Critical Applied Linguistics and Critical CALL: Social Media Analysis

Applied Linguistics field has evolved from solely engaging in form focused teacher-centered pedagogy and positivistic research to a field that includes some meaning focused, student-centered pedagogy, and post-positivistic research. Calls for technology integration into language teaching have been made and standards for both meaning included student-centered language pedagogy as well as technology integration into such pedagogy have been issued by professional organizations such as TESOL. Some applied linguistics programs have stablished computer assisted language learning (CALL) specialization or added CALL related courses into their curricula. However, much more needs to be done to address students’ needs in the true spirit of student-centered meaning-focused critical language learning with critical CALL. For example, despite the fact that most people need language as a resource for studying, working, and for other daily functions, language curricular, especially ESL curricular in the US, are still largely form-focused, taught through unauthentic tasks, and assessed with multiple choice tests. Technology, when integrated into language teaching, is often utilized for word processing, spelling and grammar checking. This paper will discuss how applied linguistics can be a more responsible field by implementing critical language and critical thinking development utilizing the extended affordances of technology. This is illustrated through a pedagogical unit that aims to engage learners in authentic language learning and critical thinking through linguistic analysis of social media postings using appraisal theory and analysis methods. The paper discussion will also include research ideas and suggestions for studying this pedagogical unit.