This study explores current literacy education in state primary schools of Northern Cyprus from the perspective of primary school teachers. The Northern Cyprus context is unique in that it has recently been receiving a considerable number of immigrants and state primary schools now include students from various backgrounds. This then raises the…

This article investigates 'translanguaging' through the lens of drama and digital storytelling and the way it can impact on language pedagogy. The case-study focuses on the making of the digital story "Irene -- A refugee's story." The research data was analysed under key questions relating to drama, transformative pedagogy and…

In light of widespread recognition of the need to explore new forms of literacy brought by the contemporary semiotic world, this study explores the potential Critical Thinking (CT) may offer in developing learners' critical literacy in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) context enhanced with the use of technology. Drawing on research in…

The current paper presents data from a social literacy programme implemented in the prison school in Cyprus for 18 months. The programme was theoretically informed by critical literacy, genre pedagogy, multimodality and non-formal education and it aimed to opt away from skill-based, autonomous and corrective models of literacy education that are…

The changing cultural and social landscape of our world today, along with the emergence of various technologies, has redefined 21st century societies. In light of these changes, new pedagogical approaches have been implemented to support civic life, education, and communication in our highly complex, digitised era (Pegrum, Dudeney, & Hockly,…

The present paper reports the findings of a study that sought to identify how diversity (in the form of disability, appearance, and race) is presented in children's books written in or translated into the Greek language. The study focused on the plots and the portrayal of key figures. The sample consisted of 50 children's books written after 1990…

The current paper examines teaching practices in three first-grade primary classrooms (age range from five years and nine months old to six years and nine months old) in Greek Cypriot public schools, exploring whether the wider changes in critical literacy education declared on a policy level are influencing classroom literacy practices. Greek…

The new Curricula of Cyprus aspire to deliver a new ethos in teaching and learning that promotes the notion of "the humane and democratic school" and emphasises the right of every child to succeed. In this context, the new Modern Greek language curriculum in Cyprus has been moulded upon the notion of Critical Literacy (CL). CL is neither…