Application of Critical Pedagogy Tenets to ESP Contexts by Iranian ESP Instructors

Abstract

Considered as a new shift in ELT, critical pedagogy (henceforth CP) puts sociopolitical issues high on the classroom agenda (Ford, 2009) incorporating a set of tenets aiming to both change the nature of schooling and the larger society (Pennycook, 1990). Therefore, in the post-method era, ESP instructors, like other language teachers, are required to both enhance language skills and apply CP principles in their ESP classes. Despite the significance of this issue, it remains to be seen whether English as Specific Purpose (ESP) is informed by CP principles or not. This study, hence, seeks to investigate the extent to which teaching ESP courses is informed by CP tenets and examines whether or not the field of study affects the application of CP principles. Hence, a CP scale for ESP developed by Kazemi and Tabatabaei (2015) was employed. Ninety-six university instructors, selected through convenience sampling, with more than four years of experience in teaching in Kohgiluyeh & Boyerahmad, Bandarabas, and Lorestan Universities of Iran participated in the study. An independent samples t-test was conducted to compare the means of ET (English Teachers) and NET (Non-English Teachers) groups. Findings revealed that both groups support and apply CP principles while teaching ESP courses although their fields of study made no significant difference in the extent to which CP principles are applied. The results of this study provide insights for universities to give due attention to CP principles when designing curriculum and developing teaching materials for ESP courses.