Towards empowering EFL teachers through critical pedagogy: Current insights and future directions

This study examined English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers’ practices of critical pedagogy principles. The sample of the study was fifteen EFL teachers. Classroom observation was employed to collect data regarding the current practices reflecting critical pedagogy, such as, learning autonomy, real-life issues, critical thinking, communication, cooperative learning, speaking without fear and reflective discussions. The findings indicate that an uneven and selective implementation of critical pedagogy in EFL classrooms persists. Teachers frequently prioritized communication, designed critical thinking tasks and employed group work and project-based activities. Some teachers also connected English content to students’ real-life experiences and social contexts, indicating an emerging awareness of language learning as a social process. However, practices that emphasize learner agency, such as encouraging students to express divergent opinions, allowing learners to choose tasks based on their interests and positioning students as co-constructors of knowledge, were largely absent. These patterns suggest that critical pedagogy is often adopted in procedural or skills-based forms rather than a transformative approach that challenges traditional classrooms. The study highlights the influence of curricula expectations and assessment pressures on teachers’ pedagogical choices. Based on these findings, the study underscores the need for professional development that supports EFL teachers in engagement with critical pedagogy. Such initiatives should focus on developing critical thinking, designing materials that address dominant discourses and implementing project-based practices that promote inclusivity, collaboration and learning in EFL classrooms.