Young Afrodescendant EFL Learners Exploring Their Identities Through a Critical Intercultural Approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Disregarding the importance of identity and culture in language learning denies teachers the possibility to understand where their students come from, who they are, the journeys they go through and the needs they have while learning a language. This study aimed at exploring the impact of a critical intercultural curricular unit in the construction and understanding of young Afro-descendant English learners’ identities and their development as more critical citizens. The findings of this study revealed that thanks to the implementation of a critical intercultural curricular unit in which unequitable relations of power, issues of domination,and cultural stereotypes were discussed, learners explored their identities from three dimensions: their pre-established identities, their identities as speakers of English, and their imagined identities in relation to societal expectations. The exploration of such identities was not limited to aspects such as race and cultural identity; also, students were able to discover elements of their sexual identity and the positions they assumed in different contexts. In addition, participants went through different stages during the implementation of the unit, starting with an increasing awareness of cultural differences to becoming able to deconstruct relations of power that affect diverse cultural groups. As a consequence, they reacted by proposing actions to be taken in order to foster equitable relations among people and build a just society.