Critical Pedagogies for Modern Languages Education: Criticality, Decolonization, and Social Justice

This book explores how modern languages can be taught to challenge social inequalities, based on interdisciplinary theories and case studies from 11 languages in 13 countries. It emphasizes student-teacher collaboration and provides transformative approaches to modern languages teaching and learning.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 10 August 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

In the realm of Black Lives Matter, decolonizing initiatives, #MeToo, climate emergency protests, and various movements for social and environmental justice, a fundamental question arises: how can modern languages be taught to challenge rather than reinforce social inequalities? This volume, drawing from interdisciplinary theories, delves into practical discussions of case studies, specifically tailored to the classroom contexts of modern language educators. By centering the politics of language teaching, Critical Pedagogies for Modern Language Education emerges as a transformative force, reshaping both modern language educators and the broader profession. Spanning 11 languages across 13 countries and regions, the contributors explore a diverse range of theories, including critical discourse analysis, activist pedagogies, culturally sustaining pedagogy, linguistic justice, and translanguaging. At the core of critical modern languages pedagogy lies a strong emphasis on student-teacher collaboration, aimed at unveiling the ideologies and hegemonies that underpin mainstream language use while affirming the value of minority linguistic and cultural practices. Consequently, this volume offers transformative approaches to modern languages teaching and learning that directly address the pressing social concerns of the 21st century.

Weight: 444g
Dimension: 233 x 155 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350298767