Innovation in Language Learning
Teaching Language through Critical Crimmigration Discourse: A Pedagogical Innovation
Evdokia Dimitriadou, Democritus University of Thrace (Greece)
Abstract
This paper proposes a pedagogical framework that integrates the discourse of crimmigration—the convergence of criminal law and immigration law—into the teaching of English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL). Recognizing the increasing urgency of socio-legal awareness in language education, the framework introduces authentic materials derived from crimmigration case law, statutory texts, media narratives, and migrant testimonies into classroom instruction. The pedagogical approach is grounded in critical applied linguistics and transformative pedagogy, aiming to foster both linguistic proficiency and critical engagement with issues of migration, state power, and legal exclusion. Through the use of task-based learning, discourse analysis, and collaborative inquiry, learners develop specialized academic and legal English skills while also interrogating the broader implications of crimmigration regimes. This method is particularly relevant for students from migrant or refugee backgrounds, as well as for those studying law, social sciences, or human rights. In positioning the language classroom as a site of both education and empowerment, the framework challenges traditional notions of language neutrality and promotes a curriculum responsive to contemporary global challenges. The paper concludes by presenting practical classroom applications and reflecting on the ethical and political responsibilities of language educators in contexts shaped by mobility, securitization, and inequality.
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Keywords |
Crimmigration, Critical Language Pedagogy, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), Transformative Education, Legal Discourse in ESL/EFL, Migration and Language Policy |
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REFERENCES |
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