Norbella Miranda

Language Policy in Colombia: A Look at the Core of the Onion

Calgary, Sep. 7th, 2013
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Language Policy in Colombia: A Look at the Core of the Onion

Bilingual Colombia Program (PNB) Background of language policies in Colombia Research design English will always be the Cinderella English as an occasional guest in English classes English classes as school safe time?

EFL policy in Latin America

Curricular reforms started in the 90s Foreign models Early start English language policies associated to economic reasons Parents interest Mass media- importance of English, reforms, problems Gaps between public/private; rich/poor; rural/cities Lack of teachers in primary

Bilingual Colombia Program (BCP)

NBP began in 2004 --- its goals must be achieved in 2019 No other language policy has triggered much controversy Marked by a context of macroeconomic endeavor Created within a context of pronounced difference between public and private education

Background on education policies for languages in Colombia

1828: Reform of Plan General de Estudios (core curriculum), which mandated the offering of English and French classes if there were sufficient funding 1994. General Education Act 115- conversation, reading and comprehension of at least one foreign language in the core curriculum, from primary to secondary

2004: Programa Nacional de Bilingismo 2004-2019 (MoE, 2004)

2006: Standards for Teaching English as Foreign Language (MoE, 2006)
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Goal of the PNB:

To have citizens who are capable of communicating in English, in order to be able to insert the country within processes of universal communication, within the global economy and cultural openness, through [the adopting of] internationally comparable standards (MoE, 2006)

Colombian goals for FL education

Population group Students of grade 3 Students of grade 5 Students of grade 7 Students of grade 9 Students of grade 11 (end of high school) Undergraduate students of academic programs other than ELT licenciaturas Current teachers of English New English language teaching professionals Colombian Common European standards for EFL Framework of competence Reference (CEFR) A1 A1 A2.1 A2.2 A2 B1.1 B1.2 B1 B2 B2 C1 B2 B2 C1

Whats been studied about NBP:

Unfavorable conditions
(Hernandez & Faustino, 2006; Miranda & Echeverry, 2010 and 2011; Obando & Snchez, 2008; Crdenas, 2006; Guerrero, 2010)

Shortage of English Ts in primary school

(Crdenas, 2001; Quincha, 2004, 2007, 2009)

Bilingualism = English
(Valencia, 2005; Guerrero, 2008)

Undervalue of indigenous languages

(Guerrero, 2009; de Meja, 2006)
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Whats been studied about NBP:

Foreign models
(Gonzalez, 2009; Ayala & lvarez, 2005)

Manufacturing of consent
(Valencia, 2013)

Exclusion and Stratification

(Usma, 2009)

The study:
Supranational National

Local

School

Classroom

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Research design
Research questions: How do teachers and school community interpret the current Colombian policy for foreign language education? How do their interpretations line up with the interpretations of policymakers? How is the policy appropriated by teachers in their interactions with students? Why is it appropriated in this way?

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Johnsons (2009) Heuristic

Policy agents Policy contexts Policy goals

Policy discourses

Policy processes
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Research design

Data sources 3rd, 7th and 11th grade teachers 11th grade students Policy documents School policy documents School academic coordinators of primary and secondary School principal National and local coordinators of NBP

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Research design

Data collection procedures Observation of English classes Interviews Document analysis Non participant observation of school routines Analytic approach Qualitative analysis of ethnographic data Critical discourse analysis of policy documents

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Site

Cali

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Site
Public school - established in 1968 - 3,000 Ss - located in a neighborhood of low socioeconomic status

The

school premises are fine. There are other schools in worse conditions 11th grade teacher
If

the education provided is not good, its not the teachers fault 11th grade student
The

school is a place where you feel harmony

11th grade student

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Site

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English will always be the Cinderella

Another student told me they [the instructors] said to us to answer the other areas first [in the ICFES practice test]

The school could have more opportunities [to teach English successfully] if we all were committed, all of us, teachers and the principal, to the teaching of English
11th grade teacher
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English language: an occasional guest in the English class

3rd grade
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English language: an occasional guest in the English class

Theres a student that participates a lot and he asks me Why dont you speak English all the time? He told me just a few minutes ago: Why dont you speak English all the time? 11th grade teacher

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English language: an occasional guest in the English class

when I have attended the seminars [about standards] they [the instructors] say that we must work all [language skills] simultaneously. Do you think one works on them simultaneously? One never works on conversation Once in a while, one complies with Listening. One stays in writing and reading. Reading and writing, only those two 11th grade teacher

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English classes as safe time?

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English classes as safe time?

EVALUATION CRITERIA STRATEGIES Responsibility: compliance with The student workshops and activities role plays class situations Participation in class. participates in games Individual, pair and group work. practices reading comprehension Bringing the necessary materials for class represents some commands work. follows instructions Notebook revision. reads aloud instructions and texts Self assessment makes posters Role plays gets ready for the ICFES exam Dialogues ICFES test.

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English classes as safe time?

The ICFES [body] knows that English in Colombia is very poor, so they will throw very simple questions that only require interpretation and questions based on readings So, I can say that Im quite relaxed about it, regardless of the education the school gives or if I like English or not 11th grade student

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3rd grade teacher: They have some basic knowledge, some very basic basis on vocabulary, like numbers, family, vowels but practically, they start from scratch in secondary education.

11th grade teacher: Not in English, not in English, they don't have competence in English. Researcher: But, I mean, they have some competence in listening or 11th grade teacher: : Even less in listening. Researcher: Can they write a composition? 11th grade teacher: : No, not even thatlists of topicslists of words. I wish it were a composition.

Whats the essence of the policy?

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Thank you

norbellam@hotmail.com
ncmirand@usbcali.edu.co

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