Critical pedagogy in the ELT industry: Can a socially responsible curriculum find its place in a corporate culture?

摘要

This study qualitatively evaluated the adoption of critical approaches to teaching English as a second or foreign language (ESL) in the particular context of the private language school industry. The research questions focused on the flexibility of the curriculum, on the room it affords for critical pedagogy and on the challenges of implementing critical lesson plans in the ESL classroom. With the help of four teachers, I explored the practical implications of implementing critical lessons in multicultural ESL classrooms at a Canadian private language school. While the general conclusion of the teachers' experiences provides an encouraging and a positive outlook on a more generalized integration of critical pedagogy in the ELT curriculum, some of the challenges encountered included preparation time for lesson planning, addressing students' linguistic needs, and the tension between the business culture of the ELT industry and the principles of critical pedagogy.