivation, deeper intercultural understanding and increased civic engagement when critical pedagogical strategies are systematically woven into English instruction. Emerging work also highlights the importance of teacher professional development, institutional support and enabling policies to sustain these transformative practices.

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Critical Pedagogy in English Language Education publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in critical pedagogy in english language education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Critical pedagogy: An educational approach that scrutinises and challenges power relations, empowering learners to enact social change.

Critical literacies: Practices that enable learners to analyse and question the ideological and cultural assumptions within texts and discourse.

Dialogic pedagogy: A teaching method centred on open, reciprocal dialogue between teachers and students as co-investigators of meaning.

Rhetorical agency: The capacity of learners to purposefully use language to shape opinions, influence audiences and effect change.

References

1. Do teachers read against the text? Studying the prevalence of critical literature pedagogy through a vignette. Oxford Review of Education (2025).
2. Rhetoric, agency, pedagogy: a “new” perspective on language and literacy education. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy (2022).
3. Literacy education for citizenship across the lifespan. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy (2022).