Critical geragogy and foreign language learning: An exploratory application

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article proposes an exploratory application of the principles of critical geragogy (Formosa, 2002, 2011, 2012) to foreign language (FL) education (i.e., L2 learning in the L1 community). Critical geragogy is an educational, practical framework intended to empower older adults and lead them to emancipate from age strictures (Glendenning & Battersby, 1990, as cited in Formosa, 2012, p. 74). These strictures permeate the FL classroom and cause many older learners to adopt self-defeating attitudes and beliefs toward their abilities to learn an FL (Andrew, 2012; Ramírez Gómez, 2014). The limited research on FL learning in older adults (60 years old and over) — either confirming, exploring, or rejecting any claim—suggests that these beliefs and attitudes are not supported by rigorous empirical evidence. Rather, they are mostly based on generally held preconceptions and impressionistic data (Ramírez Gómez, 2014, 2015). Drawing from these notions and qualitative research from various sources, I propose an exploratory set of principles for what I have called critical foreign language geragogy. In this article, I argue that a critical view of social preconceptions of aging is fundamental to transform older learners’ attitudes toward their own FL learning potential and render them more realistic and constructive. I believe that such an approach to FL geragogy may contribute to improving older learners' expectations, goal setting, and ultimate accomplishment.