Perspectives on Critical Literacy

Critical Literacy (CL) is a popular language teaching approach, emphasised in language teaching programmes. The approach is popular in most English speaking countries; however, its implementation and realization in other contexts has rarely been investigated. According to proponents of CL, language is not neutral, but rather, offers a biased version of the world. This study examines the perceptions and experiences of International Students (ISs) from various backgrounds and cultures, following completion of a postgraduate course in critical literacy in an English setting. Because the investigation is undertaken in an English context, where CL is implemented in the educational system, it was also possible to examine the perceptions and experiences of lecturers delivering the course, and compare and contrast the perceptions of each group where relevant.