Mother tongue and cultural DNA

October 9, 2014

Have you ever asked yourself why we call the first language acquired by a person MOTHER TONGUE? Other expressions used to refer to the language a person first hears and uses to communicate since an early age are: mother language, first language, native language, arterial language.

Merriam-Webster dictionary, in its online version, defines mother tongue as

1:  the language that a person learns to speak first / one’s native language

2:  a language from which another language derives

Although there are nuances that distinguish them, ultimately all of these refer to the mother tongue. It is so called because during all of human history the passing down, or teaching of, customs, traditions, and languages were the duties and responsibility of the mother. Today this responsibility is no longer exclusively of motherhood. Today grandparents, caretakers, schools, and most importantly, fathers, play an important and active role in helping raise a child. So the term (mother tongue) seems to lose relevance. Perhaps we should call it parent-tongue, or main-tongue, or simply: core-language.

Considering that we all live in a dynamic and multicultural world, being fluent only in the mother tongue might not be enough to meet the needs of communication. As a consequence of globalization, English has become the lingua franca. Migratory fluxes are accelerating, mobility patterns are changing, business must be conducted between different nations, politicians and statespersons must address universal issues and promote common efforts, and students and workers are increasingly mobile in search of better opportunities. In a world where English is almost unanimously accepted as the world language, and is increasingly being used by non-native speakers, one has to ask: what role do mother tongues still play in this scenario?

Language is the tool we have to communicate, express feelings, share ideas, negotiate meaning, relate to other people, advocate for causes, search for justice, debate important issues, and so many other purposes. The mother tongue is the first resource a human being has to do so. It is permeated by culture, values, customs, norms, habits, specific meanings, and emotion. From this perspective, what does a language learner lose when s/he learns a second, third or fourth language? How much does one lose by putting aside his/her own mother tongue on behalf of another language? Is it only the language itself that is being ignored and literally lost?

One may questions: if a person is led to adopt a language other than his/her mother tongue, for whatever reasons, and consequently ends up neglecting his/her own roots, how long will it be before this person modifies his/her culture? Values? Beliefs? Is it possible to keep the traditions, language and emotional bonds of the mother tongue and still be able to cope with the high input and impact of other languages and cultures?

I was born and raised in a very culturally mixed environment. I was born in Brazil, from a German mother and a Polish father. I consider my mother tongue Portuguese, and after I acquired it, I was formally and informally exposed to Polish, German, English and Italian. However, even having a German speaking mother and a Polish speaking father, and having learned a fourth language, I consider myself proficient and 100% fluent in Portuguese, which is not strictly speaking my mother tongue. I should call it my birth-imposed-tongue, or environment-tongue, or proficiency-tongue. Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language are embedded in my personality. Where did the German and the Polish affective bonds, cultural background, language, traditions go to?

I have to admit that most aspects of these two languages (that were supposed to be my mother tongue, with German, and father tongue, with Polish) were slowly and imperceptibly left behind on behalf of other languages that seemed more important, or more useful thus far in my life. I do not have a family connection to English or Italian but at some point in my life, they became a priority to be learned and overcame the need, or interest, or emotional bond that I had with the other two languages.

Rather than see these facts as a mistake I may have made (not maintaining fluency n Polish and German), or viewing them as incorrect options in favor of Portuguese, English and some Italian, I would prefer to think of the situation as a result of circumstances that at the moment did not seem important to me.

Who can measure or evaluate the cultural and linguistic losses caused by such circumstances?

References:

Merriam Webster Dictionary – On Line version

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mother%20tongue

A seed called Critical Pedagogy

October 2, 2014

In the last three chapters of his book entitled Critical ELT in action: foundations, promises, praxis, Crookes (2013) brings up the administrative dimension of Critical Pedagogy, its implications, its bond with the community and the ethical and professional attitudes towards politics. It is crucial to debate the role that school administrators play in this setting. The responsibilities of good critical administrators include discernment to go beyond the classroom and the material and act accordingly. The duties include a range of other factors that combine, amongst others, strong leadership skills and ethical criteria. Critical Pedagogy becomes feasible through critical thinking and critical actions. Therefore it is of utmost importance for individuals in leadership positions to involve the entire community (teachers, parents and students) with a goal in mind, which is to promote social change.

Under these circumstances, there is a wide range of possibilities as to where Critical Pedagogy can take place. Freire claims that the adult literacy sector tends to be more open to such reflections. However there is a broad field of other options. To mention some: private schools, for they are usually less controlled by the state; community schools, where there are services that go beyond the education being offered; adult education, frequently associated with labor or worker education; online education institutes, which have a low cost and represent fertile ground for international connections through Internet forums, blogs, websites, content generated by users, and others; language schools that are more profit-oriented and tend to give teachers more freedom.

Most concepts related to Critical Pedagogy and the different environments where they can possibly occur automatically lead one to reflect on how complex and politically subtle the idea can be. Critical Pedagogy administrators and specialists must be willing to apply critical thinking, take action and promote social change, face exhaustive journeys while advocating, fundraising, organizing, involving students and parents, mediating connections between households and the schools, networking, working on developing significant bonds between communities and teachers, practicing leadership in varied ways and supporting democratic changes. It may be a discouraging path to many!

Crookes (2013), talks in his book about imagination. We should all try to imagine a better world, given that ours is not a perfect one, and that is an important first step. As a teacher of the language that is currently considered the lingua franca (English) in a multilingual and extremely diverse world, one should put oneself in a position to be reflective about the practice. Although education is not neutral according to many thinkers, I agree with Crookes (p. 182), when he cites Edelsky and Johnson’s (2014, p.137) challenge to this idea. If on the one hand one may ask “Well, if there’s imposition at some level in education, than it is not critical pedagogy and it is not democratic”. Edelsky and Johnson (2014) state that “…critical whole language practice does not tell students what to think. But it does pose some new things to think about.”

Every ESL teacher should be stimulated to implement at least some of the principles of critical pedagogy and critical thinking in their practice. Even if in small ways and in slow steps. It is a seed that we must plant and must water, with the expectation of harvesting the fruit of our labor.

References:

Crookes, G (2013). Critical ELT in Action: foundations, promises, praxis. New York, NY: Routledge.

Edelsky, C. & Johnson, K. (2004). Critical whole language practice in time and place. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 1 (4), 121-141.

How Critical Pedagogy came to be

 September 26, 2014

Where does the concept of ‘critical pedagogy’ come from? Who and what inspired Paulo Freire, Freinet, Giroux? What elements helped shaped Critical Pedagogy as we know it today? To answer these questions and enable a better understanding of how Critical Pedagogy came to be, it is important to go back in history, contextualize facts, thoughts and people, and try to understand how these factors are related.

It is crucial to understand the role played by the French Revolution, and to highlight some of the main factors that impelled the ideas embedded in Critical Pedagogy derived from that event. During that time, ‘modern’ ideas arose, and people started talking about democracy and social change. There was a discussion about freer forms of education and of a different form of society. There was an idea of liberalism in the air, and that is where the mainstream of Critical Pedagogy has its roots. Critical Pedagogy is concerned with justice and social equality, emphasizing direct democracy and personal growth. It gained momentum in the beginning of the 21^st century, when the state was not controlling or developing education and schools were started by people with radical and liberal ideas (Crookes, 2013, p.77). Education was now thought to be anti-individualist, de-centralized, and cooperative. In this revolutionary and investigative scenario, active learning took place with a scientific approach, where practice and theory were equally valued. Crookes (2013, p.77) defines Critical Pedagogy as teaching for social justice, in ways that support the development of active, engaged citizens who will, as circumstances permit, critically inquire into why their lives (…) are so materially (and spiritually) inadequate, be prepared to seek out solutions to the problems they define and encounter, and take action accordingly.

Between 1960 and 1980 school councils were implemented and many forms of participative democracy took place, sex education was added to the curriculum, learning contracts were formulated between teachers and students, and syllabi gained a participative form. In 1980, post-structural movements appeared in force: the feminist movement, the anti-racist movement, the sexual identity movement. There was a clear concern with regards to respect and equality, and Critical Pedagogy should be included in this movement as it is, by definition, sensitive to and a stimulant of diversity. It proposes reflexive thinking, speaking, reading, and writing. It encourages students to ‘read between the lines’, find solutions and be active members for social change.

Language is, therefore, one of the main instruments in Critical Pedagogy. Through language, teachers can bring to discussion important social and political issues. With dialogue, students can develop a critical perspective of their realities, and feel motivated to act accordingly. Language gives students the resources they need to become reflective thinkers and change-inducers. Crookes (2013, p. 87) states that language has power. He claims that “language can be used as a tool, or a weapon, sometimes used for social change, and sometimes used against the weak.” Discourse deserves special attention regarding this matter. Throughout history, language has taken an important part in reproducing the social order, and has the power to transform it at any time. Discourse is how language and social matters relate. It is permeated with ideologies and carries values. Chouliaraki and Fairclough (1990, p. 140) affirm that “ … human language is shaped by the social function it serves.” Therefore, Critical Pedagogy is only possible with human interaction and within environments where people learn from each other and do not think alone.

It is essential to remember that social changes are also a result of critical thinking, which in the academic environment is called Critical Pedagogy. But what is the main purpose of Critical Pedagogy? Paulo Freire’s central contribution was what he called conscientização, translated to English as critical consciousness, or critical awareness. He postulates that conscientização is the process of developing critical consciousness through reflection and action. It comes to be via dialogue, problem discussion, solution seeking and action (Freire calls it praxis). Schools are a perfect nest for these ideas. It is where teachers and students meet and engage in discussions regarding social matters. It is where they understand that they are part of a problem and are able to be part of the solution. It only depends on them.

Critical Pedagogy has roots in historical events that occured during the past three centuries and has been significantly influenced by social movements and the idea of transformation, of change, of evolution. It has undoubtedly altered all previous notions about formal education and has been an important element of debate in all sectors of academic life. It is still a fundamental and central idea to all those concerned with improving education in a free and democratic society.

References

Chouliaraki, L. & Fairclough, N. (1999). Discourse in Late Modernity: Rethinking Critical Discourse Analysis. Edinburgh, UK: Edinburgh University Press.

Crookes, G (2013). Critical ELT in Action: foundations, promises, praxis. New York, NY: Routledge.

Teachers Role in Critical Pedagogy – Embracing the Philosophy and Applying Critical Thinking

September 19, 2014

Critical Pedagogy means Participatory Pedagogy. Paulo Freire’s ideas of critical pedagogy are dense and suggest profound changes in the teaching and learning process. One of the mainstreams is that “the educational process is never neutral”. What reflections can be made about the passive model of ‘teaching and learning’? Students can be passive recipients of knowledge or they can engage in a ‘problem-posing’ approach. However, how do we, teachers, effectively help our students become critical thinkers and active agents in their communities?

Critical Pedagogy is more than drilling content and inputting academic knowledge. It is in great part teaching for social justice, stimulating students to inquire and question, encouraging them to seek solutions, embolden them to be active citizens and provide them with resources to change the world.

What elements are embedded in Critical Pedagogy in second language acquisition? Crookes (2013) suggests that several different areas of the teaching process and environment compose it. They are:

• Democratic classroom management (highly interactive classroom practices and activities, discussions of what is discipline, conversation about behavior issues, establishment of routine and agreements that are set democratically)
• Critical stance by the teacher (teacher’s critical perspective, key values and beliefs)
• Critical needs analysis (find out what students need to learn considering the target situation as a site of possible reform)
• Negotiated Syllabus (teachers and students establish together what and why they will learn. Neither thematic or skills can be determined prior to meeting the students and spending some time getting to know them and understanding their needs and expectations is essential)
• Codes (allow students to articulate their own thoughts, ideas and action – teachers do not totally control content)
• Dialogue (promote discussions in class as many times as possible, let students determine classroom interaction, help students think critically)
• Critical content in materials (content needs to have a perspective and a cultural orientation and should not be neutral)
• Democratic, participatory, and critical assessment (problem-posing evaluation, ‘dialogic interactions’ (Crookes, 2013) where all the voices are validated – theory in action)
• Action orientation (social projects and actions, empower students with the sense that they can make the difference and they can help change the world.

Critical Pedagogy is, therefore, a fertile field of education that can be designed for and implemented in second language acquisition programs/classes. It relies on how much teachers will embrace the philosophy of critical pedagogy and apply the critical thinking and change-making stance in their lessons and class environment.

References

Crookes, G (2013). Critical ELT in Action: foundations, promises, praxis. New York, NY: Routledge.

Theory and Practice: an important partnership in ESL/EFL

September 12, 2014

My journey into the TESOL world has begun. As an English teacher to speakers of other languages, this is certainly a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge and nurture my ideas about the ESL/EFL teaching practice.

Theories and ideas about second language acquisition are important to be understood and discussed, for they describe a students’ learning process much of students’ learning process. Krashen’s theories, referred to by Hong (2008), are an invitation for reflection upon the Teaching of a Second Language practice. How beneficial is it for students when teachers succeed in relating theory with practice, becoming aware of their needs and difficulties, as well as understanding the process which they go through in their learning. Teachers are able to empower and deepen class planning by working on student-centered lessons.

A good way for teachers of ESL to start being more critical and reflective about their practice is to be familiar with the PBA (Principles Based Approach) described in the White Paper (Tesol.org). This paper addresses important questions that directly and indirectly involve teaching ESL, such as subjects regarding policymaking, politics, economics and industry. Broadly speaking the variables involving ESL are as follows (according to the White Paper):

C   collaboration

R   relevance

E   evidence

A   alignment

T   transparency

E   empowerment

CREATE plays an essential role in language learning. Policymakers should take it under consideration and adapt policies depending on the different cultures, backgrounds and realities of the students. This is what the paper calls “language ecology” – all variables and interactive practices that compose second/additional language learning and teaching that need to be accounted for in an ESL environment. “PBA incorporates the notion of ‘language ecology’ in an education setting by taking into account the diverse sociopolitical settings ‘where the processes of language use create, reflect and challenge particular hierarchies and hegemonies’ ”(Creese & Martin, 2008).

If the ultimate goal is to help and facilitate the learning process of students of ESL, as well as to make it meaningful and in line with specific realities, then it is clear that the alignment of theory and practice is extremely important and beneficial in all contexts and learning scenarios.

References:

Hong (2008): “On Teaching Strategies in SLA”: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED502535.pdf

http://www.tesol.org/advance-the-field/position-statements