TEFL Practices

Scenarios for Research and Reflection

Herreño-Contreras, Yomaira Angélica, Salas, Araceli, Ruiz, Claudia Bibiana, Narváez-Cantos, Daysi Lorena

• Editorial: Ediciones USTA
• Año: 2021
• ISBN:
  9789587824728
• Categoría: Education
• Categoría: Education Teaching Methods

Este libro recopila una serie de temas que se han convertido en esfuerzos de indagación, desafíos pedagógicos y preguntas de investigación para un grupo de mujeres que se dedican a la Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Extranjera (TEFL) a nivel nacional e internacional.

English for Significant Purposes as a Scenario to Educate for Citizenship

YOMAIRA ANGÉLICA HERREÑO-CONTRERAS1

Universidad Santo Tomás-Villavicencio

[email protected]

As a Manner of Setting the Path. From Communicative Purposes to Citizenship

Teaching a language may be conceived as a set of practices, strategies, techniques and methods to guide learners into being fully competent users of a language. Based on this interpretation, language teaching may apparently pivot on two cornerstones: communicative competence and language proficiency. However, the fine line between language proficiency and communicative competence has progressively tended to be tougher to draw. As to communicative competence, Bagarić and Mihaljević-Djigunović highlight that the term is composed of two words whose combination means “competence to communicate” (2007). In this sense and within the framework of this paper, it is essential to understand the concept of human communication “as the process whereby one individual (or group of individuals) attempts to stimulate meaning in the mind of another individual (or group of individuals) through intentional use of verbal, nonverbal, and/or mediated messages” (Wrench et al., 2015, p. 27). Thus, teaching a language clearly implies taking the path to arouse signification, share and engender meaning, and ultimately build up social networks.

Consequently, it is clear that concepts such as language proficiency and communicative competence need to be expanded. In fact, various academicians (Byram, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989; Byram & Morgan, 1994; Porto & Byram, 2015) have delved into the issue and inquired about the notion of intercultural citizenship within English lessons that emphasize on “dialogue, i.e. the ability to interact with and engage with other people and their views of the world” (Porto & Byram, 2015, p. 11). Bearing in mind the aforementioned, the raison d’être of any language is undergirded by notions such as being in contact, constructing together and taking care of one another. Hence, teaching a language is prone to turning into nourishing humanity with the vital elements to evolve to citizenship, to a human citizenship exerted in the current circumstances worldwide.

Citizenship may be viewed and conceived from various perspectives. According to Sherrod et al.: “Citizenship then has to involve multiple components” (2002, p. 265). In fact, citizenship deals with every aspect of human life and is deeply conditioned by a wide range of external factors. Hermes (2006) refers to Marshall and Bottomore’s (1950) tripartite definition of citizenship as a guide to its notion and nature. In the first place, it includes political and social rights. In this sense, I would dare to assert that citizenship also implies civic duties. Furthermore, citizenship alludes to “the common agreement among groups [within] the nation-state” (Hermes, 2006, p. 300), and there still exists a third strain which constrains citizenship to voting. In this regard, UNESCO may provide a more complete approach as it is perceived from global citizenship education, and involves a three-folded perspective comprising cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral dimensions.

The cognitive dimension deals with acquiring “knowledge, understanding, and critical thinking about global, regional, national, and local issues and the interconnectedness and interdependency of different countries and populations” (UNESCO, 2015, p.15). As for the socio-emotional dimension, it is understood as holding “a sense of belonging to a common humanity, sharing values and responsibilities, empathy, solidarity, and respect for differences and diversity” (UNESCO, 2015, p.15), and the behavioral dimension involves “[acting] effectively and responsibly at local, national, and global levels for a more peaceful and sustainable world” (UNESCO, 2015, p.15).

Bearing in mind the aforementioned constructs: “Education for citizenship equips people with the knowledge, skill, and understanding to play an effective role in public life. Citizenship encourages them to take an interest in topical and controversial issues and to engage in discussion and debate” (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 2007, p. 27). To illustrate how education for citizenship and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) amalgamate, two approaches are presented as follows: 21st century skills and HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills).

21st century skills. Voogt and Pareja view the “21st century skills or 21st century competences as an overarching concept for the knowledge, skills and dispositions citizens need to be able to contribute to the knowledge society” (2010, p. 1). Within this perspective, education is envisioned in a more extensive manner and derives into lifelong skills directly correlated with the cognitive, emotional and social realms of human life. In recent years, there has been too much talk of 21st century skills, and since 1956 the taxonomy of educational goals (Bloom’s taxonomy) was published and it has thrown light on how to excel education expectations and ensure significant learning. According to Dede, “classrooms today typically lack 21st century learning and teaching” (2010, p. 53). As a result, vital students’ abilities such as decision-making, knowledge transfer or teamwork are usually underrated.

The Glossary of Education Reform defines 21st century skills as “a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are believed […] to be critically important to success in today’s world, particularly in collegiate programs and contemporary careers and workplaces” (Great Schools Partnership, 2016). They range from critical thinking to health and wellness literacy. However, nowadays with the boom of digital tools applied for educational purposes, they tend to be underestimated. In this regard, Kay asserts that:

Many people equate technology-rich classrooms or modern schools or rigorous core subjects with 21st century learning, regardless of whether students are mastering 21st century skills. In reality, the ability to use digital devices in no way means that students know anything about global awareness or health literacy, learning and innovation skills, life and career skills, or even media literacy skills. Similarly, many educators claim that they already teach 21st century skills, even though these skills are not systemically infused into standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, or professional development and learning environments. (2010, p. 28)

Figure 7.1 21st century skills

Source: Taken from Neelen & Kirschner (2016).

As it is displayed in Figure 7.1, those skills comprise a wide range of aspects ranging from critical thinking to collaboration and leadership, and their implica...

Índice

• Cubierta
• Portadilla
• Página legal
• Contenido
• Index of Figures and Tables
• FOREWORD
• INTRODUCTION
• PERCEPTIONS OF MEXICAN EFL TEACHERS TOWARDS STUDENTS’ DIGITAL LITERACY AND AUTONOMY IN 2020
• THE GOLDEN DUO OF HIGHER EDUCATION: ICTS AND UNIVERSITY TEACHERS
• KAHOOT AND QUIZIZZ, ALTERNATIVES USING SMARTPHONES FOR EFL CLASSROOMS
• PRACTICING AUDIO TRANSCRIPTION AS THE KEY TO BALANCE THE ENGLISH SKILLS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM
• HYPERDOCS FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING, BUILDING AUTONOMY IN LEARNERS WHILE RECOGNIZING THEIR HUMANNESS
• TOWARD CRITICAL THINKING IN LANGUAGE TEACHING: REFLECTION TO EMPOWER TEACHERS AND LEARNERS
• ENGLISH FOR SIGNIFICANT PURPOSES AS A SCENARIO TO EDUCATE FOR CITIZENSHIP
• I DARE YOU TO ACCEPT THE ‘VOCABULARY CHALLENGE’
• Cubierta posterior