How can we teach grammar in a way that validates students’ home language practices, even when they differ from standard language? In this session, we will discuss the meaning of critical pedagogy and ways we can apply this perspective to language teaching. We will learn how to present several grammar topics from the perspective of critical pedagogy. This allows students to not only learn how to use these structures but also learn why standard language norms have adopted some structures while rejecting others. When students learn about grammar from a critical perspective, they are able to uncover prejudices that have shaped their own beliefs about language and respond constructively to discriminatory comments about language variation by applying knowledge about how notions of standard language have changed over time. The presentation will conclude with strategies for incorporating a critical perspective in grammar assessment.
