Nieto (2010) argues that critical pedagogy is an "exploder of myths," because it explores and critically analyzes whole truths that consider all perspectives. This kind of pedagogy has been taken up quite naturally in world language classes as these spaces are ones in which issues surrounding language ideology, social justice, and identity can be critically examined. Still, the gap between theory and practice is broad (Reagan & Osborn, 2020). This gap might be bridged through critical thinking, action and social change, content mastery, awareness of multicultural group dynamics, and personal reflection (Hackman, 2005).
This presentation highlights findings from a study designed to bridge this gap between theory and practice of critical pedagogy. In an introductory French course, students from various linguistic backgrounds presented on and critically analyzed historical and linguistic information about a French-speaking country. Students also read and presented on short reflections by francophone authors discussing their relationship with the language, why they use it, and the interplay between the history of that country and the author's work. The students then wrote reflections on the similarities and differences between their relationships with the language and the various authors' relationships they and their peers presented on. Their reflections were an integral part of the critical pedagogical approach and specifically entailed a discussion of their identities.
Student projects and reflections were thematically analyzed (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to explore how the students critically engaged with the content of the projects. Findings demonstrated the benefits of multimodal project-based learning grounded in critical pedagogy through student discussions of identity, multiculturalism and multilingualism, and colonialism.
This project shows the possibility of unifying several pedagogical approaches in the world language classroom. It incorporated pedagogical acts associated with a pedagogy of multiliteracies, the acts of analyzing both functionally and critically, and made use of authentic texts (Cope & Kalantzis, 2009). The project-based learning approach provided a natural path to action and social change, through critical thinking, content mastery, and trust of students' knowledge and experience, specifically their multicultural identities (Brydon-Miller, 2006). By bringing Hackman's (2005) concepts into play with a multiliteracies lens in a project-based, multilingual learning environment, this research project demonstrates the possibility of using critical pedagogies to explore timely and meaningful issues in a beginner-level world language classroom.
Braun, & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brydon-Miller, M. (2006). Photovoice and Freiran critical pedagogy: Providing a liberatory theoretical framework to project-based learning in second language education. In G. H. Beckett & P. C. Miller (Eds.), Project-Based Second and Froeign Language Education: Past, Present, and Future (pp. 41–54).
Cope, B., & Kalantzis, M. (2009). "Multiliteracies": New Literacies, New Learning. In Pedagogies: An International Journal, 4(3), 164–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/15544800903076044
Hackman. (2005). Five Essential Components for Social Justice Education. Equity & Excellence in Education, 38(2), 103–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/10665680590935034
Nieto, S. (2010). Language, culture, and teaching: critical perspectives. Routledge.
Norton, B. (2008). Identity, language learning, and critical pedagogies. Encyclopedia of language and education, 6, 45-59.
