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- Profile: Issues in Teachers' Professional Development is an indexed journal edited at Universidad Nacional de Colombi... moreProfile: Issues in Teachers' Professional Development is an indexed journal edited at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá Campus. It is a publication for teachers of English interested in increasing their professional expertise. The journal includes articles written by English language teachers from different levels and contexts, teacher-researchers and teacher educators. Its main concern is to disseminate research findings, innovations and reflections.
Papers expecting to be published in the first issue of the year (January), should be sent no later than April 1 of the previous year and those wishing to be included in
the second issue (July), not later than October 1.
Are you interested in submitting your paper?
please visit: http://www.revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/about
You can also read our journal (full text) on our website at http://www.revistas.unal.edu.co/index.php/profile/index
PROFILE is registered in Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory, Latindex, EBSCO, Informe Académico, Academic OneFile, Red Iberoamericana de Innovación y Conocimiento Científico - REDIB, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). It is indexed in the MLA International Bibliography, Educational Research Abstracts online (ERA), The Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), The Emerging Sources Citation Index (Clarivate Analytics), Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts database (LLBA), Redalyc, SciELO Citation Index (Web of Science), CLASE, Dialnet, and Publindex-Colciencias, classified in category B.edit
Current conceptualizations of foreign language teacher education fail to represent the complexity of such education. This reflection highlights the need to embrace English language teacher education from a complex perspective. To explain... more
Current conceptualizations of foreign language teacher education fail to represent the complexity of such education. This reflection highlights the need to embrace English language teacher education from a complex perspective. To explain this position, we define complex systems and complexity principles through examples of interconnected components of teacher education. Then, we trace emergent conceptualizations from theory and governmental documents that resonate with a complexity perspective. We suggest that efforts in this direction may better prepare prospective English teachers to face challenging realities in educational settings and will eventually improve students' learning, an outcome every stakeholder is aiming at.
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In this literature review, I analyze the features and impacts of 14 programs which promoted teachers' language assessment literacy. I used content analysis to build a coding scheme with data-driven and concept-driven categories to... more
In this literature review, I analyze the features and impacts of 14 programs which promoted teachers' language assessment literacy. I used content analysis to build a coding scheme with data-driven and concept-driven categories to synthesize and then analyze trends in the 14 research studies. Regarding core features, findings suggest that the programs were geared towards practical tasks in which teachers used theory critically. Also, the studies show that teachers expanded their conception of language assessment, became aware of how to design professional instruments, and considered wider constructs for assessment. Based on these findings, I include implications for the construct of language assessment literacy and recommendations for those who educate language teachers.
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This article is a mixed method study which examines how a group of six elementary students who study English as a foreign language manage their emotional intelligence while taking their speaking exams. Data were collected through both... more
This article is a mixed method study which examines how a group of six elementary students who study English as a foreign language manage their emotional intelligence while taking their speaking exams. Data were collected through both quantitative and qualitative instruments such as an emotional intelligence test, non-participant observations, surveys, and individual interviews with open-ended questions. The results provide further insight into the students' emotional intelligence and the coping mechanisms/ strategies used to manage their emotional intelligence while taking two different speaking exams.
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Along the evolving teaching journey, teachers experience a series of events that allow them to transition from novice to expert. Throughout the years, such transition has been the object of theories and debates about how this process is... more
Along the evolving teaching journey, teachers experience a series of events that allow them to transition from novice to expert. Throughout the years, such transition has been the object of theories and debates about how this process is carried out, and when it is that teachers move from one stage to the other. This article presents a study of a Mexican teacher of English and examines the professional-developmental stages based on Huberman's (1993) career cycle model. Its aim is to understand the challenges and decisions a teacher may encounter in her or his career. The article shows the realities a teacher faces by exploring the concepts of emotions, identity, socialization, and agency. Moreover, it questions the belief that teachers achieve expertise through accumulating years of practice.
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Teachers' past learning experiences, also referred to as "apprenticeship of observation, " can affect their beliefs and, in turn, their teaching practices. This study focused on the apprenticeships of observation of Chilean novice English... more
Teachers' past learning experiences, also referred to as "apprenticeship of observation, " can affect their beliefs and, in turn, their teaching practices. This study focused on the apprenticeships of observation of Chilean novice English teachers and sought to identify the possible influence of their past English teachers on their teaching and learning views in an English as a foreign language context. The qualitative multiple case study design gathered the narratives of 18 teachers using an open-ended survey and in-depth interviews. Results showed that the teachers' apprenticeship of observation influenced their socio-emotional and affective views on teaching with a main concern on teacher-student relationships. From a sociocultural perspective, it was found that feelings associated with these experiences helped them understand their own practice.
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This paper describes a narrative study that emerged from various conversations with an English language teacher at a public university in Bogotá, Colombia. This research is based on intersectional narratives to locate the intersections... more
This paper describes a narrative study that emerged from various conversations with an English language teacher at a public university in Bogotá, Colombia. This research is based on intersectional narratives to locate the intersections between English language pedagogy and the identities of English language teachers. Second, the study examined discourses that can construct English language pedagogy and teachers' identities by avoiding simplistic generalizations and essentialisms. Findings suggest that although there are still colonial roots that repress other ways of being and doing, English language pedagogy goes beyond the instrumental sense of teaching. As such, English language pedagogy is about transformation as it is never static because it is an extension of identity.
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The research study shows how pedagogical practicum is conceived, and how student-teachers are constructed as language teachers, within the discourses spoken in the initial meetings and institutional documents of pedagogical practicum in... more
The research study shows how pedagogical practicum is conceived, and how student-teachers are constructed as language teachers, within the discourses spoken in the initial meetings and institutional documents of pedagogical practicum in an English language teaching undergraduate program in Bogota, Colombia. The discourses were analyzed under the principles of ethnography of communication and linguistic ethnography. This study affords insights into a contributory conception of pedagogical practicum and into an institutional image and a teacher's figure of student-teachers. Pedagogical practicum contains several academic, professional, and experiential aspects that configure this space with established (pre-) requisites, tasks, and roles for student-teachers; these aspects in turn start constructing these individuals with particular manners of must-be and must-do.
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This article reports on the findings of a mixed methods research study on tutors' and tutees' behaviors and attitudes during the tutoring sessions and their perceptions about English language peer tutoring at a bilingual, international,... more
This article reports on the findings of a mixed methods research study on tutors' and tutees' behaviors and attitudes during the tutoring sessions and their perceptions about English language peer tutoring at a bilingual, international, and sustainable university in central Mexico. Observation, peer assessment, and semistructured interviews results suggest that tutees and tutors asked and answered questions and had a positive attitude towards error correction in almost all the sessions. Likewise, they reveal that participants clarified doubts, seemed motivated, motivated their peers, and had a constructive attitude towards teaching and learning from a peer most of the time during the tutoring. Furthermore, results indicate that the participants were positive about the experience, the sessions, their peers, and the influence in their learning.
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This cross-sectional study explored the reasons behind academic failure among Iranian students of teaching of English as a foreign language. Interviews were used to collect data from 56 graduate students (19 men and 37 women) and three... more
This cross-sectional study explored the reasons behind academic failure among Iranian students of teaching of English as a foreign language. Interviews were used to collect data from 56 graduate students (19 men and 37 women) and three officials of the university. Results indicated that four main factors led to the academic failure of the students, namely, (1) the student, (2) the professor, (3) the university, and (4) the source materials. Moreover, the results of chi-square tests indicated that no significant relationship existed between the gender and age of the students and their academic failure. Finally, a number of guidelines to prevent academic failure in this context are presented.
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Racial identity, as well as other social identities, is intrinsically related to language learning. Nevertheless, this relationship has been taken for granted. Despite research done in the area, not a lot has centred explicitly on finding... more
Racial identity, as well as other social identities, is intrinsically related to language learning. Nevertheless, this relationship has been taken for granted. Despite research done in the area, not a lot has centred explicitly on finding the connections between race and language learning. This article addresses that point in an attempt to shed light specifically on English language learning and teaching. We used a qualitative research methodology to analyse oral and written narratives that were produced by participants telling their experience as English language learners. This article underscores the results that relate language learners' racial experiences as a crucial factor in the configuration of their identity as well as the economic, social, and cultural factors involved.
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This study describes 26 English language teaching faculty members’ and 32 preservice English as a foreign language teachers’ emergency remote teaching experiences and emotions. Verbal data gathered through an online questionnaire with... more
This study describes 26 English language teaching faculty members’ and 32 preservice English as a foreign language teachers’ emergency remote teaching experiences and emotions. Verbal data gathered through an online questionnaire with open questions were analyzed using semidirected content analysis. Most faculty and all students reported negative feelings, which were connected with some faculty members’ focus on delivering content without interaction and with insufficient Internet access. Some students’ autonomy allowed them to overcome the first of these challenges. Teachers with online education training reported better experiences. Thus, universities and the State must provide more training and equipment to close the digital gap and ensure effective emergency remote teaching.
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This research analyzes how citizenship and communicative competences can be fostered through a taskbased approach to language teaching. This paper proposes the design of a unit with social components as the main meaningful task for the... more
This research analyzes how citizenship and communicative competences can be fostered through a taskbased approach to language teaching. This paper proposes the design of a unit with social components as the main meaningful task for the teaching of the English language and for fostering citizenship competencies in a2 level learners. An action research method was used; data collection techniques included observations, diaries, interviews, and students' artifacts. Findings report that tasks might foster English language use if those are designed by taking into account students' context and interests. Furthermore, real-life tasks derived from contextual features can enhance civic engagement and promote values, which can be signals of citizenship.
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This article reports the results of an action-research study, carried out in the fourth grade of a Colombian public elementary school, which sought the integration of the teaching of English and the natural sciences through... more
This article reports the results of an action-research study, carried out in the fourth grade of a Colombian public elementary school, which sought the integration of the teaching of English and the natural sciences through cross-disciplinary lessons that followed the principles of content-based instruction. Observation, action plan, and evaluation were the ongoing research stages. Interviews, workshops, and the students' portfolio were the main instruments used to collect data. Results revealed that the cross-disciplinary lessons were appropriate and useful to connect the foreign language learning with other school subjects. Beginner students of English demonstrated an enhancement in the communicative skills and developed contextualized learning strategies, which proved the importance of integrating English with scientific contents as a contribution to curriculum innovations.
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This study reports on a mixed-methods research project into self-and peer-formative assessment of student-generated podcasts in a group of 18 undergraduate students. The aim was to determine whether there were any gains in the spoken... more
This study reports on a mixed-methods research project into self-and peer-formative assessment of student-generated podcasts in a group of 18 undergraduate students. The aim was to determine whether there were any gains in the spoken comprehensibility of the participants while having them reflect on and adjust their use of suprasegmentals (thought groups, sentence stress, and intonation). Data were gathered from student logs, student-generated podcasts, and a questionnaire. Results unveiled the exhibition of self-regulated behaviours and gains in comprehensibility. This study highlights the importance of helping learners look critically and reflectively at their own oral production and of incorporating training on suprasegmentals within English as a foreign language courses to help learners communicate more effectively within a globalised context.
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The Universidad de la República, in Uruguay, offers reading comprehension in English courses within the career of dentistry for students to access information in this language. The study sought to analyze the fulfilment of the course’s... more
The Universidad de la República, in Uruguay, offers reading comprehension in English courses within the career of dentistry for students to access information in this language. The study sought to analyze the fulfilment of the course’s aims and to test the hypothesis that the greater the vocabulary that dentistry students possess, the better they will be able to understand written dentistry texts. A mixed approach, based on interviews and a class survey, was used. Data showed that the course’s objectives were achieved. Participants stated that the course is highly meaningful, and they believed that the previously mentioned correlation exists. However, this could not be statistically verified, which indicates that multiple reading comprehension skills are involved when trying to understand academic texts.
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This qualitative study explored the gains and challenges experienced by an interdisciplinary group of English as a foreign language students who participated in the implementation of a critical reading unit taught within a reading... more
This qualitative study explored the gains and challenges experienced by an interdisciplinary group of English as a foreign language students who participated in the implementation of a critical reading unit taught within a reading comprehension course at a university in Medellín, Colombia. To do this, videorecordings of all lessons, samples of students' work, and students' reflections were collected. Results show that students experienced several gains but also had some challenges related to aligning with the author's position, seeing positionality in factual texts, and taking middle positions. These results suggest that even though it is not only possible but beneficial to do critical reading with undergraduate English as a foreign language students, there are some specific areas in which these students need additional support.
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This paper reports on a descriptive mixed-method study that aimed to identify the impact of expressive writing on relieving the academic stress of 157 undergraduate students at an Ecuadorian university. Data were gathered through two... more
This paper reports on a descriptive mixed-method study that aimed to identify the impact of expressive writing on relieving the academic stress of 157 undergraduate students at an Ecuadorian university. Data were gathered through two questionnaires and from focus groups. Results showed enduring relief of academic stress. Furthermore, they help to shed light on the need to study the impact of academic stress on university students and to look for different strategies that can alleviate it. These findings could help to understand students' needs, as they have essential implications in teachers' practices and, consequently, in students' performance. In conclusion, expressive writing has a positive effect on helping to ease academic stress and overcome some difficulties caused by this issue.
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In the 2020 report of the SJR (published in May 2021), the Profile journal moved from Quartile 2 to Quartile 1 in the category of linguistics and language. Within this area the journal is now Number 229 of the 997 journals classified... more
In the 2020 report of the SJR (published in May 2021), the Profile journal moved from Quartile 2 to Quartile 1 in the category of linguistics and language. Within this area the journal is now Number 229 of the 997 journals classified worldwide, Number 2 in Latin America, and Number 1 in Colombia.
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In this reflection article I examine language assessment literacy initiatives and their possible impact on teachers, and I discuss the connections that exist between language assessment literacy and teachers’ professional development. I... more
In this reflection article I examine language assessment literacy initiatives and their possible impact on teachers, and I discuss the connections that exist between language assessment literacy and teachers’ professional development. I explain that training for language assessment literacy may primarily foster teachers’ knowledge and skills and, secondarily, principles for language assessment (e.g., fairness). In conclusion, existing language assessment literacy initiatives, while limited in number, have the potential to advance teachers’ language assessment literacy overall and contribute to their professional development. Thus, this article may be useful to language teacher educators, particularly in the Colombian context.
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The international trend towards a practice-based approach in teacher education has permeated foreign language teacher education and English language teaching. A practice-based approach is based on the understanding that teachers learn to... more
The international trend towards a practice-based approach in teacher education has permeated foreign language teacher education and English language teaching. A practice-based approach is based on the understanding that teachers learn to teach a language by engaging in "actual" teaching rather than "talking" about teaching. We report on the implementation of a practice-based approach in two different contexts: an initial English teacher education program in Chile and an initial foreign language teacher education program in the United States. We provide practical recommendations and areas of caution for future enactments. The findings demonstrate that incorporating a practice-based approach into the university classroom offers a useful affordance for examining and illuminating the complexities of foreign language teaching practice across contexts.
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This paper reports an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study on speaking assessment approaches in a teacher education program at a Colombian university. The study aimed to explore how four in-service English language teachers... more
This paper reports an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study on speaking assessment approaches in a teacher education program at a Colombian university. The study aimed to explore how four in-service English language teachers approach the assessment of students' speaking skill. The data were gathered through classroom observations, interviews, and documentary analysis. Results revealed teachers' preference for summative assessment practices to determine students' progress regarding speaking. As a conclusion, teacher professional development in terms of language assessment may be seen as an alternative to develop significant assessment processes where students, teachers, and the institution can be benefited.
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This multiple case study explored the influence of English teachers' methodological practices over undergraduate students' learning processes in two English as a foreign language mandatory courses for different majors, at Universidad de... more
This multiple case study explored the influence of English teachers' methodological practices over undergraduate students' learning processes in two English as a foreign language mandatory courses for different majors, at Universidad de Pamplona (Colombia). Data were gathered through non-participant observations, field notes, stimulated recall interviews, and semistructured interviews. Findings revealed that teacher-centeredness, the grammar-translation and audiolingual methods dominated the lessons; textbook-oriented classes with an emphasis on listening and writing characterized the courses; teacher and peer correction were encouraged; and classroom tasks and evaluation mostly focused on grammar and vocabulary. Although teachers had methodological practices, these influenced students' learning processes differently.
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This article reports on an action research study about the exploration of local communities to enact agency and value rural identity. Thirty-three students from a rural public school in Colombia participated in the study. Our aim was to... more
This article reports on an action research study about the exploration of local communities to enact agency and value rural identity. Thirty-three students from a rural public school in Colombia participated in the study. Our aim was to examine ways in which students enacted agency as a result of participating in local community inquiry to realize the predominant value of their identity as farmers. Data were gathered through a focus group, interviews, students' artifacts, and teacher journals. Results showed that when communities are linked with classroom practices and foreign language learning, English becomes a vehicle to explore their places, who they are as members of the community, and how to promote decision making to help others.
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The extent to which writing assessment training (WAT) impacts writing scores has been widely explored in L2 testing contexts. However, little is known of the benefits of wat to classroom assessment of writing. This paper analyzes the... more
The extent to which writing assessment training (WAT) impacts writing scores has been widely explored in L2 testing contexts. However, little is known of the benefits of wat to classroom assessment of writing. This paper analyzes the impact of two wat sessions on the classroom assessment of writing of eleven EFL Mexican university teachers. Twenty-two interview transcripts suggested an impact in three main areas: classroom teaching of writing, classroom assessment of writing, and teacher self-awareness. The category of teacher self-awareness displayed the most impact. The paper proposes a categorization of impact on writing assessment.
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This article focuses on the impact reflective learning has on a group of efl preservice teachers' academic writing skills through formative feedback and self-assessment at a university in Bogotá (Colombia). The goal was to determine how... more
This article focuses on the impact reflective learning has on a group of efl preservice teachers' academic writing skills through formative feedback and self-assessment at a university in Bogotá (Colombia). The goal was to determine how the participants' academic writing skills were developed when writing essays for international examinations, and how their reflections upon feedback and their self-assessment process impacted their learning. This study followed a qualitative approach and an action-research design to foster students' academic writing skills as part of their professional development. The data-collection instruments were essays and teacher's feedback, students' journals, and rubrics. The results evidenced learners' writing skills improvement while implementing reflecting learning, which led to self-regulation and metacognition.
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This study explores the ways in which master thesis writers position their research in the field of English language teaching in a context where academic literacies are still a developing field. From a social semiotic perspective, this... more
This study explores the ways in which master thesis writers position their research in the field of English language teaching in a context where academic literacies are still a developing field. From a social semiotic perspective, this paper aims to identify the resources writers use to represent their object of study and provide a context and justification for research. The analysis focuses on the ideational and textual metafunctions to account for patterns of meanings in seven introductory chapters of master theses in English teacher education. The results reveal a set of interconnected genres-descriptions of the object of study, definitions, and personal exemplum-that build a shared experience with the reader as well as the persuasive purpose of the text.
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This article analyzes the results of the Saber Pro, the state exam for students completing higher education, during 2007-2017 concerning the English language section. This analysis uses the reports and databases from the Instituto... more
This article analyzes the results of the Saber Pro, the state exam for students completing higher education, during 2007-2017 concerning the English language section. This analysis uses the reports and databases from the Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES) repository and explains the policy in its historical context. The results warn of a quite worrying picture between the goals established by the Ministry of Education and the final achievements. The level of English of future Colombian professionals is not only very low but also without improvement from its beginnings in 2007 to 2017. As a conclusion, it would be necessary to review, from the universities' perspective, the language educational policy and propose bottom-up structural alternatives that allow a sustained impulse in teacher training, methodology, and curricular and pedagogical organization.
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This paper reports on Ecuadorian pre-service and in-service teachers' ability to conduct action research in the classroom as well as their skills to efficiently adjust instruction to address students' cultural and linguistic diversity. A... more
This paper reports on Ecuadorian pre-service and in-service teachers' ability to conduct action research in the classroom as well as their skills to efficiently adjust instruction to address students' cultural and linguistic diversity. A qualitative case study approach was implemented to collect information from teacher candidates in 2015, in-service teachers from a public school in 2017, and in-service teachers from a private school in 2019. Data were collected through focus groups and interviews conducted in Spanish. Findings suggest that training teachers to conduct action research will improve their ability to analyze data and improve students' learning outcomes.
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This paper aims at showing how a bottom-up approach of the study of educational policies can shed some light on how elementary school teachers deal with educational policies to make them work. This is a partial report on a larger focus... more
This paper aims at showing how a bottom-up approach of the study of educational policies can shed some light on how elementary school teachers deal with educational policies to make them work. This is a partial report on a larger focus group study conducted in Bogotá, Colombia, where a group of elementary school teachers shared their opinions about educational policies. The data collected allowed us to see that teachers take actions, have their own perspectives about policies, and feel negatively treated by the national government, which give way to three categories: Teachers' Micro-Practices, Clashing Visions About Education, and Mistreatment. We conclude that despite the pervasiveness of neoliberalism in education, which teachers are very aware of, they find ways to make policies work while being critical of the way these are designed and implemented.
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This paper reports a small section of a larger study that uses a mixed-methods approach to examine participation experiences of novice teachers of English in Chile beginning their careers in nonharmonic public, semiprivate, and private... more
This paper reports a small section of a larger study that uses a mixed-methods approach to examine participation experiences of novice teachers of English in Chile beginning their careers in nonharmonic public, semiprivate, and private school communities. Drawing on Wenger's framework of communities of practice, this paper reveals that novice teachers come across nonharmonic communities of teachers regardless of the types of schools where they work-that is, schools normally classified by socioeconomic background. As such, new teachers experience varying degrees of challenges that hinder their participation in such school communities. Rather than being a detriment, these nonharmonic communities of practice positively impact novice teachers to strive, including by joining diverse forms of communities, during the first years of teaching.
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The covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly been one of those global events that force us to adjust our behavior patterns in practically all aspects of our lives. In relation to teaching, which is by definition an interactive and social... more
The covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly been one of those global events that force us to adjust our behavior patterns in practically all aspects of our lives. In relation to teaching, which is by definition an interactive and social activity (especially so in regard to foreign language teaching), its scope of action appears to have been reduced, at all levels, to distance education and virtual environments as the only available alternatives.
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Although several investigations have been carried out in recent years on written corrective feedback (WCF), there is a lack of agreement about its definition and the effect on students' writings of different types of feedback. This may be... more
Although several investigations have been carried out in recent years on written corrective feedback (WCF), there is a lack of agreement about its definition and the effect on students' writings of different types of feedback. This may be due to the lack of systematicity regarding the characterization of WCF used in those studies. This article seeks to review the concept of WCF in studies in the field and to systematize the various aspects considered in a typology, which includes specification, focus, scope, source, mode of delivery, and notes. The resulting typology should help improve the effectiveness in the comparison of WCF studies and serve as a reference for teachers interested in expanding their practices.
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Social issues are believed to enrich English language teaching with meaningful topics. In this article we describe and reflect on an innovative practice which combined content and language integrated learning with comprehensive sexual... more
Social issues are believed to enrich English language teaching with meaningful topics. In this article we describe and reflect on an innovative practice which combined content and language integrated learning with comprehensive sexual education at a state secondary school in Argentina. By law, comprehensive sexual education must be included across the Argentinian curriculum and English language learning cannot be the exception. Therefore, we designed and implemented a collaborative-driven innovation that allowed learners to learn English and comprehensive sexual education with a focus on authentic materials, purposes, and tasks. The innovation was developed over a month and it involved learners delivering presentations on comprehensive sexual education topics. Reflections on the effect of the innovation and possible future directions are included.
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This paper reports an action-research study aimed at exploring the benefits of the critical analysis of YouTubers' content through the empowerment spiral model to foster students' talk as performance. Twenty 11 th-grade students shared... more
This paper reports an action-research study aimed at exploring the benefits of the critical analysis of YouTubers' content through the empowerment spiral model to foster students' talk as performance. Twenty 11 th-grade students shared alternative messages related to social issues based on content analysis and reflections. Data were collected via preservice teachers' journals, students' written and multimedia artifacts, and voice recordings, whose analysis was done through processes of codification and categorization. The results showed that the implementation of critical media literacy helped students become aware of the content they were consuming and improve their English oral performance by means of specific oral activities. Therefore, this study has a balance between English as a foreign language learning and the use of critical approaches.
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Studies on oral error correction in second language acquisition have been tilted towards cognitive aspects ignoring the affective and practical dimensions. This study attempted to fill this gap by investigating the role of students'... more
Studies on oral error correction in second language acquisition have been tilted towards cognitive aspects ignoring the affective and practical dimensions. This study attempted to fill this gap by investigating the role of students' proficiency levels in five English language teachers' corrective behavior. Follow-up interviews were conducted with the observed teachers. The results showed that the teachers provided more corrections to less proficient learners though they preferred more correction for advanced learners and used mainly recast for both groups, avoiding explicit forms of correction. They were mainly concerned with the affective aspects of oral error correction and acted on their own value system and teaching experience. The findings carry important implications for teacher education programs and the studies in this regard.
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This study examines the perceptions of employers, university authorities, English teachers and students concerning needs to promote English achievement in a Mexican university. By drawing on data collected from focus groups and... more
This study examines the perceptions of employers, university authorities, English teachers and students concerning needs to promote English achievement in a Mexican university. By drawing on data collected from focus groups and questionnaires, the evidence suggests that there are several needs which hinder the attainment of English objectives in this higher education context. To address this, the participants' perceptions are reformulated into a set of recommendations which might be beneficial for this context and other higher education institutions which seek to develop English language competencies in university students. The relevance of this study is that it shows how needs analysis can be used in higher education as a tool to identify needs and formulate context-sensitive solutions for enhancing English achievement.
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This paper reports the findings of a narrative study on language student teachers' epistemological re-configurations through lesson planning in a private university in Bogota, Colombia. The study aimed at exploring the possible forms of... more
This paper reports the findings of a narrative study on language student teachers' epistemological re-configurations through lesson planning in a private university in Bogota, Colombia. The study aimed at exploring the possible forms of professional yet personal-local knowledge two language student teachers encounter and produce when they plan language lessons. We employed the life story interviewing to gather information on the subjective essence of the participant's experiences in their teacher practicum. Findings suggest that through lesson planning, language student teachers manage to re-signify certain methodological yet hegemonic constructions of teaching and learning. Furthermore, their knowledge of themselves as teachers in relation to their practicum is shaped by circumstances they face in the process of planning and teaching lessons.
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The present study sought to assess and characterise the amount of first language use that two English as a foreign language teachers used to accomplish a number of functions in two classroom modes. An adapted version of the Functional... more
The present study sought to assess and characterise the amount of first language use that two English as a foreign language teachers used to accomplish a number of functions in two classroom modes. An adapted version of the Functional Language Alternation Analysis of Teacher Talk scheme was used to analyse teacher talk in six English as a foreign language classes at a public high school. Results showed that the first language holds a hegemonic presence in these classrooms across a wide range of pedagogical functions. It is argued that initiatives that present prescriptive approaches to foreign language use need to take into account linguistic, contextual, and idiosyncratic factors in the English as a foreign language classroom.
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This phenomenological study explores students' perceptions about the relationship between foreign language learning and culture when using telecollaboration. Three main concerns underlie this work: the lack of studies that explore how... more
This phenomenological study explores students' perceptions about the relationship between foreign language learning and culture when using telecollaboration. Three main concerns underlie this work: the lack of studies that explore how students perceive the relationship between foreign language learning and culture in the local context, the need to explore the incidence of culture in language learning, and the role of telecollaboration in cultural exchange. Data were collected through questionnaires, focus groups, video recordings, field notes, and students' artifacts. The findings show students' understanding of the nature of language situated within functional and humanistic perspectives. Furthermore, participants alluded to the importance of language learning as a means to understand the scope of culture and cultural identity.
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This is an empirical study which aims to examine the profile of Spanish university students in bilingual degree programs that employ English as a medium of instruction by utilizing the bilingual section of the teaching degree course at... more
This is an empirical study which aims to examine the profile of Spanish university students in bilingual degree programs that employ English as a medium of instruction by utilizing the bilingual section of the teaching degree course at the University of Granada as a sample. To this end, a questionnaire was applied to 216 students. While 75% of the students reported having problems when following a bilingual class, these difficulties were found to diminish or disappear after the first trimester. The majority of the students (70%) were satisfied with the program offered but they also detected some deficiencies, which provided a basis for various suggestions as to how university bilingual programs might be improved.
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This article reports on the first three phases (exploration, identification, and planning) of a collaborative action research study whose main objective was to transform the pedagogical practices of teachers of a Colombian school of... more
This article reports on the first three phases (exploration, identification, and planning) of a collaborative action research study whose main objective was to transform the pedagogical practices of teachers of a Colombian school of foreign languages. A methodology of collaborative action research and techniques, such as direct observation, completion of a reflection journal, and surveys and interviews with teachers and students was employed. Findings showed that the participants managed to identify some of the major problems they faced within their pedagogical practices and to design and implement courses of action to overcome them. Upon completion, favorable perceptions about the impact of collaborative action research on the transformation of the participating English language teachers' pedagogical practices could be evidenced.
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This paper reports a qualitative action-research study on the use of cooperative learning through literature in two vulnerable English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms in Chile. The study aimed at bridging EFL inequality by exposing... more
This paper reports a qualitative action-research study on the use of cooperative learning through literature in two vulnerable English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms in Chile. The study aimed at bridging EFL inequality by exposing students to a different methodology using cooperative learning, and content-based instruction through literature, which are inexistent methods in vulnerable schools. Improving students’ performance and increasing their personal growth were also pursued. Data were gathered through lesson observations, language tests, and surveys. Results evidenced that students improved their cooperative learning skills and personal growth, yet their linguistic proficiency was not significantly enhanced. As a conclusion, promoting cooperative learning together with content-based instruction through literature resulted in a suitable combination to improve learners’ learning strategies and personal growth.
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This case study sought to understand how 17 undergraduate students in the humanities and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors positioned themselves in terms of gender in relation to their leadership and risk-taking... more
This case study sought to understand how 17 undergraduate students in the humanities and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics majors positioned themselves in terms of gender in relation to their leadership and risk-taking skills. For this study, I used students' artifacts, semistructured interviews, and focus group discussions, which tied into the objectives of the Academic Writing for Professional Development course that the participants signed up for at a public university in Colombia. To analyze the data, I used aspects of the grounded theory method. The results revealed that the division of labor and social gender roles supersede the students' initial positions. Because of this, women's leadership and risk-taking abilities are invisible, an assertion which continues to perpetuate social gender roles, gender stereotypes, and the patriarchy.
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This article reports on an exploratory, mixed methods study aimed at identifying the methodological and epistemological criteria necessary to ensure the quality and a self-revision process of a pilot tutoring program offered to students... more
This article reports on an exploratory, mixed methods study aimed at identifying the methodological and epistemological criteria necessary to ensure the quality and a self-revision process of a pilot tutoring program offered to students enrolled in the bed in philology and languages (English and French programs) at Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota. Ten students of the French and English Philology programs and six tutors voluntarily participated in the research. The data were collected through document reviews, focus group discussions, and questionnaires completed by the tutors and tutees. The study revealed that a comprehensive, personalized tutoring plan was needed. Likewise, self-efficacy development, human capital, as well as technological and physical resources must be considered in order to determine the weaknesses, strengths, opportunities, and overall impact of the program.
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Last February we held the XV PROFILE Symposium, an annual local event aimed at inviting teachers of English from different backgrounds to reflect on our profession, to share research results and innovations, and to highlight the... more
Last February we held the XV PROFILE Symposium, an annual local event aimed at inviting teachers of English from different backgrounds to reflect on our profession, to share research results and innovations, and to highlight the importance of doing research. We also took the opportunity to encourage the participants to share their findings through publishing.
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The language assessment literacy of English language teachers has been one of the topics of discussion in the language testing field. In this article, I focus on the need to expand research constructs and methodologies to understand, in... more
The language assessment literacy of English language teachers has been one of the topics of discussion in the language testing field. In this article, I focus on the need to expand research constructs and methodologies to understand, in depth, the language assessment literacy for these key players in language assessment. I first explain the need to focus on language teachers and examine current challenges in researching language assessment literacy. Then, I reflect on how post-positivist, interpretive research constructs and methodologies can expand and why they should. If this happens, research might yield more valid, useful data to unveil the complexities of language assessment literacy for language teachers. That data can provide valuable feedback to advance teachers' professional development through language assessment literacy.
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Motivation is one of the most important factors in the enjoyment and success in learning any subject, especially a foreign language. Many students approach the learning of a language based on academic mandates, family impositions, job... more
Motivation is one of the most important factors in the enjoyment and success in learning any subject, especially a foreign language. Many students approach the learning of a language based on academic mandates, family impositions, job requirements, and so on. These non-intrinsic motivations make learning a more difficult, frustrating, and non-pleasurable experience, both for students and teachers. Therefore, skills in motivating learners should be seen as central to teaching effectively. In this article, we provide a series of strategies for teachers to gradually lead students from an extrinsic motivation to a more internal and autonomous motivation. This approach is framed within one of the most recent and well-known theories of motivation: self-determination theory.
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In this paper, a teacher-educator and two students of a b.a. program in foreign language teaching (English and French) of a public university in Colombia discuss our pedagogical experiences in a research seedbed. First, we present the... more
In this paper, a teacher-educator and two students of a b.a. program in foreign language teaching (English and French) of a public university in Colombia discuss our pedagogical experiences in a research seedbed. First, we present the conceptualizations underlying our analysis: research seedbeds, undergraduate research education, and curriculum as a process. Second, we describe our contextual background. Third, we analyze our experiences using three themes: creating and recreating curriculum, negotiating the official and non-official curriculum, and taking positions as teacher-researchers. We conclude that research seedbeds can broaden the pedagogical repertoire of undergraduate research education in foreign language programs and that it becomes necessary to conduct studies in this area in Colombia.
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Language teacher education programmes can promote autonomy-oriented change when they are based on a transformative rationale regarding learner and teacher development. This involves adopting an experience-based approach whereby dominant... more
Language teacher education programmes can promote autonomy-oriented change when they are based on a transformative rationale regarding learner and teacher development. This involves adopting an experience-based approach whereby dominant ideas and practices are problematized and opportunities are provided for teachers to learn about, experience, and inquire into autonomy-oriented language teaching practices. A proposal based on the analysis and construction of cases in postgraduate teacher education is presented, in which teachers analyse and design autonomy-oriented action research experiences and produce narratives of inquiry. Six teacher narratives are analysed, showing that experience-based teacher education may enhance teachers' agency to challenge mainstream practices and explore learner-centred teaching, thus developing professional autonomy in seeking to promote learner autonomy.
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This paper discusses the perceptions that six English language teachers, from public schools in the south region of the state of Veracruz in Mexico, have about their particular teaching contexts. A qualitative approach was adopted, and... more
This paper discusses the perceptions that six English language teachers, from public schools in the south region of the state of Veracruz in Mexico, have about their particular teaching contexts. A qualitative approach was adopted, and main data collection was through semi-structured interviews. The results show that all teachers have mostly negative perceptions about their teaching conditions. It was concluded that urgent action is needed on the part of the government to improve the English as a foreign language scenario, especially now when the introduction of English as a foreign language has been proposed at even earlier ages in all levels of education in the country.
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This paper presents a narrative inquiry study on agency development in student-teachers of an English language teacher program at a public university in the south of Colombia. Our goal was to understand how student-teachers develop agency... more
This paper presents a narrative inquiry study on agency development in student-teachers of an English language teacher program at a public university in the south of Colombia. Our goal was to understand how student-teachers develop agency when narratively inquiring their community by planning and conducting community-based pedagogy projects on issues they found pertinent to investigate. The data were gathered through semi-structured focus group interviews, individual journal entries, and video-recorded talks about their inquiries. As a conclusion, we acknowledge that certain social and narrative practices such as interacting within their inquiry groups, interacting with their communities, voicing their communities' necessities, and acting upon the inquired necessities facilitated developing agency and contributed to rethinking their roles as transformative members of their communities. Key words: Agency development, community-based pedagogy, narrative inquiry, pre-service teachers of English.
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This article presents a study which explores perceptions of Chilean future teachers of English as a foreign language regarding the usage of Spanish as l1 in English lessons. The participants belong to first-and fourth-year levels of their... more
This article presents a study which explores perceptions of Chilean future teachers of English as a foreign language regarding the usage of Spanish as l1 in English lessons. The participants belong to first-and fourth-year levels of their programs at four universities located throughout Chile. The data collection tool was Mohebbi and Alavi's (2014) Likert questionnaire, along with an open questions section. The data were subjected to descriptive statistical analyses and mean difference tests. The results indicate that the participants would use Spanish in the English class mainly for two reasons: (1) for pedagogical-didactic purposes and (2) to maintain the student-teacher relationship. The study concludes that there are no statistically significant differences in regard to the course-level year the subjects are enrolled in or regarding the university with which they are affiliated.
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This paper reports on an exploratory collective case study on three in-service English language teachers in Medellin, Colombia. The study aimed at creating a route for teachers to collaboratively construct their understanding of... more
This paper reports on an exploratory collective case study on three in-service English language teachers in Medellin, Colombia. The study aimed at creating a route for teachers to collaboratively construct their understanding of intercultural communicative competence through their involvement in a study group. Data were collected through recordings, interviews, and reflective logs, which followed a bottom-up analysis. Results evidenced changes in the participants’ views of culture, cross-cultural knowledge, intercultural stance, and understanding of intercultural communicative competence. As a conclusion, study groups materialized as an applicable tool for teachers’ professional development, which allowed participants to redraw their own initial beliefs and assumptions, fostering them to change professionally and in their praxis.
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This paper investigates an aspect of study abroad programs that has rarely been studied before: the training needs of local education professionals in Spain. Through a mixed-method, using a questionnaire completed by 103 participants, and... more
This paper investigates an aspect of study abroad programs that has rarely been studied before: the training needs of local education professionals in Spain. Through a mixed-method, using a questionnaire completed by 103 participants, and interviews with 15 of them, we focus on their previous formal specific training and their perspective on the group of students they work with. Results show that most of them have rarely been trained on how to work as cultural facilitators for students from the us. This fact often creates a cultural gap and prevents the teachers from fulfilling their role as cultural bridges for students. Specific action needs to be taken in order to solve this lack of preparation in this group of professionals.
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Attitude towards English as a foreign language is a new field of study in tertiary education in Latin-American countries, especially in Chile. However, its importance in the process of learning a language has been reported upon around the... more
Attitude towards English as a foreign language is a new field of study in tertiary education in Latin-American countries, especially in Chile. However, its importance in the process of learning a language has been reported upon around the world. The aim of the current study was to identify the attitudes towards English as a foreign language of 131 university students from different educational institutions in Chile; the students' programs included English courses as part of their study plan. The three components of attitude were analyzed by means of the participants' replies to the statements of a questionnaire. Results gave evidence that university students hold a positive attitude towards English as a foreign language; nonetheless, the behavioral aspect of attitude obtained the lowest average of agreement among the respondents.
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This article is a small-scale qualitative study whose objective was to identify differences between the way in which native English teachers and their non-native Chilean counterparts assess pronunciation. To achieve this, teachers from... more
This article is a small-scale qualitative study whose objective was to identify differences between the way in which native English teachers and their non-native Chilean counterparts assess pronunciation. To achieve this, teachers from both groups were asked to assess the same material produced by two students of English pedagogy in a Chilean university. The results show that native English teachers rate students higher than their non-native colleagues. This is apparently due not only to differences in training but also the differences in the processes of acquisition. The outcome of this research concerns anyone interested in teaching and learning English as a second/foreign language.
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This article presents the results of a qualitative study which aimed to develop an understanding of the emotions experienced by pre-service English language teachers during their teaching practicum and the emotions' effects on... more
This article presents the results of a qualitative study which aimed to develop an understanding of the emotions experienced by pre-service English language teachers during their teaching practicum and the emotions' effects on instructional teaching. Attribution theory was used as a framework for analysing the results, while the data were gathered through classroom observation, reflection journals, and semi-structured interviews. Results revealed a need for language teaching programmes to include classroom management strategies; however, there is also evidence of the urgent need for socio-emotional support to be provided to pre-service teachers to help them shape their teaching practice through reflection. Providing a space for pre-service teachers to reflect on their beliefs and discuss the emotions experienced during practicum may help to instil commitment and responsibility in future teachers.
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In 2019, we completed 20 years of continuous publication of the Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development journal. With this first edition we feel more committed and happier to continue this publication effort. To carry on in... more
In 2019, we completed 20 years of continuous publication of the Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development journal. With this first edition we feel more committed and happier to continue this publication effort. To carry on in this endeavor, we have reflected on the journey we have traveled and thus, wish to share with you what it has meant to us.
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This article uses a classroom experience to exemplify ways in which students as social beings learn English as a foreign language in Colombia and how the teacher uses trans[cultura]linguación. This is a process of making meaning during... more
This article uses a classroom experience to exemplify ways in which students as social beings learn English as a foreign language in Colombia and how the teacher uses trans[cultura]linguación. This is a process of making meaning during English-learning tasks while comparing specific linguistic variations as students learn about both their own culture and other people’s cultures. Borrowing from plurilingualism and translanguaging, I describe how a teacher attempts to use a social-justice approach to teaching English by valuing her students’ linguistic and cultural repertoires. I conclude by outlining the implications this has for proposing a paradigm shift from monolithic frameworks of learning language(s) to more dynamic ones in which students’ cultural and linguistic backgrounds are deployed as a platform for addressing issues that are relevant to their communities.
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Since Ecuador has determined that it wants to be fully bilingual in ten years, this paper describes the experience of a Fulbright Scholar at a university Language Center in Quito; one helping language teachers improve the language... more
Since Ecuador has determined that it wants to be fully bilingual in ten years, this paper describes the experience of a Fulbright Scholar at a university Language Center in Quito; one helping language teachers improve the language learning skills of their students. The theoretical framework for this work comes from Learner Self-Management (lsm) or Self-Regulation. The scholar details her experience teaching lsm concepts such as smart goal setting, Task Analysis, Cognitive and Affective Strategies. She provides descriptions of what these language teachers consider the roles of the teacher and that of the learner to be and also what their most critical teaching issues were. She also briefly elaborates the history of the development of learner strategies and the value of metacognitive strategies and knowledge.
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This paper presents the results of a research study based on a pedagogical experience of two pre-service English teachers with seventh graders. The main goal was to analyze the students' context representations, after using some songs in... more
This paper presents the results of a research study based on a pedagogical experience of two pre-service English teachers with seventh graders. The main goal was to analyze the students' context representations, after using some songs in English as a trigger for reflection. The pedagogical implementation of the songs was designed from a critical pedagogy perspective which allows students to have a more visible role within their English classes. The data were collected through students' artifacts, classroom observations, closed-ended questionnaires, and dialogues. The results show that after analyzing the contents of some songs in English, students felt motivated to share their own representation about what they face as adolescents and to express their feelings about them. Key words: English as a foreign language students, context representation, critical pedagogy, songs in English.
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This study adopted a mixed method approach with an action research design. The aim was to determine the impact of information gap activities on young English as a foreign language learners' oral fluency. Information gap activities were... more
This study adopted a mixed method approach with an action research design. The aim was to determine the impact of information gap activities on young English as a foreign language learners' oral fluency. Information gap activities were based on the communicative approach as well as on task-based learning. Twenty-three eighth graders participated in this action research. The students were immersed in a multicultural and at-risk context in a public high school in southern Chile. Their English-speaking level fluctuated between a1 and a2. The technique was applied over the course of a semester (ten weeks). Data were collected by applying a pre-test, post-test, and focus group questionnaire. Results suggest an improvement in oral fluency and a positive perception of the technique used during the intervention. Key words: Attitudes in English as a foreign language, English as a foreign language, information gap activities, young learners, oral fluency.
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This study presents the expansion of nominal groups in a systemic functional grammar class of an English language teacher program in 2016 at a Colombian public university. The participants were six student teachers. Nominal groups were... more
This study presents the expansion of nominal groups in a systemic functional grammar class of an English language teacher program in 2016 at a Colombian public university. The participants were six student teachers. Nominal groups were first considered in a document written by the students before being exposed to the principles of systemic functional grammar and then in a revised version after the exposure to it. The study shows initial improvements in the enlargement of nominal groups between the two written productions and provides insights into the enormous potential for structural and meaningful expansion and the complexity of nominal groups. The gained awareness may become a cognitive framework for students to produce complex nominal groups in academic productions demanded in their studies and in the exercise of their professional practice.
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Although keeping writing portfolios has proved to be a successful strategy in developing writing skills in English as a foreign language, few studies have focused on pre-service teachers at the pre-intermediate level. This study aims to... more
Although keeping writing portfolios has proved to be a successful strategy in developing writing skills in English as a foreign language, few studies have focused on pre-service teachers at the pre-intermediate level. This study aims to describe pre-service teachers’ perceptions towards portfolio keeping. The sample consisted of 51 first-year students from an initial English language teacher education programme at a university in Southern Chile. A writing portfolio-based class was implemented over a seventeen-week period. Data were collected through an adapted questionnaire and a focus group conducted at the end of term. Results show that pre-service teachers value the strategy; they perceive they have improved their writing and reflection skills. They also draw attention to some challenges to be considered in the planning and implementation phases of the strategy.
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This article provides an overview of the ideas that two groups of bilingual teachers from different contexts, one indigenous and the other Western, have about the concepts of education, bilingualism, and interculturality. Their opinions... more
This article provides an overview of the ideas that two groups of bilingual teachers from different contexts, one indigenous and the other Western, have about the concepts of education, bilingualism, and interculturality. Their opinions were gathered through focus groups, semi-structured interviews, and videos, and reviewed under light of what the theoreticians have pointed out regarding the three mentioned concepts. One important outcome was the enrichment of perspectives of both groups of participants, and a remarkable conclusion that refers to the similar perceptions both groups have regarding the concept of education. Further research should address how each community perceives its own educational model and how it can be complemented with the views of the other.
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This paper presents a study on the employment criteria used by school administrators and their views on the strengths and weaknesses of local teachers and expatriate teachers. This study aimed to provide a perspective on the issue from an... more
This paper presents a study on the employment criteria used by school administrators and their views on the strengths and weaknesses of local teachers and expatriate teachers. This study aimed to provide a perspective on the issue from an English as a foreign language context. Questionnaires collected from administrators of 94 private primary and high schools in Istanbul were analyzed. Although being a native speaker of English ranked seventh out of the eight criteria, the presence of expatriate teachers in a school was considered important. In addition, participants from schools that employed both expatriate and local teachers attributed more importance to the native-speakerness criterion. Finally, administrators found local teachers more knowledgeable in teaching methods, whereas expatriate teachers were perceived as better in language use.
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This action research study aimed to examine the possible impact of the Daily 6 approach on the oral fluency in English of 13 adolescents. This approach (extension of the existing Daily 5™ framework) introduced a sixth step, "speak to... more
This action research study aimed to examine the possible impact of the Daily 6 approach on the oral fluency in English of 13 adolescents. This approach (extension of the existing Daily 5™ framework) introduced a sixth step, "speak to someone", to respond to the lack of oral fluency limiting participants' overall speaking performance in English as a foreign language. Data were gathered through surveys, diagnostic and achievement tests, and recordings using VoiceThread™. The coding and a small sample hypothesis test for means analysis unveiled the significance of the Daily 6 approach to enhance oral fluency through technology. Results displayed gains in oral fluency (length of runs, silent pauses, length of pauses, filled pauses, and pace) and positive changes in attitudinal responses within a low-anxiety environment.
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Drawing on 10 pedagogical standards issued by the Chilean Ministry of Education, three dealing with multimodality, we, in this research, examined English language pre-service teachers' and educators' approaches to the use of multimodal... more
Drawing on 10 pedagogical standards issued by the Chilean Ministry of Education, three dealing with multimodality, we, in this research, examined English language pre-service teachers' and educators' approaches to the use of multimodal texts. Data were gathered through two online surveys that explored the use of multimodal texts by teacher educators and pre-service teachers. Results indicate that educators were familiar with the standards and multimodality when teaching reading and writing, but lack of resources, preparation, and time prevents them from working with multimodal texts. Candidates read printed and digital newspapers, novels, and magazines outside university, but rarely use them academically. They extensively use social media, even for academic purposes. There is a mismatch between the use of multimodal texts by teacher candidates and teacher educators.
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Profile was created as a forum to bring to the forefront the attempts of practitioners in doing action research. This was also an initiative promoted by scholars from different Anglo speaking contexts, in some cases, with different names... more
Profile was created as a forum to bring to the forefront the attempts of practitioners in doing action research. This was also an initiative promoted by scholars from different Anglo speaking contexts, in some cases, with different names and definitions—teacher research, exploratory action research, and exploratory practice, among others. All of them, in one way or another, highlight the fact that teacher education and educational policies confer importance to integrate research to the teaching profession.
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This article discusses English language pre-service teachers’ pedagogical practicum experiences. We compiled, from their teacher journals and group talks, the lived teaching experiences of a group of 34 pre-service teachers who were... more
This article discusses English language pre-service teachers’ pedagogical practicum experiences. We compiled, from their teacher journals and group talks, the lived teaching experiences of a group of 34 pre-service teachers who were majoring in English language education at a private university in Bogota, Colombia. The analysis of their stories makes us realize that their first practicum experiences are full of feelings and emotions, and that their first teaching practices are based on their mentor teachers’ pieces of advice. These first experiences, in turn, develop the foundation upon which they build themselves as English language teachers.
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Current communication is increasingly computer-mediated, dynamic, dialogic, and global, so students should master new information, communication technologies, and digital genres, as well as acknowledge the global role of the English... more
Current communication is increasingly computer-mediated, dynamic, dialogic, and global, so students should master new information, communication technologies, and digital genres, as well as acknowledge the global role of the English language. Thus, this paper aims to offer a teaching proposal, to be ideally implemented in the secondary education English as a foreign language classroom, on how to develop students’ communicative and digital competences based on a digital genre like the travel blog. First, a corpus of travel blogs was compiled, and the blogs’ communicative purposes and prominent linguistic and discursive features were identified. Next, different lesson plans were designed on the principles of communicative language teaching and task-based learning, together with the corpus-based results. Overall, students are expected to follow a process-writing approach that enables them to interact digitally in travel blogs.
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This paper reports on an action research study aimed at implementing Plotagon to enhance English writing skill. The study involved 18 students from 10th grade of a public secondary school in Colombia. The findings showed that the use of... more
This paper reports on an action research study aimed at implementing Plotagon to enhance English writing skill. The study involved 18 students from 10th grade of a public secondary school in Colombia. The findings showed that the use of Plotagon promoted students’ motivation to write through an interactive and attractive interphase to create digital stories. Consequently, students created their own digital story working in pairs and as a result increased their vocabulary, improved their English writing skill and other language skills. The data collection tools (surveys, tests, journals, observations, and dialogs as students’ production) showed that Plotagon is a pedagogical tool that promotes students’ English writing in a fun and meaningful way.
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This article reports the results of a study in which coaching was used as a professional development strategy with five foreign language adjunct instructors at a public university in Colombia. A questionnaire, coaching sessions,... more
This article reports the results of a study in which coaching was used as a professional development strategy with five foreign language adjunct instructors at a public university in Colombia. A questionnaire, coaching sessions, interviews, and both coaches and coachees’ reports were the data collection sources. Results showed that adjunct instructors consider coaching a useful professional development strategy that should be offered to all foreign language instructors. In addition, trust and genuine interest were considered determinant when administrators implement this professional development strategy, and self-leadership was crucial when foreign language instructors make decisions regarding their own professional development.
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This paper reports a qualitative case study of college-level English as a foreign language teachers’ attitudes towards oral corrective feedback. Our goal is to characterize such attitudes considering a model which integrates cognitive,... more
This paper reports a qualitative case study of college-level English as a foreign language teachers’ attitudes towards oral corrective feedback. Our goal is to characterize such attitudes considering a model which integrates cognitive, affective and conative components as well as different aspects of oral corrective feedback. Six English instructors working in English language teaching at a university in southern Mexico were interviewed. Directed qualitative content analysis shows that (1) participants prefer implicit corrective feedback strategies, and (2) considerations of students’ feelings guide their overall attitudes toward corrective feedback. The participants seem unaware of most corrective feedback strategies and consideration of students’ cognition is absent in the composition of their corrective feedback attitudes. This finding suggests a need for more theory-based corrective feedback training and practice.
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This paper describes the process English as a foreign language university students and their teacher underwent when engaging in critical literacy practices. Interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, students’ artifacts, and the teacher’s... more
This paper describes the process English as a foreign language university students and their teacher underwent when engaging in critical literacy practices. Interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, students’ artifacts, and the teacher’s journal were used to collect data in this study. Findings suggest that when students engage in critical literacy practices, they are prone to reflect on the power they have as agents of social change, while developing language skills. However, teachers should be ready to encounter some resistance from students and to struggle with the incorporation of critical perspectives in their lessons, which is understandable considering the emphasis grammar mastering has traditionally had on language teaching and learning.
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This study tries to identify the possible differences in the types of strategies and their frequency of use in low and high achievers of English in a language centre in a university in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Data were collected... more
This study tries to identify the possible differences in the types of strategies and their frequency of use in low and high achievers of English in a language centre in a university in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Data were collected using a mixed-methods research methodology. The sample consists of 27 students with a high score and 30 with a low score on the achievement test. The results show that students in both categories use similar strategies; the difference lies in the frequency of use and how they use the strategies. Finally, from the qualitative data emerges a list of strategies used by high achievers.
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The emergence of language learning websites has generated changes in intercultural communicative practices. Particularly, these sites use a wide variety of modes of communication (visual, linguistic, spatial) which allow the presence of... more
The emergence of language learning websites has generated changes in intercultural communicative practices. Particularly, these sites use a wide variety of modes of communication (visual, linguistic, spatial) which allow the presence of intercultural elements. This interpretative case study analyzes the semiotic structure of one lesson of the language learning website Livemocha in order to unveil the presence of intercultural elements in it. Data were analyzed following a method for multimodal analysis and Byram’s model of intercultural communicative competence. Findings suggest the essentialist view of culture on Livemocha, based on festivals and food, and the potential promotion of some of Byram’s intercultural skills.
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In Mexican higher education, the spread of English has become a tool in the internationalization process of universities. However, language has been sidelined in the discourses of globalization and internationalization. Hence, this... more
In Mexican higher education, the spread of English has become a tool in the internationalization process of universities. However, language has been sidelined in the discourses of globalization and internationalization. Hence, this ethnographic case study aims to look at the spread of English in Mexican higher education through two private universities. It focuses on the universities’ internationalization process, and how English as a foreign language teachers perceive the role of English in this process. Findings show that while English as a foreign language teachers support linguistic ideologies that promote the spread of English as a natural and apolitical phenomenon, at the same time they also warn of ideological implications such as language hierarchies, cultural homogenization, and English linguistic discrimination.
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In this article the author reports on a study of some English language student-teachers’ trans-formations of knowledge about language education. The question that guided the study was: How are English language student-teachers’ formative... more
In this article the author reports on a study of some English language student-teachers’ trans-formations of knowledge about language education. The question that guided the study was: How are English language student-teachers’ formative pedagogical and research experiences portrayed in a transformative and critical outlook for initial teacher education? Reflections, perceptions, and conceptions served as data and were collected by means of diaries, interviews, and degree projects or monographs. From the analysis of data, two main themes emerged: “Going Back and Forth from Utopia to Reality” and “EFL Student-Teachers as Novice Critical Researchers”. A conclusion was that the participants’ trans-formations mediated by pedagogical and research agendas represented alternatives with high levels of sensitivity towards socially associated issues in language education.
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In this qualitative study, we intend to discuss how adolescent students in a Brazilian public school classroom define their body image and personalize the themes beauty standards and fatness. Grounded on a critical approach to language... more
In this qualitative study, we intend to discuss how adolescent students in a Brazilian public school classroom define their body image and personalize the themes beauty standards and fatness. Grounded on a critical approach to language teaching, these two social themes were problematized in eight lessons of Ensino Médio (secondary education). The discussion of the empirical material suggests that (1) body image is strongly connected to gendered relations, making life experiences of men and women different based on the bodies they have, and (2) beauty standard and fatness are strongly related to students’ lives since twelve out of nineteen students personalized the themes by telling oppressive stories they went through because of their bodies.
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We are pleased to open this edition with this good news: Starting this year, the contents of the journal will be indexed in Scopus database. Let us remember that Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed... more
We are pleased to open this edition with this good news: Starting this year, the contents of the journal will be indexed in Scopus database. Let us remember that Scopus is the largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature in the world. It includes scientific journals, books, and conference proceedings. In the Colombian context, Scopus is considered a key database, which has a great impact in the evaluation of the quality and visibility of the journals. Being part of it becomes a parameter for the classification of academic journals in the national indexing system.
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This paper presents one Colombian university English as a foreign language program's in-house teacher development program for curriculum renewal. This program is an innovative attempt to prepare teachers for implementing a new curriculum... more
This paper presents one Colombian university English as a foreign language program's in-house teacher development program for curriculum renewal. This program is an innovative attempt to prepare teachers for implementing a new curriculum and, simultaneously, engages them in professional development activities. The program is a response to the lack of existing teacher and professional development models that fit certain specific contextual needs, including preparation for implementing new curriculum as well as emphases in the updating of particular teaching practices. In addition to presenting the program, the article also describes the integration of key aspects of various existing models of teacher and professional development into one program that meets contextual needs while encouraging positive change among faculty and students.
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This article reports on a descriptive study carried out in articles published in the Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development journal that deal with inclusive education in English language teaching in Colombia. The study... more
This article reports on a descriptive study carried out in articles published in the Profile: Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development journal that deal with inclusive education in English language teaching in Colombia. The study embraced documentary research and critical discourse analysis which helped us identify trends in pedagogical approaches in foreign language instruction and research approaches employed by the journal’s authors. It also allowed us to examine how such approaches show the presence or absence of inclusive education both in public policies and pedagogical interventions by institutions and individuals. We hope that the outcomes derived from this study nurture further discussion, encourage research, and motivate pedagogical practices that foster inclusive education in foreign language teaching and teacher education.
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This article reports the findings of a qualitative study based on a long-term application of a theater content-based methodology for L2 learning, supported by professionals in theater and in foreign languages, in The E Theater: an English... more
This article reports the findings of a qualitative study based on a long-term application of a theater content-based methodology for L2 learning, supported by professionals in theater and in foreign languages, in The E Theater: an English as a foreign language theater interdisciplinary group at Universidad Nacional de Colombia that has been active since 2008. The data were collected through a longitudinal semi-structured survey, interviews of the participants of the event, and a focus group. As a result, participants stated lowering their affective filter and benefits in their production and comprehension of L2 skills, their intercultural competence, and their cognitive processing of the language derived from the methodology carried out.
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The purpose of this action research study was to help English language intermediate students tackle fossilized grammatical errors in their speech, which were verb form, missing subject, and word choice. In order to do so, the researcher... more
The purpose of this action research study was to help English language intermediate students tackle fossilized grammatical errors in their speech, which were verb form, missing subject, and word choice. In order to do so, the researcher used visual input such as pictures and colored stickers for self-monitoring purposes, as well as self-evaluation charts for participants to follow up on their process; additionally, voice recordings and field notes were used to help the researcher keep track of students’ progress. Results showed that participants developed more awareness and attentiveness towards their fossilized mistakes which were reflected in the repairs they were able to make along the implementation process.
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This paper describes college students' writing development process during their foreign language classes throughout a semester. Self and peer correction were implemented to promote error awareness along with the use of an error code and... more
This paper describes college students' writing development process during their foreign language classes throughout a semester. Self and peer correction were implemented to promote error awareness along with the use of an error code and error log in a fifth semester class. The results show that both strategies benefited students' writing skills and self-awareness which in turn produced, among other outcomes, the development of critical self-assessment of their writing and responsibility for their own learning. This study highlights the importance of allocating class time for continuous training to allow students to systematize their writing practices.
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This article reports a study on the implementation of meaningful oral tasks to promote listening fluency in ten pre-intermediate English as a foreign language learners in the English language teaching program at a Colombian public... more
This article reports a study on the implementation of meaningful oral tasks to promote listening fluency in ten pre-intermediate English as a foreign language learners in the English language teaching program at a Colombian public university. The tasks were implemented to overcome the weaknesses these students had to understand oral messages from audio materials and daily-life conversations in classes. A qualitative action-research study with observation field-notes and semi-structured interviews served as the basis for this research. Results indicate that this methodology provided suitable opportunities to foster listening fluency through the development of meaningful oral tasks. Participants developed dynamic assignments that included pre, while, and post intensive-extensive listening practices which allowed them to understand, to interpret oral messages, and to provide suitable responses to do the required tasks.
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This article reports on the results of an action research study that aimed to determine the effect of a thinking routine in the development of coherence in speaking interactions. The study was carried out with two groups of second year... more
This article reports on the results of an action research study that aimed to determine the effect of a thinking routine in the development of coherence in speaking interactions. The study was carried out with two groups of second year business students in an English as a foreign language programt a university in southern Chile. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data before and after the intervention through questionnaires and pre- and post-tests. The findings suggest that the impact of the application of the routine was significant in promoting the speaking competence, especially in developing coherence within interactive communication.
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This action research study examines the effect of self-evaluation on grammatical range and grammar accuracy on the English speaking performance of 27 foreign language university and pre-university students enrolled in three different... more
This action research study examines the effect of self-evaluation on grammatical range and grammar accuracy on the English speaking performance of 27 foreign language university and pre-university students enrolled in three different language centers, in three different cities in Colombia. Participants were asked to record themselves answering different ielts-type tasks for four times during a 6-week period and score and reflect towards their performance using ielts-type analytical scoring rubrics and journals. Researchers used journals to register impressions, thoughts, and judgments observed during the process. The findings led to conclude that learners highly benefit from applying self-assessment techniques using videos of their production and a language benchmark to compare with in the improvement of their oral language accuracy and grammatical range.
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This article examines the intervention, through the design and pedagogical implementation of two rubrics based on theory from the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach, to assess the oral competences in English of a... more
This article examines the intervention, through the design and pedagogical implementation of two rubrics based on theory from the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach, to assess the oral competences in English of a group of sophomores in a content subject. The data collection and subsequent analysis included both quantitative and qualitative sources to evaluate students’ oral production and linguistic awareness, and to gather information on students’ opinions concerning the intervention. The findings suggest that the implementation of the instruments was successful in terms of raising students’ language awareness in oral production and provided us with valuable insights regarding their perceptions of a new sort of assessment as part of their learning process.
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This article focuses on research carried out in a private school in Bogotá with a group of English as a foreign language fourth-graders. The study aimed to analyze interaction in the English classroom through action research, based on... more
This article focuses on research carried out in a private school in Bogotá with a group of English as a foreign language fourth-graders. The study aimed to analyze interaction in the English classroom through action research, based on tasks that promoted collaborative work and involvement of the students and their teacher. The instruments to collect data were video recordings and artefacts from the students' tasks in the classroom. The analysis of classroom interaction involved the steps of conversational analysis stated by Seedhouse (2004). The study allowed the description of unexpected patterns of interactions among students and their teacher, which revealed changes in the classroom dynamic as a result of the action research plan.
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The present article reports on a study that set out to investigate the effectiveness of strategies and decisions formulated in foreign language planning to ensure learners' language achievement in a higher education context which trains... more
The present article reports on a study that set out to investigate the effectiveness of strategies and decisions formulated in foreign language planning to ensure learners' language achievement in a higher education context which trains learners to become English or French teachers or translators. By drawing on data collected from simulated proficiency tests and interviews with students, teachers, and administrators, the findings show that the foreign language goals have not been met as stipulated in the curriculum, and that there are several shortcomings in the foreign language planning that need the educational community's consideration. This article also discusses some factors that should be considered in foreign language planning in order to meet language goals in educational contexts.
Stemming from a study of what it is like to teach English in rural Colombia considering both English language teaching policy and social challenges of these contexts, this paper explores different locally grounded English language... more
Stemming from a study of what it is like to teach English in rural Colombia considering both English language teaching policy and social challenges of these contexts, this paper explores different locally grounded English language teaching practices. Through the analysis of teachers' narratives and field observations, four examples of such practices are discussed. These examples highlight how teachers intuitively tend to make the most of their expertise, the limited resources available, and the local lingua-cultural repertoires in an attempt to help students make sense of English. From the perspective of language teaching as a socially sensitive practice, findings suggest that teachers' own experiential and situational knowledge constitutes a powerful platform from which valuable bottom-up practices are and can further be devised.
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This article reports the results of a study whose purpose was to trace the configuration of professional subjectivities by analyzing the narratives of four Colombian non-native English speaking teachers in the framework of language... more
This article reports the results of a study whose purpose was to trace the configuration of professional subjectivities by analyzing the narratives of four Colombian non-native English speaking teachers in the framework of language policies. In this qualitative-narrative study we used written narratives and narrative interviews as instruments to collect data from the participants who work in different universities and schools in Colombia. Their stories were analyzed using short story analysis, and the results allowed us to identify a core category: Recreating the self: An entangled, changeable and endless process which shows that the subjectivities are influenced by others, teachers go through processes of acceptance or rejection when configuring them, and knowledge and reflection play an important role.
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This paper examines the research self-efficacy beliefs, research motivation, and perceptions of research importance and research obstacles of 100 professors and lecturers of foreign languages at three Mexican universities. Survey results... more
This paper examines the research self-efficacy beliefs, research motivation, and perceptions of research importance and research obstacles of 100 professors and lecturers of foreign languages at three Mexican universities. Survey results show that faculty hold moderate to high research self-efficacy beliefs, are highly motivated to conduct research, think research in the area is very important, and perceive that lack of time is the main obstacle to conducting research. The lack of fit between most participants' relatively high self-efficacy and limited research engagement suggests the possibility that faculty overestimate their research abilities. The implications of these findings are also discussed.
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This study describes a teacher-researcher’s experience of scaffolding his business English learners in identifying, formulating, and exploring language learning puzzles using the principles of exploratory practice. Adopting both... more
This study describes a teacher-researcher’s experience of scaffolding his business English learners in identifying, formulating, and exploring language learning puzzles using the principles of exploratory practice. Adopting both qualitative and quantitative methods, the teacher-researcher reflected upon the learner-initiated and learner-centred inquiry as it played out in his UK university setting. Learners’ perspectives revealed an enthusiasm for puzzling, especially when connections were established with their wider world. However, tensions also emerged, including the opaqueness of the scaffolding role and the mind-set shift required from learner-researchers and the teacher-researcher alike. Practical recommendations for teacher-researchers in similar contexts are provided: the need to highlight connection-building between learner puzzles and learners’ wider lives and the importance of recognising distinctions between puzzles and problems.
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We have reviewed the characteristics of Profile to try and decide whether it is a mainstream or a peripheral journal. We have analysed the parameters under which it operates and we can say that these correspond to a high-quality journal,... more
We have reviewed the characteristics of Profile to try and decide whether it is a mainstream or a peripheral journal. We have analysed the parameters under which it operates and we can say that these correspond to a high-quality journal, a journal from the periphery that is putting forth its best effort to produce science that is validated by local and international communities.
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Recently, the applied linguistics field has examined the knowledge, skills, and principles needed for assessment, defined as language assessment literacy. Two major issues in language assessment literacy have been addressed but not fully... more
Recently, the applied linguistics field has examined the knowledge, skills, and principles needed for assessment, defined as language assessment literacy. Two major issues in language assessment literacy have been addressed but not fully resolved—what exactly language assessment literacy is and how it differs among stakeholders (e.g., students and teachers). This reflective article reviews assessment literacy from general education experts and language education scholars and shows how the meaning of language assessment literacy has expanded. To add to the discussion of this construct, the article focuses on the specific language assessment literacy for language teachers and proposes a core list of assessment knowledge, skills, and principles for these stakeholders.
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Teacher education programs have evolved mostly from the scholarly world's perspective, which can eventually impact the work that practitioners face on an everyday basis, particularly in regard to dealing with their students. This article... more
Teacher education programs have evolved mostly from the scholarly world's perspective, which can eventually impact the work that practitioners face on an everyday basis, particularly in regard to dealing with their students. This article of reflection addresses aspects related to a Brazilian teacher's personal practical knowledge and the role of practitioners' expertise in dealing with adolescent students (6 th to 9 th graders). It advocates that teachers' personal practical knowledge is likely to evolve into professional knowledge provided that it is analyzed, verified, and improved. Insights from second language teacher education, reflexive thoughts, and projects developed by the author illustrate what can be considered when developing strategies that are consistent with the envisioned teacher education programs.
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This review examines studies in the area of classroom management in foreign language education. It is organized into three large areas: The first area focuses on the distinctive characteristics of foreign language instruction that are... more
This review examines studies in the area of classroom management in foreign language education. It is organized into three large areas: The first area focuses on the distinctive characteristics of foreign language instruction that are more likely to impact classroom management in foreign language classes. The second area provides a description of classroom management issues that foreign language teachers usually encounter in their practice; and the third area centers on the different alternatives to reduce the negative impact of classroom management on foreign language classes. Conclusions suggest a need for more research particularly on the relationship between classroom management and aspects such as target language use and teaching methods.
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This study is an exploration of the life-changing decisions and changes which the participants underwent, and which led them to pursue an education in English language teaching (or languages). The foremost objective of this study was to... more
This study is an exploration of the life-changing decisions and changes which the participants underwent, and which led them to pursue an education in English language teaching (or languages). The foremost objective of this study was to highlight the critical incidents from the past, present, and teaching practice of transnational students in a ba in tesol program who are also English teachers in central Mexico. Through a narrative analysis, critical incidents in the lives of transnational student/teachers were identified. The findings of this research showed how the participants could explore their identity formation process through the critical incidents.
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This study seeks to examine how a supervisor scaffolds the student-teachers’ learning-to-teach process in the context of one-to-one tutoring sessions in an English as a foreign language teacher education programme in Argentina. The... more
This study seeks to examine how a supervisor scaffolds the student-teachers’ learning-to-teach process in the context of one-to-one tutoring sessions in an English as a foreign language teacher education programme in Argentina. The findings indicate that scaffolding implies two main phases: a diagnostic and an intervention phase. Moreover, the supervisor was found to provide contingent help, which suited the student-teachers’ perceived needs and/or difficulties. In conclusion, scaffolded help should be understood in relation to the function it serves and how it accommodates the students’ level of understanding.
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Master degree programs have rapidly increased in Colombia to the point where they are one of the most favored options for English teachers seeking to bolster their professional development. This survey study characterizes eighty... more
Master degree programs have rapidly increased in Colombia to the point where they are one of the most favored options for English teachers seeking to bolster their professional development. This survey study characterizes eighty participants, their five master programs, and their perceptions concerning the influence these graduate courses exerted on their teaching. While participants' pedagogical and research work seemed to have benefited the most from their studies, their practices involving language policy and administration were regarded as distant from what they learnt. Findings suggest that innovation, reflection, and collaboration permeated participants' overarching categories of development. Challenges to respondents' integration of their newly acquired education with their teaching included competing ideologies and agendas exhibited by stakeholders in school communities.
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This article presents partial results of research exploring links between language teacher identity and queer identity in English language teachers working in Colombia. Three gay male teachers participated in a narrative research project... more
This article presents partial results of research exploring links between language teacher identity and queer identity in English language teachers working in Colombia. Three gay male teachers participated in a narrative research project framed within a poststructural perspective on identity. I conducted and recorded semi-structured interviews with the participants and then carried out a thematic analysis of these interviews which led to the emergence of three main themes. Here, I present the most prevalent theme, that of being a gay language teacher in the Colombian context which reveals that the participants all live their queer identity alongside their language teacher identity with ease although they do recount instances of homophobia which have impacted their day-today lives and their careers.
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This paper describes a case study research project carried out in a public school in Bogotá, Colombia, with four unlicensed teachers of English as a foreign language. Although the institutional guidelines in the school suggest that... more
This paper describes a case study research project carried out in a public school in Bogotá, Colombia, with four unlicensed teachers of English as a foreign language. Although the institutional guidelines in the school suggest that teachers should collectively propose changes to shape pedagogical realities, there is evidence of little communication among them. This study emphasizes collaborative, reflective inquiry as a means to educative transformation. Findings suggest that collaborative inquiry prompts the language teachers to conjointly design teaching strategies and materials that articulate with students' contexts. Furthermore, along the way, the teachers were empowered to propose curricular changes to adjust contents and goals of the area with the students' contextual reality.' professional development, unlicensed teachers of English as a foreign language.
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This paper investigates the conceptions of research held by English as a foreign language teachers in Argentina. Quantitative data from 622 participants from an online questionnaire were followed by qualitative data from online interviews... more
This paper investigates the conceptions of research held by English as a foreign language teachers in Argentina. Quantitative data from 622 participants from an online questionnaire were followed by qualitative data from online interviews with 40 of those participants. Results show that the teachers conceptualised research through conventional notions closer to a quantitative paradigm. They felt research was not part of their job, and a lack of time was the main reason for not engaging in/with research. Teacher development, agency, empowerment, and autonomy could be sought by engaging teachers with forms of research which are meaningful to them, such as action research.
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This research paper reports on the development of oral presentation skills in a 3D virtual world called Moviestorm machinima, in contrast with real-life videos. In this way, the implementation of both types of videos sought to promote the... more
This research paper reports on the development of oral presentation skills in a 3D virtual world called Moviestorm machinima, in contrast with real-life videos. In this way, the implementation of both types of videos sought to promote the improvement of oral communication skills, specifically oral presentations in a foreign language, as well as promoting collaborative work. The study involved 60 students from different semesters of a private Colombian university from the schools of electronic engineering, computer science, and law, focusing on English for specific purposes. The results showed how students from different faculties worked collaboratively to achieve one goal: improve their oral presentation skills.
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Studies of second language learning have revealed a connection between first language transfer and errors in second language production. This paper describes an action research study carried out among Chilean university students studying... more
Studies of second language learning have revealed a connection between first language transfer and errors in second language production. This paper describes an action research study carried out among Chilean university students studying English as part of their degree programmes. The study focuses on common lexical errors made by Chilean Spanish-speakers due to negative first language transfer and aims to analyse the effects of systematic instruction and practice of this problematic lexis. It is suggested that raising awareness of lexical transfer through focused attention on common transfer errors is valued by students and seems essential for learners to achieve productive mastery.
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One of the current challenges facing many universities is how to support teachers in becoming researchers. This article discusses the experiences at a small private Chilean university of a new action research programme that was developed... more
One of the current challenges facing many universities is how to support teachers in becoming researchers. This article discusses the experiences at a small private Chilean university of a new action research programme that was developed as a vehicle for helping teachers to become involved in research and write a research publication for peer-reviewed journals. We present findings from research into similar programmes about relevant factors for their success, describe the programme developed at the university with five English as a Foreign Language teachers in 2016, and discuss some reflections on this first year of the programme.
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The Editors briefly discuss the implications of the latest model for the ranking of scientific journals issued by the Colombian research agency, Colciencias.
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This study aims to carry out a content analysis of the studies on language learning of gifted individuals and determine the trends in this field. Articles on language learning of gifted individuals published in the Scopus database were... more
This study aims to carry out a content analysis of the studies on language learning of gifted individuals and determine the trends in this field. Articles on language learning of gifted individuals published in the Scopus database were examined based on certain criteria including type of publication, year of publication, language, research discipline, countries of research, institutions of authors, key words, and resources. Data were analyzed with the content analysis method. Results showed that the number of studies on language learning of gifted individuals has increased throughout the years. Recommendations for further research and practices are provided.
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The purpose of this study is to determine the recent trends in foreign language learning through mobile learning. The study was conducted employing document analysis and related content analysis among the qualitative research methodology.... more
The purpose of this study is to determine the recent trends in foreign language learning through mobile learning. The study was conducted employing document analysis and related content analysis among the qualitative research methodology. Through the search conducted on Scopus database with the key words “mobile learning and foreign language learning”, the study is based on the analysis of the documents published between the years 2005 and 2017; their distribution took place by years, subject areas, document types, country/regions, and the affiliated universities of the authors. The varied findings revealed that the analysis of the studies published on Scopus database was important in terms of content for the significance of foreign language learning through mobile learning.
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This study took place at a medical college with 57 Arabic first-year students taking an intensive English course. The aim was to address the problems that learners experience when using the English tenses properly. The didactic model was... more
This study took place at a medical college with 57 Arabic first-year students taking an intensive English course. The aim was to address the problems that learners experience when using the English tenses properly. The didactic model was developed and implemented in the study group only (27 students). Pre, mid-, and post-tests were administered to study and control groups at three points in time. The model is a selection of aspects from different methods combined aiming to lead participants to a higher level of linguistic competence in terms of language awareness, reading and writing skills, and vocubulary building. The results indicated statistically significant differences in the post-test between the two groups over time regarding the level of linguistic competence.
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The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of English language teachers teaching at a preparatory school in relation to their knowing and applying contemporary language teaching techniques in their lessons. An investigation was... more
The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of English language teachers teaching at a preparatory school in relation to their knowing and applying contemporary language teaching techniques in their lessons. An investigation was conducted of 21 English language teachers at a preparatory school in North Cyprus. The spss statistical package was used for the data analysis. Frequency and percentages were used to analyse the English language teachers' knowledge, desire to learn, application of the innovative language techniques in their classrooms, experience of problems as well as teachers' frequency of technique usage and where they learned these techniques. This study shows that the most known contemporary technique is communicative and less known contemporary language teaching techniques are blended/hybrid.
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This study aims to examine students' perception on using the Moodle system in secondary school in English as a foreign language lessons. A mixed method approach was used in this study with qualitative and quantitative research models. The... more
This study aims to examine students' perception on using the Moodle system in secondary school in English as a foreign language lessons. A mixed method approach was used in this study with qualitative and quantitative research models. The study group consisted of 333 students and 12 English language teachers. The quantitative data were collected by a survey and qualitative data were collected by five open-ended questions. The results showed that students in general perceive themselves as sufficient in terms of the Moodle system and teachers thought that the system was contemporary and beneficial in the long run but at the time of the study it was not functioning well.
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The requirement of holding a diploma which certifies proficiency level in a foreign language is constantly increasing in academic and working environments. Computer-based testing has become a prevailing tendency for these and other... more
The requirement of holding a diploma which certifies proficiency level in a foreign language is constantly increasing in academic and working environments. Computer-based testing has become a prevailing tendency for these and other educational purposes. Each year large numbers of students take online language tests everywhere in the world. In fact, there is a tendency to use these tests more and more. However, many students might not feel comfortable when taking this type of exams. This paper describes a study regarding the fairly new aptis Test (British Council). Thirty-one students took the test and responded to a structured online questionnaire on their feelings while taking it. Results indicate that the test brings a considerable amount of anxiety along with it.
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This study examines test-takers' views on a computer-delivered speaking test in order to investigate the aspects they consider most relevant in technology-based oral assessment, and to explore the main advantages and disadvantages... more
This study examines test-takers' views on a computer-delivered speaking test in order to investigate the aspects they consider most relevant in technology-based oral assessment, and to explore the main advantages and disadvantages computer-based tests may offer as compared to face-to-face speaking tests. A small-scale open questionnaire was administered to 80 test-takers who took the aptis speaking test at the Universidad de Alcalá in April 2016. Results reveal that examinees believe computer-based tests provide a valid measure of oral competence in English and are considered to be an adequate method for the assessment of speaking. Interestingly, the data suggest that personal characteristics of test-takers seem to play a key role in deciding upon the most suitable and reliable delivery mode.
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The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the Pecha Kucha presentation format on English as foreign language learners’ public speaking anxiety. The participants were 49 students in the English Translation and... more
The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the Pecha Kucha presentation format on English as foreign language learners’ public speaking anxiety. The participants were 49 students in the English Translation and Interpretation Department of a state university in Turkey. A pre- and post-test experimental research design was used in this study. Students were given a questionnaire as the pre-test prior to the preparation of their presentations and as the post-test immediately following the presentation in the classroom. According to the paired samples statistics, students’ English public speaking anxiety was reduced significantly as a result of their experience using the Pecha Kucha presentation format. It was concluded that this presentation format can be incorporated into the English as a Foreign Language classroom.
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This article presents the foundations to design a curriculum that integrates music and drama as strategies for the teaching of English as a foreign language. Besides promoting interdisciplinarity, this curriculum seeks to improve the... more
This article presents the foundations to design a curriculum that integrates music and drama as strategies for the teaching of English as a foreign language. Besides promoting interdisciplinarity, this curriculum seeks to improve the language level of those children attending continuing educational programs at any higher education institution. The interdisciplinary curriculum not only innovates the offer of English courses for children—music and drama—but also promotes meaningful learning and creates a positive attitude in children so that a high degree of interest in learning a foreign language exists. The article, besides explaining the basis for curriculum design, highlights the advantages of integrating music and drama as a medium for the teaching of a foreign language.
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This paper describes an approach to developing intermediate level reading proficiency through a strategic and iterative use of a discreet set of tasks that combine some of the more common metacognitive theories and strategies that have... more
This paper describes an approach to developing intermediate level reading proficiency through a strategic and iterative use of a discreet set of tasks that combine some of the more common metacognitive theories and strategies that have been published in the past thirty years. The case for incorporating this composite approach into reading comprehension classes begins with an explanation of its benefits and the context in which it came to be; its relationship to theoretical discourse in the field; a description of its three main components: textual indicators, strategy instruction, and content learning; and concludes by presenting a model for implementing the approach that integrates these three components. Key words: English as a foreign language, metacognition, reading comprehension, reading strategies.
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This study aims at identifying pre-service teachers’ beliefs about teaching English as a foreign language and tracking their potential changes throughout the teaching practicum. Participants were two pre-service teachers in their fifth... more
This study aims at identifying pre-service teachers’ beliefs about teaching English as a foreign language and tracking their potential changes throughout the teaching practicum. Participants were two pre-service teachers in their fifth year of their Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages program in a public university in Colombia. Data were gathered through a modified version of Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory before the practicum, eight weekly journal entries administered during ten weeks, and two semi-structured interviews at the end of the teaching practicum. The findings revealed that most of the pre-service teachers’ beliefs changed once they faced the reality of the classroom.
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The study aims to understand what factors may motivate and demotivate students with low emotional intelligence to participate in speaking activities during English class. Participants wrote an emotions journal to identify factors... more
The study aims to understand what factors may motivate and demotivate students with low emotional intelligence to participate in speaking activities during English class. Participants wrote an emotions journal to identify factors affecting student participation and were then interviewed at the end of the study period in order to elaborate on their experiences. Results showed that male participants experienced a wide range of negative emotions while females experienced a reduced number. However, in comparison, women experienced negative emotions frequently while men experienced them occasionally. Results also showed that males and females differed in the way that they perceived and faced situations, and in how they regulated the emotions generated by these situations.
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This study investigates the impact of implementing collaborative learning from a social and dialogical perspective on seventh graders' interaction in an English as a foreign language classroom at a public school in Bogotá, Colombia.... more
This study investigates the impact of implementing collaborative learning from a social and dialogical perspective on seventh graders' interaction in an English as a foreign language classroom at a public school in Bogotá, Colombia. Thirty students participated in this action research where field notes, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and artifacts of students' work were used to collect data during a complete academic year. Results show that taking a critical approach to language education and understanding collaborative learning as a social construction of knowledge can ignite opportunities for changing traditional teaching and learning practices where both the teacher and students take different roles, thus balancing classroom relations and interaction among participants and also promoting students' empowerment., dialogical approach, English as a foreign language, public schools.
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Drawing on the concept of policy appropriation, this study investigates how different education stakeholders in a rural region of Colombia perceive foreign language education policies, and how these perceptions shape the way they recreate... more
Drawing on the concept of policy appropriation, this study investigates how different education stakeholders in a rural region of Colombia perceive foreign language education policies, and how these perceptions shape the way they recreate these reforms at the ground level. Contributing to the field of language policy analysis in Colombia and abroad, findings in this study not only provide knowledge on foreign language policymaking processes in rural areas in Colombia, but also shed light on the active role played by different stakeholders in the continuous recreation and appropriation of language education reforms.
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This paper reports an action-research study on language learning strategies in tertiary education at a Colombian university. The study aimed at improving the English language performance and language learning strategies use of 33... more
This paper reports an action-research study on language learning strategies in tertiary education at a Colombian university. The study aimed at improving the English language performance and language learning strategies use of 33 first-year pre-service language teachers by combining elements from two models: the cognitive academic language learning approach and task-based language teaching. Data were gathered through surveys, a focus group, students' and teachers' journals, language tests, and documentary analysis. Results evidenced that the students improved in speaking, writing, grammar, vocabulary and in their language learning strategies repertoire. As a conclusion, explicit strategy instruction in the proposed model resulted in a proper combination to improve learners' language learning strategies and performance.
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This paper reports on a study about the rhetoric, metacognitive, and cognitive strategies pre-service teachers use before and after a process-based writing intervention when completing an argumentative essay. The data were collected... more
This paper reports on a study about the rhetoric, metacognitive, and cognitive strategies pre-service teachers use before and after a process-based writing intervention when completing an argumentative essay. The data were collected through two think-aloud protocols while 21 Chilean English as a foreign language pre-service teachers completed an essay task. The findings show that strategies such as summarizing, reaffirming, and selecting ideas were only evidenced during the post intervention essay, without the use of communication and socio-affective strategies in either of the two essays. All in all, a process-based writing intervention does not only influence the number of times a strategy is used, but also the number of students who employs strategies when writing an essay—two key considerations for the devising of any writing program.
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In a Colombian private English institution, a qualitative evaluation system has been incorporated. This type of evaluation poses challenges to students who have never been evaluated through a system that eliminates exams or quizzes and,... more
In a Colombian private English institution, a qualitative evaluation system has been incorporated. This type of evaluation poses challenges to students who have never been evaluated through a system that eliminates exams or quizzes and, as a consequence, these students have to start making sense of it. This study explores the way students face the new qualitative evaluation system and their views on alternative assessment as a way to help them make headway with their English learning process.
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This research study examined how a group of ninth graders enhanced the speaking skill in an English as a foreign language classroom through project-based learning. Data about the experience were collected through field notes, transcripts... more
This research study examined how a group of ninth graders enhanced the speaking skill in an English as a foreign language classroom through project-based learning. Data about the experience were collected through field notes, transcripts of learners' oral performance, and one interview. Grounded theory was implemented for data analysis, out of which three main findings emerged: (1) project-based learning encouraged students to increase oral production through lexical competence development, (2) helped them to overcome fears of speaking in l2, and (3), increased their interest in learning about their school life and community., English as a foreign language learning, project-based learning, speaking skill.
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This is a study on high school English as a foreign language Colombian teacher identity. Using an interpretive research approach, I explored the influence of the National Bilingual Programme on the reconstruction of teacher identity. This... more
This is a study on high school English as a foreign language Colombian teacher identity. Using an interpretive research approach, I explored the influence of the National Bilingual Programme on the reconstruction of teacher identity. This study focuses on how teachers feel about language requirements associated with a language policy. Three instruments were used to collect the data for this research: a survey to find out teachers' familiarity with the policy and explore their views on the language policy and language requirements and other aspects of their identity; autobiographical accounts to establish teachers' trajectories as language learners and as professional English teachers; and semi-structured interviews to delve into their feelings and views on their language policy and requirements for English teachers. Key words: English as a foreign language, language policy, language requirements, teacher identity, teacher emotions.
Research Interests:
I examine whether teaching formulaic language raises English as a foreign language learners’ awareness of pragmatic resources when expressing requests. To carry out this research I adopt a qualitative self-reflective approach which... more
I examine whether teaching formulaic language raises English as a foreign language learners’ awareness of pragmatic resources when expressing requests. To carry out this research I adopt a qualitative self-reflective approach which encourages students to use formulaic language when making requests. By responding to discourse completion tasks, learners were given the opportunity to reflect on whether the use of formulaic language enhances their ability to come across in acceptable and appropriate ways. Results indicate that by developing learners’ knowledge and via the use of pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic resources, students at all levels have a much greater chance of achieving their communicative objectives and of becoming more pragmatically competent in the target language when making requests.
Research Interests:
We offer a more nuanced characterization of teachers' narrative inquiry as professional development (Johnson & Golombek, 2002) by grounding our definition of and empirical research on teachers' narrative inquiry from a Vygotskian... more
We offer a more nuanced characterization of teachers' narrative inquiry as professional development (Johnson & Golombek, 2002) by grounding our definition of and empirical research on teachers' narrative inquiry from a Vygotskian sociocultural theoretical perspective. Our goal is to reaffirm our belief in the educational value of teachers' narrative inquiry as " systematic exploration that is conducted by teachers and for teachers through their own stories and language " (p. 6), while empirically documenting the crucial role of teacher educators in creating mediational spaces, dialogic interactions, and pedagogical tools for teachers' narrative inquiry to flourish as professional development. It is also our goal to re-conceptualize teachers' narrative inquiry as unbounded by time and place, and as a more fluid and emerging process.
Research Interests:
We have gathered thirteen articles in this edition; two of them come from Mexico, one from Chile, one from the United States, and nine of them are authored by Colombian scholars. . . . The articles present in our current issue depict the... more
We have gathered thirteen articles in this edition; two of them come from Mexico, one from Chile, one from the United States, and nine of them are authored by Colombian scholars. . . . The articles present in our current issue depict the voices of academicians from Colombia, Mexico, Chile, and the United States. They reflect and act upon their realities and findings in specific contexts. Their very presence in our publication is a demonstration that we, as language teacher-researchers, have our own vision that merits the acknowledgment as active actors in the creation of local understanding that can be shared with and compared to the material and ideological experience of the West.
Research Interests:
This study aimed at exploring the processes of teacher socialization and identity formation of nine English as a foreign language teachers at public schools in central Mexico. These teachers began their careers in the National English... more
This study aimed at exploring the processes of teacher socialization and identity formation of nine English as a foreign language teachers at public schools in central Mexico. These teachers began their careers in the National English Program in Basic Education. Qualitative research and narrative inquiry were used as a basis for this research. The data revealed that the teachers' socialization was somewhat informal in that little was required from them to gain entrance into the program. Once teaching, the participants dealt with challenges in their teaching contexts and the program. From these challenges, the teachers were able to make decisions concerning their future as teachers, forming and imagining their identity.
Research Interests:
This work focuses on technological and educational outcomes that resulted from the production of foreign language educational videos by 90 pre-service instructors enrolled in an official Master's Degree in Secondary Education programme.... more
This work focuses on technological and educational outcomes that resulted from the production of foreign language educational videos by 90 pre-service instructors enrolled in an official Master's Degree in Secondary Education programme. This teaching practice, conducted during two consecutive years, was set in a ubiquitous learning environment with the intention of effectively linking digital technology with pedagogy by means of producing flipped classroom units. The findings reveal that these pre-service teachers successfully combined instructional dynamics with digital skills to produce flipped classes adapted to the young generation's needs. The classroom becomes, therefore, a more participatory learner-centred scenario with a variety of interactive and collaborative activities performed by foreign language students.
Research Interests:
The reconfiguration of geographical and cultural boundaries has caused a growing concern among countries in regard to raising awareness of the importance of educating people to become " citizens of the world. " The language classroom... more
The reconfiguration of geographical and cultural boundaries has caused a growing concern among countries in regard to raising awareness of the importance of educating people to become " citizens of the world. " The language classroom seems to be the ideal place to incorporate the teaching and learning of global citizenship education, given its cross-cultural nature. This article intends to analyze the potential opportunities for the development of global citizenship education in the English as a foreign language classroom through a documentary analysis of the national standards and its connection to the national citizenship competences standards and the unesco global citizenship education topics and learning objectives. Finally, important recommendations are given to foster global citizenship in the English language classroom.
Research Interests:
Eighteen Colombian English teachers participated in a course with an emphasis on gender and foreign language teaching in a Master’s program in Bogotá. This text describes the design, implementation, and the learning in this educational... more
Eighteen Colombian English teachers participated in a course with an emphasis on gender and foreign language teaching in a Master’s program in Bogotá. This text describes the design, implementation, and the learning in this educational experience. The analysis of the course was based on a view of learning as a process of participation rooted in the praxis of English teachers’ classrooms. This experience reveals that gender is a relevant category in the frame of English language teacher education as it provides teachers with tools from a broader social and educational perspective. This reflection also leads to implications for teachers’ practices with a gender perspective.
Research Interests:
This article reports on a study aimed at exploring inclusive policies in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Colombia, as evidenced in the articles published in the PROFILE Journal by Colombian authors. The use of the... more
This article reports on a study aimed at exploring inclusive policies in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Colombia, as evidenced in the articles published in the PROFILE Journal by Colombian authors. The use of the documentary research method and critical discourse analysis showed that some policies—mainly The National Program of Bilingualism and the Basic Standards for Competences in English as a Foreign Language—contain issues closely related to the logic of discriminatory and segregation attitudes in English language teaching. We hope that the results of our analysis will generate more interest in scholars to examine language policies and work further to eradicate inequalities in education.
Research Interests:
We present findings of a project that investigated the potential of an online tandem program to enhance the foreign language learning of two groups of school-aged beginner learners, one learning English in Colombia and the other learning... more
We present findings of a project that investigated the potential of an online tandem program to enhance the foreign language learning of two groups of school-aged beginner learners, one learning English in Colombia and the other learning Spanish in New Zealand. We assessed the impact of the project on students' learning with a free writing activity done as pretest and posttest and used a semi-structured interview to explore their attitudes towards language learning and their perceived development of their native language. Data analysis indicated statistically significant gains in foreign language writing and positive attitudinal changes toward foreign and native language learning.
Research Interests:
This article reports on a study carried out in a foreign language school at a Colombian public university. Its main purpose was to analyze the extent to which the use of authentic materials and tasks contributes to the enhancement of the... more
This article reports on a study carried out in a foreign language school at a Colombian public university. Its main purpose was to analyze the extent to which the use of authentic materials and tasks contributes to the enhancement of the communicative competence on an a2 level English course. A mixed study composed of a quasi-experimental and a descriptive-qualitative research design was implemented by means of a pre-test, a post-test, observations, semi-structured interviews, surveys, and diaries. The findings showed that the use of authentic materials and tasks, within the framework of a pedagogical project, had an impact on students' communicative competence progress and on the teaching practices of the experimental group teacher.
Research Interests:
Over the last decade, the community of inquiry framework has proved successful for online learning experiences in diverse disciplines, although studies in the teaching of English as a foreign language arena are still scarce. In this vein,... more
Over the last decade, the community of inquiry framework has proved successful for online learning experiences in diverse disciplines, although studies in the teaching of English as a foreign language arena are still scarce. In this vein, this article reports a preliminary study about the development of the oral skill in a Basic English online course, uncovering the relationship between the community of inquiry framework (with its three forms of presence: teaching, cognitive, and social) and some indicators of the oral skill. Findings, based on learners' perceptions, confirmed the existence of such framework and suggest that the teaching presence fosters grammar, accuracy, and vocabulary. Discussion of findings, limitations of the study and future possible research actions conclude this report.
Research Interests:
Teachers play a crucial role in helping individuals gain adequate Internet competency, which requires teachers themselves to be Internet-literate. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Internet use of the distance and on-campus... more
Teachers play a crucial role in helping individuals gain adequate Internet competency, which requires teachers themselves to be Internet-literate. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Internet use of the distance and on-campus pre-service teachers of language and other disciplines by multiple parameters. A total of 789 teacher candidates participated in this survey. The findings show that the candidate teachers in on-campus and distance-learning programs have an average level of Internet usage adequacy and that the younger candidate teachers and those in higher classes use the Internet more frequently. Pre-service foreign language teachers have been found to have a moderate level of Internet usage frequency, adequacy and technology ownership in comparison with the other preservice teacher groups.
Research Interests:
This study aimed at exploring the processes of teacher socialization and identity formation of nine English as a foreign language teachers at public schools in central Mexico. These teachers began their careers in the National English... more
This study aimed at exploring the processes of teacher socialization and identity formation of nine English as a foreign language teachers at public schools in central Mexico. These teachers began their careers in the National English Program in Basic Education. Qualitative research and narrative inquiry were used as a basis for this research. The data revealed that the teachers' socialization was somewhat informal in that little was required from them to gain entrance into the program. Once teaching, the participants dealt with challenges in their teaching contexts and the program. From these challenges, the teachers were able to make decisions concerning their future as teachers, forming and imagining their identity.
Research Interests:
The Chilean education system requires English language teachers to be equipped with non-conventional teaching strategies that can foster meaningful learning and assure successful learners' performances in diverse and complex settings.... more
The Chilean education system requires English language teachers to be equipped with non-conventional teaching strategies that can foster meaningful learning and assure successful learners' performances in diverse and complex settings. This exploratory, descriptive, research study aimed at discovering the perceptions of 54 pre-service teachers about the impact of a problem-based learning activity in the development of key competencies, including higher order thinking skills and reflective, research, knowledge transfer/integration, social, and self-management skills. Groups of participants chose a made-up, ill-structured problem which combined language teaching and socio-cultural issues, and devised holistic solutions. Findings suggest a comprehensive impact on the first four skills, but a limited impact on social and self-management skills.
Research Interests:
Due to the insufficiency of current in-service training courses which are far from the collaboration and the reflection of teachers, the current study scrutinizes the incongruities between teacher identities and in-service training... more
Due to the insufficiency of current in-service training courses which are far from the collaboration and the reflection of teachers, the current study scrutinizes the incongruities between teacher identities and in-service training programs offered by the Ministry of National Education in Turkey based upon the use of the activity theory. In this narrative study, two English as a foreign language teachers reflected on their environment, behaviors, beliefs, competencies, and missions under the heading of teacher identity concept. The results suggest that teachers need a supportive community of practice and a well-tailored mentoring system to be able to reflect on themselves and the context in which they are teaching.
Research Interests:
To start, the exercise of writing is a difficult task. Nothing more challenging than the whiteness of an empty page. Whether the writing outcome is a personal product or a piece to be socialized in the academic world, the writing task... more
To start, the exercise of writing is a difficult task. Nothing more challenging than the whiteness of an empty page. Whether the writing outcome is a personal product or a piece to be socialized in the academic world, the writing task demands a lot from the ones that succumb by pleasure or obligation to the writing assignment. Apart from the skill of writing, authors of articles published in academic journals are obliged to stick to the specific publication's parameters. Strict datelines, number of words and specific sections to be included will shape the writer's production. The resulting texts in most of the circumstances will fit the publications' guidelines but may, in turn, restrict the writer's flow and line of thought. Authors may be restricted by limitations but if they want to publish they should stick to the parameters of the target publication. In other words, stick and publish or ignore and be ignored.
Research Interests:
This article, based on an action research study performed at a Colombian middle-sized private university, proposes specific strategies to provide feedback to English as a foreign language learners and uses a Web 2.0 tool called... more
This article, based on an action research study performed at a Colombian middle-sized private university, proposes specific strategies to provide feedback to English as a foreign language learners and uses a Web 2.0 tool called screencasting. The findings of the study suggest that the use of coded, written, and oral feedback is widely accepted by students and yields positive results in the improvement of their writing
skills at the paragraph level, and that the use of screencasting is a promising strategy that is motivational to students and increases the quality of their uptake.
skills at the paragraph level, and that the use of screencasting is a promising strategy that is motivational to students and increases the quality of their uptake.
Research Interests:
A grain of sand does not represent much in isolation. Placed with many others, it becomes a beach. This metaphor exemplifies what happens with our contributions to the world of research. The research carried out by many of us occurs in... more
A grain of sand does not represent much in isolation. Placed with many others, it becomes a beach. This metaphor exemplifies what happens with our contributions to the world of research. The research carried out by many of us occurs in specific contexts, takes small samples and its generalizations are applicable to reduced populations. We expect that our results may contribute to the solution of a local situation or problem. Placed together in the long run, the small and the big contributions may cause a great impact in the field of study or work in which we develop our professional life.
Research Interests:
Cooperative learning allows students acquisition of competences that are essential for the labour market such as leadership, critical thinking, communication, and so on. For this reason, different cooperative activities were designed in a... more
Cooperative learning allows students acquisition of competences that are essential for the labour market such as leadership, critical thinking, communication, and so on. For this reason, different cooperative activities were designed in a language subject in English Studies so that students could work in groups and acquire those competences. This article describes some such activities and the emotional competences that students acquire with them. Moreover, a survey was conducted in order to establish students’ opinions about the main competences they acquired with the activities designed and their opinion about a cooperative methodology. Students’ answers were positive and they were aware of what they had learned.
Research Interests:
The main objective of this study was to identify 6th to 11th grade students’ beliefs about their English class in a public institution in Armenia, Colombia. By means of interviews, drawings, and focus groups with 30 students, four beliefs... more
The main objective of this study was to identify 6th to 11th grade students’ beliefs about their English class in a public institution in Armenia, Colombia. By means of interviews, drawings, and focus groups with 30 students, four beliefs were established. It was found that students’ beliefs are attached to the experiences they have lived in their English class; the discipline, the monotony, the lack of interesting material, and the impact of foreign language learning are the main related aspects. Implications and recommendations for further research are proposed based on the necessity of giving students a voice in the development of current national policies of language learning and also in the debate about the effectiveness of these policies and their impact inside schools.
Research Interests:
Learning a foreign language may be a challenge for most people due to differences in the form and structure between one’s mother tongue and a new one. However, there are some tools that facilitate the teaching and learning of a foreign... more
Learning a foreign language may be a challenge for most people due to differences in the form and structure between one’s mother tongue and a new one. However, there are some tools that facilitate the teaching and learning of a foreign language, for instance, new applications for digital devices, video blogs, educational platforms, and teaching materials. Therefore, this case study aims at understanding the role of teaching materials among beginners’ level students learning English as a foreign language. After conducting five non-participant classroom observations and nine semi-structured interviews, we found that the way the teacher implemented a pedagogical intervention by integrating the four language skills, promoting interactive learning through the use of online resources, and using the course book led to a global English teaching and learning process.
Research Interests:
This paper presents an exploratory action research study carried out by two English as a foreign language teachers in a private, non-profit institution in Bogota, Colombia, with a group of 12 learners in a B1 English course. These... more
This paper presents an exploratory action research study carried out by two English as a foreign language teachers in a private, non-profit institution in Bogota, Colombia, with a group of 12 learners in a B1 English course. These students faced difficulties elaborating on their ideas when discussing issues in class. The study placed emphasis on the use of argumentation outlines and peer assessment to boost learners’ argumentative abilities. Audio-taped conversations and open-ended interviews were used to understand the impact on the pedagogical intervention. Findings revealed that argumentation outlines and peer assessment can promote learners’ awareness and ability to engage in argumentation processes. Moreover, peer assessment appears to be an essential tool for enhancing personal and collaborative learning, as well as for promoting learner reflection and agency.
Research Interests:
This article reports the results of an action-research project focused on improving students’ communicative competence in English through the task-based learning approach. This study was conducted in a co-educational public school in... more
This article reports the results of an action-research project focused on improving students’ communicative competence in English through the task-based learning approach. This study was conducted in a co-educational public school in Medellín (Colombia) with thirty-four tenth graders. Actions implemented include the development of a series of tasks and the definition of four thematic units consistent with the syllabus and students’ interests and needs. The results evidence students’ significant improvements in their communicative competence in English. Findings also show that implementation of the task-based approach was affected by factors related to the teachers’ role and others related to students’ performance.
Research Interests:
This article, based on an action research study performed at a Colombian middle-sized private university, proposes specific strategies to provide feedback to English as a foreign language learners and uses a Web 2.0 tool called... more
This article, based on an action research study performed at a Colombian middle-sized private university, proposes specific strategies to provide feedback to English as a foreign language learners and uses a Web 2.0 tool called screencasting. The findings of the study suggest that the use of coded, written, and oral feedback is widely accepted by students and yields positive results in the improvement of their writing skills at the paragraph level, and that the use of screencasting is a promising strategy that is motivational to students and increases the quality of their uptake.
Research Interests:
Frustrations with traditional testing led a group of teachers at the English for adults program at Universidad EAFIT (Colombia) to design tests aligned with the institutional teaching philosophy and classroom practices. This article... more
Frustrations with traditional testing led a group of teachers at the English for adults program at Universidad EAFIT (Colombia) to design tests aligned with the institutional teaching philosophy and classroom practices. This article reports on a study of an item-by-item evaluation of a series of English exams for validity and reliability in an effort to guarantee the quality of the process of test design. The study included descriptive statistics, item analysis, correlational analyses, reliability estimates, and validity analyses. The results show that the new tests are an excellent addition to the program and an improvement over traditional tests. Implications are discussed and recommendations given for the development of any institutional testing program.
Research Interests: Reliability and Validity
This article reports a research developed at Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia with a group of pre-service teachers that was immersed in an English teaching practicum. The main purpose of this inquiry was to find out the... more
This article reports a research developed at Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia with a group of pre-service teachers that was immersed in an English teaching practicum. The main purpose of this inquiry was to find out the role that practicum exerted on novice teachers’ attitudes towards teaching. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, verbal reports, and artifacts. The results evidenced the English practicum provided the teachers being trained opportunities to consider what teaching entails. Thus, the participants were able to reflect, develop awareness, positive attitudes, and satisfaction towards their teaching practice.
Research Interests:
This study reports on the first stage of a larger joint research project undertaken by five universities in Mexico to explore university teachers’ thinking about out-of-class teamwork. Data from interviews were analyzed using open and... more
This study reports on the first stage of a larger joint research project undertaken by five universities in Mexico to explore university teachers’ thinking about out-of-class teamwork. Data from interviews were analyzed using open and axial coding. Although results suggest a positive perception towards teamwork, the study unveiled important negative opinions. These opinions suggest the lack of success in promoting deep learning and in developing students’ socio-cognitive abilities. Findings were used to develop a survey to be applied to more teachers to gain a broader perspective and to corroborate results.
Research Interests:
This article reports the findings of a qualitative research study conducted with six first semester students of an English as a foreign language program in a public university in Colombia. The aim of the study was to implement task-based... more
This article reports the findings of a qualitative research study conducted with six first semester students of an English as a foreign language program in a public university in Colombia. The aim of the study was to implement task-based language teaching as a way to integrate language skills and help learners to improve their communicative competence in English. The results suggest that the implementation of task-based language teaching facilitated the integration of the four skills in the English as a foreign language context. Furthermore, tasks were meaningful and integrated different reading, writing, listening, and speaking exercises that enhanced students’ communicative competences and interaction. It can be concluded that task-based language teaching is a good approach to be used in the promotion of skills integration and language competences.
Research Interests:
This article presents the results of an inter-institutional research study that assessed the impact of strategies instruction on students’ preparation for and performance in oral exams. Two teacher-researchers at different universities... more
This article presents the results of an inter-institutional research study that assessed the impact of strategies instruction on students’ preparation for and performance in oral exams. Two teacher-researchers at different universities trained 26 students in their respective B1-English-level courses in using language learning strategies. The study included pre- and post-intervention tests and on-line questionnaires after each oral exam. After comparing the test scores and analyzing the questionnaire responses, we arrived at two main conclusions: First, that strategies instruction, especially in combination with evaluation rubrics, promotes students’ autonomy and enhances their oral test performance. Second, that students’ use of language learning strategies is influenced by instructional variations tied to the relative importance that teachers ascribe to specific aspects of oral communication.
Research Interests:
A grain of sand does not represent much in isolation. Placed with many others, it becomes a beach. This metaphor exemplifies what happens with our contributions to the world of research. The research carried out by many of us occurs in... more
A grain of sand does not represent much in isolation. Placed with many others, it becomes a beach. This metaphor exemplifies what happens with our contributions to the world of research. The research carried out by many of us occurs in specific contexts, takes small samples and its generalizations are applicable to reduced populations. We expect that our results may contribute to the solution of a local situation or problem. Placed together in the long run, the small and the big contributions may cause a great impact in the field of study or work in which we develop our professional life.
Research Interests:
This article reports a mixed-method research project aimed at improving the practices of public sector English teachers in Cali (Colombia) through a professional development program. At the diagnostic stage surveys, documentary analysis,... more
This article reports a mixed-method research project aimed at improving the practices of public sector English teachers in Cali (Colombia) through a professional development program. At the diagnostic stage surveys, documentary analysis, and a focus group yielded the teachers' profile and professional needs. The action phase measured the program's impact via surveys, evaluation formats, a focus group, researchers' journal, and documentary analysis. Findings revealed that an eclectic approach tailored to the participants' needs and interests and a practice-reflection-theory cycle improved the teachers' quality.
Research Interests:
This paper reports the experience of implementing a teacher's professional development strategy that sought to foster e-moderator competencies among language faculty at a Colombian public university. The study aimed at finding the extent... more
This paper reports the experience of implementing a teacher's professional development strategy that sought to foster e-moderator competencies among language faculty at a Colombian public university. The study aimed at finding the extent to which participants understood the concepts of e-moderation and e-tivities. We analyzed the participants' performance in three different tasks to give account of the incorporation of the concepts. The results from the analysis of the tasks showed that participants understand online processes, they have some technical skills and they have many personal characteristics that will help them become e-moderators.
Research Interests:
This paper explores the different factors that appear to affect the on-going construction of second language authorial identity in a professional academic environment in Mexico. Through narrative research methodology from a qualitative... more
This paper explores the different factors that appear to affect the on-going construction of second language authorial identity in a professional academic environment in Mexico. Through narrative research methodology from a qualitative paradigm, the everyday struggles of two university professors to maintain their professional status in second language writing are explored. The areas of study for these two are chemistry and penal law. With data the learning processes of entering into a community of second language writers are studied as well as the problems they faced and how they resolved them. Finally, the process of negotiating an authorial identity in a second language seems to be a constant underlying struggle composed of a variety of psychological factors.
Research Interests:
This article presents the results of an inter-institutional research study that assessed the impact of strategies instruction on students’ preparation for and performance in oral exams. Two teacher-researchers at different universities... more
This article presents the results of an inter-institutional research study that assessed the impact of strategies instruction on students’ preparation for and performance in oral exams. Two teacher-researchers at different universities trained 26 students in their respective B1-English-level courses in using language learning strategies. The study included pre- and post-intervention tests and on-line questionnaires after each oral exam. After comparing the test scores and analyzing the questionnaire responses, we arrived at two main conclusions: First, that strategies instruction, especially in combination with evaluation rubrics, promotes students’ autonomy and enhances their oral test performance. Second, that students’ use of language learning strategies is influenced by instructional variations tied to the relative importance that teachers ascribe to specific aspects of oral communication.
Research Interests:
Sociocultural theory argues that an individual’s mental, social, and material activity is mediated by cultural tools. One such tool is the language or discourse teachers use during whole class interaction in the second language classroom.... more
Sociocultural theory argues that an individual’s mental, social, and material activity is mediated by cultural tools. One such tool is the language or discourse teachers use during whole class interaction in the second language classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine how a Colombian se-cond language teacher mediated her ninth-grade students’ participation during classroom interaction. We videotaped and transcribed five lessons and interviewed the teacher after each lesson. Findings revealed that the teacher mainly used questions, elaborations, recasts, and continuatives in patterned combinations to help learners co-construct relevant content and sustained participation. Such mediation provided learners with frequent affordances to engage in meaning-making, a necessary condition for developing a new language.
Research Interests:
This paper is about the impact of systematic reading selection used to promote English as foreign language learning in adult students. A qualitative action research methodology was used to carry out this project. Ten class sessions were... more
This paper is about the impact of systematic reading selection used to promote English as foreign language learning in adult students. A qualitative action research methodology was used to carry out this project. Ten class sessions were designed to provide students an opportunity to select texts according to criteria based upon their language levels and personal/professional interests. The findings align with three categories of influence: motivation, engagement, and contextualization/interpretation of readings. The main objective of this project was to see how the students’ text selection processes, guided by systematically designed criteria and elaborated strategies, influenced learning and acquisition in terms of motivation, perceptions, and opinions towards reading in English.
Research Interests:
Following the trend of much of the Western, non-English speaking world, Colombia has tirelessly strived for spreading English education in an effort to augment economic benefits. This paper aims at providing a critical account of foreign... more
Following the trend of much of the Western, non-English speaking world, Colombia has tirelessly strived for spreading English education in an effort to augment economic benefits. This paper aims at providing a critical account of foreign language education policy in Colombia, with special attention to English. It outlines the impact of its multiple transitions over the past decades through a historical description that overviews all previous policies, the critical reception by scholars, and present-day initiatives. We then move on to analysing the choice of English as a synonym for bilingualism and conclude with emerging questions that are to be considered for future debates and reassessments of Colombia's English-Spanish bilingual education policy.
Research Interests:
In this article, the author discusses the social justice language teacher education perspective and how it can help language teachers to develop a political view of their work and effect change inside and outside their particular school... more
In this article, the author discusses the social justice language teacher education perspective and how it can help language teachers to develop a political view of their work and effect change inside and outside their particular school contexts. To do this, she briefly analyzes various professional development programs for teachers of English in public schools in one city in Colombia to determine how these have or have not contributed to the development of a political perspective in teachers. Finally, she discusses what the implementation of such perspective requires, provides some examples to illustrate how it may look in practice, and discusses some implications for different stakeholders.
Research Interests:
In the last decade Brazil has begun to tackle the educational challenges of a developing country with a young population. The scale of such a demand is a result of the social and cultural inequalities that have historically been existent.... more
In the last decade Brazil has begun to tackle the educational challenges of a developing country with a young population. The scale of such a demand is a result of the social and cultural inequalities that have historically been existent. Recent official policies and programs have addressed this gap by promoting greater opportunities for teacher education, and for the teaching of English as a foreign language. In this paper we discuss four of these programs/policies by highlighting their innovative aspects vis-à-vis traditional practices. We conclude that, despite quantitative advances, much still needs to be done to guarantee qualitative improvements in areas such as the curriculum in order to challenge the continuing influence of predominant ideologies.
Research Interests:
This study investigates novice non-native English teachers’ opinions about the effectiveness of their teacher education programme and the challenges during their initial years of teaching. The results of a survey administered to... more
This study investigates novice non-native English teachers’ opinions about the effectiveness of their teacher education programme and the challenges during their initial years of teaching. The results of a survey administered to fifty-five novice teachers and follow-up interviews identify strengths and weaknesses in their teacher education programme and catalogue the difficulties they faced when they star-ted to teach. The study found significant differences between the content of novice teachers’ academic courses in their teacher education programme and the conditions they experienced in classrooms. The major challenges of their first years of teaching were related to lesson delivery, managing behaviour, unmotivated students, and students with learning disabilities. The article includes suggestions to prepare teachers for the actualities of working in schools.
Research Interests:
Teachers’ professional development is a key factor to have more reflective educators capable of working on teams to find solutions to problems that arise in their classrooms. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact that the... more
Teachers’ professional development is a key factor to have more reflective educators capable of working on teams to find solutions to problems that arise in their classrooms. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact that the collaborative planning, implementation, and evaluation of classroom projects, developed through collaborative action research, have in the professional development of in-service and pre-service teachers in a BA in English program. This is a qualitative research study focused on collaborative action research. Data were collected through journals, surveys, and meeting proceedings of collaborative sessions. As a result, it was possible to describe the processes and dynamics generated, as well as the changes perceived, which contributed to the professional development of the participants.
Research Interests:
Seventh grade teachers at a Colombian public school chose cooperative learning as a strategy to improve student’s social performance and as a tool to get learners to enrich their academic level. This article reports on an action research... more
Seventh grade teachers at a Colombian public school chose cooperative learning as a strategy to improve student’s social performance and as a tool to get learners to enrich their academic level. This article reports on an action research and innovation project focused on the results eight students obtained in their written performance in English classes during three cooperative lessons. This article gathers some existing research on writing skills and cooperative learning and a presentation and analysis about students’ real expectations and thoughts about writing in the English language. The systematization of this teaching experience also sheds lights on further actions to analyze closely students’ texts construction in a cooperative environment.
Research Interests:
Frustrations with traditional testing led a group of teachers at the English for adults program at Universidad EAFIT (Colombia) to design tests aligned with the institutional teaching philosophy and classroom practices. This article... more
Frustrations with traditional testing led a group of teachers at the English for adults program at Universidad EAFIT (Colombia) to design tests aligned with the institutional teaching philosophy and classroom practices. This article reports on a study of an item-by-item evaluation of a series of English exams for validity and reliability in an effort to guarantee the quality of the process of test design. The study included descriptive statistics, item analysis, correlational analyses, reliability estimates, and validity analyses. The results show that the new tests are an excellent addition to the program and an improvement over traditional tests. Implications are discussed and recommendations given for the development of any institutional testing program.
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Mejoramiento de las estrategias de aprendizaje y desempeño en inglés de profesores en formación en idiomas a través del modelo académico-cognitivo y basado en tareas para el aprendizaje de lenguas This paper reports an action-research... more
Mejoramiento de las estrategias de aprendizaje y desempeño en inglés de profesores en formación en idiomas a través del modelo académico-cognitivo y basado en tareas para el aprendizaje de lenguas This paper reports an action-research study on language learning strategies in tertiary education at a Colombian university. The study aimed at improving the English language performance and language learning strategies use of 33 first-year pre-service language teachers by combining elements from two models: the cognitive academic language learning approach and task-based language teaching. Data were gathered through surveys, a focus group, students' and teachers' journals, language tests, and documentary analysis. Results evidenced that the students improved in speaking, writing, grammar, vocabulary and in their language learning strategies repertoire. As a conclusion, explicit strategy instruction in the proposed model resulted in a proper combination to improve learners' language learning strategies and performance. Este artículo versa sobre una investigación-acción en estrategias de aprendizaje en educación terciaria en una universidad colombiana. El estudio buscaba mejorar el desempeño en inglés y el uso de estrategias de aprendizaje de 33 profesores en formación en idiomas de primer año al combinar elementos de dos modelos: enfoque cognitivo y académico para el aprendizaje de lenguas y aprendizaje basado en tareas. Los datos se recolectaron a través encuestas, un grupo focal, diarios de los profesores y estudiantes, pruebas de inglés y análisis documental. Los resultados revelaron el mejoramiento de los estudiantes en la oralidad, escritura, gramática, vocabulario y en el desarrollo de estrategias de aprendizaje. Como conclusión, la instrucción explícita en estrategias dentro del modelo propuesto resultó ser una adecuada combinación para mejorar el desempeño en lengua y en estrategias de aprendizaje de los estudiantes. Palabras clave: aprendizaje basado en tareas, educación terciaria, estrategias de aprendizaje.
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This article reports on a study aimed at exploring inclusive policies in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Colombia, as evidenced in the articles published in the PROFILE Journal by Colombian authors. The use of the... more
This article reports on a study aimed at exploring inclusive policies in the teaching of English as a foreign language in Colombia, as evidenced in the articles published in the PROFILE Journal by Colombian authors. The use of the documentary research method and critical discourse analysis showed that some policies—mainly The National Program of Bilingualism and the Basic Standards for Competences in English as a Foreign Language—contain issues closely related to the logic of discriminatory and segregation attitudes in English language teaching. We hope that the results of our analysis will generate more interest in scholars to examine language policies and work further to eradicate inequalities in education.
Este artículo presenta un estudio que exploró las políticas de inclusión en la enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera en Colombia desde el punto de vista de algunos autores colombianos que han publicado en la revista PROFILE. El uso del método de investigación documental y el análisis crítico del discurso mostró que algunas políticas —principalmente el Programa Nacional de Bilingüismo y los Estándares básicos de competencias en inglés como lengua extranjera— contienen elementos estrechamente relacionados con la lógica de actitudes discriminatorias y segregativas en la enseñanza del inglés. Esperamos que los resultados de nuestro análisis generen mayor interés en los académicos por estudiar las políticas lingüísticas y trabajar aún más para erradicar las desigualdades en la educación.
Este artículo presenta un estudio que exploró las políticas de inclusión en la enseñanza del inglés como lengua extranjera en Colombia desde el punto de vista de algunos autores colombianos que han publicado en la revista PROFILE. El uso del método de investigación documental y el análisis crítico del discurso mostró que algunas políticas —principalmente el Programa Nacional de Bilingüismo y los Estándares básicos de competencias en inglés como lengua extranjera— contienen elementos estrechamente relacionados con la lógica de actitudes discriminatorias y segregativas en la enseñanza del inglés. Esperamos que los resultados de nuestro análisis generen mayor interés en los académicos por estudiar las políticas lingüísticas y trabajar aún más para erradicar las desigualdades en la educación.
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Cómo usar el aprendizaje cooperativo para evaluar las competencias emocionales del alumnado: un ejemplo práctico de la enseñanza superior Cooperative learning allows students acquisition of competences that are essential for the labour... more
Cómo usar el aprendizaje cooperativo para evaluar las competencias emocionales del alumnado: un ejemplo práctico de la enseñanza superior Cooperative learning allows students acquisition of competences that are essential for the labour market such as leadership, critical thinking, communication, and so on. For this reason, different cooperative activities were designed in a language subject in English Studies so that students could work in groups and acquire those competences. This article describes some such activities and the emotional compe-tences that students acquire with them. Moreover, a survey was conducted in order to establish students' opinions about the main competences they acquired with the activities designed and their opinion about a cooperative methodology. Students' answers were positive and they were aware of what they had learned. El aprendizaje cooperativo permite que el alumnado adquiera competencias fundamentales para el mercado laboral como el liderazgo, la capacidad crítica, la comunicación, etc. Por esta razón se diseñaron diferentes actividades cooperativas en una asignatura de lengua de Filología Inglesa para que los estudiantes pudieran trabajar en grupos y desarrollar las competencias mencionadas. Este artículo describe algunas actividades cooperativas y las competencias emocionales que el alumnado adquiere con ellas. Además, se preparó una encuesta para conocer las opiniones de los estudiantes sobre las principales competencias que adquieren con las actividades diseñadas y sus opiniones sobre una metodología cooperativa. Las respuestas del alumnado son positivas y los estudiantes son conscientes de lo que aprenden. How to cite this article (apa, 6 th ed.): Martínez Lirola, M. (2016). How to use cooperative learning for assessing students' emotional competences: A practical example at the tertiary level. profile Issues in Teachers' Professional Development, 18(2), 153-165. http://dx.doi.
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This article reports a mixed-method research project aimed at improving the practices of public sector English teachers in Cali (Colombia) through a professional development program. At the diagnostic stage surveys, documentary analysis,... more
This article reports a mixed-method research project aimed at improving the practices of public sector English teachers in Cali (Colombia) through a professional development program. At the diagnostic stage surveys, documentary analysis, and a focus group yielded the teachers' profile and professional needs. The action phase measured the program's impact via surveys, evaluation formats, a focus group, researchers' journal, and documentary analysis. Findings revealed that an eclectic approach tailored to the participants' needs and interests and a practice-reflection-theory cycle improved the teachers' quality. Este artículo versa sobre una investigación mixta que buscaba mejorar la enseñanza de un grupo de profesores de inglés del sector público en Cali (Colombia) a través de un programa de desarrollo profesional. En el diagnóstico, encuestas, análisis documental y un grupo focal arrojaron el perfil y las necesidades profesionales de los docentes. La implementación evaluó el impacto del programa a través de encuestas, formatos de evaluación, grupo focal, diario de investigación y análisis documental. Los resultados revelaron que un enfoque ecléctico ajustado a las necesidades e intereses de los participantes y un ciclo de práctica-reflexión-teoría fortalecieron la calidad de los profesores. Palabras clave: calidad de los profesores, desarrollo profesional, perfil de docentes de inglés.
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This article reports on a doctoral research that sought to unveil the identities present in the communities to which four English as a foreign language preservice teachers belong. The study was carried out with a decolonial perspective... more
This article reports on a doctoral research that sought to unveil the identities present in the communities to which four English as a foreign language preservice teachers belong. The study was carried out with a decolonial perspective that included an interepistemic dialogue among narrative inquiry, narrative pedagogy, and the indigenous research paradigm. The main instrument of data collection was autobiographies. The participants and the researcher analysed data jointly. The findings indicate that the preservice teachers’ identity construction is mutable and not essentialised. Mutable as it changes over time and not essentialised since it involves social, cultural, and personal dimensions.
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This article is a configurative literature review that aims to synthesize available research on English as a foreign language education, undertaken specifically in Chilean high-school settings. Drawing on a pre-COVID-19 research corpus, I... more
This article is a configurative literature review that aims to synthesize available research on English as a foreign language education, undertaken specifically in Chilean high-school settings. Drawing on a pre-COVID-19 research corpus, I identified a limited number of concordant accounts (n = 23) published during the last decade. I used a critical interpretive synthesis methodology which yielded three research fields ranging from didactics to socio-structural problematics. The synthesis shows that the research addresses curricular aspects devoid of socio-political and historical contexts, emphasizing primarily teachers’ teaching tensions and challenges. Finally, I discuss the English as a foreign language research limitations and implications for the Chilean context, for which I suggest some innovations to broaden future inquiry critically.
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Education in Spain and Latin America has been experiencing an ever-increasing use of English as a medium of instruction at all levels and across curricula. Bringing the vast research-literature into a reflective dialogue is paramount to... more
Education in Spain and Latin America has been experiencing an ever-increasing use of English as a medium of instruction at all levels and across curricula. Bringing the vast research-literature into a reflective dialogue is paramount to advancing the discipline and to refining English teaching practices. As such, this literature review systematically situates English-as-a-medium-of-instruction literature related to higher education within the Iberian-American school contexts where Spanish was the students' first language. Thus, the paper asserts that while research that addresses methodological approaches, processes, procedures, and their effects in instruction is significant, there is still a pressing need for framing English-as-a-medium-of-instruction research within the reciprocal relationship existing among communication, classroom culture, social values, the classroom climate for learning, and ultimately, the students' learning.
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This paper reports a collaborative autoethnography on a first teaching practicum at Universidad Surcolombiana. The study aimed at how we, as novice researchers and preservice English as a foreign language teachers, make sense of our... more
This paper reports a collaborative autoethnography on a first teaching practicum at Universidad Surcolombiana. The study aimed at how we, as novice researchers and preservice English as a foreign language teachers, make sense of our teaching experiences in our first teaching practicum using collaborative autoethnography as a research method. The data were collected by reflective journals and ethnographic observations. Results show the meaning that we give to our experiences, before and during the covid-19 pandemic, by recognizing and analyzing our sociocultural context. Additionally, we were immersed in a virtual learning environment where we had the opportunity to confront unforeseen changes imposed by the pandemic, familiarize ourselves with possible issues that teachers grapple with, and imagine new ways to be ourselves.
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This article reports a study about how the discourse of standard English exercises disciplinary power in five international scholarships programs. This research interest arises from problematizing the discourse of standard English present... more
This article reports a study about how the discourse of standard English exercises disciplinary power in five international scholarships programs. This research interest arises from problematizing the discourse of standard English present in the requisite of proficiency certification through so-called valid tests. Adapting Fairclough's critical discourse analysis model, we analyzed a corpus of five scholarship calls for applications open from 2011 to 2014. Findings reveal that the discourse of standard English entangles with the discourses of globalization, education quality, and competitiveness and qualifications to serve as the path to the construction of the subjects' scholarship applicants. In this entanglement, school is set as a breeding ground whose disciplinary techniques (e.g., test training) objectivize people to satisfy multinational corporations' hiring processes.
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This article describes the trajectories of collaboration experienced by three individuals in three different roles (informant, research assistant, and supervisor) in two research projects about English as a foreign language reading in a... more
This article describes the trajectories of collaboration experienced by three individuals in three different roles (informant, research assistant, and supervisor) in two research projects about English as a foreign language reading in a higher education context in Argentina. Data come from reflection logs and retrospective narratives written by them from 2009 to 2016 which were analyzed using content analysis, focusing on a continuum of collaboration. The article aligns with the critique of the discourse of “newer researcher” as a linear developmental trajectory as it illustrates the participants’ fluid, critical, complex, and personally relevant pathways. Placed within the debate regarding the affordances, complexities and challenges of the measured university, this research contributes perspectives from a peripheral setting generally underrepresented in the literature.
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This manuscript reports on a study carried out at a public university in southeast Mexico aimed to determine whether changes in the instructional design of an online English course benefit students' oral communicative competence. The... more
This manuscript reports on a study carried out at a public university in southeast Mexico aimed to determine whether changes in the instructional design of an online English course benefit students' oral communicative competence. The research followed a quantitative quasi-experimental design that involved two groups of students. One of them took a modified version of an online English ii course that provided contextualized instruction of the syllabus language topics. This group's communicative competence was assessed online, which represented a major shift from the face-to-face assessments typically delivered to online groups. The results showed that online assessment is possible, and also that students' communicative competence improved and was directly related to the intervention.
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Films and series are usually consumed in leisure moments, but they can be included in the English as a foreign language classroom as they offer real-life language in context, which can help develop learners' communicative competence. This... more
Films and series are usually consumed in leisure moments, but they can be included in the English as a foreign language classroom as they offer real-life language in context, which can help develop learners' communicative competence. This paper examines how audiovisual materials can promote English acquisition in secondary education and proposes a corpus of films and series for this purpose. Two surveys will be presented, one for compiling fragments, and the other regarding students' viewing habits. The fragment selection process will be explained, and some illustrations of the fragments' exploitation will be described. This medium's language learning benefits will be discussed, and it will be argued that using this corpus can have a positive influence on students' communicative competence development.
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This paper reports the findings of a case study carried out in an English for specific purposes class with student tour guides at an Argentinean university. The main objective of this research project was to analyse how the teaching... more
This paper reports the findings of a case study carried out in an English for specific purposes class with student tour guides at an Argentinean university. The main objective of this research project was to analyse how the teaching practices in the English language classes favoured intercultural exchanges. Data were gathered through document analysis, surveys, and interviews with students and with coresubject professors. Results were analysed qualitatively. We conclude that we must foster a friendly and safe learning environment to give voice to learners from native communities so that they can express their own identities and thus give way to enriching intercultural dialogue.
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This article reports the findings of a qualitative interpretive research study that explored the social representations children have about the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language in elementary schools in Medellín,... more
This article reports the findings of a qualitative interpretive research study that explored the social representations children have about the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language in elementary schools in Medellín, Colombia. Sixty children in first, third, and fifth grades of public and private schools participated in the study. Techniques such as drawings, pretend play, conversations, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Three analogies summarize children's perceptions in this study: learning as "echo, " teaching as a power instrument, and English as a tool to "survive" or to "live and interact with others. " Finally, a reflection and some implications for the teaching of English to children are presented.
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The study examined university-level English instructors' assessment training experiences, classroombased assessment practices, and assessment training needs in Iran. Sixty-eight instructors who were randomly selected through academic... more
The study examined university-level English instructors' assessment training experiences, classroombased assessment practices, and assessment training needs in Iran. Sixty-eight instructors who were randomly selected through academic social networks filled out a questionnaire. Eight instructors were also interviewed. The results indicated that the instructors had received insufficient training, especially in practical aspects, because they had solely been exposed to assessment concepts and theories in the limited and impractical assessment courses offered to preservice teachers in their universities. Also, they had recurrently failed to put their limited assessment knowledge into practice. Despite this situation, they preferred to get basic rather than advanced assessment training due to personal and contextual constraints. The study bears implications for university English instructors, teacher educators, and university administrators.
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This qualitative research study delves into elementary school teachers’ beliefs and the potential contribution of reverse mentoring to improve English language teaching for children. The purpose was to explore how elementary in-service... more
This qualitative research study delves into elementary school teachers’ beliefs and the potential contribution of reverse mentoring to improve English language teaching for children. The purpose was to explore how elementary in-service teachers’ beliefs could be transformed after participating in a reverse mentoring experience. A group of in-service teachers from two public elementary schools and a group of student-teachers from Universidad de Córdoba (Colombia) were the research participants. Data were gathered through a questionnaire, interviews, and classroom observations. Findings showed that reverse mentoring played an important role in transforming in-service teachers’ beliefs about teaching English to children regarding the difficulties of language learning, communicative strategies, motivation and expectations, foreign language aptitude, and the nature of language learning.
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This study investigated Iranian English as a foreign language teachers' attachment styles and possible influential factors such as age, teaching experience, gender, and educational degree. The participants were 108 female and 79 male... more
This study investigated Iranian English as a foreign language teachers' attachment styles and possible influential factors such as age, teaching experience, gender, and educational degree. The participants were 108 female and 79 male Iranian English teachers, chosen through convenience and snowball sampling. Using Google forms, a researcher-made questionnaire was sent to the participants. There was a positive relationship between age and a secure style, and a negative relationship between fearful and preoccupied styles and age. Further, there was a positive correlation between a secure style and teaching experience, and a negative relationship between fearful and preoccupied styles and teaching experience. Male teachers were more secure, and educational degree made no difference in secure and preoccupied styles.
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This correlational study examined the relationship among some English teachers’ characteristics and their students’ foreign language learning. Eighty-two Iranian high school teachers who taught English completed a battery of... more
This correlational study examined the relationship among some English teachers’ characteristics and their students’ foreign language learning. Eighty-two Iranian high school teachers who taught English completed a battery of questionnaires. The scores of the teachers’ students on their final exam were collected as indicators of their English achievement. The results revealed that there was a positive relationship between the teachers’ self-efficacy, classroom management orientations, personal accomplishments (a subscale of burnout), and students’ L2 performance. However, the correlations between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (two subcomponents of burnout) and students’ English learning were negative. Furthermore, the findings indicated that the teachers’ self-efficacy was the strongest predictor of learners’ English learning. These findings highlight the importance of such teachers’ characteristics for their learners’ L2 learning.
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This exploratory case study seeks to examine the role that specific factors exert on the evolution of beliefs in preservice English teachers during their final teaching practicum. Data were collected through reflections, interviews, focus... more
This exploratory case study seeks to examine the role that specific factors exert on the evolution of beliefs in preservice English teachers during their final teaching practicum. Data were collected through reflections, interviews, focus groups, and observations. The findings revealed that three groups of factors affect belief evolution during the practicum: participant subjectivity, contextual circumstances, and university support community. Subjectivities encompassed preservice teachers' fears, reactions to reallife teaching challenges, and enthusiasm to become teachers. Contextual circumstances incorporated classroom circumstances and cooperating teachers. The university support community concerned their peers and the university tutor. Implications discuss the relevance of curricular and reflective agendas that enrich the education of future teachers through beliefs exploration.
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In this issue, we are very pleased to share with you 15 articles. Ten correspond to the section Issues from Teacher Researchers, two to the section Issues from Novice Teacher-Researchers, and three to the section Issues Based on... more
In this issue, we are very pleased to share with you 15 articles. Ten correspond to the section Issues from Teacher Researchers, two to the section Issues from Novice Teacher-Researchers, and three to the section Issues Based on Reflections and Innovations. The contributions come from six countries: Colombia with seven articles, Iran with three articles, Argentina with two articles, and Mexico, Spain, and Canada with one article each. The topics discussed by researchers in the current issue concern English language teaching and learning, foreign language teacher education and teacher professional development, the beliefs of preservice teachers, and the perceptions and identities of students of English.
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Critical language teaching education has become an inescapable endeavor for language teacher education programs. To contribute to this effort, this paper outlines the implementation of an English course from a critical, intercultural... more
Critical language teaching education has become an inescapable endeavor for language teacher education programs. To contribute to this effort, this paper outlines the implementation of an English course from a critical, intercultural perspective, during the first semester of a language teacher education program in Colombia. It also reports the ways preservice teachers responded to this implementation as evidenced in data stemming from their oral and written outcomes and from course evaluations. Results indicate that this approach to language teaching allowed preservice teachers to affirm their multiple identities as they developed and strengthened their language skills in English. Data also indicate that looking at the world from a more critical perspective entailed contradictions and challenges for preservice teachers and the teacher educator.
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This study sought to develop and validate a classroom-based language assessment literacy scale to measure teachers’ perceived classroom-based assessment knowledge and practice. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the scale items... more
This study sought to develop and validate a classroom-based language assessment literacy scale to measure teachers’ perceived classroom-based assessment knowledge and practice. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that the scale items clustered around four factors: (a) purposes of assessment and grading, (b) assessment ethics, (c) student involvement in assessment, and (d) feedback and assessment interpretation. Moreover, the scale was administered to 348 Iranian English as a foreign language teachers. The findings showed that the majority reported to be literate in classroom-based language assessment and agreed to the allocation of more space to classroom-based language assessment in teacher education courses. The findings suggest that the newly-developed scale can serve as a valid and reliable tool to explore language teachers’ classroom-based assessment literacy.
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The current discussion about assessment in the language teaching context-involving topics such as immigration and citizenship, and university entrance-has brought with it the issue of justice in assessment. Although in Colombia such... more
The current discussion about assessment in the language teaching context-involving topics such as immigration and citizenship, and university entrance-has brought with it the issue of justice in assessment. Although in Colombia such concerns are not generally discussed, it is important to consider fairness when it comes to classroom assessment. This paper presents a review of five Colombian well-known journals during the period 2009-2020 aiming to identify the scholarly discussion regarding language assessment and testing in the country. Findings suggest that Colombian researchers are concerned with fair and democratic assessment practices, and the involvement of students in peer-and self-assessment practices to improve learning and promote autonomy. Also, there is a perceived need for more teacher education in language assessment.
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This article focuses on the use of the repertory grid technique as a research instrument for conducting and analyzing interviews in the field of teaching English as a foreign language. As a demonstration of the explanatory usefulness of... more
This article focuses on the use of the repertory grid technique as a research instrument for conducting and analyzing interviews in the field of teaching English as a foreign language. As a demonstration of the explanatory usefulness of this methodological framework, a pilot study was carried out to elicit second language teachers' tacit beliefs concerning cultural perceptions of good language teaching. Repertory grid interviews were conducted with nine teachers at a public university in central Mexico. The data from each group were compared to uncover possible cultural influences on participants' beliefs. It is hoped that this overview of the method encourages an interest in repertory grid interviews and their analytic techniques in the field of applied linguistics and in English as a foreign language teaching in particular.
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Up to the last two decades of the 20 th century, the era of methods prevailed as a key component, especially in the field of teaching English as a second language. Nevertheless, by the end of the century, many TESOL authorities were... more
Up to the last two decades of the 20 th century, the era of methods prevailed as a key component, especially in the field of teaching English as a second language. Nevertheless, by the end of the century, many TESOL authorities were questioning the usefulness and scope of methods. Consequently, the idea was declared dead and the postmethod condition emerged. In this reflection article, it is argued that the nature and scope of a method in the teaching field cannot die for a series of reasons. It is concluded that what can be proclaimed is the death of a unique, universal method, but not the death of methods per se, since this is an essential component of any teaching process.
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This study aims to examine the implementation of the sustainable international bilingual model at a polytechnic university in central Mexico. Drawing upon qualitative research, this instrumental case study explores teachers' , students' ,... more
This study aims to examine the implementation of the sustainable international bilingual model at a polytechnic university in central Mexico. Drawing upon qualitative research, this instrumental case study explores teachers' , students' , and coordinators' experiences with the aforementioned model. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews. Results show that participants consider the university has started a positive change, focusing on improving teachers' and students' linguistic abilities in English. However, they also acknowledge some challenges, such as a lack of teachers' training, the context of the university, and teachers' knowledge of the language. The data suggest that actions need to be taken to avoid the same poor results the national English programs in Mexico have had over the past years.
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This article analyzes the experiences of two preservice English language teachers within their bachelor's degree and their pedagogical practicum through a collaborative autoethnography. The authors discuss their empowerment as a... more
This article analyzes the experiences of two preservice English language teachers within their bachelor's degree and their pedagogical practicum through a collaborative autoethnography. The authors discuss their empowerment as a contributing agent to the field of English language teaching and address issues such as methodologies, mentor teachers, native speakerism, colonial ideologies, and decolonization processes. Findings suggest that preservice English language teachers should be allowed to reflect, analyze, and thus contribute to understanding the social dynamics of what it means to teach and be a language teacher. Preservice English language teachers are not passive agents but builders of knowledge, capable of transforming their vision of education, making visible the critical aspects of education, and resisting imposed colonial pedagogical processes.
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This study aimed at investigating the EFL preservice teachers' technology integration in managing and teaching speaking skills online during emergency remote teaching in Indonesia. This study employed a single case study approach by... more
This study aimed at investigating the EFL preservice teachers' technology integration in managing and teaching speaking skills online during emergency remote teaching in Indonesia. This study employed a single case study approach by implementing an explanatory sequential mixed method design. The findings showed that even though the preservice teachers used various technology tools, they frequently implemented WhatsApp, YouTube, and Google Forms for classroom management and teaching speaking purposes. This study offers some implications to advance English language teacher education programs to prepare the future EFL preservice teachers in the post-pandemic era.
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This narrative study analyzes two mentors' experiences in their mentoring practices with language student-teachers in a private university in Bogotá (Colombia). Employing life-story interviews and drawing on ways of thinking and... more
This narrative study analyzes two mentors' experiences in their mentoring practices with language student-teachers in a private university in Bogotá (Colombia). Employing life-story interviews and drawing on ways of thinking and theorizing from praxis as a standpoint to enact decoloniality, we approach mentors' narratives from the notion of crack. Findings reveal that, for mentors, mentoring practices represent a space for knowledge reconfiguration, a locus of collective knowledge construction, and territories where student-teachers can mobilize and exercise their agency. Overall, when making meaning of clashing experiences in mentoring, mentors have constructed ways to fracture traditional and hegemonic logics of seeing knowledge and the self in teacher education.
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This study explores the beliefs of English as a foreign language preservice secondary education teachers regarding the construction of teachers' professional identity. A questionnaire was used to obtain the opinions of 131 future teachers... more
This study explores the beliefs of English as a foreign language preservice secondary education teachers regarding the construction of teachers' professional identity. A questionnaire was used to obtain the opinions of 131 future teachers in the 2014-2020 academic years. Results showed that the participants understood teachers' professional identity to be connected to the ability to motivate students, manage the classroom, and care about interpersonal relations. Women and men think differently regarding the effect of the acquisition of new methodologies, the psycho-pedagogical training, and a longer placement period in the construction of teachers' professional identity. To conclude, this study provided the chance to reflect on the importance of strengthening the professional identity of English as a foreign language teachers while considering the gender perspective to introduce changes in the curriculum.
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This article reports on a qualitative case study that explored the use of Kumaravadivelu’s “Knowing, Analyzing, Recognizing, Doing, Seeing” model as a teacher evaluation tool to identify critical and reflective aspects of teachers’... more
This article reports on a qualitative case study that explored the use of Kumaravadivelu’s “Knowing, Analyzing, Recognizing, Doing, Seeing” model as a teacher evaluation tool to identify critical and reflective aspects of teachers’ practices for their professional development. The participants were nine English language teachers and their students at a Colombian university. Teacher survey responses, journals, observations, and students’ perceptions were collected and thematically categorized and analyzed under the model. Results suggest that teachers have strong procedural knowledge and self-perceptions but struggle with recognizing unique opportunities for critical approaches to their practice, indicating that the model provides more efficient ways of analyzing teachers and focusing on more specific contextual areas in the teachers’ professional development.
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This study explores the difference in self-efficacy between high school English language teachers with two levels of curriculum literacy. The data were collected using a curriculum literacy test and a selfefficacy scale that were... more
This study explores the difference in self-efficacy between high school English language teachers with two levels of curriculum literacy. The data were collected using a curriculum literacy test and a selfefficacy scale that were delivered online to 251 English teachers in Indonesia. The respondents were split into two groups based on their curriculum literacy scores. The findings show that teachers with higher curriculum literacy levels were more self-efficacious than those with a lower level of curriculum literacy. This implies that curriculum related courses in preservice teacher programs need to be improved, and in-service teacher training should focus on curriculum knowledge.
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This mixed-methods study explores the factors contributing to the language teachers’ effectiveness in the context of English as a foreign language. Through a systematic review of the literature, six main factors were extracted: assessment... more
This mixed-methods study explores the factors contributing to the language teachers’ effectiveness in the context of English as a foreign language. Through a systematic review of the literature, six main factors were extracted: assessment literacy, content and pedagogical content knowledge, experience, oral proficiency, personality type, and self-efficacy. In the first phase of the study, 13 experts in the field shared their attitudes towards these factors through a semi-structured interview. The data obtained from the interviews was analysed thematically to develop a questionnaire. Ninety-three language teachers participated in a pilot study to validate the newly developed questionnaire. The results were factor analysed. After the required modifications based on the factor analysis were introduced, a questionnaire with 19 items entitled “EFL Language Teachers’ Effectiveness” was developed.
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This paper reports a qualitative narrative study that explored the trajectories of English language teachers' identities before and after their participation in a master's program in English language teaching at a Colombian public... more
This paper reports a qualitative narrative study that explored the trajectories of English language teachers' identities before and after their participation in a master's program in English language teaching at a Colombian public university. After analyzing the data gathered through oral narratives and narrative interviews, results showed that teachers' identities are part of an endless process nurtured by experiences at the academic, pedagogical, and personal levels. We found that such experiences were constantly cultivated and analyzed in the master's seminars, which positively influenced the development of the participants' identities by making them more reflective and critical practitioners. Most teachers reported developing higher levels of social commitment, critical-reflective engagement, and research-oriented practices due to their graduate academic experience.
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This study deviates from the standard view of template-based training courses that have dominated the experience of in-service English teachers in Ecuador. Its purpose is to underscore the contextualization of training modules as a... more
This study deviates from the standard view of template-based training courses that have dominated the experience of in-service English teachers in Ecuador. Its purpose is to underscore the contextualization of training modules as a strategic method for duplicating and scaling up multi-level teacher training to sustain their knowledge and skills. The impact is assessed through a three-level survey administered to 394 teachers from three provinces. The results suggest that the influence of class size and the adaptability and replicability of training are factors that influence the effectiveness and sustainability of an English as a foreign language program. The study highlights the crucial role of collaboration that facilitates collective efforts to contextualize training to achieve profound insight related to classroom practices.
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Scientific or academic publications have become the best accepted media for scientific and academic communities-mainly established in universities or research centers-to share the knowledge they create and give it greater visibility... more
Scientific or academic publications have become the best accepted media for scientific and academic communities-mainly established in universities or research centers-to share the knowledge they create and give it greater visibility worldwide. That is, these journals are at the core of scientific communication, which requires permanent assessment of the editorial work and careful planning bearing in mind the responsibilities and needs of the stakeholders that are involved in the production and use of these periodical publications. In this article, I share an improvement plan for the Profile journal, whose purpose is to strengthen the journal's editorial management and, thus, support the generation and consolidation of communities of teacher researchers.
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This article provides a comprehensive qualitative synthesis of EFL writing studies published in Colombian journals between 1990 and 2020. We synthesised 63 research reports regarding authorship, publication year, focus, methodology... more
This article provides a comprehensive qualitative synthesis of EFL writing studies published in Colombian journals between 1990 and 2020. We synthesised 63 research reports regarding authorship, publication year, focus, methodology (context, participants, research paradigm, design, and data collection methods and analyses), validity, reliability, ethics, findings, limitations, and further research. Our findings reveal that EFL writing is a developing research area in Colombia, characterised as a predominantly qualitative inquiry into adult writing instruction and learning at universities. From the findings, we propose a research agenda and some guidelines for authors and reviewers to enhance and evaluate research reports.
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This article reports the results of a study carried out at a public high school in Colombia whose objective was to design and determine how a reading comprehension module contributed to strengthening English literacy competence in sixth... more
This article reports the results of a study carried out at a public high school in Colombia whose objective was to design and determine how a reading comprehension module contributed to strengthening English literacy competence in sixth graders. The methodological framework entailed a basic outline of the action-research cycle. The qualitative data analysis was designed descriptively, focusing on three research moments corresponding to each cycle's stages. The results show that the implementation of the material had a significant impact on the development of literacy competence, which suggests the material could be a tool for supporting English language learning.
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English teachers' professional development responds to individual needs and societal discourses about teaching, learning, and language use. This paper reports the findings of a case study that explored the factors that increased or... more
English teachers' professional development responds to individual needs and societal discourses about teaching, learning, and language use. This paper reports the findings of a case study that explored the factors that increased or limited the active and committed participation of nine Colombian teachers of English in professional development programs. Findings suggest that English teachers are invested in their professional development if they may develop three imagined identities-as proficient English speakers, ELT experts, and ICT competent users-and their affiliation to an imagined community of "bilinguals. " The teachers' journey to the imagined identities and the imagined community is full of conflicting emotions amidst the socio-political context of their work and the country's language education policies.
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This needs analysis study sought to identify the contextual requirements to design and implement a blended learning program in English at a Colombian public university. Data on teachers' and administrators' perceptions were gathered... more
This needs analysis study sought to identify the contextual requirements to design and implement a blended learning program in English at a Colombian public university. Data on teachers' and administrators' perceptions were gathered through a questionnaire, interviews, and focus groups and analyzed using grounded theory. Findings revealed the need to invest considerably in new personnel and e-infrastructure. Likewise, students' context should be considered to design EFL blended programs. Teachers and students should be offered ICT and methodological professional development. Finally, the program should carefully balance the integration of face-to-face and online modalities. This investigation can help the academic community of language educators and curriculum designers carry out needs analysis studies for creating contextualized blended learning programs.
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This study investigates how sensitizing graduate L2 students about source-text use might affect their citation practices. Two summary writing tasks involving two similar published articles, one irrelevant and one pertinent to source-text... more
This study investigates how sensitizing graduate L2 students about source-text use might affect their citation practices. Two summary writing tasks involving two similar published articles, one irrelevant and one pertinent to source-text use, were assigned individually to 16 graduate English language teaching students from Iran. After completing the tasks, the students participated in retrospective interviews about their source-text use. Recursive thematic data analysis indicated that while they were inclined towards more direct source-text use in the first summary, they opted for more indirect and academic source-text use that involved their contribution and interpretation in the sensitizing task. The paper discusses the significance of sensitizing students to source-text use.
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First (L1) and second (L2) language speakers process information differently. The current study explores whether L1 and L2 English language speakers process the emotional connotations of high and low-frequency words using the emotional... more
First (L1) and second (L2) language speakers process information differently. The current study explores whether L1 and L2 English language speakers process the emotional connotations of high and low-frequency words using the emotional Stroop task. With this task, we measure the reaction time required to name the color of words with positive, neutral, and negative valence. The sample was 100 participants, 50 L1 English speakers and 50 L2 English speakers. Our results show that L2 English speakers process words slower than L1 English speakers do. L1 English speakers processed positive words faster than negative words, but L2 English speakers displayed a reversed pattern, which indicates L2 emotional attenuation for negative words.
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Although narratives have been widely used and investigated in the second/foreign language literature, studying narratives in authentic classroom contexts and their functions has received comparatively little attention. To fill this gap,... more
Although narratives have been widely used and investigated in the second/foreign language literature, studying narratives in authentic classroom contexts and their functions has received comparatively little attention. To fill this gap, the present study examines the narratives produced naturally by teachers within English-as-a-foreign-language classroom contexts to find out what functions these narratives serve. The participants were five Iranian teachers teaching general English courses in a private language institute. Following the principles of qualitative research in data analysis, 30 hours of naturally occurring data were first transcribed, then their narratives were identified. After analyzing the 23 determined narratives in the dataset, three functions of narratives emerged, namely, moral, pedagogical, and intercultural.
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The present study compares the pronunciation practices of three English instructors (two teaching in Australia and one in Japan) with the perceptions of their learners (n = 49). A student questionnaire, semi-structured teacher interviews,... more
The present study compares the pronunciation practices of three English instructors (two teaching in Australia and one in Japan) with the perceptions of their learners (n = 49). A student questionnaire, semi-structured teacher interviews, and classroom observations were used to collect data. The findings show that the learners strongly desire to be taught and improve their pronunciation, and the teachers' provision of oral corrective feedback meets the students' preferences. However, the use of primarily controlled (teacher-centred) techniques and subsequent lack of opportunities for communicative pronunciation practice suggest some incongruity between teachers' practices and students' perceptions. Factors such as the curriculum, instructors' beliefs about second language learning, and their confidence play a role in this discrepancy.
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This paper reports a mixed-method study on listening instructional practices and beliefs of 50 EFL teachers of public and private universities in Cuenca, Ecuador. The study aimed to provide empirical evidence of listening teaching... more
This paper reports a mixed-method study on listening instructional practices and beliefs of 50 EFL teachers of public and private universities in Cuenca, Ecuador. The study aimed to provide empirical evidence of listening teaching practices and determine teachers' beliefs about listening. Data were gathered through a questionnaire and structured class observations. Results evidenced that instructional practices emphasize task completion rather than listening development, are oriented towards the product rather than the process and lack decoding.
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This mixed-methods study explored 30 EFL teachers' perceptions of online student response systems (OSRSs) in emergency remote teaching settings. Data were collected using a survey addressing components related to the acceptance and use of... more
This mixed-methods study explored 30 EFL teachers' perceptions of online student response systems (OSRSs) in emergency remote teaching settings. Data were collected using a survey addressing components related to the acceptance and use of OSRSs and semi-structured interviews. Survey findings revealed that OSRS components are regarded as helpful and engaging by EFL teachers. At the same time, interview data identified drivers (ease of use, increased student engagement, and immediate feedback) and obstacles (internet connection issues, lack of training, and distractive elements) concerning OSRS use. Pedagogical implications refer to the need for EFL teachers to receive proper training before using OSRSs and the benefits of accepting the gamified aspects of OSRSs as a significant feature that can support learning.
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Dynamic assessment is a dialectic procedure requiring teachers to assess learners' progress by paying attention to students' errors while providing graduated prompts to help them fix them. Although previous studies have focused on the... more
Dynamic assessment is a dialectic procedure requiring teachers to assess learners' progress by paying attention to students' errors while providing graduated prompts to help them fix them. Although previous studies have focused on the teachers' competence in carrying out the dynamic assessment, this case study explores the dynamic assessment conceptualization of two English language teachers. Data were gathered through video-recorded sessions, reflective reports, semi-structured interviews, and classroom observations. Results showed that while one of the teachers reconceptualized her role as a graduated prompt provider, the other teacher resisted adopting any roles that dynamic assessment requires. The study implies careful consideration of personal and contextual factors shaping teachers' assumptions to make a change in teacher practice.
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This mixed-methods study investigated and compared the professional demotivating factors for EFL teachers in three contexts: high schools, language institutes, and universities. Consequently, a validated questionnaire and semi-structured... more
This mixed-methods study investigated and compared the professional demotivating factors for EFL teachers in three contexts: high schools, language institutes, and universities. Consequently, a validated questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were employed to gather data from 189 Iranian EFL teachers. The results indicated that the most prominent demotivating factors were financial issues, students' demotivation, facilities and course books, and neglecting teachers for educational decisionmaking. However, financial issues and facilities and course books were less demotivating for university teachers. During the qualitative phase, it was also revealed that supervisors' feedback and attitudes, relationships with colleagues, and preferential treatments negatively affect EFL teachers' motivation. Furthermore, unlike high school teachers, language institutes and university EFL teachers perceive job insecurity as incredibly demotivating.
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Despite evidence on the benefits of mentoring with beginning teachers, little is known about the impact of mentoring on experienced teachers. Based on a qualitative research design, this study explores mentoring with 11 teachers of... more
Despite evidence on the benefits of mentoring with beginning teachers, little is known about the impact of mentoring on experienced teachers. Based on a qualitative research design, this study explores mentoring with 11 teachers of English as an additional language (four mentors and seven mentees) during the COVID-19 epidemic. Data were gathered through mentees' journals, interviews, and documents. Drawing on thematic analysis, mentees were found to improve their teaching practice and develop their professional knowledge. Specifically, they displayed more sensitivity to learners, unleashed creativity, improved class management, strengthened relationships, increased motivation, and developed reflective competencies. The study argues that mentoring can allow all English language teachers to build knowledge with other teachers from their own experiences and for other teachers and educational stakeholders.
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This article reports the findings of a multiple case study that identifies and describes the collaboration and networking practices of four Mexican English language teaching professionals belonging to two MA cohorts: 2005–2007 and... more
This article reports the findings of a multiple case study that identifies and describes the collaboration and networking practices of four Mexican English language teaching professionals belonging to two MA cohorts: 2005–2007 and 2007–2009. For two years, curriculum vitae analysis, maps, and in-depth interviews were used to collect data on these professionals’ paths. Three dimensions were examined: teaching, organization, and research, as well as levels of involvement in these professional activities, which construct and shape participants’ collaboration and networking practices. The findings revealed that each teacher-researcher’s agency was directly related to their capitalization of diverse strategies in each dimension and how this, in turn, configured their engagement in the English language teaching community or other communities.
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This article reports on a case study that analyzed pedagogical relationships and teacher identities in research incubators. Conducted over two years in an English teaching program at a Colombian private university, the study included... more
This article reports on a case study that analyzed pedagogical relationships and teacher identities in research incubators. Conducted over two years in an English teaching program at a Colombian private university, the study included semi-structured interviews with four research incubator coordinators and two focus groups with eight students. We found that mentoring in research incubators nurtures attitudes and competencies crucial to the students' construction of their identity as teacher researchers. From the results of our research, we built a theoretical model that describes pedagogical relationships in research education around the axes of power and affect. Finally, we draw some implications about an epistemological shift from knowledge-centered to knower-centered pedagogical relationships in collaborative approaches to research training.
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This article presents critical intercultural dialogue as a necessary curricular, pedagogical, and decolonial practice to engage and value Indigenous students' cultural semiotic resources in higher education. Drawing from social semiotics,... more
This article presents critical intercultural dialogue as a necessary curricular, pedagogical, and decolonial practice to engage and value Indigenous students' cultural semiotic resources in higher education. Drawing from social semiotics, critical interculturality, and decolonial theory, the article analyzes Indigenous students' structural barriers to accessing and completing their undergraduate programs. Using examples from pedagogy courses taught in English and reflections and learnings from a research project with Indigenous students, the article underscores and extends lessons to mobilize Indigenous students' learning paths, sociocultural practices, and languages, showcasing intercultural dialogue within a public university. Reflections on the tensions, constraints, and possibilities to facilitate university stakeholders' engagement at multiple levels are discussed.
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This case study reports how three high-school teachers from two state schools in Colombia enacted the National English Suggested Curriculum by the Ministry of Education. The teachers' trajectories of action were analyzed through... more
This case study reports how three high-school teachers from two state schools in Colombia enacted the National English Suggested Curriculum by the Ministry of Education. The teachers' trajectories of action were analyzed through semi-structured interviews, teachers' narratives, and lesson observations. Using the ecological model of agency as a framework, we situated teachers' steps within projective, iterational, and practical evaluative dimensions of agency. In this paper, we provide additional dimensions of teacher agency, which can help to expand theoretical and empirical knowledge in the field. Findings show that teachers cope with the changes derived from policy differently. The analysis presented in this paper can inform the creation and promotion of future curriculum policies in similar contexts.
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This paper reports an exploratory, descriptive study on the emotions of content and language-integrated learning preservice teachers. The study, carried out in a Spanish university, aimed at analysing the internship experience of 19... more
This paper reports an exploratory, descriptive study on the emotions of content and language-integrated learning preservice teachers. The study, carried out in a Spanish university, aimed at analysing the internship experience of 19 preservice teachers in the context of a master's degree in bilingual education (Spanish-English) for primary and secondary school teachers to determine the emotions experienced and the causative factors. The participants completed a questionnaire which showed that positive emotions were more frequent than negative ones. The variable causing such feelings included the subject taught, the sex of the teaching staff, previous experience, attitudes of educational centre tutors, and the students themselves. Therefore, the study highlights the affective dimension of teaching content and language-integrated learning.
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This case study explored the evaluation criteria applied by six supervisors of a private language institute (three men and three women) through individual in-depth interviews in an English-as-a-foreign-language context. The researchers... more
This case study explored the evaluation criteria applied by six supervisors of a private language institute (three men and three women) through individual in-depth interviews in an English-as-a-foreign-language context. The researchers also collected data from supervisors' observation checklists and written feedback. A thematic analysis resulted in five main themes and two sub-themes. Therefore, a tentative framework was developed, encompassing five criteria: English and Content Knowledge, Teaching Skills, Personal Traits, Fulfilling Workplace Expectations, and Parents'/Learners'/Peers' Feedback. The proposed framework can help increase language supervisors' teacher evaluation literacy.
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In this article, we report the results of a study through which we collected English language teachers' needs and wants to design an online language assessment course. Through a mixed-methods approach, we asked 20 teachers from four Latin... more
In this article, we report the results of a study through which we collected English language teachers' needs and wants to design an online language assessment course. Through a mixed-methods approach, we asked 20 teachers from four Latin American countries what they wanted to learn in the course. The teachers wanted a course in which they could address the challenges they faced in assessment; discuss and develop new ways to assess; and learn about authentic, valid, and ethical assessment. Therefore, the findings suggest that the teachers wanted a course that mixed theory, practice, and principles of assessment. Additionally, the course should address emerging topics in English language assessment, namely bilingual assessment and the assessment of learners with special educational needs.
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This two-cycle action research explores how Colombian students from rural and urban areas construct community knowledge by exploring funds of knowledge using dialogue journals. Thirty-three seventh graders from an urban school... more
This two-cycle action research explores how Colombian students from rural and urban areas construct community knowledge by exploring funds of knowledge using dialogue journals. Thirty-three seventh graders from an urban school participated in the first phase and 19 sixth graders from a rural school and 18 eighth graders from an urban school in the second phase. Data were gathered through journals, artifacts, audio recordings, narratives, focus groups, and interviews. Results revealed how students learned to see and re-signify their communities and territory by exploring the knowledge held by their families and community members. Then dialogue journals were valuable tools to verbalize and communicate their perceptions and understandings about their communities and funds of knowledge.
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This study examines hegemonic discourses on English and socioeconomic development from teachers' perspectives. Specifically, it scrutinizes the sorts of positions a group of 36 teachers of English, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese... more
This study examines hegemonic discourses on English and socioeconomic development from teachers' perspectives. Specifically, it scrutinizes the sorts of positions a group of 36 teachers of English, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese in an undergraduate program of modern languages take towards both the predominant narrative of English as the language of development and the role that the languages they teach may also play. Using postdevelopment as a theoretical framework, teachers' social representations around the languages they teach are analyzed. Findings suggest that, although there is a strong tendency to uncritically accept and accommodate instrumental and Anglo normative views of development, "small hopes" for configuring plural, locally sensitive, less instrumental, and ecological understandings are also emerging.
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Drawing upon Bourdieu's concept of capital, this article examines the enactment of the Programa Nacional de Bilingüismo (National Bilingual Program), a policy that aims to provide Colombian students equal opportunities to learn English.... more
Drawing upon Bourdieu's concept of capital, this article examines the enactment of the Programa Nacional de Bilingüismo (National Bilingual Program), a policy that aims to provide Colombian students equal opportunities to learn English. In this exploratory, sequential mixed-methods study, data were collected from teachers and students from three Grade 5 classrooms of public schools in Colombia. The findings revealed that the plan's differentiated enactment generates unequal access to opportunities to build language capital and unequal levels of academic language achievement among the three schools. We argue that the enactment of the plan to equalize opportunities and achievement and therefore build the language capital of Colombian students is obstructed by existing funding structures.
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Although an international teaching practicum is assumed to broaden teacher candidates' cultural, linguistic, and pedagogical knowledge, the nature of this growth and its relation to teacher education practices have yet to be fully... more
Although an international teaching practicum is assumed to broaden teacher candidates' cultural, linguistic, and pedagogical knowledge, the nature of this growth and its relation to teacher education practices have yet to be fully explored. Using a sociocultural perspective and drawing on the concepts of teacher socialization and a growth mindset, this qualitative case study investigates the experiences of a U.S. preservice teacher teaching English in a Mexican primary school. Analysis of teaching observations, the participant's reflections, and an interview revealed the teacher's growing sensitivity to the teaching context. She gradually recognized the differences between teaching English in the two countries, prompting a shift in pedagogy to one more compatible with teaching English as a foreign language. The importance of teaching context on teacher socialization is also examined.
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This exploratory qualitative study reports gaps in the preservice teacher education and professional development of 15 English language teachers in a Colombian public university regarding their teaching knowledge and practice. Grounded... more
This exploratory qualitative study reports gaps in the preservice teacher education and professional development of 15 English language teachers in a Colombian public university regarding their teaching knowledge and practice. Grounded theory was used to examine the data collected via focus groups and questionnaires, which were validated and triangulated. Findings reveal several teacher deficiencies, classified into three axes: language proficiency, teaching awareness, and teacher challenges. These tensions unveil imbalances between theory and practice, inefficient mentoring during the practicum stage, lack of classroom management skills for efficient teaching, and the need to revitalize and endorse information and communications technology education and use in the new classroom era. The article also offers a discussion on reconceptualizing teacher education.
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In an initial English teacher education program at a Chilean institution, early and professional practicums were re-invented during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the continuity of this process. This study analyzed the context and... more
In an initial English teacher education program at a Chilean institution, early and professional practicums were re-invented during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the continuity of this process. This study analyzed the context and conditions under which these practicums unfolded and how the process influenced participants’ pedagogical and professional knowledge development. Forty-two preservice English language teachers undergoing early and professional practicums online throughout 2020–2021 answered an online questionnaire which was analyzed through descriptive statistics and content analysis. Findings revealed preservice teachers’ problems, strengths, weaknesses, and challenges while interacting with pupils, cooperating teachers, and supervisors, as well as the development of some pedagogical and professional knowledge. The findings may serve to make adaptations to increasingly challenging teaching contexts.
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This qualitative study explores how a group of preservice teachers make sense of task-based language teaching principles and characteristics, especially amidst remote instruction. We draw on the analysis of 13 preservice teachers' lesson... more
This qualitative study explores how a group of preservice teachers make sense of task-based language teaching principles and characteristics, especially amidst remote instruction. We draw on the analysis of 13 preservice teachers' lesson plans and teaching guides as they transitioned from in-person to remote instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis of the lesson plans using task-based language teaching principles as a framework revealed that preservice teachers implemented principles differently during in-person and remote teaching. Interestingly, the use of the principles sometimes contrasts with what the participants report in their reflections. We discuss the challenges English as a foreign language teachers face when adapting methods such as task-based language teaching to the demands of new teaching contexts.
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This autoethnographic study examined the tensions affecting the identity of a teacher in charge of an online English academic writing module during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflections written over one academic year were examined using... more
This autoethnographic study examined the tensions affecting the identity of a teacher in charge of an online English academic writing module during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflections written over one academic year were examined using performativity as an analytical lens. The analysis identified three types of tensions: performing for proximity, performing to meet the institution's and student's expectations, and continuously changing performances. These tensions highlight the teacher's performativity when using technology, which ultimately configured his teacher identity. From these tensions, the paradox of technology may be observed. Specifically, tools supposedly productive for an online class may not necessarily be well received by students and may burden the teacher.
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This paper focuses on integrating multimodal communication into the English-as-a-foreign-language classroom to enhance the development of students' multimodal communicative competence, multiliteracies, and 21st-century skills. To do so, I... more
This paper focuses on integrating multimodal communication into the English-as-a-foreign-language classroom to enhance the development of students' multimodal communicative competence, multiliteracies, and 21st-century skills. To do so, I compiled a corpus of authentic materials from Lady Whistledown's Society Papers in Julia Quinn's novel The Viscount Who Loved Me (2000), her appearances as narrator in the Netflix series Bridgerton (2022), and some tweets posted by @Bridgerton. This corpus was used to plan and design a game-based teaching proposal. Finally, the paper offers a critical analysis and suggests how this proposal can feasibly contribute to fostering students' multimodal communicative competence.
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This article provides an overview of how student-teachers and the pedagogical practicum are conceived in the Colombian English language teaching field. The study reviewed 72 articles in three levels of analysis: extraction of... more
This article provides an overview of how student-teachers and the pedagogical practicum are conceived in the Colombian English language teaching field. The study reviewed 72 articles in three levels of analysis: extraction of corresponding knowledge, epistemic review, and concatenation of emergent insights. The analysis reveals that student-teachers are conceived as subjects with principles, values, beliefs, responsibilities, and knowledge. Meanwhile, the pedagogical practicum is an academic space, process, and experience constituted by purposes, practical knowledge, and building relationships. This literature review mainly contributes to the field as an invitation to continue revising the foundations of the pedagogical practicum and the kind of student-teachers that this space may develop.
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This exploratory case study analyzes Colombian university students' experiences as English users during international mobility. Data collected through surveys and interviews were examined based on content analysis and principles of... more
This exploratory case study analyzes Colombian university students' experiences as English users during international mobility. Data collected through surveys and interviews were examined based on content analysis and principles of grounded theory. The students' self-perceived English proficiency and communicative performance before and during international mobility were analyzed, while challenging areas were identified. The results evidence that mobility students have insufficient levels of English proficiency to engage in academic and social activities due to inadequate production skills and a lack of practice. The students also perceive university academic English opportunities for practice as basic, and they underutilize practice spaces. Nonetheless, they highlight that active engagement in autonomous language exposure and developed interpersonal skills positively impact their perception of language performance.
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Communication through social media is a phenomenon whose relevance has involved the consideration of online discourse in the language teaching context. This article explores the functionality of Twitter (now called "X") for science... more
Communication through social media is a phenomenon whose relevance has involved the consideration of online discourse in the language teaching context. This article explores the functionality of Twitter (now called "X") for science dissemination within the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language. To do this, 100 tweets from the accounts @WWF and @Greenpeace were gathered and analysed from the perspective of digital discourse analysis and communicative language teaching. I argue that using these tweets encourages the development of key competencies, provides room for the practice of integrated skills, and enhances the application of 21st-century skills. Conclusively, science dissemination tweets may be considered adequate for teaching and learning English.
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This multimodal/multimedia discourse analysis explored institutional practices regarding native and non-native English speaker teachers in five language centers in Medellín, Colombia, as reflected in interviews with coordinators and... more
This multimodal/multimedia discourse analysis explored institutional practices regarding native and non-native English speaker teachers in five language centers in Medellín, Colombia, as reflected in interviews with coordinators and teachers, language centers' websites, social media, and recruitment materials. Data were analyzed using content and multimodal discourse analysis. Findings unveiled that, in general, these language centers favor native English speaker teachers and discriminate against nonnative English speaker teachers in multiple ways, as the former are privileged in job searches, are asked fewer hiring requirements, have more room for negotiation, earn higher salaries, and enjoy more perks.
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This paper reports a mixed-methods study at a public university in Colombia. It describes the classroom assessment practices and challenges of 75 novice foreign language teachers. To gather the quantitative data, the participants... more
This paper reports a mixed-methods study at a public university in Colombia. It describes the classroom assessment practices and challenges of 75 novice foreign language teachers. To gather the quantitative data, the participants completed an online survey. For the qualitative data, 11 key informants participated in one-onone online interviews. Findings revealed that novice teachers predominantly used summative assessment in the classroom and aligned their assessment instruments to large-scale tests. Moreover, novice teachers faced many challenges with classroom assessment, including determining how to assess their students, developing assessment instruments, and interpreting and using assessment scores to inform teaching and learning. In conclusion, novice teachers need more knowledge, skills, and support to handle daily assessment-related tasks.
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This mixed-method study examines Ecuadorian preservice English as a foreign language teachers' cognition regarding pronunciation models and targets, identity, and confidence. Data were gathered through a self-reported, anonymous online... more
This mixed-method study examines Ecuadorian preservice English as a foreign language teachers' cognition regarding pronunciation models and targets, identity, and confidence. Data were gathered through a self-reported, anonymous online questionnaire. Factor analysis and Spearman's correlations were conducted on the quantitative data, and content analysis on the qualitative data. The results revealed that the participants highly value the native speaker model of pronunciation, are dissatisfied with their nonnative English pronunciation, are not interested in showing their Ecuadorian identities when speaking English, and are still not confident in their English pronunciation. The findings are discussed in light of the implications for pronunciation teachers.
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Corpus analysis offers a more accurate understanding of a language than intuition but is not widely used in foreign language instruction. This study uses a hermeneutic-phenomenology approach and content analysis to examine the impact of a... more
Corpus analysis offers a more accurate understanding of a language than intuition but is not widely used in foreign language instruction. This study uses a hermeneutic-phenomenology approach and content analysis to examine the impact of a corpus literacy course on the perceptions and performance indicators of 29 English language teachers. The results suggest that corpus literacy instruction is crucial for language teachers to incorporate corpus into their classroom practices effectively. Even a brief, intensive corpus literacy course can positively alter teachers' perceptions and abilities, increase their awareness of corpus usage in language teaching, and equip them with the skills needed, highlighting the importance of incorporating corpus literacy into the design of English language teacher education programs.
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This mixed-methods study aims to investigate the bias in peer feedback. Thirty-two English as an additional language learners gave each other anonymous feedback on their texts. Half of the participants received feedback from their teacher... more
This mixed-methods study aims to investigate the bias in peer feedback. Thirty-two English as an additional language learners gave each other anonymous feedback on their texts. Half of the participants received feedback from their teacher disguised as peer feedback, while the other half received actual peer feedback. Data were collected through drafts of two essays, feedback, and a questionnaire. Results indicate that although participants reported trusting teacher feedback more, the quantitative uptake of feedback was similar regardless of the source. Data analysis suggests that the teacher's and peers' social representation plays a more significant role in uptake than the feedback itself.
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While the literature has examined the experiences and attitudes of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) professionals toward writing in English for publication in terms of material, environmental, and political... more
While the literature has examined the experiences and attitudes of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) professionals toward writing in English for publication in terms of material, environmental, and political conditions as well as (non)discursive challenges, little is known about the (de)motivating factors underpinning their drive to publish in English, particularly in South America. This study explores the (de)motivation of 522 TESOL professionals in South America to write for publication in English. The study adopted a sequential mixed-methods design that consisted of an online survey followed by 20 individual interviews with purposefully sampled participants. Findings show that, despite personal and social-contextual challenges, the participants were driven by altruism, impact, and self-efficacy.
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This paper aims to extend our understanding of the factors underlying teacher wellbeing and the stress-coping mechanisms that professionals from the field use in their daily lives. The study focuses on the point of view of EFL teachers... more
This paper aims to extend our understanding of the factors underlying teacher wellbeing and the stress-coping mechanisms that professionals from the field use in their daily lives. The study focuses on the point of view of EFL teachers working in Andalusia, the southern region of Spain. Through semi-structured interviews and using Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory for the content analysis of data, the project identifies the primary sources of distress and growth that participants link to their profession. Key among them are emotional competence, the school environment, legislation, and boundaries. The study also pinpoints the main stress-coping strategies participants were already implementing in their lives to fight against feelings of burnout. Especially relevant is the practice of hobbies, professional training, and establishing boundaries.