摘要:
This thesis explores possibilities for fostering critical engagement within English Language Arts (ELA) education, using influences from the Surrealism movement. My work was inspired by observations from my personal practice as a Secondary ELA teacher. While the Quebec Education Program (QEP) for ELA highlights the development and articulation of multiple perspectives, the document also implies "correct" ways of reading. It is possible that this implied emphasis on correct answers leads to disengaged learners. Conversely, Surrealism involves pursuing unhindered thought, by critiquing reality and the status quo. Surrealist philosophy, within ELA, invites students to question their conditioned positions as readers of text and the world. I argue that such a stance increases engagement and relevance. Critical Pedagogy is a philosophy of education that borrows from critical theory and attempts to awaken a critical consciousness in students. Critical Pedagogy questions the effects of status quo educational systems that promote select forms of knowledge (Giroux, 1988). Neoliberalism is a philosophy based on individualized economic potential (Harvey, 2007). Critical Pedagogy thus critiques Neoliberalism's effects on education, while Surrealism problematizes politically-controlled artistic viewership; thus, the former provides theoretical glue in connecting Surrealism and ELA. Through qualitative research, I draw upon narrative inquiry, as well as self-study and memory work. During a sixth-month period observational study of my "problematized" ELA class, I introduced Surrealist philosophy to the existing curriculum, using critical dialogue to interrogate norms. Jot notes, personal interviews with students, and a self-study using personal photographs comprised my data strands. I present these strands in a narrative account, which aims to represent a multidimensional, shared experience of teaching, learning and experimenting with ELA. My research holds value in addressing gaps