Problematizing Common Sense: Critical Discourse Analysis as a Tool for Unmasking ‘Hiddens’ and ‘Givens’ in Educational Discourses

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This paper looks at the potential for the role of the methodological approach of Critical Discourse Analysis within the field of educational research and for deconstructing educational discourses. It argues that whilst somewhat under-utilized within the field of educational research, CDA has often been pigeonholed as being aligned with a particular methodological and epistemological stance. This paper argues that CDA can be seen in a more inclusive light and so offer insights to a wider range of researchers and educators concerned with challenging domination and its values, beliefs and social practices. It addresses three major questions:
In what ways might researching issues of power and language be of value for educationalists?
Practically, how does one go about doing CDA?
What are the linkages between CDA and critical pedagogies
The paper will present both a coherent theoretical and conceptual underpinning for the methodological approach in the educational context and a practical pedagogical, analytical and heuristic tool for the critical analysis of texts.

Stream: Equity, Social Justice and Social Change; Community, Culture, Globalisation

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Dr David Hyatt works in the School of Education, University of Sheffield where he is the Director of two programmes: the EdD Language Learning and Teaching and Singapore Distance Learning Programme. He is a core member of the Literacy Research Centre. He has an MEd TEFL from the University of Bristol and a PhD in critical literacy from the University of Sheffield. His research interests cover critical discourse analysis, teacher education and academic literacy and he has published widely in these areas.