Inclusive and Social Justice-Oriented Pedagogies in ELT

Project Description

English language teacher education has historically been confined to ‘content’ delivery through prescribed methodologies (Wright 2015, p.19), resulting in limited attention to the impact of social, cultural, and political ideologies on language use and the existing power dynamics in the classroom (Hawkins 2011). The field has recently taken a social justice turn to integrate issues such as race, social class, and gender into language classrooms. This shift aims to equip teachers with the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to address the existing inequities and injustices across and beyond systems of schooling. Based on this overall ground, this research aims to investigate the integration of inclusive and social justice-oriented pedagogies in language teacher education by focusing on pre-service English language teachers and teacher educators from three underrepresented geographical and cultural contexts in the literature: Scotland, Türkiye, and Pakistan. 

Using mixed methods and design-based intervention, the study begins with data collection through interviews with teacher educators, surveys and follow-up interviews with pre-service English language teachers, and the procurement of policy documents. Then a series of in-person and online workshops focusing on the conceptual grounding and pedagogical practice of critical pedagogy, social justice in language teacher education, and inclusive pedagogy are held with pre-service teachers across Scotland, Türkiye, and Pakistan. These workshops are followed by the administration of post-workshop surveys and interviews to gauge impact and gather further insights. As the study draws to a close, the focus shifts to data synthesis, culminating in the development and dissemination of research outputs. 

This collaborative research, focusing on Türkiye, Pakistan, and Scotland, will help enhance English language teacher education by integrating inclusivity and social justice pedagogies. Key strategies include capacity building through in-person and online workshops, policy advocacy through engagement with educational institutions and government officials, knowledge sharing through dissemination events like an online multiplier event and publications based on the project, and resources sharing through an open access online platform. By fostering critical and inclusive approaches and sharing innovative teaching materials on an open-access platform, the project seeks to contribute to a more inclusive, equitable, and gender-transformative global landscape for English language teacher education. 

Funder