Linguistic Domination and Critical Language Awareness

Language pedagogy in ESL/EFL contexts frequently use culturally and ideologically loaded texts. Combined with traditional methods of teaching English, which rely on positivist views of Eurocentric critics, these texts become a means of interpellation of the learner. This paper investigates the effects of teaching of English in the Pakistani context in terms of identity and subject construction of learners. As a case study, the research sampled responses from 461 learners in the city of Islamabad. The findings indicate that a certain level of subject construction does occur in learners of English depending on teaching methods and school environment. The paper suggests critical language awareness as an alternative approach to teaching language and literature with a view to enabling learners to counter the ideological impact of English teaching texts.