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Paulo Freire´s Work and ELT today: how language teachers can still dialogue with this great educator

Larsen-Freeman and Anderson (2011) mention Paulo Freire (1921-1997) as “perhaps the most famous of all critical educators”. He is also mentioned in other texts which focus on ELT (BENSON; VOLLER, 1997; BROWN; LEE, 2015; PENNYCOOK, 1997; WILLIAMS; BURDEN, 1997). Why is this Brazilian educator who developed a Portuguese literacy program for illiterate adults in the late 1950s recognized worldwide? Why are his ideas still relevant nowadays? What does he have to do with ELT? In this webinar, I invite you to get to know a little bit more about this educator’s life and how his ideas and work may have reflected in our present language teaching and learning.  We will consider some Freirian concepts, such as critical pedagogy, learner as partner, teacher as facilitator, voice and autonomy, problem-setting/solving approach and the participatory approach.