Pedagogizing Critical Materials Analysis and Development.

Tezgiden Cakcak S. Y.

in: International Perspectives on Critical English Language Teacher Education: Theory and Practice, A. F.Selvi & C. Kocaman, Editor, Bloomsbury Press, New York, pp.51-58, 2024

  • Publication Type: Book Chapter / Chapter Research Book
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Press
  • City: New York
  • Page Numbers: pp.51-58
  • Editors: A. F.Selvi & C. Kocaman, Editor
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Language education has been marked by centralized curricula, pre-packaged, teacher-proof, commercial materials, and standardized tests in the neoliberal era (Gray, 2013; McGrath, 2013). This system deskills teachers and reduces them to the role of technicians, who are supposed to teach the coursebook verbatim (Kumaravadivelu, 2003). Critical language teacher education, however, aims to foster language teachers’ agentive potential in analyzing, selecting, adapting and developing materials. Critical language teachers critique and problematize existing materials for the visible or hidden curricular and cultural messages they convey (Gray, 2013) and they feel empowered to design critical materials with the participation of their students (Crookes, 2013). This chapter provides a blueprint for teachers and teacher educators to pedagogize critical material analysis and development.