Investigating the Contribution of Social Justice Orientation, Critical Thinking, Empathy, Reflective Practice, and Multilingualism to the Implementation of Critical Language Pedagogy: A Model Proposal

Authors
1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of English Language and Literature, Hakim Sabzevari University
2 Department of English Language and Literature, Hakim Sabzevari University
Abstract
This study proposes a model of the traits that predict English language teachers’ implementation of critical language pedagogy (CLP) and examines the nature of their interactions. The study analyzes the direct and indirect effects of social justice orientation, critical thinking, empathy, reflective practice, and multilingualism in shaping CLP practices. Data were collected from 243 English language teachers in Iran, the United States, Spain, and Hong Kong through convenience and snowball sampling. Using path analysis in AMOS, the findings indicate that social justice orientation, critical thinking, and multilingualism directly predict CLP, while empathy and reflective practice exert an indirect influence. Social justice orientation emerged as the strongest predictor, reinforcing its significance in critical teaching. The proposed model demonstrated strong fit indices, confirming its overall validity. The study offers important implications for teacher education programs, highlighting the importance of fostering these traits to cultivate critical language teachers and promote transformative pedagogical practices.

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Available Online from 16 September 2025