ABSTRACT
In the late 1990s, prominent strands of engaged scholarship for TESOL shifted its focus from cognitive theories of second language learning to critically conscious paradigms interrogating the social contexts of schooling. Committed to the potential of Freirean “humanizing” pedagogies, grounded relationships of dignity, care, and teacher-activism, subsequent scholarship has leveraged critical pedagogies for social change in and outside the language classroom. In this chapter, we outline shared concepts of critical pedagogies in TESOL, examples of their intersections with English language teaching, and the tension therein. We conclude with a discussion of future directions for the field. Resources for further exploration are provided.
