Language teaching and critical literacy curriculum in Greek primary education: implementation and perspectives

Abstract

The approach of the critical literacy principles in the L1 Language Curriculum (CL_L1C) in Greek primary education is strictly related to the study of social practices that focuses on the elimination of social inequalities and on the formation of critically thinking and socially active individuals. In the frame of this analysis, the development of new semiotic modes of communication is examined through the evaluation of the activities presented by the curriculum, in order to underline the significance of multiliteracies pedagogy in the critical understanding of forthcoming sociocultural changes. Through the presentation of basic teaching practices promoted in the context of critical literacy, the study of the contribution of the curriculum (CL_L1C) is pursued to change the way language is treated as a subject of teaching. For this reason, the documentary analysis is comparatively built by incorporating references into the older cross-thematic curriculum (CT_L1C) that focused more on the development of pupils’ communication— and less critical — skills. The differentiation brought about by the newer curriculum, however, is mainly realized via the experience accumulated in schools, alongside the difficulties and perspectives it presents in the formation of a modern and innovative educational discourse.