Critical Pedagogy and Language Education: Hearing the Voices of Serbian Students Studying Foreign Languages

Abstract

Critical pedagogy is an issue which deserves a lot of attention from language teachers/educators. Understanding the relationships between language learning and social change can help all of us to become critically aware citizens. Drawing on a critical account of students majoring in foreign languages, this paper examines their ability to critically analyse the status of English as a global language, especially in relation to social, cultural and economic factors. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the matter, the focus group methodology was used. Content analysis was conducted on the students’ statements in order to identify trends and patterns that appeared within the focus group’s discussion. Participant observation was also used. The results suggest that the Faculty of Philology students clearly perceive English as a language of power but are also willing to question the factors that led to it and the possible consequences of such beliefs. Further research may contribute to demonstrating how the current process of teaching and learning English as a lingua franca can establish a broader and more beneficial dialogue with other fields of knowledge which support and promote critical approaches to language pedagogy.