A socially inclusive teaching strategy: A liberating pedagogy for responding to English literacy problems

Abstract

Socially inclusive strategies encourage empowering, progressive and sustainable responses to social challenges and needs. These strategies are made possible through inclusion and equitable consideration of diverse contributions of those affected by the problems, and who feel obliged to find solutions to the problems. In this paper, the principles of a free attitude interview technique as well as the critical discourse analysis are used to generate and analyse data. A participatory action research-oriented, socially inclusive teaching strategy was followed that is underpinned by critical emancipatory research principles. The study found that the listening and speaking skills of English first additional language learners improved significantly. This paper demonstrates how a socially inclusive teaching strategy can contribute to strengthening the teaching of listening and speaking skills in English first additional language, to Grade Four learners at a public farm school. Learners’ inability to listen attentively and speak fluently requires the application of an adequately responsive teaching strategy that focuses on improving learners’ listening and speaking skills in early stages of learning. The purpose of implementing the strategy is to contribute towards improving learners’ listening and speaking capabilities. This will in turn improve learners’ chances of doing well in other subjects.

Keywords: English first additional language; listening and speaking skills; socially inclusive teaching strategy; teaching and learning