Critical pedagogy places a significant emphasis on dialogue due to its transformative potential withineducational settings. This approach fosters critical thinking, self-reflection, and empowermentamong students, encouraging them to engage deeply with the material and question underlyingassumptions. While research in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts has delved into theapplication of critical dialogue, there has been a notable gap in understanding how teachers perceiveand implement this approach in their classrooms. This study seeks to address this gap by collectingdata through ethnographic interviews with 22 teachers over three months. Data analysis was thenconducted using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Results showed that for criticaldialogic teaching to be effective, two essential conditions should be met: (1) the presence of a criticaldialogical teacher who embodies characteristics such as openness, mediation, and the ability to createa supportive environment, and (2) the use of specific strategies, such as authentic tasks, group work,and technology, to foster engagement and diverse perspectives. These findings have significantimplications for language education, highlighting the need for teacher training that supports thedevelopment of dialogical teaching practices, promotes inclusive classroom environments, andempowers students to engage critically with both language and content. The study also underscoresthe importance of addressing the cultural and contextual factors that influence how critical dialogueis perceived and implemented by teachers in EFL settings.

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