Critical Pedagogy: Investigating Critical Thinking Skills and Active Citizenship through Discourse Analysis in a Moroccan EFL Textbook

Abstract

Critical pedagogy is an educational philosophy that aims to empower individuals and promote significant societal change. Paulo Freire emphasized the importance of using a dialogic approach as a teaching method to increase students' understanding of social issues by exposing them to difficult learning situations. Through this process, students cultivate their creativity, capacity for problem-solving, sociological consciousness, and advanced cognitive abilities. Therefore, curriculum designers should integrate pedagogical practices that conform to the identical standards of teacher-student rapport. This allows students to forge connections with the world and engage in a critical examination of it. Furthermore, it assists individuals in analyzing and assessing the information they acquire, whether it is communicated consciously or unconsciously, in relation to the social interactions and propaganda they encounter. This study aims to examine the extent to which Ticket to English 2, a designated Moroccan English as a Foreign Language (EFL) textbook, enhances students' critical thinking skills and encourages active citizenship in society. The analysis was carried out using progressive and critical discourse analysis, employing Fairclough's dimensions as a potential framework.