Leveraging technology for social justice in language education: Disruption of the status quo in the speaking classroom

Citation

Yilmaz A (2025) Leveraging technology for social justice in language education: Disruption of the status quo in the speaking classroom. Socially and Emotionally Responsive Language Education (SOELE) Symposium, University of Teacher Education Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland, 14.11.2025-15.11.2025.

Abstract
Recent research highlights technology's growing role in language education to challenge issues of power, ideology, equity, and social justice, driving change across individual, societal, and global contexts (Gleason & Suvorov, 2019; Ortactepe Hart, 2022; Yilmaz & Söğüt, 2022; van Dijk, 2020; Wang & Stockwell, 2023). This study explored how technology can promote equity and social justice, while also enhancing oral communication in online language education. This qualitative study involved 11 pre-service English language teachers from a state university in Türkiye. They participated in a six-week online programme exploring social justice themes (e.g., environmental justice, gender identity, migration) through speaking tasks like critical discussions, reporting discussion notes, and making academic presentations. Delivered via Zoom and Canvas, with the integration of tools like Google Docs, Forms, Slides, and Padlet, sessions were recorded and shared on Canvas through YouTube. Participants submitted weekly reflections and completed pre- and post-intervention interviews to examine their evolving trajectories in relation to technology-mediated language education for social justice. Data were gathered via researcher observations, Zoom recordings, student reflections, and semi-structured interviews, then analysed through thematic coding (Braun & Clark, 2022; Seidman, 2019). Findings revealed that the programme enhanced participants' ability to incorporate social justice themes into speaking instruction. The study offers key insights to challenge traditional language education practices and promote technology-driven, justice-oriented pedagogies.