This study examines Colombian English teachers' knowledge, experiences, and views regarding speaking assessments. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Colombian teachers, some of whom also shared classroom assessment samples. Thematic analysis was used for the interviews, and content analysis was applied to the assessment materials. Findings revealed a clear link between teachers' perceptions of testing and their approach to presenting it to students. Furthermore, a correlation exists between their knowledge and experience in designing, administering, and evaluating speaking tests. Lastly, there is evidence of teachers' awareness of the issues surrounding these testing practices. The shared concern about the effectiveness of current practices, along with the expressed need for further training, underscore the importance of developing targeted professional development programs to better prepare teachers in this area.
Following the social cognitive theory, this cross-sectional, correlational study aimed to explore Iranian English as Foreign Language (EFL) teachers' preferred teaching style and its effect on their perceived self-efficacy in accomplishing specific classroom tasks. To this aim, Grasha's Teaching Style Inventory (TSI) and Tschannen-Moran Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) were used to test teaching style preferences and self-efficacy. To this aim, 233 EFL teachers from both Iranian public schools and private language institutes were included. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test, one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni post hoc comparisons. Results showed that facilitator and personal model teaching styles were the two most frequent styles. Regarding participants' self-efficacy, those who adopted a facilitator teaching style reported the highest scores across all subscales of self-efficacy. Additionally, a statistically significant difference was found between the self-efficacy levels of teachers with facilitator versus formal authority teaching styles (p = 0.000). These findings have important implications for teacher education programs in Iran, highlighting the need for the programs to provide teachers with enough opportunities to develop communicative teaching practices, engage students effectively, and enhance their sense of self-efficacy. Teacher trainers can monitor teachers' progress in self-efficacy and accordingly modify the teaching methods, to acknowledge teacher psychology involved in teacher practice.
Peace education initiatives in foreign language teaching have been increasing yet remain limited. The qualitative research project reported in this article intended to create professional development spaces to reflect on this topic in Colombia through free online workshops, tailored to university foreign language educators. The workshops created collaborative spaces for teachers to deepen their understanding of concepts related to peace education. They were conducted as part of a larger project on peace discourses and education for peace carried out by a Colombian university and another French university from 2022 to 2024. In this article, we present the understandings of peace held by these three teachers, and the potential for implementation in foreign language classrooms, as well as the impact of the workshops on their professional development. Data came from recordings of the workshops, lesson plans designed by the teachers, questionnaires, and in-depth interviews. Findings reveal that teachers interpret peace education in foreign language classrooms uniquely, and the professional development workshops played a vital role in the collective construction of knowledge around this topic.
This article challenges the discourses and practices embedded in inclusive education in Colombia as enacted in policies and biological, social, and moral models of human rights. Drawing on critical disability theory, it unsettles the domesticated conceptualization of disability(ies) provided by inclusive teaching policies and deficitarian human rights-based models. This pedagogical stance enables the exploration of English language (EL) teachers' representations of functionally diverse (FD) students in inclusive settings. The article grapples with contradictions in the educational system that render inclusionary practices, structure, terminologies stemmed from a pathologizing education of the FD children. These contradictions generate representational tensions, meanings, and implications for the teaching of English as a foreign language. The data collection instruments were semi-structured interviews, written narratives, and official texts. The findings suggest that EL teachers normalize and denaturalize inclusive discourses and deficit views derived from inclusive education. The study concludes that EL teachers resist and transform institutionalized inclusive practices through a pedagogical self-discovery, that is a EL personal discursive construction(s) situated within their views of inclusive education.
This reflective pedagogical reflective article argues for incorporating questioning and self-questioning as fundamental epistemological and ontological dimensions within the pedagogical-didactic framework. Questioning helps to clarify the object of pedagogical-didactic action, while self-questioning examines how teachers positions themselves in relation to this object. The article suggests principles for pedagogical practice aimed at enriching teachers' pedagogical actions and enabling them to articulate what they know and experience in their work. From a language ontology that emphasizes the discursive nature of being and its capacity to explain itself and the world, five domains of reflection are proposed: experiential, discursive, performative, moral, and emotional. For each domain, links to racism are identified, and a set of guiding questions is suggested as activation principles for an anti-racist pedagogical-didactic framework. The article concludes that the value of questioning, understood in its ontological and epistemological dimensions, fosters greater critical and creative awareness in teachers regarding their pedagogical practice, equipping them to confront racism as a persistent and resistant force in classrooms and educational institutions.
This study explores the intricate and evolving nature of language teacher identity (LTI) through a narrative inquiry into the life stories of four Mexican English language teachers. LTI plays a pivotal role in shaping educators' self-perceptions, pedagogical decisions, and classroom interactions. Using a qualitative narrative approach, the research delves into the participants' biographies to reveal how their personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, and professional contexts influence the formation of their identities. The findings highlight three central identity frames: instructional, disciplinary, and professional. Instructional identities are molded by classroom practices and student interactions, while disciplinary identities are shaped by the teachers' knowledge and beliefs about language education. Professional identities, on the other hand, emerge from a blend of experiences, motivations, and aspirations. Notably, the study uncovers the significant role of caring practices in resolving identity tensions, aligning with ethics of care theory. These insights enhance the understanding of LTI as a dynamic and continually negotiated construct, influenced by various educational contexts. The study underscores the importance of reflective and caring practices in teacher education programs to support the comprehensive development of teacher identity.
This article challenges the discourses and practices embedded in inclusive education in Colombia as enacted in policies and biological, social, and moral models of human rights. Drawing on critical disability theory, it unsettles the domesticated conceptualization of disability(ies) provided by inclusive teaching policies and deficitarian human rights-based models. This pedagogical stance enables the exploration of English language (EL) teachers’ representations of functionally diverse (FD) students in inclusive settings. The article grapples with contradictions in the educational system that render inclusionary practices, structure, terminologies stemmed from a pathologizing education of the FD children. These contradictions generate representational tensions, meanings, and implications for the teaching of English as a foreign language. The data collection instruments were semi-structured interviews, written narratives, and official texts. The findings suggest that EL teachers normalize and denaturalize inclusive discourses and deficit views derived from inclusive education. The study concludes that EL teachers resist and transform institutionalized inclusive practices through a pedagogical self-discovery, that is a EL personal discursive construction(s) situated within their views of inclusive education.
Este artículo de reflexión pedagógica propone la incorporación del preguntar y preguntarse como dimensiones epistemológicas y ontológicas fundamentales en la activación del dispositivo pedagógico didáctico. Mientras que el preguntar permite conocer el objeto de la acción pedagógico didáctica, el preguntarse responde a la manera cómo el maestro se posiciona frente a este objeto. El artículo sugiere ciertos principios de la práctica pedagógica para que el profesorado enriquezca su accionar pedagógico y pueda dar cuenta de lo que sabe y experimenta en su quehacer. Desde una ontología del lenguaje que enfatiza la naturaleza discursiva del ser y su capacidad para explicarse y explicar el mundo, se plantean cinco dominios de reflexión: experiencial, discursivo, performativo, moral y emocional. A partir de la explicación de cada uno, se establecen relaciones con el racismo y se propone una serie de preguntas orientadoras consideradas principios de activación del dispositivo pedagógico didáctico contra el racismo. Se concluye que el valor de la pregunta en su dimensión ontológica y epistémica contribuye al desarrollo de una mayor conciencia crítica y creativa del maestro frente a su práctica pedagógica, para retar el racismo como una presencia que permanece y se resiste en las aulas y las instituciones escolares.
Today's education must address the challenges posed by an increasingly linguistically diverse society, in which communication has been profoundly reshaped by advances in information and communication technologies. In response to this complex communicative landscape, a qualitative action research study was conducted with a group of undergraduate students enrolled in an intermediate English course at a public university in Colombia. The study aimed to examine to what extent students maximize meaning making in English through the creation of multimodal texts within their university community. During the didactic intervention, which incorporated community pedagogy, multimodal activities were interwoven to scaffold students' multimodal text design. Data were collected through a teacher’s journal, interviews and students’ multimodal eBooks. The findings revealed that multimodality was a powerful means to make community members visible, highlight social issues, and inspire social transformation. Finally, the combination of community pedagogies and multimodality effectively promoted meaning-making in the target language, enhancing students' linguistic competence and critical literacy practices.
The use of eye-tracking methodology in L2 assessments has become increasingly common, focusing on examining the cognitive validity of tests and the processing patterns of test takers. This paper reviews both empirical and theoretical studies on eye-tracking in L2 assessments and its applications in language education research. Through the lens of cognitive psychology, the paper examines the fundamental principles and primary applications of eye-tracking in L2 assessment. It also discusses potential theoretical and pedagogical implications. Finally, it highlights the limitations of current studies in this field and offers suggestions for future research to broaden the scope of eye- tracking studies in language testing and assessment.
This study analyzed the effects of constant exposure to English as a foreign language on developing Spanish as the first language among elementary school students. This research study was oriented from a historical hermeneutical paradigm, using a qualitative approach and a narrative inquiry. The study involved English language, Spanish language, and pedagogical support from teachers who examined students’ bilingual learning experiences. The researchers applied four data collection techniques: an observation guide, an open-ended survey, a semi-structured interview, and a questionnaire, all of which sought to highlight the importance of a balanced approach to language education that values and supports the development of first and foreign languages. This integrated perspective was vital for ensuring students can effectively navigate the complex landscape of learning languages while preserving their personal, linguistic, and cultural identities. The study highlights the importance of balancing learners' native language with English proficiency, emphasizing cultural preservation and linguistic identity for thriving in a globalized world.
This study explores the intricate and evolving nature of language teacher identity (LTI) through a narrative inquiry into the life stories of four Mexican English language teachers. LTI plays a pivotal role in shaping educators' self-perceptions, pedagogical decisions, and classroom interactions. Using a qualitative narrative approach, the research delves into the participants' biographies to reveal how their personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, and professional contexts influence the formation of their identities. The findings highlight three central identity frames: instructional, disciplinary, and professional. Instructional identities are molded by classroom practices and student interactions, while disciplinary identities are shaped by the teachers' knowledge and beliefs about language education. Professional identities, on the other hand, emerge from a blend of experiences, motivations, and aspirations. Notably, the study uncovers the significant role of caring practices in resolving identity tensions, aligning with ethics of care theory. These insights enhance the understanding of LTI as a dynamic and continually negotiated construct, influenced by various educational contexts. The study underscores the importance of reflective and caring practices in teacher education programs to support the comprehensive development of teacher identity.
This paper presents a review of the literature on bilingual literacy in deaf and hearing-impaired students in Latin America, the United States, and Canada. The documents selected for this study included undergraduate and graduate thesis projects, governmental documents, and published academic articles. The review indicates that when deaf and hard-ofhearing students learn a second language, it contributes to their professional, academic, and personal growth, enabling them to interact more effectively with people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. However, the literature also highlights that deaf students face difficulties when entering the educational system, as there are not enough certified bilingual teachers in these countries to instruct this population in sign language. Additionally, the findings suggest that the role of parents is crucial in supporting the learning process of deaf students; thus, a close relationship between schools and families is essential to better assist students with hearing disabilities.
Language assessment literacy (LAL) has emerged as a relatively recent focus in language testing, especially when it comes to fostering this dimension among stakeholders. There are few reports on online assessment courses for English language teachers that discuss their usefulness regarding teachers' LAL. However, there is a growing call to advance LAL pedagogies and to investigate how assessment courses contribute to teachers' professional development. In this study, we employed a qualitative research design to ask six Colombian English language teachers to evaluate the contents and activities of an online assessment course specifically designed for them. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Our findings indicate that teachers engaged in critical reflection on the course contents, activities, and -considering both what was effective and what was not-by referencing their own assessment practices. Moreover, the findings suggest that course activities, especially quizzes, were instructionally sound, as they promoted a formative assessment approach that, in turn, contributed to development of the teachers' LAL.
Within the domain of applied linguistics, the intertwined challenges of housing insecurity and digital inaccessibility profoundly impact teaching and learning outcomes. This article elucidates the complex intersectionality of these real-world issues and their implications for language educators and learners. Despite the burgeoning recognition of technology's role in modern pedagogy, a significant portion of students, especially those grappling with housing instability, confront the reality of digital inaccessibility. This duality not only impedes academic engagement and achievement but also accentuates psychosocial stressors. Drawing from comprehensive literature, the paper articulates the profound implications housing instability has on students' well-being and academic trajectories, particularly in the digital age. It further elaborates on the underrepresented nuances of housing insecurity for both teachers and students within the specific realm of language teaching and learning. This manuscript introduces the triadic relationship among housing insecurity, digital accessibility, and language teaching and learning, culminating in a conceptual lens. This relationship evinces how housing insecurity often limits digital access, creating, in turn, barriers to effective language learning and teaching. Emphasizing an integrative approach, the paper concludes with pragmatic considerations for policy reformation, targeted research, and adaptive pedagogical practices, aiming to foster a more equitable, resilient, and inclusive language education ecosystem.
This article explores the teaching of Spanish as an additional language (SAL) from a sociocultural perspective, emphasizing the importance of mediation, awareness, and creativity in the educational process. These dimensions are fundamental for reframing teaching as a practice that goes beyond the transmission of linguistic knowledge to foster the co-construction of learners' personal identities. Employing an action research methodology, the study integrates digital storytelling as a pedagogical tool to support sociocultural mediation and identity formation. It examines the experiences of adult learners at a Chilean university, offering insight into the effective use of digital narratives in language education. Through personal storytelling and digital creation, students actively shape their identities within an interactive and reflective learning environment. The findings highlight improvements in linguistic competence, alongside a strengthened emotional and cultural engagement with the Spanish language.
This article presents a descriptive literature review examining how meaning and meaning-making have been conceptualized within Colombian applied linguistics scholarship over the past two decades. It categorizes the literature into six key thematic areas: pedagogies, biliteracy and multiliteracies, classroom interaction, translanguaging, and multimodality. Through this thematic organization and the analysis of selected studies, the article offers a comprehensive overview that serves as a point of reference for educators and applied linguists interested in research on meaning-making or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. Moreover, the article stresses the need for a paradigm shift from traditional linguistic approaches to more contemporary, multimodal understandings of communication. It advocates for the integration of multimodality into foreign language research and pedagogy, emphasizing the creation of meaning networks through multimodal interactions influenced by cultural and identity factors.
Bilingualism has become a major theme in language policies over the last decades, reflecting language ideologies and guidelines for practice. Yet, stakeholders have responded to these policies in diverse ways. This multi-case study explores the language and education ideologies of language policies and Colombian policy stakeholders. Specifically, it examines how stakeholders exercise their agency in the formulation and application of the policies was also explored. The data analyzed includes interviews with stakeholders (see Appendix 1)-such as policy makers, scholars, test designers, administrators of second-language teacher preparation programs and language centers, and teachers from various cities of West-Center Colombia and recent national policy documents. The study shows an emerging shift in stakeholder's ideologies, discourses, and practices towards alternative, heteroglossic bilingual oriented views. Additionally, the study evidences the active and relevant role of stakeholders in the enactment and appropriation of policies and points to the influence stakeholders have exerted on written policies and official discourses. These findings suggest the need for more participatory and context-sensitive policies focusing on learner's necessities, expand language curricula, and foster heteroglossic teaching and assessment practices.
This paper describes an ethnographic approach to developing a formal language policy incorporating English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching in a Colombian public higher education institution. This study aimed to document the process undertaken for developing an institutional language policy that goes beyond solely teaching English and focuses more broadly on the recognition and promotion of plurilingualism and inclusion. Data was gathered from an ethnography of language policy approach including participant observations, qualitative analysis of existing institutional language documentation, surveys, and focus groups. Results suggest that adopting an ethnographical approach to language policy development provides a more inclusive way of considering the plurilingual realities of the region and not just the necessities of EFL teaching. By focusing on a single institution's challenges, the paper sheds light on some considerations that other institutions can learn from, especially when recognizing the complex sociolinguistic context that is public higher education in Colombia
This article presents a review from a social and critical perspective of applied linguistics (AL) within English language teaching (ELT) and how it relates to the notion of education for peace in Colombia. The review involved a content analysis of 27 master's theses authored by English language teacher-researchers. The study was situated within the MA program in AL at a public university and focused on examining the interplay between the critical dimension of AL and education for peace in the schools where these teacher-researchers taught. For the authors of these theses, the classroom served as a social and political stage where they conducted their pedagogical and research initiatives reported in their theses. The selection of the 27 theses was based on the critical notion of peace as an issue relevant to the social and critical dimension of AL. The research question used for the review is: How do master's theses within the framework of critical AL written by English language teacher-researchers relate to education for peace? The review yielded valuable insights in the form of an emerging theme about the relevance of critical applied linguistics in local settings. It also demonstrated the key role language plays in education for peace in promoting conflict resolution and encouraging social awareness in local spaces.
