The Critical Language Awareness Perspective within the English Second Language Teacher Development

By Rakwena Reginald Mpho Monareng.

Published by The International Journal of the Humanities

The Critical Language Awareness Perspective (CLA) adds an essential dimension to language learning and teaching. This dimension brings to consciousness both the learners and teachers’ critical awareness of language use. It is this awareness that exposes the non-neutrality of language as a medium of communication. The CLA perspective engages both language learners and teachers in questioning and responding to the common-sense assumptions that are linguistically mediated. It also helps them to use language critically to achieve their own objectives. Three of these could be to use language in order to progress well with their studies, find employment and to change their societal psychic and thinking for the betterment of the general public. In this way the CLA perspective assists in developing responsible citizenry. My argument in this paper is that the lack of critical language awareness perspective within English Language Second Language teacher programme deprives the necessary critical dimension to language learning and teaching. I show how this perspective could be incorporated by critically discussing the possible model course for teachers training.

The International Journal of the Humanities, Volume 5, Issue 1, pp.67-74. Article: Print (Spiral Bound). Article: Electronic (PDF File; 767.164KB).

Dr. Rakwena Reginald Mpho Monareng

Lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of Johannesburg, South Africa