EXPLORING STRATEGIES FOR PROMOTING CRITICAL LITERACY SKILLS IN STUDENTS IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES: THE CASE OF JOS NORTH LGA

Abstract

Critical literacy has emerged as a vital pedagogical approach in English language education, emphasising learners' ability to question, analyse and interpret texts beyond surface meanings. In an era characterised by diverse media, global interconnectedness and sociocultural complexities, the English classroom provides an important space for fostering these skills. This paper explores strategies for promoting critical literacy among students in crisis-prone areas, focusing on practices that encourage active engagement with texts, interrogation of underlying ideologies, and the development of independent, reflective thinking. Focusing specifically on Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, a region structurally destabilised by recurrent ethno-religious conflicts and by the socioeconomic pressures of unregulated artisanal
mining, this paper models a context-specific application of critical pedagogy. Drawing on theoretical perspectives from Freirean pedagogy and contemporary African literacy studies, the discussion highlights approaches such as dialogic teaching, the use of multimodal texts, problem-posing strategies and culturally responsive pedagogy. The study also examines the challenges faced by educators in implementing critical literacy, including rigid curriculum constraints, fragile teacher professional safety and systemic infrastructure deficits. The study argues that promoting critical literacy in the English classroom equips students not only with advanced language skills but also with the critical consciousness required to deconstruct divisive propaganda, process localised trauma and transform their sociocultural realities