Bachelor Education Program in Teaching English as a foreign language

Group # 11

Andrea Angélica Manosalva Santiago

Leivy Tatiana Torres Bayona

Carmen Sofía Corzo

Albeiro Vergel

CAU Ocaña

Research Foundations in Language Teaching

From Research Interest to Need Analysis

1. Language research topic.

Going along with the BA. Ed Paths1, this research is oriented by Language policy for languages

in the country according to EFL in the social context. The present study is interested in analyzing

an important phenomenon, as identify student’s language competence is. Colombia is a Spanish

language country where it is not necessary English in quotidian communication but for different

implications the subject is requested. Nowadays, globalization is a real fact that involves

technology advances and real-time business interaction; however a “Lingua Franca”2 means clear

contact. That places English in high position. So that has come with the requirement of learning a

foreign language aimed to make up for communication needs.

Government, throughout Ministry of National Education, has implemented an educational

curriculum3 that involves English as a foreign language into an important subject of teaching

programs. Guided by Common European Framework, Basic Competence on English as a Foreign

1 Research Paths in B.Ed. Program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language –VUAD. Universidad Santo Tomás. General format. Retrieve from: http://aula20142.ustadistancia.edu.co/course/view.php?id=775#2 Nicholas Ostler: Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World, HarperCollins, 2005, ISBN 978-0-06-621086-5.3Ministerio de educación nacional. Serie guía #22. (October, 2006). PDF format. Retrieve from: http://www.colombiaaprende.edu.co/html/micrositios/1752/articles-315518_recurso_3.pdf

Language Standards were designed to measure what schools have to execute and what students

has to learn. In spite of ministry implement measures, not good English level on students has

been noticed and the “are educational institutions accomplishing goals ruled?” question has been

asked by the community. Encouraged by previous affirmations this project has been raised in

order to investigate and to clarify the real situation moved through language learning,

delimitating population to Ocaña, specifically to Colegio Cristiano Luz y Vida’s eleventh grade

students. That is, the basic competence standards on English as foreign language assessment

according to Ministry of National Education.

2. Revising previous research

Selected investigations were important bases to support this previous research because of clarify

topics they carry on. The article called “A Perspective of the Implications of the Common

European Framework Implementation in the Colombian Socio-cultural Context”4 was lighting on

the path throughout the research. Thanks to the article it was possible to find the specific

differences throughout rural, urban, private and public schools in learning contexts. Also, there

were characteristics that interfere in the socio-cultural context and competence standards’

development in Colombia. The research developed and this one are similar into the Common

European Framework application, the curricula adaptation and study orientation. A second article

was consulted: “A study of EFL students’ interpretations of cultural aspects in foreign language

learning”5; in this case, the study helped the investigation to take into account the cultural aspects

importance in the language context immersion. i. e., to develop language cultural competence in

order to make learning more meaningful. This exploration case and the previous analysis

presented make aware about applicability on language learning competences into socio-cultural

context living. Finally, a third investigation was consulted, “Searching for Coherence in language

teaching: the issue of teaching competencies”6; which support the main study with important

elements’ definition as the approach or the method to be worked on a foreign language teaching,

it defines the design to be implemented according to the approach took on. They both share

reflection on curriculum orientations when developing language competencies towards acquiring

and learning any language at different factors needs that are related to students as well as the

social context.

As a final result, it is imperative to mention how aforementioned researches made impact on the

society. One of those is the need of raising awareness to reconsider the current practices and

improving the competence standards according to the different socio-cultural contexts, moreover

the fact of becoming qualified on particular issues. Besides, the second subject showed how

4 Zárate J., Álvarez J. A Perspective of the Implications of the Common European Framework Implementation in the Colombian Socio-cultural Context. (September, 2005). PDF Format. Retrieve form: http://revistas.udistrital.edu.co/ojs/index.php/calj/article/view/162/260 5 Hernández Castro O., Samacá Bohórquez Y. A study of EFL students’ interpretations of cultural aspects in foreign language learning. (September 2006) PDF Format. Retrieved from: http://revistas.udistrital.edu.co/ojs/index.php/calj/article/view/171/278 6 Rico Troncoso C. Searching for Coherence in language teaching: the issue of teaching competencies

cultural context is needed when learning a new language. And the last one contribution said that,

it was not possible to consider social factors that influences language learning, except that it is

also relevant to analyze personal characteristics on individual beings (as belief, affective states,

learners’ experience); someway, they affect learning or acquisition process. Summarizing, there

are uncountable factors that interfere on Foreign Language Learning to achieve a real context

knowledge; so, there are uncountable ways of learning to supply any factor that could be on the

way. Because, if there is any problem there will also be the solution.

3. Contextual Factors Analysis-Justifying Research

Ocaña (Norte de Santander) is a small city where private schools have recently been established

as high schooled levels; these institutions are popular for its liberty about decisions and

curriculum designs, but it is known that every establishment must be supported by government

regulation. Due to this fact, it was thought to delimitate population into eleventh grade students

from Colegio Cristiano Luz y Vida7 owing to this college was founded by a VUAD graduate on

Bachelor Education program on Kindergarten, because of the intention of evaluating the English

program carried on. Attempting to develop the research, it was required to have in mind the

process to achieve on it. The principal goal was to assess the basic competence standards on

English as a foreign language on eleventh grade students from Colegio Cristiano Luz y Vida

according to Ministry of National Education demands. The rule mentions B1 level as basic state

for eleventh grade students8. On this way, to identify the learners’ English level depending of

Common European Framework9 was the objective utilized in order to define the institution

standard on English competence.

In order to evaluate the language level, Preliminary English Test (PET)10 was applied. This test is

used to recognize how prepared is people into B1 language level, and to analyze if they have the

communication skills11 needed at this point. The exam developed by the students as a method of

data compilation had a negative report because any of them achieved the B1 level expected. Only

three interviewees were, difficulty, graded at A2 level as well and the rest of them were at A1. In

conclusion, Colegio Cristiano Luz y Vida does not fulfill the Basic Competence on English as a

Foreign Language Standard required. So, in an overview, a restructuration in the English

curriculum is imperative to guarantee better results when new studies are developed.

7 Colegio Cristiano Luz y Vida. Resolution No. 03509 from October 30, 2012. Rector: Elizabeth Lopez Barbosa. 8 Ministerio de educación nacional. Serie guía #22. (October, 2006). PDF format. Retrieve from: http://www.colombiaaprende.edu.co/html/micrositios/1752/articles-315518_recurso_3.pdf9 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Council of Europe. PDF format. Retrieve from: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/source/framework_en.pdf 10 Preliminary English Test. University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. 2006. PDF Format. Retrieve from: http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/images/24944-pet-information-for-candidates.pdf 11 Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment. PDF Format. Retrieve from: https://www.eui.eu/Documents/ServicesAdmin/LanguageCentre/CEF.pdf