is colombia ready for bilingualism

8/10/2019 Is Colombia Ready for Bilingualism

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Is Colombia Ready for Bilingualism?

PROFILE 9, 2008. ISSN 1657-0790. Bogot, Colombia. Pages 181-195 181

* E-mail: [email protected]** E-mail: [email protected]: Universidad de Nario. Departamento de Lingstica e Idiomas. Calle 8 No. 33-127 Sede Las Acacias. Bloque 2. San Juan de

Pasto.

This article was received on November 15th, 2007, and accepted on January 16th, 2008.


Colombia est lista para el bilingismo?

Ana Clara Snchez Solarte*

Gabriel Vicente Obando Guerrero**Universidad de Nario

Currently, the Colombian government is attempting to implement programs such as ColombiaBilinge. The effectiveness of this type of project depends on a number of factors, some of whichdo not have to do with policies or standardization, but with academic requirements and issuesthat might be neglected while focusing on the outcome rather than on the process of expectingforeign language learners to become proficient in a second or foreign language (L2). This paperexamines the academic needs that have to be met in order to achieve government goals in a fair

and rewarding way for teachers, students and stakeholders. Also, the way similar foreign languagepolicies have been implemented in other countries is briefly described.

Key words:Foreign language teaching, bilingualism, language policy, methodology

En la actualidad el gobierno colombiano est tratando de implementar el programa ColombiaBilinge. El xito de este tipo de iniciativas depende de varios factores, algunos de los cuales noestn relacionados con polticas o con estndares, sino con factores y requisitos acadmicos quepueden estar siendo dejados a un lado. Este artculo trata sobre las necesidades acadmicas quedeben resolverse para lograr las metas propuestas por el gobierno, pero de forma que el procesosea justo y gratificante para estudiantes, profesores y directivas. As mismo se aborda brevemente laforma como polticas sobre el aprendizaje de lenguas extranjeras se han puesto en marcha en otrospases.

Palabras clave:Enseanza de lenguas extranjeras, bilingismo, polticas lingsticas, metodologa

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Snchez Solarte and Obando Guerrero

Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas, Departamento de Lenguas Extranjeras182

In Colombia, the General Education Act115 (1994) states that one of the objectivesof education should be the acquisition ofspeaking, reading and comprehension skillsin at least one foreign language, making itthe starting point for the creation of newregulations regarding the teaching andlearning of foreign languages in Colombia.This objective is somewhat vague since inorder to create curricula, syllabi, schedules,learning tasks and assessment, everyoneshould have a very clear idea of whatwe need to achieve in foreign languageeducation. Another example of inadequate

law implementation is the Resolucin 2343(Ministerio de Educacin Nacional deColombia, 1996) which gave the Ministryof Education (Ministerio de EducacinNacional de Colombia or MEN) theauthority to regulate curricula through theimplementation of achievement indicators,and was later partially replaced with Ley 715de 2001 in order to correct this situation.Schools seemed to have autonomy oncemore, but then the Basic Foreign Language

Competence Standards: English (2006)were introduced to regulate teaching. AsLightbown & Spada (1999) express: thedecision about when to introduce second orforeign language instruction must dependon the objectives of the language programin the particular social context of theschool (p. 164). Has this discussion takenplace in the academic settings of Colombia?Have the decisions concerning the optimaltime to start foreign language instruction

considered what research has to say aboutthis topic?

The Colombian government then starteda series of actions towards the achievementof what they refer to as bilingualism.

According to MENpublication Al Tablero(October 2005), it is expected that thePrograma Nacional de Bilingismo (Thenational Bilingual Colombia Program)willbe fully implemented by the year 2019. Thisproject has focused on adapting standardsfrom Europe to be applied in Colombia, abold move given the fact that the similaritiesbetween that context and the Colombianone are basically non-existent, and that theCommon European Framework (CEF) wascreated under different circumstances andwith different purposes. Here a questionarises: Why did MENchoose this option and

not others which might have been moreculturally sensitive to Colombian and evenSouth American learners? Ayala & lvarez(2005, p.12) address this issue as follows:

Because Colombian standards forforeign language teaching are barelystructured, attention has been given toforeign models. In general, standards havebeen obtained by importing the ones thatwere developed in other places, underdifferent circumstances and contexts.

Although those standards are valid andreliable for foreign academic communities,it does not mean that they would fit theparticularities of our institutions, languagelearners and so on.

Bilingual programs are not recent.They have been applied in countrieslike Australia, Canada and the UnitedStates since the 1970s under the namesof immigrant on-arrival programs orimmersion education. The reasons for the

appearance of these programs were relatedto the need to teach immigrants to developcompetences to adapt to their new societyand be able to get a job and/or performin different contexts. More specifically,

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in the case of Canada, the goals of the

program included: 1) developing a high

level of proficiency in the foreign language;

2) developing positive attitudes towardsthose who speak the foreign language and

toward their culture(s); 3) developing

English language skills commensurate with

expectations for students age and abilities;

4) gain designated skills and knowledge

in the content areas of the curriculum

(Richards & Rodgers, 2001 p. 206).

These programs were and are successful

not only because the people involved

in them are highly motivated to become

proficient in the language given their

personal and professional needs, but also

because the purposes were clear and they

were developed under favorable conditions

that include, among others: the use of

theme-based syllabi chosen according to

language and learning goals, the use of

meaningful and authentic material, and

a minimum number of hours to achieve

the initial goals (Richards & Rodgers 2001,

Morrow, 2004). It is necessary to stop for amoment and ask ourselves:

What are the goals of language

teaching in Colombia?

Are teachers aware of the purposes of

foreign language teaching in Colombia?

In the year 2006, the government

introduced the Estndares Bsicos en

Competencias en Lenguas Extranjeras:

Ingls. They are a set of basic standards thatEnglish teachers should follow to guarantee

the levels of proficiency the CEF presents

for Europe. The Minister of Education,

Cecilia Maria Velez White, in an open

letter introducing the standards makes thefollowing statement:

The National Government has the fundamental

commitment to create the conditions forColombians to develop communicative

competences in another language. Having a

good proficiency level in English facilitates the

access to job and education opportunities that

help ensure quality of life. To be competent in

another language is essential in a globalized

world, which demands better communication,

to open frontiers, to understand other contexts,

to make knowledge your own and make it

circulate, to understand and make yourself

understood, to enrich your being and play a

decisive role in the development of the country.Being bilingual broadens the opportunities to be

more competent and competitive (translation of

Estndares Bsicos en Competencias en Lenguas

Extranjeras: Ingls. MEN, 2006, p. 3).

If we take some time to analyze whatthe Minister of Education of Colombiasays regarding the reasons why a goodlevel of proficiency in English is needed

in this country, it can be seen that she hascertain goals in mind. The main reason for

becoming bilingual is to facilitate access toemployment and educational opportunities

in a globalized world without any borders.Are English teachers aware of the reasonwhy English is taught in Colombia? Are weall aware that the main purpose is to help

students get a job or go to school? Cook(2001) makes an important distinctionabout the goals of teaching English. Heclassifies them into three major categories:

local goals foster a second language withina society, international goals foster a secondlanguage for use outside the society, andindividual goals develop qualities in the

learner rather than language per se. (p. 173)

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It is important to think about the goalsstudents have in learning a foreign languageand from this, the goals teachers have whenteaching these students. Another importantinsight that Cook has is the conclusionthat many times it is taken for granted thateveryone knows why they are teaching thesecond language, a conjecture that mayaffect the way they teach. No assumptionsmust be made when it comes to teachingand learning. Clarity is key for designinga curriculum, a course, a syllabus, a lessonplan.

This seems to be the case in Colombia

where policies are created in a top-downapproach where only a few people (notnecessarily teachers) know what shouldbe done and why and the participationof school teachers in the creation ofstandards is virtually invisible. The firststep in ensuring effective foreign languageprograms in Colombia should be to informeveryone about not only the goals butalso the rationale behind the goals for L2teaching in this context.

Creating a Conducive Context for

Developing Bilingual Programs

It was suggested before that bilingualprograms in other countries were developedunder certain conditions that favoredteaching and learning. If policy makersin Colombia truly want to be successfulin their current endeavor they shouldpay less attention to the implementation

of standards and more to the generallearning conditions that are needed forthe effective learning of a new language.Important researchers and writers in thefield of SLA and TESOL(Clavijo, Guerrero,

Torres, Ramrez & Torres, 2004; Cross,2003; Ellis, 1994, 1997; Lightbown & Spada,1999; Cook, 2001; Savignon, 1991 & 2001;Rodgers, 2003 among others) have broadlydiscussed what it is that teachers, teachereducators, learners and administrators needto do and how to do it in order to achievepositive results in the task of acquiringa second/foreign language. It is not thatColombian teachers want to look the otherway and reject any change, but rather thatchanges must be introduced in a fair andacademic way, supported by sound policies.As Crdenas (2006) states: Schools and

universities welcome the idea of placingteacher education at the cornerstone of theprogramme, but serious concerns have alsorisen because we do not see clear policiesto make language teaching conditionsappropriate for the attainment of thedefined goals (p. 2). Here are some of theseideas that may be useful when analyzing thedemands made by the government and thereality of Colombian classrooms.

Exposure to the L2

First of all, in order to acquire an L2, itis necessary to have enough exposure to it.As Lightbown & Spada (1999) suggest asa result of extensive research, one or twohours a week even for seven or eight years will not produce very advanced secondlanguage speakers. This drip-feed approachoften leads to frustration as learners feelthat they have been studying for years

without making much progress (p. 165).One might expect that MENwould take

this advice and reorganize the scheduleassigned to foreign language classes weeklyin public schools and maybe devote at

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least four hours a week to the developmentof communicative competence in the L2.MEN, in its booklet presenting its standards,makes the following statement concerningthe available time to expose learners toinput in the Colombian context:

In primary school education, some institutionshave one hour a week devoted to Englishteaching and other institutions still have noassigned time. Even though the Secretaries ofEducation and each institution will decide,according to their possibilities, the way to dothis job in the primary school, the design of thestandards begins in the first grade in order toset goals in the long term for Colombian boys

and girls (Translation of Estndares Bsicos enCompetencias en Lenguas Extranjeras: Ingls.MEN, 2006, p. 31)

And one wonders: how can teachersapply foreign language standards startingin first grade in institutions where aschedule for English classes does not exist?Clearly, more attention should be paidto research and current literature beforemaking assumptions about standards-basededucation.

On the other hand, in the Ministryof Education publication Al Tableroon the Internet, one finds the followingassertion:

According to the study Key Data on TeachingLanguages in Schools in Europe carried out in2005 by the European Education InformationNetwork (Eurydice), in the 25 countries of theEuropean Union in the educational system, theaverage time devoted to the study of a foreignlanguage is of eight years, with five to nine hours

a week, since the student is eight years old. InColombia the time devoted averages six years,from sixth to eleventh grade, beginning at theage of eleven, with three hours a week. A totalof 270 hours devoted to the study of English,during junior and high school. This is enough

for students to achieve the competence requiredin English (Translation of Bases para una nacinbilinge, MEN, 2005, p. 5).

Analyzing the numbers presented tosupport the use of the CEF, from five tonine hours a week adding up to 720 totalhours, another question arises: If studieslike the one mentioned above and even theframework adapted by MENstate minimumrequirements to be met, then why arethey not taken into consideration? Andeven more so given that it is clear that ourcountry still has underprivileged conditionsin certain sectors? Does it not seem that

in our country we are taking the longestand bumpiest road? Besides, teachingand learning are processes that cannot bereduced to mathematical calculations; thetotal number of hours is irrelevant if theexposure to the language is not continuous.Learning conditions that are not easilymet in a country that is, as Crdenas(2006) mentions, mostly monolingualwith 2% (approximately 450) indigenouscommunities without the same reasons

and motivations for communication inforeign languages (p.3).

Then again, the Standards brochure(MEN, 2006, p. 31) presents the statementcited below:

During high and junior high school, Englishteaching is for an average of two to four hoursa week. This number of hours allows studentsto achieve the standards. Therefore, it is crucialto take advantage to the fullest of class time,proposing adequate pedagogical activities and

using multiple resources that meet the needs ofthe students and the objectives proposed by theteachers. In the same way, it is recommendedto explore all the possibilities offered bytodays modern world, using media, music,and the internet, among other aids, which

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are so relevant to the younger population(translation).

Unfortunately, even for MENthe

number of hours of instruction and theconditions necessary for adequate foreignlanguage teaching are still not clear. AsCrdenas (2006) remarks, the analysis ofa working document makes us wonder towhat extent the proposal has consideredthose regions where English is not a priorityfor the educational system, e.g. very remoterural areas, regions suffering socio-politicalconflicts, or those with hardly any chanceto use the language for authentic purposes

(p.3).

Methods and Approaches

Regarding methodology, the CEFseem to advocate the adaptation ofcommunicative approaches in order toachieve communicative competence. It isdirectly stated that:

the emphasisis on how languages areused and what learners/users can do with the

language on language being action-based, notknowledge-based Language learning activitiesare based on the needs, motivations, andcharacteristics of learners:

What will they need to do with thelanguage?

What will they need to learn in order to dowhat they want?

What makes them want to learn?

What sort of people are they?

What knowledge, skill, and experiences dotheir teachers possess?

What access do they have to resources?

How much time can they afford to spend?(CEF, 2001 p. 4)

It can be suggested, then, thatapproaches such as content-basedinstruction, communicative languageteaching or competency-based languageteaching are needed in Colombianclassrooms, whether the goal is to achievebilingualism or whether we just want toenhance foreign language teaching in thiscountry at all levels.

The characteristics of communicativeapproaches to L2 teaching in generalhave been widely described by influentialauthors both internationally and locally(Brown, 2000; Galloway, 1993; Hedge, 2000;

Littlewood, 1981; Nunan, 1987, 1999; Nieto,2002; Reyes, 2002; Richards & Rodgers,1986, 2001; Savignon 1983, 1984, 1991,2001; Rodgers, 2003). It would take severalpages to discuss these features, but the mostrecurrent can be summarized as follows:

First of all, learner needs are targeted.Teachers do not teach what they may befamiliar with (grammar, vocabulary), butwhat learners need in order to performdifferent functions. As McNamara (2000)

explains, the planning of the course, thesyllabus, and the choice of materials arebased on the real ways in which the L2 willbe used outside the classroom.

Moreover, systematic attention tofunctional as well as structural aspects oflanguage is considered. Focus on formis advocated as the most effective wayto combine meaning and accuracy andto allow learners to discover grammarthrough real-life examples, rather than

memorizing sterile rules. Teachers confirmthe hypotheses about grammar set forwardby their students rather than giving themthe rules, increasing participation andinvolvement on the part of learners.

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A wide variety of resources (especiallytask-based and authentic materials) areused. The textbook is a good support fora teacher and for the learners, but it isnecessary to introduce additional authenticmaterials that are relevant and meaningfulfor learners. In an era of computer-mediated communication, teachers needto include in their instruction processmaterials related to technology: Internet,multimedia, text-messaging, the readingof multimodal texts, and chat in order tokeep their classes updated and appealing forstudents who are computer savvy. As Farias,

Obilinovic & Orrego (2007) highlight,reading and writing have been transformedby the multimodal revolution and textscome in different formats. Hypertexts andhyperstories, two common tools in thedigital age, which have been thoroughlystudied in Colombia, are seen as positivesince they encourage creativity and theycontribute to the improvement of thewriting process in general. Resources areendless and teachers need to start profiting

from them.Teachers have to have an adequate L2

language proficiency since they need toperform different roles and to conducta class entirely in the L2. It is no longeraceptable for a teacher to enter a classroomand explain what a certain page in a booksays. Teachers are now needs-analysts andcounselors, moving from direct instructionto be more learner-centered. These featuresare equally relevant for the Colombian

setting, as evidenced in different piecesof research (Gonzlez, Salazar & Sierra,2005; Crdenas, 2006; Gonzlez, 2007)where the complexity of teaching is dealtwith. The multiple needs and challenges

posed for teachers are also addressed inthese papers indicating that research andthe creation of academic communities is

a must for teachers and teacher educators.Finally, it is implied that prescriptive, top-down practices and policies make a poorcontribution to the development of acritical view of foreign language educationin Colombia.

The need for constant updating isclear for teachers. With the advent ofpost-method trends teachers also need toreinvent themselves inside the classroom.Stryker & Leaver (1993) quoted by Richards

and Rodgers (2001) add some new roles forteachers in communicative and content-based instruction. Teachers are in charge of:

Varying the format of classroominstructionUsing group work and team-buildingtechniquesDefining the background knowledgeand language skills required for studentsuccess

Helping students to develop copingstrategies, using process approaches towritingUsing appropriate error correctiontechniquesDeveloping and maintaining highlevels of student esteem (p.214).

Students are expected to interact in pairsand groups and interaction is initiated notonly by teachers, but also by students. As

classes move from teacher-centeredness tolearner-centeredness, learners are expectedto become autonomous through theapplication of interactive tasks based onauthentic materials, realia and particularly

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project work, which requires students tocollaborate, is focused on real-life topics andcan be adapted to focus on formal aspects of

language as Alan & Stoller (2005) propose.Heyworth (2004) provides further soundreasons supporting the appropriatenessof communicative approaches in thedevelopment of communicative competence:

Communicative approaches to language

teaching and learning offer opportunities to

choose the topics to be addressed. Course books

frequently reduce the content of language

teaching to everyday banality and stereotyped

situations and characters, whereas language

teachers could choose to use the opportunity to

provide useful information, stimulate reflection,

address social issues, and promote values in

ways which could contribute to both personal

development and social awareness (p. 13).

A word of caution is needed here.Despite the many advantages of CLT, andas Tucker (1999), Yoon (2004) and Hiep(2005) mention, ESLsettings differ fromEFLones and imported pedagogy can causeconflicts with learners social and cultural

conditions. Tucker calls it Importationof models versus importation of cycles ofdiscovery. That is, we need to focus onwhat processes have worked elsewhere,not on transferring finished productsuncritically.

Assessment

Bilingual programs have made useof communicative approaches in order to

guarantee the provision of opportunitiesfor interaction. Communicative approachesalso make use of different types ofassessment that move beyond thetraditional paper-and-pencil tests which

commonly feature multiple-choice items,to a focus on receptive skills and questionswith only one right answer (Brown,2004). Foreign language programsthat intend to develop communicativecompetence or bilingualism tend tofocus more on alternative assessmentand/or performance-based assessment.This may be a difficult step to take inColombia where our learning experiencessuggest constant use of the L1 intranslation exercises in many tests, aswell as directions written in Spanish.Immersion or bilingual programs are

characterized by the exclusive use of theL2 during instruction and the productiveuse of this language in assessment tasks.Colombian teachers might need trainingin performance-based assessment whichgoes hand-in-hand with communicativemethodology. Some of the salient featuresof this type of assessment are summarizedby Brown (2004):

First of all, students make a constructedresponse, they also engage in higher-order

thinking with open-ended tasks which aremeaningful, engaging and authentic andthat integrate skills. Finally both the processand the product are assessed and the depthof learners knowledge is emphasized overbreadth (p. 255).

Some activities explained byTannenbaum (1996) and that Colombianteachers can use in order to foster theuse of the L2 in meaningful assessmentinclude portfolios (collections of students

essays, reports, journals, and notes andso on over a period of time and with aspecific purpose), journals, observations,presentations, project-work, self-assessmentand peer assessment, K-W-L charts (i.e.,

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charts with three columns where learnerswrite what they Know about a topic,what they Want to know about the topicand what they Learned during the class)and tests where students are expected todo something with the language ratherthan displaying their knowledge aboutformal aspects of language. Why shouldColombian teachers start or continue toimplement these assessment strategies? Theanswer is simple, but not easy: because theColombian government is implementingstandardized tests (KET, FCE, TKT) atdifferent levels and production is what

these tests demand from the test-takers.What makes this issue somewhat thornyis whether teachers can prepare learnersto develop communicative competenceand to face these tests successfully with theavailable time and resources in Colombianschools. A quick glance at the learningconditions in this context might suggest thatmajor curricular changes need to take placebefore this can happen. As Hancock (1994)and Rodrguez (2007) suggest, alternative

assessment and self-assessment encouragelearners participation, self-reflection andteam work. Taking on a project such asone including self assessment requires acurricular transformation since it is nolonger an isolated activity, but an integralpart of instruction and the syllabus; andat the same time student training forthe implementation of these strategies isneeded.

Current Teaching and LearningConditions in Colombia

Throughout this paper it has beensuggested that bilingual programs can be

and are successful in different countries.Some aspects of methodology andrequirements have been discussed andit is clear that the Common EuropeanFramework is a well-organized, research-based document that comes from a 30-yearprocess. Therefore, it must be clarifiedthat the problem in Colombia is not theadoption of foreign language policy andstandards, but the learning and teachingconditions which the government seemsto overlook. Gonzlez & Quincha (2003)and Gonzlez, Sierra & Salazar (2005)particularly explore the roles of teacher

educators in Colombia and suggest thatknowing the local realities is as relevant ashaving a good command of the L2 whenit comes to professional development. Theadoption of a foreign framework clearlycontravenes this last idea. In Colombia,researchers like Gonzlez & Quincha(2003), Crdenas (2006), de Meja (2006)and Gonzlez (2007) among others haveanalyzed the way language policy is carriedout in Colombia and its implications

regarding learning conditions inColombia. The conclusion seems to be thatColombian idiosyncrasies were not fullyconsidered when policy makers decidedon the framework to be enforced and thatmultilingualism (rather than bilingualism),culture and identity need to be readdressedin order to achieve positive results in foreignlanguage teaching.

Besides these general ideas on someof the issues that need to be analyzed in

depth, here is a brief description of thecharacteristics of many EFLclassrooms inColombia. Class size is the most evidentproblem in our current context. Authorslike Brown (2001), LoCastro (2001) and

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Sarwar (2001) have analyzed the difficultiesof managing large-sized classes. LoCastro(2001) provides a list of problems related toclass size and language learning, organizedin three categories: Among the pedagogicaldifficulties we find the carrying out ofspeaking, reading, and writing tasks, theprovision of feedback and monitoringof work, the promotion of individualwork, setting up of communicative tasks,and avoidance of demanding activities;regarding classroom management shementions that correction of studentcompositions is virtually impossible, pair

and group work are difficult to carry out,and there is a high noise level when classesare truly participative; finally, affectiveproblems include not being able to learnstudents names, not being able to establishgood rapport with students, and problemswith weaker students who may get lost (p.494-495).

Another problem whose futureconsequences require research and analysison the part of teacher educators and policy

makers is the fact that L2 classes may betaught by people who are not foreignlanguage teachers. Although native speakersor people from other professions have anoutstanding proficiency, teaching is not onlyabout being able to speak without an accent.Teaching encompasses many aspects thatsciences like psychology, sociolinguistics,linguistics and second language acquisitionhave analyzed and that a real teacherneeds to know in order to adapt suitable

teaching and assessment practices. On theother hand, the fact that an architect or anengineer can teach mathematics shows thelittle respect that the government has for theteaching profession and for those involved

in it in Colombia. But as Gonzlez (2000)quoted in Gonzlez & Quincha (2003)points out, teachers also face challengessuch as improving their languageproficiency, being prepared to teach indiverse contexts, teaching with and withoutresources, implementing classroom-basedresearch, having access to professionaldevelopment, networking, and educatingteacher educators (p.88), which complicateeven more the conditions for EFLteachers.

When student-teachers are askedto observe classes as part of theirpreparation to become teachers, they find

a commonplace element that needs to beaddressed in order to enhance teaching andlearning conditions in Colombia: foreignlanguage classes are usually conducted inSpanish. This might be due to the above-mentioned problems (large classes), thelack of appropriate and available materials,or the lack of proficiency on the partof teachers (classes conducted by otherprofessionals, not by foreign languageteachers). The very fact of teaching a foreign

language without using it extensively in theclassroom limits the opportunities studentshave to be exposed to the L2, and hindertheir chances for interaction and outputproduction. Macaro (1997) quoted by Cook(2001) lists some purposes for teacheruse of the mother tongue when teaching:for giving instructions, for translatingand checking comprehension, to makeindividual comments to students, to givefeedback and to maintain discipline (p.155).

Although these are perfectly rational, wemust remember that in order to learn alanguage, learners must be exposed to inputand the teacher becomes the main providerof it in classrooms with limited available

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materials and audiovisual resources, such asmost public schools in Colombia.

A problem that was stated before has to

do with the scarce time devoted in publicschools to foreign language instruction.As it was stated before, the governmentacknowledges the fact that in some schoolsonly one or two hours a week is devotedto foreign language classes. Instead ofpushing standards that are difficult toachieve with this schedule, a reorganizationof curriculum that gives English teachersmore space for their professional practiceshould take place.

Finally, these crowded classrooms, withlittle time to carry out effective learningpractices and assigned to a teacher who mayor may not be a certified foreign languageeducator, also contain students of mixedlevels of proficiency and mixed ages. Onemore question appears: Can teachers inColombia have an effective control over allthese variables, and should they continuebeing blamed for all the problems that takeplace inside a class like this? One thing

is clear; policy alone does not guaranteesuccess.

It may seem that the government holdsthe proficiency level of teachers responsiblefor everything that has to do with foreignlanguage teaching. MENreports on theColombia aprende web page provide thefollowing information:

In a diagnosis carried out in Bogot and

Cundinamarca in 2003 and 2004, teachers in

Bogot are, on average, A2 level. 63% of theevaluated teachers show a basic level of mastery

of English (A1 and A2 levels); 35% are located

in intermediate level (B1, B2) and only 14%

displayed an advanced proficiency level (C1, C2)

(Translation).

These results, however, may not be theonly basis on which to establish policies andimplement changes in the way a countryeducates its people. Other elements mustalso be considered. Valencia (2007) givesimportant insights on the real situation.She states that there is a pressing needfor reflection on ELTpedagogy and schoolculture in order to adapt to the new realitiesteachers must face in schools. The apathyof students and their lack of interest inlearning in institutional contexts needto be dealt with (p.15). It is a matter ofcoming to terms with what is really taking

place; communication has to be the startingpoint of change. Real communicationis needed. One conclusion that Valencia(2007) adds is that teachers in particularneed to be critical of the discourses ofinvesting in English and also need to beaware of the misconceptions and promisesof bilingualism as it is understood by thosewho promote it (p.15).

Conclusions

It is true that teachers are essentialin the teaching and learning process, butas has been explained, other factors canintervene in how successful foreign languageinstruction is. In the conditions describedabove, it does not matter if the teacherhas reached a C2 level an overcrowdedclassroom, scarce materials and studentswho might have different proficiency levels,ages and motivation, and a scant amount of

hours per week for teaching are a challengefor any educator regardless of the goals setat the beginning of the instruction process.Therefore, the words of the Minister ofEducation may sound unfair when she

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states that all we need are committedteachers:

We can only achieve the set goals if we have

convinced teachers, who are able to help studentscommunicate in this language (Translation

Estndares Bsicos en Competencias en Lenguas

Extranjeras: Ingls. MEN, 2006, p. 3).

If the most essential tools are not athand, no commitment on the part ofteachers will be enough for developingsuccessful foreign-language programs;needless to say, the goal of bilingualismlooks more like a utopia than a feasible plan.

After this brief discussion in the light

of what several authors in the fields ofTESOLand SLAhave to say about effectiveprinciples for the implementation offoreign-language teaching programs andpolicies, the implementation of standardsfor Colombia needs to be addressed. Thefirst proposition is that starting a programlike Colombia Bilinge requires additionalresearch, not just a simplistic enquirydone to evidence the weaknesses on thepart of teachers and justify the alliancewith external agents. It is important to saythat having a document that serves as areference for teachers is always positive ifthe document itself is sound and inclusive,and if it is the result of a well thought-outand academically oriented process.

The Colombian government startedthe Colombia Bilinge project in 2004(MEN, 2004) and according to Al Tableroit intends to finish its implementation

by 2019. The booklet with the standardswas published in 2006 which makesevident that the process in Colombia wassignificantly shorter comparison to similarprocesses undertaken in other countries.

For instance, the implementation ofthe standards present in the CommonEuropean Framework was carried out afterextensive work that spanned a number ofyears. Morrow states that: the CommonEuropean Framework of Reference forLanguages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment Common European Framework, orCEFfor shortis a product of the aimsand aspirations of the Council of Europe,and is the development of work in thisarea that began in the late 1950s (p. 3).Similarly, the process that supported thepublication of TESOLs ESLStandards for

Pre-K-12 Students in 1997 was a long andparticipative one. Gmez (2000) describesthis process: Since the 1983 publicationof A Nation at Risk, organizations such asTESOL, the Center for Applied Linguisticsand expert meetings congregating policymakers, teacher educators, administrators,and most importantly, classroom teachersdiscussed strategies to develop standards.These strategies were made public throughconferences and monitored by special

groups. Only by 1994, when all the voiceshad been heard, was the conceptualframework for the ESL standards developed.Finally, a first draft was written by teamsof experts and shared at the 1996 TESOLconvention in Chicago. The feedbackobtained here served to revise the draftand finally in 1997 the ESL standardswere published in a book supported by anacademic organization such as TESOL. Thereaction to this publication was positive as

Gmez (2000) describes:

Finally, here was a documentpublishedby a national professional organization forteachers of Englishthat defined what effectiveeducation for English language learners looked

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like. By reading the vignettes and seeing

themselves mirrored in the pages of the ESL

standards, many teachers felt validated that they

were on the right track (Reaction section, 1).

A document that serves as a basis tounify teaching practices across the countryis a positive step towards ensuring equalquality in foreign-language teaching,but when one compares the Colombianequivalent to the texts produced by TheCouncil of Europe or TESOLone wondersif the document Estndares Bsicos deCompetencias en Lengua Extranjera: Ingls(MEN, 2006) was the result of an equally

comprehensive process.What is needed right now, besides an

overall improvement of the conditionsunder which teaching and learning takesplace in Colombia and the serious revisionof curricula at elementary and secondarylevels in public schools, is the spread ofinformation. In addition, teachers need toget support from the government so that, inturn, they can support the Government infulfilling the long-term goals proposed.

The words of Braslavsky (2006)regarding the ten most relevant factorsfor ensuring quality education should bementioned here since they encompassmany of the issues discussed in this articleand they show that in order to successfullyimplement education policies, impositionis not the way. Braslavsky summarizes a2003 discussion and states that educationshould be pertinent for people; this

leads us to self-esteem and conviction inlearners and teachers Ethics, competentadministrators, team-work, the creationof academic communities, an adequateplanning of curricula, the quantity, quality

and availability of educational resources,the plurality and quality of teachingmethodologies, and finally material, culturaland social incentives for teachers are,according to the voices of many educationexperts, what is needed to make a real andlong lasting change in education.

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About the Authors

Ana Clara Snchez Solarte is an assistant professor at the University of Nario. She holds aB.A. in English and French from the University of Nario and an MAin TESOL/Linguistics fromthe University of Northern Iowa as a Fulbright scholar. She is a member of the COLCIENCIASrecognized group Universidad y Currculo.

Gabriel Vicente Obando Guerrerois an assistant professor at the University of Nario andcurrently the Department Head. He holds a B.A. in English and French and an MAin TESOL/Linguistics from the University of Northern Iowa as a Fulbright scholar. He is a member of theCOLCIENCIASrecognized group Universidad y Currculo.

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