TY - GEN
T1 - Teacher narratives of social (in)justice
T2 - 2nd International Conference in Multidisciplinary Research, MyRes 2020
AU - Limbada, Zakeeya
AU - Kajee, Leila
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research.All right reserved.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - This paper explores a sample of English language teachers' perceptions and practices of social justice in Johannesburg, South Africa. These teachers teach substantial numbers of learners who are not mother tongue speakers of English, learning exclusively through an English medium. This accounts for injustices that face learners regarding access to and performance in education. These learners are of various linguistic backgrounds and require support to meet the basic promotion and pass requirements for English proficiency. Guided by critical pedagogy, social justice education and multilingualism, this study explored teachers' narratives of their experiences of justice/injustice. In examining teachers' narratives this study explored whether these experiences of justice/injustice shaped teachers' perceptions of social justice and if teachers actively took up positions as agents of change through their teaching practices. Using a qualitative exploratory case study method, data in the form of written narratives was elicited from ten English teachers from two secondary school sites. This study found that teachers' views, values, and attitudes were shaped by their own experiences of injustices and marginalization. All teachers believed they play a critical role in the personal and academic growth of their learners and acknowledged the potential role they possibly play as agents of individual and social transformation. Curriculum demands and contextual factors for some made the enactment of social justice pedagogy challenging. Language was highlighted as a key area where learners were disadvantaged in the learning process and further support was needed.
AB - This paper explores a sample of English language teachers' perceptions and practices of social justice in Johannesburg, South Africa. These teachers teach substantial numbers of learners who are not mother tongue speakers of English, learning exclusively through an English medium. This accounts for injustices that face learners regarding access to and performance in education. These learners are of various linguistic backgrounds and require support to meet the basic promotion and pass requirements for English proficiency. Guided by critical pedagogy, social justice education and multilingualism, this study explored teachers' narratives of their experiences of justice/injustice. In examining teachers' narratives this study explored whether these experiences of justice/injustice shaped teachers' perceptions of social justice and if teachers actively took up positions as agents of change through their teaching practices. Using a qualitative exploratory case study method, data in the form of written narratives was elicited from ten English teachers from two secondary school sites. This study found that teachers' views, values, and attitudes were shaped by their own experiences of injustices and marginalization. All teachers believed they play a critical role in the personal and academic growth of their learners and acknowledged the potential role they possibly play as agents of individual and social transformation. Curriculum demands and contextual factors for some made the enactment of social justice pedagogy challenging. Language was highlighted as a key area where learners were disadvantaged in the learning process and further support was needed.
KW - Agency
KW - Critical pedagogy
KW - Second and additional language learners
KW - Social justice
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85113800264&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85113800264
T3 - International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research
SP - 84
EP - 97
BT - Proceedings of the 2020 International Conference in Multidisciplinary Research, MyRes 2020
PB - Society for Research and Knowledge Management
Y2 - 14 December 2020 through 15 December 2020
ER -