From reproduction to emancipation: Freire and Bernstein in dialogue for a counter-hegemonic science curriculum

Abstract This article aims to advocate for a position regarding the articulation between Paulo Freire’s problem-posing and dialogical education and Basil Bernstein’s theory of linguistic codes, as a means to reconfigure the formal science curriculum from a critical perspective, with the goal of overcoming the reproduction of social and cultural inequalities. The article presents a theoretical reflection that connects Freire’s concept of generative theme to the structure of Bernstein’s Pedagogic Discourse Device, proposing a model of the Freire-Bernstein Pedagogic Discourse Device. Recognizing that current science curricula often neglect the specific social issues of school communities, thereby reinforcing the urgency of more contextualized, critical, and socially engaged pedagogical practices, the paper argues that a dialogical and problem-posing approach can enhance the recognition of restricted codes and invisible pedagogy present in students’ lived experiences. It also highlights the role of the primary and cultural contextual field (family/community) as a recontextualizing element of the curriculum.