CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN PAKISTAN: THE POSSIBILITIES

Abstract

The present paper discusses the possibilities of introducing the critical dimension of English language teaching in the Pakistani public education sector. In a sharp contrast to the traditional mode of English language teaching which has been the practice since long, the paper suggests the application of a critical mode of language teaching so as to explore its potential to develop “critical, reflexive, literate and socially engaged” English language learners rather than just proficient ones. It is primarily Freire’s notion of Critical Pedagogy (1970) that has provided a critical orientation to language learning and here his notion of critical consciousness assumes the form of critical language awareness (Fairclough, 1993). So the paper presents an overview of the philosophies that inform critical pedagogy, analyzes its central concerns in the backdrop of the Pakistani context and examines some of its basic principles that may be practically implemented in English Language Teaching set up in Pakistan. Critical English language learning is likely to contribute to language development in a socially and culturally relevant environment by integrating oral knowledge with the text book knowledge through engaging students in creative and critical discussions.