EMPOWERING LEARNERS THROUGH DIALOGUE: A CRITICAL PEDAGOGY APPROACH TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN PAKISTANI CLASSROOMS

Abstract

The paper explores the application of dialogic pedagogy, grounded in Critical Pedagogy theory, in English language classrooms across  public secondary schools in urban Punjab, Pakistan.. The study is based on the problem-posing model of Paulo Freire and the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky. It explores how dialogic instructions can redistribute classroom power, develop critical consciousness, and authentic communicative competence among students. A convergent mixed-method design was used: systematic classroom observations recorded discourse patterns, semi-structured interviews were conducted exploring beliefs and dilemmas of 15 teachers, and pre/post-surveys were used to measure changes in the critical thinking disposition, learner agency and perceived communicative confidence of 100 Grade-10 students during a period of one academic year. The triangulation of quantitative gains was done with qualitative vignettes that depicted increased student-initiated questioning, peer scaffolding and language use in context. The results confirm that procedure-based dialogic sequences improve cognitive learning and verbal performance, but systemic obstacles such as overcrowded classes with on average 60 students, exam-based curriculum and little exposure of the teachers to critical-reflective training limit continued enactment. The study recommends policy-level integration of dialogic strategies within national ELT curricula, redesign of assessment rubrics to valorize reasoning over rote recall, and continuous professional development that positions teachers as co-investigators in the Global South’s decolonizing educational project.