Critical Pedagogies and Student Talk: Exploring Discourse Patterns in Postsecondary Language Classrooms

Critical pedagogies have gained prominence in postsecondary language education, yet few empirical studies detail student language development when learning through these approaches. Given the documented role of learner output and interaction in the language learning process (e.g., Swain, 1985), understanding students' language use when learning through critical pedagogies is essential to assessing their potential for advancing linguistic proficiency. The current project explores this issue by examining the amount and nature of learner talk during lessons grounded in two critical approaches (multiliteracies pedagogy; social justice education). Analyses of audio recordings from 40 intermediate-level learners of French and Spanish show that students' language use varied widely depending on the types of tasks they completed. Findings are considered with respect to the potential of critical pedagogies to develop and advance learners’ proficiency.

Presenters

Mandy Menke is an Associate Professor of Hispanic Linguistics and Director of Language Programs in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies. She is a co-leader of CARLA’s Literacies in Language Education and Social Justice in Language Education initiatives.
Lauren Goodspeed is a Senior Lecturer and Director of the French Language Program in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Minnesota. She is co-leader of CARLA’s Social Justice in Language Education initiative.
Kate Paesani is the Director of CARLA and an Associate Professor in the Department of French and Italian at the University of Minnesota. She is a co-leader of CARLA’s Language Program Direction, Literacies in Language Education and Social Justice in Language Education initiatives.