The famous Brazilian educator Paulo Freire has influenced educators, teachers and students in a broad tapestry of contexts and countries, as he challenged conventional thinking on how teachers ought to teach and learners ought to learn. By making his ideas accessible and relevant, this insightful and thought-provoking text draws out the relevance and topicality of Freire's work and applies this to a wide range of educational settings, from adult education, through schools, to early years settings.

Themes covered include:

• the lasting impact of illiteracy;
• the benefits and potential in becoming literate;
• literacy, language and power;
• the differences between banking and dialogic education;
• the social and political nature of learning.
• what kind of teaching and learning do we want?

Using a variety of practical examples and case studies, Introducing Freire is an essential guide to the work of one of the most significant figures in education in the last century. Fascinating and accessible, this book is for anyone interested in teaching and learning, poverty and affluence, power and powerlessness, and society and change.

The famous Brazilian educator Paulo Freire has influenced educators, teachers and students in a broad tapestry of contexts and countries, as he challenged conventional thinking on how teachers ought to teach and learners ought to learn. By making his ideas accessible and relevant, this insightful and thought-provoking text draws out the relevance and topicality of Freire's work and applies this to a wide range of educational settings, from adult education, through schools, to early years settings.

"Looking at the work of one of the most influential educators in the last century, someone who challenged conventional thinking on how teachers ought to teach and how learners ought to learn, this is a fascinatingly riveting and accessible read." -Early Years Educator Magazine "It will appeal to students, educators, and researchers who are interested in a brief overview of approaches to critical education theory and practice. ? Smidt's book offers a challenge to teachers to consider the implications of Freire's pedagogical theory for their development as teachers with a conscious concern for fostering social justice and equity in their classrooms, communities, and the world." -PsycCRITIQUES