The pursuit of equity and social justice in higher education demands pedagogical approaches that transcend Western-centric traditions and legitimise diverse cultural epistemologies. This study examines Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) specifically in the Indonesian EFL context and intends to examine CRT as a pedagogical strategy and a way to problematise epistemological assumptions. Guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework and analysed through Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) combined with document analysis), this research critically examines 22 documents. The findings indicate that, although CRT is recognised in national initiatives such as the Emancipated Curriculum and Emancipated Learning, its practical implementation remains uneven and largely superficial. At the classroom level, educators attempt to integrate indigenous knowledge, cultural identities, and local wisdom into English language teaching; however, these efforts are constrained by rigid, exam-driven curricula, limited professional support, and the pervasive influence of global English standards. The tension between internationalisation and localisation illustrates both the challenges and opportunities for CRT in reshaping Indonesian EFL education. Theoretically, CRT is positioned as a decolonial stance that resists epistemic hegemony while advancing epistemic justice by legitimising the ecology of knowledge. Practically, the study emphasises the urgency of aligning policies with CRT principles, expanding teacher training, and developing culturally sustaining instructional resources. By situating CRT at the nexus of social justice, decolonization, and global competence, this study contributes to global debates on inclusive and transformative education, highlighting its significance for the Global South and beyond.
In Nepal's multilingual and multicultural context, teaching English poses distinct challenges and opportunities. Teachers are central to ensuring effective English language learning, but their potential is often undermined by inadequate training, poor infrastructure, and mismatched national policies that fail to consider local diversity. This study explored how to energize teacher potentials by focusing on socio-cultural inclusivity, professional development, and geo-political considerations in Nepal. Drawing on qualitative data collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis, the research investigates the current challenges and emerging solutions from teachers’ perspectives across different regions. The findings show that teachers can become transformative agents when equipped with context-sensitive pedagogy, culturally responsive training, and community engagement tools. The study recommends decentralizing teacher education, investing in continuous and reflective professional development, and involving teachers in curriculum design. Energizing teacher potential is thus framed not just as a pedagogical goal, but as a socio-political project essential for equitable and effective English education across Nepal
In South African multilingual classrooms, assessment remains constrained by monolingual English frameworks, creating a systemic contradiction with additive bilingualism policies. This qualitative study explores how pre-service teachers navigate this contradiction and argues that they are often socialized into a “pedagogy of compromise.” Within this approach, translanguaging is accepted as a scaffold in formative assessment but largely excluded from high-stakes summative assessment, thereby sustaining English's dominance. Drawing on questionnaire and interview data from twenty-fourth-year pre-service teachers, the study, using reflexive thematic analysis, identifies a persistent gap between beliefs and practices. While participants recognized the potential value of translanguaging, many showed conceptual confusion between translanguaging and code-switching. In practice, home languages were predominantly used as a bridge to support learning, rather than as legitimate resources for demonstrating knowledge in assessment. Informed by sociocultural perspectives on learning and language interdependence, and critically attentive to the dominance of English in education, the findings suggest that supporting translanguaging in assessment requires more than technical training. It also involves engaging with underlying language ideologies that shape South African classrooms and assessment practices. The paper concludes by recommending that teacher education programs should create opportunities for critical dialogue, provide practical experience in designing multilingual assessments, and support greater alignment between language policy and assessment practices.
This research shows that the integration of neo-humanistic principles and local knowledge turns digital English language teaching into a full learning experience beyond the simple mastery of the language.
Language plays a pivotal role in shaping educational access, participation, and success, particularly in multilingual societies where the language of instruction often determines learners' opportunities for academic achievement and social mobility. In Nigeria, the National Policy on Education advocates the use of the mother tongue or the language of the immediate environment during the early years of basic education, followed by a gradual transition to English. However, widespread reliance on English as the dominant medium of instruction has created significant barriers for learners from marginalized linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. This paper critically examines how the medium of instruction functions as a gatekeeper that either facilitates or restricts educational opportunities for marginalized learners in Nigeria. Adopting a systematic literature review methodology, the study synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed journal articles, government policy documents, UNESCO reports, and empirical studies on language-in-education policies. The review reveals that the dominance of English in classroom instruction often disadvantages children from rural communities, minority language groups, nomadic populations, internally displaced communities, and economically disadvantaged households by limiting classroom participation, literacy development, academic achievement, and cultural affirmation. The paper further argues that language is not merely a medium of communication but also a mechanism through which social power, identity, and educational inequality are reproduced. Effective implementation of multilingual and mother tongue-based education is identified as a critical strategy for promoting inclusive, equitable, and sustainable education in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. The study concludes that achieving educational justice in Nigeria requires stronger implementation of language policy, investment in indigenous language development, enhanced teacher preparation, and sustained stakeholder engagement. These measures will help transform language from a gatekeeping mechanism into an instrument of inclusion, empowerment, and national development.
This article critically examines the field of social studies education in the Latin American context, marked by structural inequalities, colonial legacies, and persistent sociopolitical tensions. From a theoretical-reflective perspective, it analyzes the epistemological foundations, pedagogical approaches, and political disputes shaping this field, arguing that social studies teaching must move beyond content transmission and function as a space for the formation of critical subjects. The study explores the transition from memorization-based models to constructivist, critical, and decolonial approaches, highlighting both their contributions and limitations. It conceptualizes the curriculum as a contested terrain shaped by power relations, where historical narratives, knowledge forms, and models of citizenship are defined. Additionally, it integrates contemporary dimensions such as digital transformation and critical literacy, the teaching of historical memory in post-conflict settings, and intercultural bilingual education as a decolonial horizon. The article argues that meaningful transformation depends on robust teacher education grounded in Pedagogical Content Knowledge from a critical perspective. It concludes that the renewal of social studies constitutes a pedagogical, political, and ethical project aimed at fostering subjects capable of interpreting and transforming social reality in Latin America.
