ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a critical analysis of Paulo Freire's theoretical position from a Marxist perspective in an effort to achieve the political clarity that will enable us to see the usefulness of his pedagogy for adult education for socialism. Freire is one of the few writers on adult education who have attempted to present a coherent philosophical foundation for their educational practice. Freire's emphasis on the social nature of language is clearly central to his educational method, which takes as its starting-point the language and themes of the participants' experience. Hence he argues that the literacy process is about reading the world' as much as 'reading the word' and must involve a critical understanding of the social structures which shape language and thought. The chapter concludes that Freire provides a very helpful consideration of praxis and knowledge for use by socialist adult educators, pointing the way to how theory should inform human action.
