Towards a five-dimensional affordance-based framework for social injustice research in language education

This article aims to advance the theorization and analysis of social (in)justice in language education by introducing a comprehensive five-dimensional affordance-based framework. In response to persistent calls for equity and inclusion, particularly in multilingual and multicultural classrooms, this study addresses the lack of systematic analytic tools for examining how race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality intersect in everyday educational practice. Synthesizing insights from critical pedagogy, social justice education, humanistic, and trauma-informed approaches, the proposed framework operationalizes five interrelated dimensions, namely perceptibility, valence, compositionality, normativity, and intentionality, to capture the complexity of affordances that structure students’ opportunities and constraints. Practical coding examples demonstrate how inequitable affordances can be identified and analyzed in face-to-face and online settings. The framework offers methodological clarity and practical guidance for researchers and educators seeking to expose, understand, and address hidden mechanisms of exclusion while designing more inclusive and just language learning environments. Implications for educational policy, teacher development, and classroom practice are discussed.