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Vol. 30 No. 2 (July / December 2023) by HOW Journal

How Journal, 2023

Editorial

How Journal, 2023

As an undergraduate student, I learned of ASOCOPI, the Colombian Association of Teachers of Engli... more As an undergraduate student, I learned of ASOCOPI, the Colombian Association of Teachers of English. I saw this association as something big and full of learning possibilities. I also saw it as a community of practice that should be cherished, nurtured, and deeply valued as a treasure. Some years ago, I got actively involved in ASOCOPI, thinking about how relevant it would be for me to be part of this community and show all the English language teachers in Colombia and the world that together, we can do important actions for the education of our communities. The English language is an excuse to get together and share our dreams of a more equitable world. Those dreams, this English language teacher has, are part of a task that ASOCOPI can endure, although such a task can be difficult. Today, when I am writing this letter, I want to invite our readers, teachers, educators, and researchers to become actively involved in an association that is going to be 60 years old in 2025; an association that needs the strength, efforts, and synergy of all generations of the English language community who believe and work for ASOCOPI.

How Journal, 2023

This paper reports the results of a narrative inquiry study on exchange programs, intercultural a... more This paper reports the results of a narrative inquiry study on exchange programs, intercultural awareness, and professional development in eight former participants of the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant -FLTA- program. This study used written narratives to collect data from eight participants of the FLTA scholarship program who belonged to the cohort 2017-2018. The results of this study showed that after being a FLTA, participants improved their English language skills; they became more aware of their teaching practices by implementing and adapting different teaching methodologies, they experienced cross-cultural interaction, and understood better cultural differences which really fostered their personal and professional development as English language teachers in their home countries.

How Journal, 2023

Gender studies have become relevant for English language teaching and initial teacher education. ... more Gender studies have become relevant for English language teaching and initial teacher education. This study uses a narrative inquiry approach to inspect two language teachers’ life stories in an initial teacher education program. We document how their femininities and identities are embodied through their language pedagogy since it is a praxis that allows resistance and resurgence against paradigms that limit their identities. Findings reveal that femininities provide a broader spectrum of individual gender realities and constructions. Teachers’ femininities are embodied in teachers’ practices. This is why some traits of these embodiments can be related to hegemonic aspects of gender, without this necessarily meaning that there is no resistance in the pedagogical field. On the contrary, it shows the capacity to redefine these attitudes that, from the pedagogical perspective, resist the hegemony of teacher gender identity.

How Journal, 2023

Language assessment literacy has gained recent attention in the field of language testing, partic... more Language assessment literacy has gained recent attention in the field of language testing, particularly on teachers’ profile. However, the literature on LAL is limited regarding teachers’ perceptions of language assessment courses. In this paper, we used a case study method to characterize the perceptions of eighteen English language teachers into three components of an online assessment course: contents, activities, and impact on their professional development. For data collection, we used a questionnaire and a focus group interview. Findings indicate that the teachers perceived course contents as organized, relevant, and useful; they also considered test analysis and collaborative tasks as valuable. Regarding professional development, the teachers explained that test-analysis tasks made them aware of their mistakes in assessment. Finally, the teachers suggested that the course raised their awareness of what language assessment is and does. Based on these results, we provide recommendations for LAL courses elsewhere.

How Journal, 2023

Emotions are ubiquitous and permeate all aspects of human life, including language learning. Howe... more Emotions are ubiquitous and permeate all aspects of human life, including language learning. However, little attention has been paid to emotions in the ELT curriculum, let alone in the design and implementation of conversations clubs. In this article, we share the qualitative results of a mixed-method study on students’ emotions while participating in a conversation club at a public university in Colombia. Findings show an ample range of students’ emotions, factors commonly associated with these emotions such as academic load and personal life, and the connections of emotions with students’ language learning processes. This study identifies how emotions can facilitate or interfere with language learning, highlights the importance of emotions in the development of oral skills in the context of conversation clubs, and contributes to the understanding of the language learner from a holistic perspective in the field of Applied Linguistics.

How Journal, 2023

EFL teachers’ professional development in Colombia has been characterized by top-down policies th... more EFL teachers’ professional development in Colombia has been characterized by top-down policies that neglect the regions in terms of contextualized professional development programs and resources. This article is an effort to make EFL teachers’ needs in the Eastern region of Antioquia, Colombia, visible for academic institutions and local authorities to propose coherent professional development programs. This report is based on a section of the findings of a larger study called “Diagnosis of the needs about plurilingualism in the regions of Antioquia”. Findings show that EFL teachers in the Eastern region claim for ongoing and contextualized professional development programs, differentiated for primary and secondary-school teachers, and focused on instructional material design and adaptation according to the resources available in the local communities. Conclusions from this study outline implications for educational institutions to support teachers in pursuing their professional development within their contexts, methodological limitations for researchers, and possibilities for further research for stakeholders in the territory.

How Journal, 2023

Teacher´s beliefs and conceptions of teaching English are an important area for the professional ... more Teacher´s beliefs and conceptions of teaching English are an important area for the professional development path of primary teachers. Giving primary teachers opportunities to grow professionally and support their learning belongs to the wide variety of practices that can be implemented to foster early education today. To do that, the Colombian government has implemented different initiatives; however, through the exploration of literature, primary public-school teachers need more professional development opportunities to fulfill the objectives stated by the Ministry of National Education. This is why, the present study aims to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of elementary rural teachers involved in the incorporation of English in their teaching practices. A total of ten teachers were selected to be involved during a semester that lasts the implementation of the project. Through qualitative research under the exploratory paradigm, we identified frustration, motivation, and lack of expertise as the main perceptions that interfere the teaching practices of the selected population. Findings suggest that professional development strategies should be incorporated as an eventual strategy to foster the teaching practices in the classroom.

How Journal, 2023

At the end of high school in Chile, it is expected that students achieve a B1 English language pr... more At the end of high school in Chile, it is expected that students achieve a B1 English language proficiency level. In the present article, we measure the level of readability of the texts used in the new EFL Chilean textbook and compare it with the readability level of the texts used in the Cambridge B1 preliminary exam to check its appropriacy. The results reveal that, even though the classic readability indices show a similar level of difficulty in the texts, the index RDL2, which is specific for second language learning, shows that there is a statistically significant difference. This finding indicates that the texts in the Chilean EFL textbook are more difficult to read than the ones students are supposed to read. Implications at a local and international level are then shared.

Vol. 30 No. 1 (January/June 2023) by HOW Journal

Vol. 30 No 1. , 2023

Editorial

This article describes the main findings of a Colombian case study in which an English language t... more This article describes the main findings of a Colombian case study in which an English language teacher, who was enrolled in a gender-based optional course, carries out small-scale research to understand gender in her ELT practices. The study aims at describing what and how English language teachers learn when they incorporate their gender consciousness in their teaching practices. The study focuses on Martha’s case who seeks to understand how her learning comes about when integrating the gender perspective in her educational practices and teaching context. The qualitative analysis indicates, among other things, that Martha becomes aware of how the dynamics of the hidden curriculum affect her students’ gender subjectivities. Through this learning process, Martha adopts discourses and practices to promote gender equity, eradicate differential treatments, and contribute positively to her students’ learning experience.

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

This article reports on a research conducted at a private university in Colombia, as part of an E... more This article reports on a research conducted at a private university in Colombia, as part of an English language course in which the topics of study addressed the culture and history of Colombia and Boyacá through art. Narratives from three female students were analyzed, from a decolonial perspective, to observe their processes of reconstruction as sociohistorical subjects taking into account their experiences in the contexts where they study, live in, and come from. The data for this research was gathered inside and outside the classroom through learners’ diaries and dialogical interviews held with the researcher. Narratives served the purpose of making visible elements of those processes and allowed to explore three of them: (1) The construction of particular relationships in and with the world; (2) a perception of unity of past, present, and future; and (3) a sense of their personal and spiritual growth in time. Nevertheless, the narrative of each participant had unique features and values. The results showed that each female had specific anecdotes constructing their experiences, relationships, and plans in their world. One conclusion of the study refers to how the relevance of family, context, childhood memories, and life expectations offer meaningful and memorable topics of discussion within English language lessons for undergraduate learners.

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

This qualitative research project aims to determine the impact that Task-Based Instruction had on... more This qualitative research project aims to determine the impact that Task-Based Instruction had on fifteen Intermediate English language students´ writing skills in online classes at a private institute in Cartagena. A journal, a questionnaire, and a checklist were used as instruments to collect information during the diagnostic stage. During the action stage, six workshops were implemented, each with a different writing strategy: webbing, peer-editing, asking questions to revise writing, revising and editing, using templates, and reorganizing ideas. At this stage, the same instruments were used to measure the impact of the strategy and to achieve the research objectives. Results show that implementing six online workshops predicated on the task-based instruction helped the students to improve their writing, learning new vocabulary, use ICT tools, and writing strategies, thus having a positive impact on their English language learning process not only in writing but also in other skills. TBI was favorably accepted by learners and affected positively their writing skills.

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way education was being taught. Due to school closures to preve... more The Covid-19 pandemic changed the way education was being taught. Due to school closures to prevent the spread of the disease, the education system resorted to distance learning as a way to grant students' learning process. This research article reports a mixed-method study on technological resources and their impact on motivation during online lessons. The study seeks to explore the students' perceptions regarding the implementation of some game-based learning platforms (Kahoot, Quizizz, and Quizalize) during their EFL virtual classes and to determine the impact of these platforms on students' motivation toward language learning. A convergent parallel design was implemented to gather quantitative and qualitative data from the twenty-seven participants of the study simultaneously. A four-point Likert scale questionnaire and a focus group were the instruments employed to collect this statistical and descriptive information. The results show that the students perceived Kahoot, Quizizz, and Quizalize as useful, entertaining, fun, and engaging tools. As a conclusion, the enjoyment factor of these tools increases learner motivation and level of attainment.

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

Remote learning replaced for almost a year the traditional face-to-face education to maintain and... more Remote learning replaced for almost a year the traditional face-to-face education to maintain and ensure the continuity of the teaching-learning process during the Covid-19 pandemic. This article reports the results of an exploratory and descriptive-transversal study that exposes primary and secondary school students’ perceptions about their experience with remote learning during 2020. Though the research study was also aimed at finding out potential teaching and learning issues inherent to remote education, we only focus on reporting the main findings on the determining factors that hindered or enhanced students' learning during their remote education experience. Data were collected through two different surveys addressed to 101 secondary and primary school students from Neiva and Pitalito, the two most populated towns in the state of Huila, Colombia. The findings showed that the students’ learning was both positively and negatively influenced by several factors affecting interaction inside and outside of the classroom setting.

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

This article reports the results of a study that was part of a master’s thesis. The research focu... more This article reports the results of a study that was part of a master’s thesis. The research focused on a private primary school in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. It aimed to explore English language teachers’ cognition, specifically into the teaching practice and emotional responses reported when implementing the use of the iPad in their lessons. Four female English language teachers were selected to be part of the project. A grounded theory method was selected to carry out the study, and two instruments were chosen to collect and triangulate the data obtained. Those instruments were guided teachers’ narratives and individual interviews. Results show that teachers’ practices and emotional responses evolve during the process of the iPad implementation by following four main stages: initial reactions, sense of realization, change, and adaptation. Furthermore, similar emotional reactions and teaching practices were found in the four participants.

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

This article aims at sharing the preliminary literature review of the main developments related t... more This article aims at sharing the preliminary literature review of the main developments related to Intersectional Identities in Colombian English Language Teaching and general educational contexts worldwide. First, I trace the research work concerning the topic at both national and international levels through a bibliometric analysis in Scopus to see the main developments regarding intersectionality from a decolonial perspective. Then, I show through a complementary bibliometric study, 50 articles that were collected from different databases, and the trends found as representation of intersectional studies. The analysis indicates two core trends: (1) Intersectional studies in general educational contexts and (2) Intersectional studies in ELT contexts. Finally, I present how this profiling research study shows that the topic of Intersectional Identities in Colombia seems scarce within the field of ELT.

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

This paper showcases a literature review in 13 Colombian refereed journals, covering the last dec... more This paper showcases a literature review in 13 Colombian refereed journals, covering the last decade, from 2011 to 2021. Data were collected from the virtual platforms where each journal hosts published issues. A thematic analysis was conducted with the sample of papers. The purpose of the review was twofold. On the one hand, it aimed at establishing the main research concerns of Colombian scholars regarding the place of culture in the context of Foreign Language Teacher Education programs. On the other hand, the review aimed at exploring the implications for curriculum design in Colombia that can be drawn from culture-related literature produced by scholars in the last decade. Results suggest that the treatment of culture-related issues in Foreign Language Teacher Education programs has gained currency, although scholarship in the last decade has mainly focused on a diagnostic stage.

Vol. 29 No. 2 (July/December 2022) by HOW Journal

Vol. 29 N° 2 (July/December), 2022

Project-based learning is a student-centered methodological approach that involves communication,... more Project-based learning is a student-centered methodological approach that involves communication, cooperation, and autonomy. Even though project-based learning has been largely explored in foreign language teaching, little is known about its implementation in second-language beginner levels. This action research study describes the use of project-based learning by a pre-service teacher in a group of EFL eighth-graders at a secondary state school in Cordoba, Colombia. Data sources include video classroom observations, students’ focus interviews and students’ diaries. Findings reveal the affordances that project-based learning have in the development of the students’ communicative competence, highlighting the strategies that they use to communicate and the way they construct confidence when planning and reporting their projects.

How Journal, 2023

Editorial

How Journal, 2023

Vol. 30 No 1. , 2023

Editorial

Vol. 30 No. 1, 2023

Vol. 29 N° 2 (July/December), 2022

The present action-research study analyzes students’ basic perceptions about the use of the Flipp... more The present action-research study analyzes students’ basic perceptions about the use of the Flipped Classroom as part of their EFL class in a Mexican technical high school. To this end, 47 5th-semester students took two versions of a survey, which combined provided an understanding of their views after having taken part of a six-week intervention. The intervention focused on what is typically considered the most challenging topic of the semester: the simple past and its functions included in the official syllabus. On the one hand, the ‘flipped’ part of the lessons was divided into before and after-class online activities following a set of principles for the Flipped Classroom, Communicative Language Teaching, and Multimedia Instruction. On the other hand, in-class activities focused on reviewing content and communicative oral practice. The Flipped Classroom was favorably regarded. Students perceived it as a technique to facilitate a rapid improvement of certain aspects of speaking performance, especially in regards to fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.

Vol. 29 N° 2 (July/December), 2022

This action research aims at exploring the contribution of self-assessment checklists on improvin... more This action research aims at exploring the contribution of self-assessment checklists on improving oral presentations of two participants that were taking an initial-level English as a second language course at a technician professional institute in Talcahuano, Chile. The intervention was carried out in four weekly sessions in which the participants were trained on the different criteria to assess their oral presentations. The participants self-assessed their work with a checklist and performed a second presentation based on their first self-assessment. Analytic rubrics were also used as an external assessment to compare results from the checklists. At the end of the intervention, a semi-structured interview was conducted to obtain the participants’ perceptions about the process. Findings reveal that by developing autonomy, language awareness, and self-reflective skills, the use of the self-assessment checklist supported the participants not only to improve their oral presentation in overall aspects, mainly in fluency and pronunciation aspects, but also to make positive changes in their confidence and expectations about their performance.

Vol. 29 N° 2 (July/December), 2022

This article presents the perspectives of a Chilean group of young learners of English as a forei... more This article presents the perspectives of a Chilean group of young learners of English as a foreign language with respect to the types of corrective oral feedback when making a spoken mistake and the reasons for their preferences. By means of a qualitative exploratory study, the views of 20 students were collected through a specially adapted scale and a focus group. The data from the scales were analyzed with descriptive statistics while the focus groups were interpreted with the content analysis technique. The results suggest that students appreciate teacher’s correction and feedback when done carefully and clearly and considering students’ affective domains such as beliefs and motivation. They also show a tendency towards the strategies of recast and repetition. On the other hand, they prefer less the use of metalinguistic feedback and elicitation strategies. In addition, this experience suggests that children are capable of reflecting on their learning processes, so it is urged that children be given an active participatory role in the development of methodologies and strategies to capture the voices of the real potential beneficiaries of these.

Vol. 29 N° 2 (July/December), 2022

Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions in one’s life. Understanding the aspects ... more Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions in one’s life. Understanding the aspects that intervene in this decision contribute to a better understanding of main motivational forces of English as a Foreign Language pre-service teachers. This qualitative descriptive study examined the personal, professional, and social motivations and experiences of 40 English as a Foreign Language pre-service teachers in the Mexican context that affected their decision to become English language teachers. Using an open written narrative (Language Learning History) instrument, participants wrote stories that showed the main reasons for choosing English teaching as a major. The results showed that personal and professional aspects including biographical experiences, a perceived ability to learn and teach English as well as teacher preparation program experiences are the most influential in this decision along with altruistic and intrinsic motives.

Vol. 29 N° 2 (July/December), 2022

Within the field of TESOL, language teacher identity (LTI) has been the focus of a myriad of stud... more Within the field of TESOL, language teacher identity (LTI) has been the focus of a myriad of studies in the previous two decades. Researchers need to trace back in order to move forward, it is an essential step towards a comprehensive understanding of what has been done in LTI research. This review article provides an overall literature review on conceptual approaches of how identity is defined and perceived in the context of recent history. It is then followed by an analysis of dominant trends on recent studies of Language Teacher Identity to profile what, why, when, and who constitute seminal works in LTI research by tracing scholarly literature from 1975 to the present. A dataset retrieved and analyzed from Scopus was further correlated using Vantage Point software. The findings not only revealed the conceptual approaches, dominant trends, and methodological development in LTI research, but also identified the underexplored areas in transnational teacher identities, teacher educator identities, and online teacher identities, which provided implications for future LTI research directions.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December 2022), 2022

Editorial

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

This research study aims to analyze the learning needs of modern languages students at Universida... more This research study aims to analyze the learning needs of modern languages students at Universidad del Cauca and their implications on the bachelor’s program. These needs were analyzed by exploring students’ learning strategies and expectations, standards of competences, and other factors that might be affecting the learning of English and French. Data were gathered through questionnaires and a documentary review, framed by a mixed approach. The population was composed of 108 students, enrolled at the time the research started, who volunteered to take part in the study. The results show that students’ needs are mainly related to developing autonomy and a sense of ownership as to learning, identifying, and using learning strategies, being trained in learning strategies use, being exposed to innovative methodologies, and being exposed to more language practice. Consequently, the modern languages program is expected to take important actions to meet students’ needs in which all parties involved are committed. Finally, since needs analysis is meant to be the starting point in all teaching and learning processes, the methodology developed in this research could be useful for further studies on the same topic.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

This exploratory qualitative study shares an innovative experience with twenty-three EFL undergra... more This exploratory qualitative study shares an innovative experience with twenty-three EFL undergraduate students in the Business Administration Program at a private university in Colombia. It aimed at positioning them as problem solvers and connecting their background as sources for EFL learning. We explored how business administration students problematized their communities to propose social solutions during the pandemic. Data were collected from students’ reflective journals, students’ artifacts, and a survey. In groups, the students explored cultural practices for shopping, economy, and pet-related issues to propose a social entrepreneurship project. Eleven business projects emerged as a result of students’ socially-oriented concerns, critical skills, and multimodal experiences.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

This document reports on a research study carried out in a rural public school in Colombia. The a... more This document reports on a research study carried out in a rural public school in Colombia. The aim of the study was to identify the impact of a task-based teacher development program on three primary school teachers’ teaching practices. To this effect, we used a survey, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews before and after the implementation of the development program. We identified that teachers' perceptions, beliefs, and realities in their teaching practice influenced their performance, inside and outside the classroom. The results also showed that participants improved their teaching practices regarding the processes of lesson planning and materials design. They also improved their English language performance regarding pronunciation and vocabulary use.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

This action research study sought to foster dialogic action through the expansion of English lang... more This action research study sought to foster dialogic action through the expansion of English language learners’ communicative repertoires in a 6th-grade class at a public school in a Colombian town. During the first action research cycle, the restricted concept of communication of the grammar-based syllabus and the competitive and violent interactions between the learners were identified as key issues to address. From a critical perspective of pedagogy and literacy, this study understands that communication in language education should transcend the use of a standard target language, and include multiple linguistic codes and multimodal representative forms. Considering these principles and the issues identified, we designed an action plan for the second action research cycle. This plan consisted of activities that sought to expand English language learners’ communicative repertoires and promote reflections on violence and conflict resolution through the analysis and creation of different visual representations. Data were collected through journal entries, semi-structured interviews, and students’ artifacts. Findings show how the learners have a diverse and differentiated access to communicative repertoires and how they manipulated available representations to transform meanings. As a conclusion, not enough evidence of the emergence of dialogic action was found since competitiveness and violent interactions in the classroom did not significantly change during the intervention. Nonetheless, embracing the learners’ communicative practices created spaces for reflection on complex social and moral topics in the classroom, even if their English linguistic resources were still limited.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

Fostering spoken communication in a foreign language classroom is not an easy task. With that in ... more Fostering spoken communication in a foreign language classroom is not an easy task. With that in mind, this paper explores a proposal to motivate students’ L2 oral communication through the practice of narrative games called tabletop roleplaying games adapted as task-based activities. It implied an action research process in which the teacher-researcher with his students reflected and intervened on the identified problematic situation: Lack of oral communication in L2. In that sense, it started with a diagnostic test that showed the current state of verbal communication in L2 in a Colombian rural public school. Next, the teacher-researcher chose to appeal to the gamification of the classroom along with the adoption of a task-based framework to activity design aiming to improve students’ motivation to take the risk of communicating in L2. The teacher-researcher applied sets of activities that progressed from traditional role-play to a tabletop roleplaying game. In accordance, video recordings, narratives, artifacts collections, and semi-structured interviews were essential to collect data. Afterward, the teacher-researcher analyzed the data with an emic approach to identify patterns in the information that uncovered the categories and subcategories of information. Consequently, the teacher-researcher concluded that the students feel better motivated using L2 if the learning environment offers opportunities for social interaction, collaborative work, and scaffolding in task-based exercises embedded in a fictional world game.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

The purpose of the present study is to conduct a qualitative content analysis to explore factors ... more The purpose of the present study is to conduct a qualitative content analysis to explore factors affecting EFL learning in Iran. To achieve this aim, the researcher carried out face-to-face unstructured interviews with 10 EFL teachers and 12 university students. The researcher used MAX QDA 10 (Qualitative Data Analysis) software to analyze the data. In order to organize the data, open coding, creating categories, and abstraction processes were used. Using the conventional content analysis method, 950 primary codes were collected based on the participants’ own statements in the original codes. The researcher immersed himself in the data, listened to the interviews, reviewed transcribed notes several times, excluded overlapping codes and, finally, obtained 640 open codes out of 950 primary codes which were classified into 42 subcategories. This reduction process in all categories and subcategories continued until the researcher reached four main categories and finally one abstracted main theme. The four main categories were factors associated with ‘language planning and policy’, ‘teacher characteristics’, ‘environmental/social elements’, and ‘learners’ individual characteristics.’ It was concluded that the absence of the four mentioned factors leads to ‘inflamed EFL learning’. Finally, implications are drawn for language planners and policymakers (LPP) and EFL teachers.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

This study aimed to probe whether using the backward summary technique led to reading comprehensi... more This study aimed to probe whether using the backward summary technique led to reading comprehension enhancement among non-English major university students at the Islamic Azad University of Babol, located in Babol city, in the North of Iran. 120 B.S. level nursing and microbiology students were randomly selected from a population of non-English majors enrolled for the General English course, divided into four groups of 30, and were randomly assigned to two experimental and two control groups. A pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to all groups, and then, they were taught passages t read for eight sessions but with different methods. A one-way ANCOVA was run to investigate the impact of the intervention, while controlling for the pre-test. The results indicated statistically significant effects for the experimental groups on the post-test, regarding comprehension, retention, and organization of the key concepts.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

This article presents a discussion and analysis on the implementation of social networks to suppo... more This article presents a discussion and analysis on the implementation of social networks to support the learning of a second language (L2) in the field of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL); an area that has regained especial significance in the post pandemic era. Through a cumulative case study report that compares and contrasts several research studies carried out at different times, this article first brings to discussion the strengths that social networks offer for their implementation in L2 instruction. To continue the discussion, the issues of teachers’ CALL training and access are presented as weaknesses for a successful implementation of social networks in the L2 instruction. It is argued that social networks cannot work as effective tools for this purpose without the guidance of a properly trained instructor. Nevertheless, attaining such an ideal condition is challenging considering the problems that might emerge during its implementation. Although it is common that language teachers to some extent include this resource for their L2 classes, more research needs to be done to produce literature that sheds light on the aspects that need to be worked on to take real advantage of this type of technology.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

Knowledge and experience, mediated by reflection, are essential components in teacher education a... more Knowledge and experience, mediated by reflection, are essential components in teacher education and development programs. This paper discusses core elements that have guided ELT education in the last years and analyzes the case of five English language teacher educators who –in the Colombian context—reflect on their own pedagogical practices through narrative. I guide the discussion by four probing questions that generate a reflective overview of English language teachers’ knowledge-base, identity construction, and decision-making when it comes to localizing knowledge. This reflection uncovers teacher educators’ gains and challenges as it becomes input for those others who are at different stages of their teaching career.

Vol. 29 N° 1 (January/December), 2022

The current review offers an analysis of the prevailing literature on teacher learning in languag... more The current review offers an analysis of the prevailing literature on teacher learning in language teaching from an international perspective. We initially revisit several contributions from a general education perspective. Then, we focus on three dominant approaches, identified through the literature, to understand teacher learning from a language teaching perspective. Finally, we provide implications for teacher educators to consider in the preparation of prospective language teachers. These include acknowledging future teachers’ prior cognitions and learning experiences, highlighting the benefits of collaborative work and communities of practice, and adapting and innovating within the social constraints of their teaching context.

HOW Journal , 2021

This editorial article reflects on the paradigmatic changes that the Colombian ELT community has ... more This editorial article reflects on the paradigmatic changes that the Colombian ELT community has recently experienced due to the developments of local scholarship in varied topics. This editorial article makes the changes evident by introducing the papers for this special issue of HOW journal on its 30th anniversary. These include topics as interculturality, literacy, English language pre-service teacher construction and professional development, critical views about bilingual education policy, and the interrelation between gender and ELT. The local scholarship development in these topics displays a rupture with the ELT canon. By so doing, the Colombian ELT scholarship shows a potency that wields foundations for the ELT field in the country.

HOW Journal, 2021

This article overviews the major themes and pedagogical developments that have emerged via the ac... more This article overviews the major themes and pedagogical developments that have emerged via the academic endeavors of practitioners and researchers in the last 30 years, while also touching on how my work adheres to these developments. The document starts with a brief historical background on the establishment of HOW as a resource for the academic community.

The next part of the article deals with the theoretical tenets that have influenced my published works. One of those perspectives is the post-method pedagogy, which acknowledges the limitations of attempting to determine what the “best” language teaching method is for everyone, and proposes three parameters to guide language teaching and learning. The next perspective is the psychology of language learning, particularly positive psychology, which is a field that adds balance to the study of negative emotions in the classroom and can be the basis for interventions that aim at enhancing the language learning process. The final construct discussed in the article is metacognition, which refers to how language teachers adapt their mental processes and behaviors to the emerging demands of their context. The article concludes highlighting a number of topics that were relevant three decades ago and that will likely keep their relevance in the future: the complexity of education, the dynamic nature of context and meaning, and the examination of the role of context in the L2 teaching/learning processes, to name only three.

HOW Journal, 2021

Educational institutions, particularly those for higher education, seek to ensure their visibilit... more Educational institutions, particularly those for higher education, seek to ensure their visibility and valid indicators for institutional accreditation processes through the publications of their teachers. Their projection is intimately associated with the circulation of their production in accredited publications whose reputations depend on their positions in prestigious rankings, databases, and indexing systems. That is why Colombia, in recent years, has experienced an increase in the number of scientific journals published in the country. This phenomenon was a reaction by academics to the obstacles for publishing in renowned journals, generally edited in hegemonic or central contexts, where it is presumed that knowledge is disseminated for the whole world. In this article, I analyze the role played by locally edited journals in the decolonialization of knowledge. I base my analysis on studies carried out in the fields of the English teacher as researcher and writer, academic writings, and the publication of scientific journals. I identify the contributions, suggestions and challenges for publications in the English Language Teaching area. I also stress the importance of strengthening professional communities, encouraging greater participation by professors in the dissemination of their work, and the need to value knowledge generated in peripheral contexts, without ignoring links with the global world.

HOW Journal, 2021

Language and literacy practices in teacher education are decisive in the education of future lang... more Language and literacy practices in teacher education are decisive in the education of future language teachers. In this article, I share my beliefs as a teacher educator about language and literacy practices constructed with teachers in Bogota. Thus, my intention is to weave my professional narrative through the connections I can make from theory and praxis to explain teachers´ understandings of language and literacy through their life and literacy experiences and the way they organize their practice as language teachers. My research trajectory of thirty years documenting the local literacy practices within the research area of literacy studies and local pedagogies for social transformation has significantly informed my practice. University-school partnerships and international collaborations for research and teaching in Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Manchester, in the USA, and Dundee, in the UK, have nurtured me personally and professionally. My understanding of literacy as a social practice evolved to critical literacies and I developed knowledge in community pedagogies and city semiotic landscapes through reflections and collaborations via working with teachers. Community-based pedagogies (CBPs) invite teachers to see their life and work in relation to places they live and teach as meaningful content for linguistic, social, cultural, ecological, and economic resources to inspire students´ inquiries and teachers´ transformative practices. The city semiotic landscapes are powerful literacies for language learning; therefore, they currently adhere to the research group´s agenda (2019-2021). I describe my understandings, contributions, and suggestions as concerns in the field of teacher education in Colombia. My conclusions raise awareness about the need to address these topics in teacher education programs in Colombia.

HOW Journal, 2021

This article, relying on a series of epiphanies throughout my journey as a researcher and scholar... more This article, relying on a series of epiphanies throughout my journey as a researcher and scholar-activist, shares my relationship with criticality and how it has guided my research and teaching agendas. I share how critical theories have informed my main research areas and the questions and issues I have raised in my own work. The article also discusses my main scholarly influences and how my interactions with varied literature, mentors, and colleagues have shaped my own criticality. I also take a moment to reflect on how this journey has helped the field of language education in Colombia to continue with the evolution toward stronger critical and social justice-oriented frameworks and how I see my changing positionality as mentor and ally of colleagues and the future cadres of scholars moving forward.

HOW Journal, 2021

At some point, language teachers need to be engaged in language assessment in their profession. B... more At some point, language teachers need to be engaged in language assessment in their profession. Because language assessment is such a primary task for teachers, the field of language testing is encouraging research around the knowledge, skills, and principles that are foundational for sound assessment. In this paper, I provide a definition of Language Assessment Literacy (LAL), especially when it comes to teachers, by reviewing existing models. I then discuss ongoing issues in this area and end the paper by offering language teacher educators suggestions for fostering LAL among pre- and in-service teachers. In the article, I argue that, if more LAL initiatives take place, we are collectively raising the status and nature of language assessment and its impact on teachers’ professional development.

HOW Journal, 2021

Interculturality has to do with the personal relational aspects of caring about the other. In thi... more Interculturality has to do with the personal relational aspects of caring about the other. In this sense, interculturality confronts and challenges untruths and stereotypes that deny the existence of diversity. This article aims to provide a comprehensive view of what interculturality means, as well as to contribute to current and future trends in the field of English language teaching and teacher education in Colombia. I present examples of intercultural practices as possibilities to understand and explore interculturality in ELT, and I share a review of studies that have undertaken this complex conception of interculturality.

HOW Journal, 2021

Talking about culture in the field of teaching foreign languages is not a new topic, but talking ... more Talking about culture in the field of teaching foreign languages is not a new topic, but talking about interculture and interculturality is a subject that is now gaining a lot of interest in the field of ELT. Especially in the last two decades we have witnessed the growth of publications in this regard. We find all kinds of publications, but we are still having seeing the same fundamental questions that become relevant in these times of change: what we teach, who we teach it to, why we teach it, and how we teach it. These questions have always been relevant for language teachers, but today they have become even more meaningful since we are living in different times, times marked by unexpected political changes, strong economic pressures, and an unreasonable need to homogenize and standardize all the processes of teaching and learning. We must think collectively from new (postmodern) paradigms, empower ourselves, and begin to change our pedagogical practices. The aim of this paper is to share reflections on what foreign language teaching should be and how we should be thinking about culture and interculturality in our classrooms. This is an invitation to think about the need to interculturalize the teaching of the foreign language.

HOW Journal, 2021

This article presents our narration of the emergence and development of a research area about the... more This article presents our narration of the emergence and development of a research area about the teaching and learning of the English language in Colombia and the creation of a research group named Critical Studies of Colombian Education Policies. The narration includes a description of the bilingual education policy in Colombia and a literature review of how the themes Different Shades of the Colombian National Plan of Bilingualism and Theoretical and Practical Concerns over Bilingualism have been addressed by authors of local journals, such as How, Profile, Íkala, and Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, in the issues published from 2008 to 2020. The description and literature review link the life stories of our growth as teachers and researchers as related to the research area and research group mentioned above. A final part of the narration refers to our contributions to the ELT field in Colombia through the following two themes: Dimensions of Language Policies: A Political Discourse Perspective and Making Teachers’ Agency Relevant: Bottom-up Approaches to the Study of Language Education Policies.

HOW Journal, 2021

The professional development of English teachers is a significant area in language teaching and l... more The professional development of English teachers is a significant area in language teaching and learning, as well as in teacher education. On the one hand, at least in theory, professional development initiatives respond to the teachers’ changing needs. On the other hand, it reflects the beliefs that different educational authorities and stakeholders have about English uses and education. In this self-study, I consider the professional development of English teachers in Colombia and its tight connection to the language education policies of the country. Following a chronological approach, I present the findings as landmarks that have contributed to my reflections and research around professional development and language education policies. Discussing the findings, I show how the discourses and decisions about teachers’ continuing learning represent certain views of language, second language acquisition, English language teaching and learning, and teachers as professionals. This self-study addresses some of the concepts that illuminate the discourses that have shaped English teachers’ professional development. Focusing primarily on the development of the National Program of Bilingualism, I underscore the power of these concepts over the major decisions made at the local and school levels. In the analysis of the past and present of teachers’ professional development in Colombia, I conclude on the necessity of maintaining critical scholarly work to contribute to the construction of local knowledge for future reflection.

HOW Journal, 2021

While it is true that identity studies on the intersection between gender and sexual orientations... more While it is true that identity studies on the intersection between gender and sexual orientations with language teaching and learning are not new in the local context, the systematization of these studies as a body of knowledge is scarce. This article presents, first of all, a systematization of reference frameworks for this type of studies in historical perspective. Secondly, it presents a reflection on the collective achievements in this field of study. Finally, the article concludes with a brief reflection on potential actions at the research and pedagogical levels.

HOW Journal, 2021

This article presents an autoethnographic exercise focused on exploring my history as a teacher e... more This article presents an autoethnographic exercise focused on exploring my history as a teacher educator and researcher in ELT. With this article, I try to show, starting from my life experiences as a teacher and the different concerns that arose during them, my transformation as a researcher. Likewise, I analyze how these transformations are also derived from working with the pre-service English language teachers belonging to a research seedbed focused on doing autoethnographic research. Similarly, I show how my research work has helped others to establish a context for their research. Finally, the reflections derived from my experiences and what I learned while co-investigating in the research seedbed led me to see that continuing to work on the transformation of ELT education in Colombia is necessary.

HOW Journal, 2021

With eight new articles by teacher-researchers of English, the HOW journal keeps maintaining comm... more With eight new articles by teacher-researchers of English, the HOW journal keeps maintaining communication among English language teachers both in Colombia and abroad. This time, the research reports continue presenting more perspectives to analyze experiences, perceptions, and understandings of English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in varied settings. The studies in this new issue emerged from exhaustive needs analyses, hermeneutical perspectives, epistemological perceptions, and situated examinations of realities that English language teachers, future teachers, and EFL students live in their contexts.

HOW Journal, 2021

Letter from the President of the BOD from ASOCOPI to the academic community.

HOW Journal, 2021

This study aims to understand the local and updated epistemological perceptions of the teaching a... more This study aims to understand the local and updated epistemological perceptions of the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language (EFL) in Colombia from the voices of English language university teachers. This qualitative research emerges as part of a hermeneutical perspective which allowed the authors to analyze experiences, perceptions, and understandings of teachers in the foreign language-teaching field. Data collection instruments included a literature review using framework matrices and semi-structured interviews. After data analysis, three categories emerged: Pertinence and Relevance of Teaching and Learning of EFL, Teaching and Learning of EFL, and The State of Bilingualism. The study concludes with the recommendation of promoting the teaching and learning of foreign languages based on contextualized necessities of Colombia. We draw attention to the cultural and linguistic diversity in our country. In addition, we raise awareness among preservice teachers towards an epistemological reconstruction that involves the ecology of knowledge, engaging them in critical knowledge and practices from outside the Eurocentric vision.

HOW Journal, 2021

This article examined two English teachers’ professional identities based on a series of intervie... more This article examined two English teachers’ professional identities based on a series of interviews conducted in two universities in Bogotá, Colombia. This paper examined their experiences and discourses regarding language pedagogy. Accordingly, the study adopted a narrative methodology from a decolonial lens to put some tension on the normative conception of the traditional/hegemonic notions of pedagogy and teacher identities configured in the Colombian English Language Teaching (ELT) context. Findings revealed that teachers enact their language pedagogies by merging their personal selves with their professional ones. As a result, identities and ways of knowing are validated in negotiation between doing and being. This posture towards teaching exposes their ontological and epistemic struggles for humanizing their pedagogy.

HOW Journal, 2021

Critical exploration of socio-political issues has been a topic strongly carried out in English c... more Critical exploration of socio-political issues has been a topic strongly carried out in English classrooms in the last decades. This article is the result of a research study that shows what the use of political cartoons reveals about the promotion of critical reading in an EFL classroom at a private university in Colombia. The study was developed with fourteen students under a qualitative case study method. Workshops, teacher journals and focus-group interviews were used to collect data. The emerging categories show the positive results of using political cartoons and the change that the students had in their thoughts and actions in both the academic and social context. In the results, the students portray how they have perceived the ELT classroom, the importance of being a critical reader of texts and contexts, and how the different activities helped them construct their own critical awareness concerning social and political issues.

HOW Journal, 2021

This article deals with the particularities two pre-service English language teachers have due to... more This article deals with the particularities two pre-service English language teachers have due to they have dyslexia. This study’s main intention was to understand how the participants constructed their identities as English teachers while dealing with discrimination, negative feelings, and not understanding teachers. We collected the data through interviews that served to write the two pre-service teachers’ narratives. The narrative analysis showed that pre-service English language teachers who suffer from apparently superficial difficulties must hide most of the time to avoid discrimination. We conclude that teacher educators’ role is essential in identity construction processes, especially when pre-service teachers face certain conditions that may affect their performance as language learners and as language teachers. Additionally, it was evident that resilient teachers can make strength from their weaknesses.

HOW Journal, 2021

Noticing the generally lower-than-desirable English language proficiency level with which Spanish... more Noticing the generally lower-than-desirable English language proficiency level with which Spanish students start university, I considered trying a different approach in which the use of a familiar application would be introduced in the classroom. The main objective of this work is to explore Primary Education degree programme students’ attitudes towards the integration of YouTube in the English language classroom. To this end, 46 third-year intermediate-level students participated in the study. It adopted a mixed-method approach, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. The results show that, although participants mentioned some drawbacks, they reacted positively to the use of the platform. Given these results and the benefits offered, the integration of YouTube in the foreign language classroom is highly recommended.

HOW Journal, 2021

The present qualitative study with an action research orientation focuses on the strengthening of... more The present qualitative study with an action research orientation focuses on the strengthening of students’ oral fluency in English through the implementation of six theme-based teaching workshops. The participants were students of an EFL pre-intermediate English language course in the institute of foreign languages at the Technological University of Pereira, in Risaralda State, Colombia. Besides the implementation of theme-based teaching, this study includes the speaking phases of rehearsal, performance, and debriefing to impact students’ oral fluency. This project emerged from an exhaustive needs analysis which showed that the university’s students, as future professionals, had difficulties with their oral performance i.e. their being unable to speak about topics related to their university life in English; hence, the need of including themes aligned with their academic contexts was highlighted with the purpose of helping them improve their oral fluency in English. The findings indicate that the students improved in their oral fluency in terms of vocabulary, intonation, and a reduction in the number of long pauses when speaking in English.

HOW Journal, 2021

This research study is about the way pre-service English language teachers’ levels of reflectivit... more This research study is about the way pre-service English language teachers’ levels of reflectivity, proposed by Van Manen, give an account of the construction of their identity as language teachers during their pedagogical practicum in a BA program of English Language Teaching at a private university in Bogota, Colombia. This study follows the principles of narrative research to explore the way the participants live their pedagogical practicum experience. Data were collected from the participants’ reflective journals and audio-recorded semi-structured interviews. Findings reveal that pre-service English language teachers possess a level of reflectivity, although they are unaware of it at the beginning of their pedagogical practicum. Thus, their identities as language teachers are constructed depending on the context, the people that are around them, and the specific time; hence, the levels of reflectivity as proposed by Van Manen are set in an incognito manner.

HOW Journal, 2021

This research article on feminism gives an account of the interaction between a female teacher an... more This research article on feminism gives an account of the interaction between a female teacher and her students at a public university in Tunja, Colombia. The study aims to evidence features of feminism within an English as a foreign language classroom by analyzing the transcriptions of the teacher’s discourse using the Feminist Poststructuralist Discourse Analysis. As a result of the study, it can be stated that feminism is not determined by gender, but rather, it is an individual choice that is socially constructed and transmitted through power relationships. Findings suggest that being female or male does not guarantee having a definite position towards feminism; instead, it is mostly demarcated by the specific situations and circumstances that each individual experiences within a society.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

In the last three decades, HOW journal has published a great number of articles from both local a... more In the last three decades, HOW journal has published a great number of articles from both local and global English language teachers, researchers, and scholars. By steadily launching two issues yearly, HOW journal has contributed to the publication of varied opinion pieces, which are sustained with research studies or theoretical-practical insights that have discussed issues of immediate importance to the whole ELT community. Without doubt, we all have successfully achieved, and go forward in doing so, the main objective of the journal so that communication among English language teachers can happen through the journal both in Colombia and abroad. As long as possible, we will keep on offering opportunities for the dissemination of knowledge resulting from educational and research practices that concern English language teaching-learning issues. This rich variety of knowledge from our authors is again embodied in this issue that presents diverse perspectives on core topics such as English language pre-service teachers' knowledge about intercultural communicative competence and perspectives about the importance of interaction when learning this language, blended learning in the teaching of English, and Colombian teachers of English entering the workforce in foreign countries. In this order of ideas, in the section of Research Reports, María Teresa Esteban-Núñez presents an article that reports a descriptive case study on the knowledge about intercultural communicative competence that a group of pre-service teachers, belonging to a BA program in Tunja, Colombia, have constructed in their planned English language classes during the final stage of their pedagogical practicum. In the article, María Teresa Esteban-Núñez describes the way the participants understand this competence and use it to learn about their own and other cultures, and to change the savor/spice of the class. Ximena Rocío Contreras-Espinosa and Karen Michell Villamizar-Mantilla also present gained knowledge of important consideration in her article. This paper describes a research 1 Edgar Lucero is a full-time teacher educator for Universidad de La Salle, Colombia. He is a PhD candidate in Education at Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Colombia. He holds an MA in Applied Linguistics and is specialized in English language Teaching-Didactics. His research interests are in classroom interaction and pedagogical practicum.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

This paper reports a descriptive case study developed in an English language teaching program at ... more This paper reports a descriptive case study developed in an English language teaching program at a public university in Colombia. The purpose of this study was to disclose what knowledge a group of pre-service teachers had about intercultural communicative competence and how they considered their approach to this competence in the English classes they had planned during their final pedagogical practicum. The instruments used to collect data were documents, interviews, and a survey. The outcomes were meaningful for the participants as well as for the researcher since it was possible to identify that pre-service teachers understand this competence as a visible concept to be approached in the classes, mainly to refer to and learn about other cultures different from the Colombian and Boyacense ones. It was also identified that the intercultural communicative competence was considered, by these pre-service teachers, as the "dressing" to change the taste of the class.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

This qualitative case study seeks to understand the importance of interaction in an A1-English la... more This qualitative case study seeks to understand the importance of interaction in an A1-English language course at a public university in Colombia. Data were collected through six non-participant observations and four semi-structured interviews. Data were organized and analyzed by using MAXQDA software. These instruments provided enough information of the participants’ perspectives about the importance of interaction when learning a new language. With these instruments, it was also possible to find the types of interaction that occurred between the participating teacher and students in the observed foreign language classroom. The findings reveal five different interaction patterns that emerged depending on its purpose, who started them, when they occurred, and how they were given.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

This article reports the results of a study that took place at a private university in Bogota, Co... more This article reports the results of a study that took place at a private university in Bogota, Colombia. An English language course was the scenario for applying a set of sessions that sought to determine how blended learning could influence the development of digital skills for creativity and communication via a pedagogical intervention during an academic term. A quasi-experimental design was carried out to measure the variable ‘communication and content creation skills’ by conducting a pre- and post-test survey. From the statistical test, the general hypothesis was accepted for the scope of this study, stating that the b-learning model did not develop the skills chosen in this implementation meaningfully. These findings imply that creativity and communication skills can be influenced by this model; also, thought-content-creation skills received a major influence according to the internal statistical tests. However, the statistical tests that comprised this method also suggested that the impact was not high enough to prove the main hypothesis. Furthermore, findings provide an opportunity to explore research designs that are not common in this field of education.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

This study investigated the effects of teaching vocabulary through the lexical instructional appr... more This study investigated the effects of teaching vocabulary through the lexical instructional approach in EFL intermediate level students. Ninety-five (95) students participated in a non-equivalent pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design study. The participants were given vocabulary competence pre-test in order to check their homogeneity in terms of their vocabulary knowledge. Then, following the similitude of the results they scored, the participants were randomly assigned as experimental group and the control group. For sixteen (16) weeks, the experimental group was taught by providing students with chunks and/or collocates of words through using collocation dictionaries, concordance programs, chunk-for-chunk translation activities, and corpus-based activities etc. Whereas, the control group was taught the new words in isolation with conventional teaching techniques; for example, translation at single word level, synonyms, antonyms, and definitions. After the instructional intervention, both groups participated in a vocabulary competence post-test. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 22 was employed to analyse the results. In this regard, an independent Samples T-test was run and the findings of the study showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in the post-test which implies that teaching vocabulary with a lexically-based instruction can improve EFL learners’ vocabulary competence or knowledge. Furthermore, the study results suggest that the lexical instructional approach should be the focus of future experimental research.

HOW Journal, Feb 8, 2021

Self-assessment for accreditation purposes requires follow-up of graduates and feedback with acad... more Self-assessment for accreditation purposes requires follow-up of graduates and feedback with academic programs. As part of the improvement actions, this study was done to characterize graduates’ methodologies in English language teaching. The data, gathered through questionnaires, showed that graduates privilege the communicative and eclectic methods; the criteria for selecting methodologies are based on their relevance in the teaching context and students’ learning needs; furthermore, there is a need and expectation to be updated in methodologies according to the guidelines of the National Bilingual Program. It would be relevant that these results were considered in the curricular development of modern languages and in graduates’ professional development activities.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

This article presents the preliminary results of an enquiry on the work experience of Colombian l... more This article presents the preliminary results of an enquiry on the work experience of Colombian language teachers who have entered the workforce in foreign countries. The study aims at unveiling aspects of the personal and professional experience of those graduates that might be relevant for pre-service teachers in local degree programs ahead of their potential move abroad in a growing international mobility context. The study includes data from surveys and personal interviews carried out with a group of 26 participants whose narratives of experience invite one to consider the variables that may either facilitate or hinder one’s teaching practice in a foreign workplace and the intercultural communication issues that language teachers may need to deal with. A reflection is brought forward on the needs that teacher training programs at university level in Colombia should address to broaden the scope of their graduates’ likely move abroad.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

In this pedagogical proposal, we utilized Feminist Pedagogy and narratives to reveal women’s skil... more In this pedagogical proposal, we utilized Feminist Pedagogy and narratives to reveal women’s skills that they had silenced in their cover letters for employment. Five females’ narratives were analyzed using aspects of the grounded theory method to answer the question: What do women’s narratives reveal about their personal skills otherwise silenced in their cover letters? The results showed that women find strength in their spirituality, as well as demonstrating loyalty, flexibility, respectfulness, and resilience. All of the women wrote about their decision-making abilities, which included organization, responsibility, and problem-solving. Finally, the stories revealed that women’s ability to make choices defined their freedom and their future.

How Journal, Feb 8, 2021

When referring to peace, peacebuilding, and peace education, among others, some similarities and ... more When referring to peace, peacebuilding, and peace education, among others, some similarities and differences among them appear. Although some consider ELT as a peripheral field regarding peace construction, diverse enunciation modalities profile this interest. Inquiring into what, where, when and who, I analyzed 55 articles and 36 presentation abstracts for this qualitative study to unveil what is understood as peace construction in ELT. This revision presents six tendencies. Gaps and opportunities of research action for teachers are synthesized. Time/space coordinates of enunciation modalities in peace construction are displayed. I describe who the teachers behind some studies might be, regarding their locus of enunciation. Conclusion remarks around the diverse nature of peace construction are discussed, as representing those links between imagined separated fields.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

These are times when upgrades, changes, and new ideas in English language education seem to gain ... more These are times when upgrades, changes, and new ideas in English language education seem to gain more and more terrain within routinary or established manners of doing and being in this field. Movements and turns that started to walk among the big ideas since the beginning of this century are now more visible and considered as possible forms of knowing and being. This has made English language researchers look more into themselves and around their own contexts. In this new issue of HOW Journal, we present five research articles that give evidence of a deeper exploration of unconventional looks. In the first, Diego Ubaque-Casallas and Harold Castañeda-Peña present a study on non-normative corporalities, transgender and blind identities, of an EFL student teacher in Colombia. These authors sustain the idea of identity as multiple and fluid; however, they demonstrate that it is molded from experiences that modify or reconstruct the self of an individual. The study revealed how the notion of gender/disability is contested when the idea of transgender/blind works as a personal mechanism. In the second research article, Rigoberto Castillo and Laura-Stefany Flórez-Martelo contribute to the study of English language learners; but in this time, they present a case study that looks into the inclusion perspectives and retrospectives of three hard-of-hearing students' during their schooled EFL learning. From the participants' autobiographical writings and a set of interviews with them, these authors state valuable insights about the way hard-of-hearing learners of English perceive this process. A call for truly inclusive policies and practices about hard-of-hearing individuals and their learning perspectives is remarkable in the article. In the third research article,

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

"We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them." E... more "We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them." Epictetus I started this short text by the quote because it is evident these have been times for us all. COVID-19 has posed many challenges in all spheres of our lives; however, I think this situation has offered a chance for us to think about what is truly important such as the connection we establish with others and gratitude for all the opportunities life offers to us and that the daily grind makes us take for granted. Many associations and institutions have faced difficult situations and have been forced to cancel their events, at ASOCOPI we see this current situation as a challenge, yet as an opportunity to grow. The work ASOCOPI has been doing during this time aims at the consolidation of an ELT community by networking with local schoolteachers and international scholars. For the upcoming October conference, we join efforts with Grazzia Mendoza and Ulrich Schrader as leaders of the Caribbean and Central America TESOL group to bring representatives from different Latin American countries to share the experiences in teaching and learning English in their contexts. In this way, we will be able to offer the first international ASOCOPI conference. Moreover, COVID-19 has also provided a learning opportunity for the team at ASOCOPI to organize our first online conference, with the support of Diana Margarita Araque and her team from Universidad Santo Tomás. Based on the results we have this year, we will be able to offer the Conference in a blended format, which will allow us to reach more teachers in distant places in Colombia and internationally. We have also worked towards strengthening the connection with Colombian schoolteachers by opening a special call for them and inviting two of them to make part of the pool of plenary speakers with full support from the Board of Directors.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

Little international research exists on EFL (English as a Foreign Language) student teachers rega... more Little international research exists on EFL (English as a Foreign Language) student teachers regarding non-normative corporalities: transgender and blind identities. Similarly, few studies in Colombia have investigated transgender/blind EFL student teachers to understand the various dimensions of their identities. This research study explores the transgender/blind identities of an EFL student teacher in Colombia. The study interpreted identity as multiple and fluid in order to understand how transgender identity serves as a lens to shape the process of becoming a teacher. Findings suggest that transgender/blind identities are molded from experiences that either modify or reconstruct the self. The study revealed that the notion of gender/disability is contested when the idea of transgender/ blind works as a personal mechanism to question the existing normativity of one's own body and self.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

This paper deals with research on inclusion concentrating on the pedagogical implications derived... more This paper deals with research on inclusion concentrating on the pedagogical implications derived from a qualitative case study that looked into three hard-of-hearing (HHs) students’ perspectives and retrospectives on their schooled EFL learning. Data came from narratives gathered in autobiographical writings and interviews. Although there is a good body of literature on pedagogy in terms of strategies for dealing with HHs, few works have counted on the student’s perspectives. The authors’ insights, one of them being hard-of-hearing, call for truly inclusive policies and practices that address the categories developed in this case study, namely: 1. Deafness separates HHs from people. 2. Hearing aids are not like glasses, and 3. An exemption is not inclusion. The authors feel that the recommendations made are valid for learners with or without disabilities.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

This narrative inquiry study aims to unveil the incorporation of policy agency within the constru... more This narrative inquiry study aims to unveil the incorporation of policy agency within the construction of teacher identity of pre-service teachers in their academic practicums. Drawing on a critical-sociocultural approach to narrative inquiry, language policy, and teacher identity, the narratives of five students of an English teaching program in Medellín, Colombia, were examined. Their reflections and decision making on foreign language policies regulating their pedagogical practices at various schools show their social and critical awareness. Teaching represents a high moral load for them as they embrace a humanistic perspective. However, their narratives also pose challenges to language teaching programs in helping pre-service teachers to build micropolitical agency supported on solid theoretical knowledge to participate in policymaking. On the one hand, their narrations of the policy appropriation process they undertook show their frustration and disappointment in trying to participate when policy structures and other policy arbiters were close to them. On the other hand, when policy structures and arbiters openly allowed their policy participation, their actions and reflections focused on methodological concerns but rarely addressed social or critical awareness regarding curriculum design and development. Therefore, supporting pre-service teachers in strengthening their identities with solid theoretical constructs should be a priority because they will build micropolitical agency to overcome political tensions and negotiate their policy participation.

How Journal, 2020

This research study assesses the levels of attitude and motivation that tenth-grade students mani... more This research study assesses the levels of attitude and motivation that tenth-grade students manifest during English Language classroom activities. The study follows the Self Determination Theory to analyze these students’ levels of attitude and motivation in the classroom activities proposed by an English Language teacher at a public school in Bogotá. Findings demonstrate that there are four different types of activities presented and developed by the participating teacher. The students express their levels of motivation with a high percentage in perceived competence, and their levels of negative attitude with a low percentage in pressure and tension. An emergent result displays teachers’ imposition, students’ attention, and obtaining rewards or punishments during the classroom activities process.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

The present study intended to investigate the possible effects of speech acts strategies on Irani... more The present study intended to investigate the possible effects of speech acts strategies on Iranian beginner and intermediate EFL learners’ speaking ability. The first step in conducting this research was the administration of QPT as the homogenizing tool. It was administered to 180 beginners and intermediate EFL learners. After analyzing the results, 80 males and females as starters and 80 males and females as intermediate subjects were chosen. Then, the beginner and intermediate EFL learners were randomly divided into control and experimental groups (including 40 beginner male and 40 female EFL learners in each class). Next, a pretest of speaking was administered to all the participants and the experimental groups received speech act role play as treatment. However, the researcher did not use any treatment of speech acts in control groups. After ten sessions, the posttest was administered to all
participants. The findings suggested that awareness raising on speech acts resulted in a better speaking ability as compared to the simply traditional teaching of speaking for Iranian intermediate and beginner EFL learners. Additionally, intermediate EFL learners’ achievement in speaking was not in line with the beginner EFL learners’ achievement in the corresponding group. Finally, it was found that gender does not interact with awareness raising on speech acts in such a way as to produce a statistically significant effect on the beginner and intermediate EFL learners’ speaking ability.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

This article inquires into the coloniality present in EFL textbooks, which continue being used as... more This article inquires into the coloniality present in EFL textbooks, which continue being used as the core resource for language learning and teaching in Colombia. However, its instrumentalization, imperialism, and exploitation as an instrument of subalternation suggest that EFL textbooks produced by foreign and local publishing houses in the Colombian context are colonised in three interrelated dimensions: knowledge, power, and being. Therefore, this research proposal aims at unveiling the ontological, epistemological, and power criteria rooted in critical interculturality as a decolonial alternative, and inspired by the decolonial turn, to orient the development of other contextualised materials from the voices of Colombian teachers, authors and experts.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

Large-scale language testing uses statistical information to account for the quality of an assess... more Large-scale language testing uses statistical information to account for the quality of an assessment system. In this reflection article, I explain how basic statistics can be used meaningfully in the context of classroom language assessment. The paper explores a series of statistical calculations that can be used to examine test scores and assessment decisions in the language classroom. Therefore, interpretations for criterion-referenced assessment underlie the paper. Finally, I discuss limitations and include recommendations for teachers to use statistics.

How Journal, Aug 31, 2020

In this reflective paper, we review the currently-used word classification system proposed by lin... more In this reflective paper, we review the currently-used word classification system proposed by linguist Paul Nation (2013, 2015) and the position of the academic vocabulary in this system. Different lexical layers in this system are explained as well as the underlying assumptions. Then, taking a critical position, we raise a number of criticisms against three different aspects of Nation’s classification. The first criticism involves the fact that the system has sacrificed function for form in developing the lexical layers. The second focuses on the problem of equating ‘academic words’ with Coxhead’s (2000) Academic Word List (AWL) and ‘high-frequency words’ with West’s (1953) General Service List (GSL). Finally, the system is criticized for the lack of an independent lexical layer for discipline-specific academic vocabulary by ignoring disciplinary variation at the level of academic words. The critical points raised in the paper can be useful for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) materials developers, teachers, test developers, and syllabus/curriculum designers.

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

New ways of thinking are constantly emerging in English language teachers around the... more New ways of thinking are constantly emerging in English language teachers around the world, new ways that open windows to other horizons in English language teaching and learning. In this first issue of HOW Journal in 2020, the English language teacher-authors articulate themes related to colonial issues, ethics in research, self-reflection, and novel implementations concerning teaching progress

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

The purpose of this paper is to examine and compare the concepts of linguistic colonialism and cu... more The purpose of this paper is to examine and compare the concepts of linguistic colonialism and cultural alienation in University textbooks for teaching English as opposed to the theories about culture in the decolonial turn. Dichotomous categories were established based on the analysis of the cultural component of the textbooks for the teaching of English. The corpus consisted of six textbooks produced by multinational publishers and used in Colombia during the years 2006-2018. Documentary analysis procedures were used to discuss emergent themed contents in relation to cultural components from a critical perspective that unveiled imperialism practices. Results showed that the textbook contents dealt with high levels of alienation burden, superficial cultural components and instrumentation to the submissive person who favors the dominant culture of English and does not offer possibilities to embrace interculturality in ELF teaching contexts.

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

This article reports on a study carried out in a foreign language course at a private Colombian u... more This article reports on a study carried out in a foreign language course at a private Colombian university. Its purpose was to identify the role of authentic materials and tasks, based on cultural topics, in the development of intercultural competence in third-level English students. The pedagogical implementation of the activities was designed under criteria proposed by Cortazzi and Jin (1999) to evaluate the material with cultural content. In regard to intercultural competence, Byram’s (2002) dimension of intercultural communicative competence was the support for planning and implementing the tasks. In this qualitative action research study, two surveys, one interview, and teacher field notes were used to collect data. Findings indicate that students were able to understand interculturality, to show respect for other cultures, and to demonstrate interest in getting to know other societies. Likewise, the students reported their willingness to be open to discussing topics related to cultural aspects.

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

This article describes a pedagogical proposal, based on debates, to determine the type of argumen... more This article describes a pedagogical proposal, based on debates, to determine the type of arguments that pre-service English language teachers constructed at a public university in Tunja, Colombia. We implemented a series of debate workshops about educational issues. Thirteen modern languages pre-service teachers in their sixth semester participated in the debates. In each debate, we collected data through recordings, focus groups, and field notes to understand the impact of the pedagogical intervention. Findings suggest that the arguments pre-service teachers built were based on examples. In this sense, the arguments built were based on their personal experiences and their partners’ opinions. We argue for the need to implement more research proposals that will contribute to the understanding and awareness of what argumentation implies.

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

This article presents a project that explored the effectiveness of intensive reading to enhance r... more This article presents a project that explored the effectiveness of intensive reading to enhance reading comprehension with a group of university students in Pasto, Colombia. At the initial stage, a diagnostic test, field notes, and three questionnaires allowed the identification of the students’ needs. During the intervention stage, a set of workshops and reading tests were implemented to reveal the impact of the reading comprehension strategies. In the evaluation stage, four instruments (reading tests, teacher’s journal, students’ questionnaires and pre- and post-tests) were used to collect the students’ opinions and state the results. At the end, findings show that the reading comprehension strategies improved students’ comprehension because it helped them tackle the problems they had before the intervention stage.

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

This article describes the implementation of digital storytelling in an English language class of... more This article describes the implementation of digital storytelling in an English language class of eleventh graders at a private school in Mosquera, Colombia. It is a descriptive qualitative study, carried out for about six months by using digital tools to foster language production in the language learners. The implementation contained digital storytelling as a pedagogical strategy for developing the writing literacy practice. The personal stories and media literacy allowed the participants to combine both narratives and digital elements when writing in English in a collaborative work-group in which they co-constructed their stories. The data collected was analyzed by using ATLAS ti. Open questions looked for information about the writing process and the digital tools implemented when creating the stories. The findings revealed that the participants developed writing and speaking manners while assuming different roles. In addition, the digitalization of stories strengthened their multi-literacies. The participants’ recordings of their voices helped them improve their oral production without worrying about their classmates’ opinion. Finally, negotiation in the group roles, as writer, designer and media creator, played an important role when working in groups.

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

This study aims at exploring L2 researchers’ perspectives on research ethics in Iran. A total of ... more This study aims at exploring L2 researchers’ perspectives on research ethics in Iran. A total of ten teacher researchers were selected among a larger group of researchers based on the criteria of academic degree and familiarity with research principles. They were interviewed about different aspects of research ethics. Their responses were audio-recorded and transcribed by the researcher. Finally, the emerging themes were extracted from the responses which showed plagiarism, data management, participant rights, and authorship rights as the most frequent themes discussed by the respondents. Furthermore, the extent of the participants’ self-expressed adherence to ethical considerations in research was differential, ranging from a minimum amount of adherence to an acceptable degree of adherence and commitment to research ethics. In addition, the results showed that not all participants had a clear understanding and definition of the four major themes which emerged from the results.

HOW Journal, Jan 31, 2020

This paper develops a two-voiced self-dialogue with some compelling ideals of critical pedagogy a... more This paper develops a two-voiced self-dialogue with some compelling ideals of critical pedagogy advocated by Paulo Freire: reflection, dialogue, conscientização, (conscientization) praxis, critical engagement, and transformation. This dialogue, as a critical pedagogy encounter, has allowed me to go through a process of self-criticism or hopefully a self-recognition of understandings, experiences, constructions, co-constructions, and reconstructions of my practices as a language educator. I will address the following evolving choices: On dialogue and critical pedagogy, from language as power to language as possibility, from instrumental to alternative critical pedagogy practices towards more critical understandings and doings of education.

HOW Journal, 2019

Autonomy has been of interest to scholars in the Colombian field of English language education ov... more Autonomy has been of interest to scholars in the Colombian field of English language education over the last two decades. A constant work on understanding what it is, how to foster it in local language students by varied alternatives, or to examine it in homegrown language teachers has been paramount in published research reports and articles of reflection in Colombia. Different possibilities are at hand, possibilities that account for contextual factors as well as local teachers’ and students’ backgrounds and variables.

HOW Journal, 2019

Challenges to an existing face-to-face peer-tutoring model grew into an opportunity to integrate ... more Challenges to an existing face-to-face peer-tutoring model grew into an opportunity to integrate online technologies as a support for English autonomous learning in two undergraduate teacher education programs at a Colombian public university. This qualitative study examines how a group of tutees' exposure to an online-based peer-tutoring model shapes their autonomy. Informed by data from questionnaires, a focus group interview, tutees' logs, and records of their engagement with the model's internet resources, researchers identified a change in participants' conceptualization of autonomous learning and an impact on their self-directed practices rooted in the immediacy, accessibility, comfort and availability of resources that the online peer-tutoring model favors.

HOW Journal, 2019

Students' engagement and determination require the use of self-regulated learning strategies to f... more Students' engagement and determination require the use of self-regulated learning strategies to facilitate adequate preparation. This article reports a research study that looks into how eight instructors, who were trained to promote self-regulation, interact with 18 students of a Bachelor of Arts program in English language teaching in Bogotá. The problem was the prevalence of an instructional model of reproduction of knowledge in the English language classes taken by the 18 students. The pedagogical intervention introduces dialogic tutoring. The instructors' voices, in the role of tutors, and the students' voices, as tutees, were collected in 40 videos, a questionnaire, and a focus group. Grounded theory allowed transposing the identification of patterns, code tagging, and code grouping into concepts. This process generated four principles that worked positively in the promotion of self-regulation in this socially and culturally diverse sample of instructors and students, namely: (1) addressing needs, interests and beliefs; (2) setting goals; (3) scaffolding learning; (4) providing quality feedback.

HOW Journal, 2019

Criticality has recently made its way into the field of English Language Teaching. It has mainly ... more Criticality has recently made its way into the field of English Language Teaching. It has mainly fostered the study of teachers’ individual commitments with their social context. A reflective account is offered here based on my praxis when I adopted a critical pedagogy to teach literature in the English language teacher education program at the National University of La Pampa (UNLPam) in Argentina. Drawing on observations and documents, I give in this paper an autoethnographic account of my practice. The results show that I maintained a constant questioning of my practice and a persistent wariness about the appropriateness of keeping a critical position in my teaching context. All teachers should perform these two reflective actions in view of our role as socially and pedagogically responsible agents of practice.

HOW Journal, 2019

One important decision that English language teachers should make is to decide on a pronunciation... more One important decision that English language teachers should make is to decide on a pronunciation model. This decision should be based not only on mere preference, but also on technical information. This paper seeks to review the Lingua Franca Core (LFC), a pronunciation model proposed by Jennifer Jenkins (1998, 2000) in an attempt to facilitate communication for L2 speakers. This paper also presents a set of reactions that her proposal has prompted in scholars in the area of teaching English language pronunciation. Such reactions are the manifestation of rejection of the LFC which is based on a number of arguments. First, there is no agreement as to the number of interactions that occur in English in L1 and L2 contexts. Thus, the predominant use of L2 speakers of English is questioned. Secondly, the advantage of the intelligibility of non-native speakers over native speakers in interaction with other non-native speakers is also subjected to scrutiny. Finally, a special focus on implications for the L1-Spanish-speaking learner of English is proposed, as well as for English language teachers who teach pronunciation. For instance, a series of issues which could facilitate the learner’s workload is discussed. One the other hand, the implementation of the LFC implies that the amount of work to be done by the teacher would be drastically increased. This necessarily entails a disadvantage in terms of both time and teaching materials to be allocated by the English Language Teaching (ELT) professional.

HOW Journal, 2019

This action research study aims to explore the contribution of the use of points of improvement a... more This action research study aims to explore the contribution of the use of points of improvement as a reflective strategy to support eleven Chilean EFL pre-service teachers’ ability to plan communicative-oriented lessons. Through questionnaires and a focus group, participants’ responses were examined using thematic analysis. Findings yielded that their beliefs about communicative-oriented lessons were in fact linked with the communicative approach. Lastly, their perceptions towards the use of points of improvement as a reflective strategy showed more awareness in the classroom, narrowing the gap between their pedagogical and disciplinary knowledge.

HOW Journal, 2019

Un objeto virtual de aprendizaje (OVA) para promover estrategias de lectura en un ambiente de ing... more Un objeto virtual de aprendizaje (OVA) para promover estrategias de lectura en un ambiente de inglés con propósitos específicos Abstract This study describes the influence of a Virtual Learning Object in the promotion of reading strategies in a class of English for Specific Purposes for the majors of Social Communication and Journalism at a private institution of higher education in Bogota, Colombia. Students' failure to meet the school standards led to the design and implementation of a virtual tool to support academic achievement. Data came from a sample of 15 students' reading cycle reports, self-assessment of progress, questionnaires, and interviews. Results suggest that the developed VLO did promote the participants' appropriation of reading strategies proposed in the design of the course. The process with the VLO not only prompted higher reading comprehension, but also facilitated and enriched learning experiences.

HOW Journal, 2019

The purpose of this article of reflection is to raise awareness of how poor design of language as... more The purpose of this article of reflection is to raise awareness of how poor design of language assessments may have detrimental effects, if crucial qualities and technicalities of test design are not met. The article first discusses these central qualities for useful language assessments. Then, guidelines for creating listening assessments, as an example, are presented to illustrate the level of complexity in test design and to offer a point of reference to evaluate a sample assessment. Finally, the article presents a discussion on how institutional school policies in Colombia can influence language assessment. The article concludes by highlighting how language assessments should respond to theoretical, technical, and contextual guidelines for them to be useful. Keywords: language testing, language assessment literacy, qualities in language testing, test design. Resumen El objetivo de este artículo de reflexión es el de crear consciencia sobre cómo un deficiente diseño de las evaluaciones de lengua puede tener efectos adversos si ciertas cualidades y consideraciones técni-cas no se cumplen. En primer lugar, el artículo hace una revisión de estas cualidades centrales para las evaluaciones. Seguidamente, presenta, a manera de ilustración, lineamientos para el diseño de pruebas de comprensión de escucha; el propósito es dilucidar el nivel de complejidad requerido en el diseño de 1 Frank Giraldo is a language teacher educator in the Modern Languages program and Master of Arts in English Didactics at Universidad de Caldas, Colombia. His interests include language assessment, language assessment literacy, curriculum development, and teachers' professional development.

HOW Journal, 2019

This study reports the contextual Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) of five Colombian English la... more This study reports the contextual Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) of five Colombian English language teachers. Two semi-structured interviews and reflective journals were used for data collection. The findings show that the teachers used varied traditional and alternative assessment instruments, assessed language and non-language constructs, used assessment information to improve teaching and
learning, evaluated assessment results, and engaged students in quantitative peer assessment. As for beliefs, data show that students’ success and failure in assessment were connected to past experiences, and that assessment was appropriate given a number of features. Participants’ answers about LAL show a complex and multifaceted
construct. Taken together, the findings serve as baseline data to further
professional development in language assessment.
Keywords: evaluation, language assessment, literacy, language teaching, teacher knowledge.

HOW Journal, 2019

Editorial

HOW Journal, 2019

This article reports on an action-research study which examined the impact of a radio program as ... more This article reports on an action-research study which examined the impact of a radio program as a strategy to develop the speaking skills of a mixed course at a private institution in Colombia. Hence, data were collected from 18 students through tests, surveys, field notes, and interviews. The results indicate that there is an important relationship between the recording, broadcast, and reflection on a radio program and the development of students’ oral competence, their motivation for learning, the improvement of dialogue, and the coexistence of students.

HOW Journal, 2019

This study reports the contextual Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) of five Colombian English la... more This study reports the contextual Language Assessment Literacy (LAL) of five Colombian English language teachers. Two semi-structured interviews and reflective journals were used for data collection. The findings show that the teachers used varied traditional and alternative assessment instruments, assessed language and non-language constructs, used assessment information to improve teaching and learning, evaluated assessment results, and engaged students in quantitative peer assessment. As for beliefs, data show that students’ success and failure in assessment were connected to past experiences, and that assessment was appropriate given a number of features. Participants’ answers about LAL show a complex and multifaceted construct. Taken together, the findings serve as baseline data to further professional development in language assessment.

HOW Journal, 2019

This study investigates the comparative effect of teaching collocations through practicing them i... more This study investigates the comparative effect of teaching collocations through practicing them in literary and non-literary contents. The participants were composed of 30 EFL students selected from a cohort of 52 intermediate students in an English language institute in Sanandaj City, Iran. They were selected based on their scores on the Preliminary English Test (PET) and a collocation test, developed and piloted in advance. The selected participants were randomly divided into two experimental groups. Collocations were taught through literary content in one group; the others were instructed via non-literary content. At the end of the period of treatment with both groups, a collocation test was administered to both groups as a posttest. The analysis of collected data, using One-way ANCOVA and Descriptive Statistics, reveals that teaching the new collocations through literary contents proved significantly more effective than teaching them through non-literary contents.

HOW Journal, 2019

Coursebooks are among the most significant components of EFL classes. The primary purpose of this... more Coursebooks are among the most significant components of EFL classes. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the validity and reliability of a ‘Coursebook Dependency Questionnaire’ developed in the current study. It further aims to study how dependent English language teachers are on coursebooks and whether there are any relationships between teachers’ coursebook dependency levels and their genders, experiences, and academic backgrounds. Data collected from 324 language teachers working in secondary and tertiary-level EFL programs revealed that the scale is a valid and reliable instrument with five sub-scales to measure the dependency construct; the majority of the participants were medium dependent while high and low dependent teachers comprised less than half of the participants in total.

HOW Journal, 2019

Teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and identities have been considered as the main factors in improvin... more Teachers’ beliefs, attitudes, and identities have been considered as the main factors in improving their performance to enhance students’ learning. The present study aimed to explore the relationship among Iranian EFL teachers’ professional identity, their self-efficacy, and their critical thinking skills in their teaching process. To achieve the objective of the study, 75 EFL teachers participated in this study. Three instruments were used to collect the required data including professional identity, TEBS-Self questionnaires, and the Watson‐Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal test. The findings in the present study demonstrate that there was a strong positive relationship of the EFL teachers’ professional identity between their self-efficacy and their critical thinking skills. The results of the ANOVA (analysis of variance models) test indicated that the EFL teachers’ professional identity could predict their self-efficacy and their critical thinking skills.

HOW Journal, 2019

The following pedagogical proposal seeks to understand what types of reflections Modern Languages... more The following pedagogical proposal seeks to understand what types of reflections Modern Languages students reveal about educational issues when analyzing artwork within their context. We worked with twelve Modern Languages students in their fifth and sixth semester at a public university in Colombia. The students began by analyzing four murals located within the university. Then, they created their own artwork and provided reflections on each other’s pieces of art. The findings showed that the students first began analyzing visual aspects of the murals and artwork, followed by the educational issues represented in each piece. As a common theme, the students reflected on the idea that working together yields a diversity of solutions. Finally, the students demonstrated that they could benefit from reflective practices despite not having started their teaching practicum.

HOW Journal, 2019

This article of reflection considers so-cio-political issues such as linguistic imperialism , nat... more This article of reflection considers so-cio-political issues such as linguistic imperialism , native speakerism, English as an International language, and appropriate teaching methodologies, which are currently contentious issues in the ELT community. Framed within a critical approach of applied linguistics, these issues are addressed in three sections (global/ local tensions, teacher professional identity, and a new EFL professional identity) in order to argue that a dynamic, shifting, and multifaceted perspective of a globally minded EFL teacher professional identity is needed so that Colombian EFL professionals can define or redefine their own identities in taking an informed and critical political stance.

HOW Journal , 2019

This article describes the importance of classroom management for language teachers, particularly... more This article describes the importance of classroom management for language teachers, particularly for novice L2 teachers since it can affect their permanence in the teaching profession. A definition of classroom management along with a description of its dimensions, a set of initial principles and practical ideas to approach teaching with more confidence are provided in this paper. It is expected that this information will contribute to equip inexperienced teachers with procedures and strategies that can be translated and adapted to their teaching situation and ease the transition from student-teacher to being in charge of a classroom on their own.

This study provides an overview and exploration of 23 national and international reflective teach... more This study provides an overview and exploration of 23 national and international reflective teaching research reports. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent that reflective teaching can become a strategy for language teaching professional development. Based on content analysis four main topics emerged: (a) reflective teaching as an approach to enhance the language profession; (b) impact on teacher's performance; (c) support, time, and effort; and (d) in-service professional development. Conclusions indicated that reflective teaching is an alternative to raise awareness about English language teaching, and as a means to encourage teachers to open their minds, update their teaching methodologies, and make adjustments to their lessons.

This paper summarizes the results of a collaborative narrative inquiry study conducted by two tea... more This paper summarizes the results of a collaborative narrative inquiry study conducted by two teachers in an English as a foreign language classroom in Bogota, Colombia. The study places emphasis on teacher learning as a reflective practice to contribute to students' vocabulary learning. However, the analysis presented in this paper is grounded on teachers' narrative events to understand their experiences teaching vocabulary over communicative classroom activities. Findings revealed that teachers could claim ownership of their own teaching practice when there is negotiation and collaboration of teaching practices over vocabulary activities; furthermore, data made evident that when collaboration emerges as a driving force, teachers' learning can become relevant to increase students' learning since reflection is used to adapt teaching to get learning outcomes.

This article gives an account of a project aimed at improving the teaching practice and self-refl... more This article gives an account of a project aimed at improving the teaching practice and self-reflection of English as a foreign language teachers in Manizales (Colombia) by means of a professional development program. At the initial stage, surveys, class observations, and documentary analysis allowed the researchers to identify teachers' professional needs, as well as the areas that needed improvement. During the action stage, class observations, informal chats, and a survey were used in order to reveal the impact of the professional development program. Findings demonstrated that although the program initiated some slight changes in teachers' performance and reflection, it still left space for more training and improvement.

Conducted in a semi-public school in Chile, this action research study aims at determining the ch... more Conducted in a semi-public school in Chile, this action research study aims at determining the change in 18 English as a foreign language young learners’ performance regarding their understanding of instructions after being exposed to an audiovisual materials-based teaching strategy. With the use of a lesson observation report for assessing the way they follow instructions and a Likert scale to analyze their attitudes towards the strategy, findings show there was a positive change in their performances and that these learners regard this strategy as beneficial, which supports the belief that the inclusion of audiovisual aids benefits young learners when learning English.

This article reports the results of an introspective research conducted by a student-teacher and ... more This article reports the results of an introspective research conducted by a student-teacher and her advisor. Both met regularly over a period of one year and a half as part of the student-teacher academic work for the Research I class. As a result of their conversation the student-teacher and her advisor decided to document the former's experience during her teaching practicum as she was trying to implement an innovation using m-learning in a public school in Bogotá. The analysis of data (narrative introspection, introspective interview, and lesson plans) shows that the student-teacher lived her teaching practicum within dichotomies in three dimensions we named negotiating between epistemologies, making up for logistic/technological flaws, and mending the self: between frustration and achievement.

To this end a quantitative approach was adopted. Data were collected through a questionnaire and ... more To this end a quantitative approach was adopted. Data were collected through a questionnaire and a test. The results revealed that the teaching assistants needed English for their social life and academic purposes: to communicate with the outside world and to teach their students. The skills regarded as most important were writing and speaking. Finally, the level of proficiency of the participants in the English language was below the average in all the skills.

This study sought to determine how working memory training could contribute to retaining vocabula... more This study sought to determine how working memory training could contribute to retaining vocabulary studied in English lessons through the implementation of a set of strategies. Two intact groups of beginners: one experimental, with 28 students, and one control group, with 22 students, belonging to undergraduate English as a foreign language courses at a Colombian university were involved in the study. After being exposed to a series of memory strategies for a period of 10 weeks, it was evident that most learners in the experimental group benefited from the intervention and showed gradual progress in the retention and retrieval of the words studied in the lessons; thus, improving their overall competence in the foreign language.

This research report presents the results of a qualitative study carried out at the Universidad d... more This research report presents the results of a qualitative study carried out at the Universidad de Guanajuato in central Mexico. Its purpose was to examine the process of identity formation of return migrants who lived a number of years in the United States and are currently studying for a BA in TESOL in Mexico. The participants use their knowledge of the English language to be able to reinsert themselves in society once they have returned to live in the country. Through narrative inquiry using autobiographies and semi-structured interviews, the study focuses on how language might influence the way in which individuals perceive themselves. Implications on family, ethnic associations, and school experiences were found.

We are pleased to present the second issue of our twenty-fifth volume. As mentioned in our previo... more We are pleased to present the second issue of our twenty-fifth volume. As mentioned in our previous edition, this volume emerges in times of new regulations for the evaluation of journals edited in Colombia (Colciencias, 2016).

This article shares a reflection based on the relations found between the partial findings of two... more This article shares a reflection based on the relations found between the partial findings of two on-going projects in a BA program in bilingual education. The first study is named Critical Interculturality in Initial Language Teacher Education Programs whose partial data were obtained through interviews with four expert professors of Licensure programs across Colombia. The second project is Estado del Arte de los Trabajos de Grado 2009 - 2016, which involved an inventory of the theses done by students as graduation requirements for the BA program. Based on these data, the article urges a re-assessment of criticality in research at the undergraduate level by problematizing the hegemonization of action research, the instrumentalization of language and research, and the subalternity for those being researched.

This paper shows the results of a pedagogical experience with a group of pre-service English teac... more This paper shows the results of a pedagogical experience with a group of pre-service English teachers during their first semester of teaching practicum. The data were collected by means of reflection papers written by them, and then the resulting papers were analyzed under the principles of codification of grounded theory. The results show that pre-service English teachers develop a sense of awareness of the context they work on. Also, the mentor teacher is important in such understanding, because she or he provides theories and personal experiences that contribute to the reflection. Finally, we conclude that pre-service teachers' reflections could contribute to curriculum development, so, it is advisable that language teacher education programs provide the mechanisms to give them a voice.

This article reports the results of a descriptive research project whose goal was to identify the... more This article reports the results of a descriptive research project whose goal was to identify the degree of satisfaction of students enrolled in two teacher education programs at a public Colombian university. As satisfaction and quality are prevalent terms in curriculum evaluation, and are encouraged by accreditation and government regulations, learner feedback can be valuable input in these processes. Seventy students of beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels from two programs were surveyed. The findings suggest that besides the mechanisms proposed by the government to collect information, student feedback needs to be considered. Regarding the programs, learners display an overall satisfaction, but methodology and assessment need to be considered in future curriculum development and evaluation processes.

Throughout time, the predominant use of certain languages has allowed some nations to take contro... more Throughout time, the predominant use of certain languages has allowed some nations to take control over others and assure for them a privileged position. This study unveiled how certain practices and ideologies in regard to bilingualism have influenced teachers' professional development. Data were collected through discussion group sessions, reflective journals, and protocols from five teachers from a private K-11 school in Bogota. Analysis indicated participants' discourses drew on hegemonic, colonial, and manipulative ideas. Nevertheless, when dialoguing and peer coaching, a discourse of resistance was constituted. The study suggested further research into teachers' professional growth, bilingualism, and bilingual education in monolingual contexts as the Colombian one.

This article reports on an action research study that assessed the influence of cognitive and met... more This article reports on an action research study that assessed the influence of cognitive and metacognitive strategies-based feedback in the oral performance of a group of 6th grade students at a public school in Medellin, Colombia. Researchers analyzed students’ oral performance through assessment and self-assessment rubrics, applied inventories to students before and after giving them the strategies-based feedback, and interviewed all students and one parent. Results showed that strategies-based feedback supported by previous strategies instruction can help students both increase the use of strategies and improve their oral performance.

This manuscript reports the final findings of an exploratory, descriptive case study that aimed a... more This manuscript reports the final findings of an exploratory, descriptive case study that aimed at exploring the perceptions of a group of English as a foreign language students in a public university regarding their English learning and the commitment level through the process. A questionnaire, a survey, and the teacher's diary were the instruments used to gather data. The results showed the way the participants study and learn English, their most common learning styles and study strategies. Additionally, they revealed some students' low levels of commitment and autonomy, and some indifference as regards English, too.

Attaining oral production is a challenge for most English language teachers because most of the s... more Attaining oral production is a challenge for most English language teachers because most of the strategies implemented in class do not engage students in speaking activities. Tasks are an optimal alternative to engage learners in communicative exchanges. This article presents the results of a qualitative action research study examining the effects of authentic tasks in oral production with a group of tenth graders in a public high school in the south of Colombia. Considering the conclusions of the study teachers are encouraged to use authentic tasks in the classroom to involve students in meaningful learning to foster oral production.

The objective of this study is to explore the process of professional identity construction of tw... more The objective of this study is to explore the process of professional identity construction of two English as a foreign language student-teachers from a sociocultural theoretical lens. A qualitative case study was conducted through personal narratives, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. The results show that the process of student-teachers' professional identity construction is unstable and dynamic, and is shaped by interrelated personal and external factors such as self-image, learning environment, and practicum experiences.

This article presents a research study on the interactional styles of teacher educators in the En... more This article presents a research study on the interactional styles of teacher educators in the English language teacher education classroom. Two research methodologies, ethnomethodological conversation analysis and self-evaluation of teacher talk were applied to analyze 34 content-and language-based classes of nine English language teacher educators of three undergraduate English language teacher education programs in Bogotá, Colombia. Findings show that English language teacher educators' interactional styles are a mixture of both individual (heterogeneous interactional styles) and common (homogeneous interactional styles) social acts, which are represented by the interactional forms and patterns that these teacher educators display in the classrooms.

In this edition, we gladly present nine articles concerning pedagogical processes in undergraduat... more In this edition, we gladly present nine articles concerning pedagogical processes in undergraduate programmes in English language teaching (ELT), bilingualism, language learning, and teacher education.

We are pleased to present the second issue of our twenty-fourth volume. This edition comes with t... more We are pleased to present the second issue of our twenty-fourth volume. This edition comes with the conviction of both the HOW journal and ASOCOPI that no matter what interests prevail in one's getting published or in the classification system that rules Colombian academic or scientific journals nowadays, it is worth it to persevere in sharing knowledge with our ELT (English language teaching) community within the country and overseas.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between learners' cognitive styles and their pre... more This study aimed to investigate the relationship between learners' cognitive styles and their preferences for different types and frequencies of written corrective feedback and for different types of errors to be corrected. Data were collected from 60 English as a foreign language learners at intermediate and upper-intermediate levels. The instruments included the Ehrman and Leaver Learning Styles Questionnaire, and a questionnaire constructed by Amrhein and Nassaji (2010). The results indicated that there is a strong relationship between learners' cognitive styles and their preferences for a particular type of written corrective feedback and for different types of errors to be corrected; but there is no significant relationship between cognitive styles and learners' preferences for frequencies of written corrective feedback.

This paper reports on an action-research study aimed at identifying the problems and needs of a s... more This paper reports on an action-research study aimed at identifying the problems and needs of a specific group of tenth graders at a school in Colombia in relation to their reading comprehension in English in order to design, partially implement, and evaluate a genre-oriented syllabus. Findings show that the explicit instruction of metacognitive strategies helped students become more efficient readers, as well as the fact that the exposure and analysis of genres developed a better comprehension of different kinds of texts, making these students aware of the structure and patterns of the texts they were reading as they approached them with reading strategies that were appropriate for each genre and stage.

This article draws on a qualitative study which seeks to explore whether Iranian English as a for... more This article draws on a qualitative study which seeks to explore whether Iranian English as a foreign language learners experience any reversal conceptual transfer and whether they construct two identities as a result of learning a foreign language. The findings from the open-ended questionnaires distributed among 65 undergraduates at the University of Isfahan as well as 45 interviews conducted in a private language school reveal that most of the participants feel they have partly experienced reversal conceptual transfer. However, most of them claimed not to have constructed a new foreign language identity in English, while those who did had a more positive attitude towards their English identity.

Teachers’ knowledge and how they construct it is an area that deserves attention when it comes to... more Teachers’ knowledge and how they construct it is an area that deserves attention when it comes to producing fruitful professional development practices. This small-scale action research aims at identifying the perceptions of three teachers in a private language center about peer-coaching and their actual construction of knowledge in a peer-coaching activity. Data were collected through two narratives and the transcription of recorded conversations among participants after the observation of their classes. The results suggest that before peer-coaching teachers held three types of perceptions towards observation and feedback: a cautious approach, an identity tension approach, and a celebratory approach. After peer-coaching one sees that two perceptions emerged: observation and feedback entail, on the one hand, high anxiety about teachers’ self-image; and on the other, observation and feedback show a deep sense of their selves.

This study aims to measure fifty-two high school students’ affective reactions after doing indivi... more This study aims to measure fifty-two high school students’ affective reactions after doing individual and pair-based speaking activities then completing a semantic differential scale of nine bipolar adjectives. Results do not show significant statistical differences between the two types of activities or the schools involved in this study, but participants from both schools present a similar affective reaction towards individual and pair-based speaking activities.

This case study explores the relationship between the results obtained by a group of Industrial E... more This case study explores the relationship between the results obtained by a group of Industrial Engineering students on a national standardized English test and the impact these results had on language program improvement. The instruments used were interviews, document analysis, observations, surveys, and test results analysis. Findings indicate that the program has some weaknesses in terms of number of hours of instruction, methodology, and assessment practices that affect the program content and the students' expected performance. Recommendations relate to setting up a plan of action to make the program enhance student's performance in English, bearing in mind that the goal is not the students' preparation for the test but the development of language skills.

The following article reports the results of an action research project conducted in a public uni... more The following article reports the results of an action research project conducted in a public university in Chile. The project consisted of exposing ten undergraduate students from an English pedagogy program to a genre-based approach to writing expository essays. During eight weeks the three stages of the genre-based approach, namely: deconstruction, joint construction, and individual construction, were adapted and developed with the participants. Results gave evidence that a genre-based approach to teaching expository essays is effective in this context because after the application of the action research project, the students’ compositions improved in comparison to the participants’ pre-intervention essays.

This paper reports the results of a group intervention based on strategies derived from the syste... more This paper reports the results of a group intervention based on strategies derived from the systemic therapy model—brief strategic therapy. These strategies aimed at decreasing the anxiety levels commonly found in oral performance tasks related to L2 learning. Thirteen students from different semesters who belonged to two foreign language teaching programs participated in four weekly 40-minute group sessions. The pre-and post-assessments suggest a meaningful reduction of anxiety levels (t = 8.978 p < 0.05; ES = 2.49). The results suggest that the application of the strategies is highly effective and beneficial for anxious L2 learners.

Usma Wilches, J. A. (2015). From transnational language policy transfer to local appropriation: T... more Usma Wilches, J. A. (2015). From transnational language policy transfer to local appropriation: The case of the National Bilingual Program in Medellín, Colombia. Deep University Press.

158 pages

ISBN-10: 1939755204
ISBN-13: 978-1939755209

This article reviews the background of the foreign language bilingualism in Colombia, as well as ... more This article reviews the background of the foreign language bilingualism in Colombia, as well as the Colombian bilingualism plans and the policy launched between 2004 and 2016. Then, these plans and policy are analyzed taking into account the most common criticisms from the academic community. In this sense, aspects such as the lack of continuity, emphasis on employability, misconceptions of bilingualism, privileged position of English, adoption of the Common European Framework of Reference, English instruction as a way of business, and omission of teachers’ voices are analyzed.

Translanguaging in the classroom is gaining traction as a viable pedagogical choice. Often overlo... more Translanguaging in the classroom is gaining traction as a viable pedagogical choice. Often overlooked, though, are the students' attitudes in response to strategic classroom translanguaging. This study seeks to determine whether students' language attitudes influence their perceptions of an instructor's translingual pedagogy. The study took place in an undergraduate psychology classroom at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, and involved a case-study approach and analysis of survey results. The results show this particular group of students has a neutral to positive outlook on classroom translanguaging. The high number of neutral responses may mean students are indifferent to translingual pedagogy or that these students are conditioned to work within a context where code switching and translanguaging happen frequently.

The current paper reports an experience implementing a small-scale narrow listening scheme (one o... more The current paper reports an experience implementing a small-scale narrow listening scheme (one of the varieties of extensive listening) with intermediate learners of English as a foreign language in a Colombian university. The paper presents (a) how the scheme was designed and implemented, including materials and procedures (the process); (b) how the students performed in the different activities with an emphasis on time spent watching/listening and their perceptions of video difficulty and self-rated comprehension (the product); and (c) how the students felt and viewed the experience (perception). Product and perceptions showed that the pedagogical implementation was positive which leads to a discussion of a number of implications for this context and similar ones.

This case study reports the analysis of the induction as a socialization process of a Colombian n... more This case study reports the analysis of the induction as a socialization process of a Colombian novice teacher of English. Since critical approaches to socialization highlight the role of novice teachers in critical school transformation during their induction stage, this study aims to disclose the teacher's possibilities of becoming an agent of change. The data collection procedures included interviews, class observations and document analysis. The findings revealed that the teacher's socialization was not a gradual transition and his possibilities to contribute to school transformation differed in accordance with the interplay among his professional interests and school factors.

This article reports the results of a study whose goal was to determine the views of undergraduat... more This article reports the results of a study whose goal was to determine the views of undergraduate students regarding the English as a foreign language courses they must take as a requirement for graduation at a public university in Colombia. One hundred and thirty students from 10 undergraduate programs were surveyed and their responses were classified and analyzed. The findings indicate that learners are satisfied with the way foreign language courses are currently conducted. However, some aspects need further consideration and improvement. These suggestions are analyzed in this article.

This article reports partial results of a qualitative study which explored the gains and challeng... more This article reports partial results of a qualitative study which explored the gains and challenges encountered by two groups of English as a foreign language pre-service teachers from a public university in Medellin, Colombia, in developing a situated view of academic writing through a systemic functional genre-based instructional unit. The unit was part of a written communications course and used an approach called the teaching-learning cycle. Results from the study suggest that one of the main gains was related to pre-service teachers’ emerging understanding of context, purpose, and audience. One of the main challenges concerned pre-service teachers’ difficulty with shifting their former views of grammar as a fixed system of rules.

This paper originates from a narrative inquiry into English teachers’ identity carried out with 2... more This paper originates from a narrative inquiry into English teachers’ identity carried out with 24 undergraduates at an Argentinean university English as an international language teacher education program. Grounded in a narrative conceptualization of identity, this enquiry gathered participants’ storied field texts that were analyzed narratively. This paper explores how students’ narratives disclosed the exercise of their agency concerning the program’s curriculum by deciding how and when (not) to invest, reinvest, or divest their personal time in scheduled courses. We problematize these categories originating in undergraduates’ narratives, connecting them to literature in the field of curriculum. The conclusion suggests the implications these situated findings entail for English as an international language teacher education curriculum and research.

The main theme of the 50th ASOCOPI Conference held in 2015, was an opportunity to celebrate not o... more The main theme of the 50th ASOCOPI Conference held in 2015, was an opportunity to celebrate not only its accomplishments, but also to reflect on the situation of the English as a foreign language teaching and learning process in Colombia. The purpose of this article is to share with the readers the results of a study entitled “The History of Teaching English in Colombian High Schools: 1962-1994.” The report is based on a documentary analysis and on testimonies of key informants about such topics as: teaching planning, objectives, syllabi, methods, and materials, and their impact on the history of teaching English as a foreign language. Conclusions will be drawn at the end of the article.

This literature review surveys fifty years of English language teaching scholarship on the topic ... more This literature review surveys fifty years of English language teaching scholarship on the topic of culture teaching. The review segments the available literature according to decade and applies two guiding questions to each resource found: How is culture defined and What does culture teaching look like. The report of findings details how authors in each decade literature set define culture and culture teaching. Discussion of the findings offers general observations of developments as well as consistencies over the entire literature set (1965-2015). This literature review will be of interest to current and emerging English language teaching scholars involved in culture teaching scholarship. It is dedicated to ASOCOPI's fifty-year anniversary (1965-2015).

This article explores the reflections of critical incidents of eight beginning English as a forei... more This article explores the reflections of critical incidents of eight beginning English as a foreign language teachers and one of their trainers in Mexico. Based upon narrative inquiry and through the use of journals, critical incidents and how they have impacted beginning teachers in their thinking were specifically looked at. From the data we found seven emerging themes which basically revolve around the relationships that are established between the teacher and the students, the emerging professional identities of the beginning teachers, and the tutor’s reflection on knowledge transfer. Results showed how these teachers reflected upon their teaching practice and how the critical incidents helped them to analyze and evaluate their teaching process.

This article is a report of a pedagogical intervention which was developed with a group of sevent... more This article is a report of a pedagogical intervention which was developed with a group of seventh graders during their English as a foreign language class in a public school in Bogotá. It is part of an investigation in which the main purpose was to foster students' classroom interaction through the use of cooperative learning principles from a dialogical perspective that focused on social aspects of students' school lives. Thus, the instructional design incorporated a methodology that focused on the students' realities and provided opportunities for dialogue, cooperation, and reflection. From a pedagogical perspective, this experience promoted changes in the classroom practices allowing a new vision of group work, encouraging personal growth and social awareness among participants.

People's true selves comprise a life story that may be considered as a narrative. With that idea ... more People's true selves comprise a life story that may be considered as a narrative. With that idea in mind, the purpose of this article is to report on a pedagogical intervention that bridged life stories and a narrative perspective to examine nine, out of eighty, pre-service English language teachers' (re)construction of their true selves while engaged in a three-step introspective practice. Such (re)construction was manifested in written life stories which were interpreted and found to reveal these main themes: Meaningful Others in Shaping Their Self-as-Teacher, The Human Dimension in the Formation of Teachers of English, and Becoming Teachers of English Who Are Transformative, Instead of Transmissionists.

This qualitative research study was carried out with two groups of students at a beginner English... more This qualitative research study was carried out with two groups of students at a beginner English level; the students were in the fourth semester of psychology at a Colombian university. The overall aim of this action research study was to analyze learners' perceptions of the strategy Just in Time Teaching in a web 2.0. The data were collected through students' artifacts, journals, and interviews. Results of this study indicate that students perceived the strategy of Just in Time Teaching as a means to engage them in the designed activities; it was manifested by investing time to extend knowledge and promoting participation by reducing the affective filter.

This paper presents a qualitative case study that involved three groups of English as a foreign l... more This paper presents a qualitative case study that involved three groups of English as a foreign language pre-service teachers at a Colombian private university. Each group attended tutoring sessions during an academic semester. Along these sessions, students were asked to work collaboratively in the editing process of some chapters of their thesis project through a corpus interface. Students wrote journals and participated in interviews about their experiences. Teachers also wrote journal entries to describe and interpret their observations from the meetings. Findings reveal the participants' identities that emerged from their group dynamics and their insights about their collaborative process when editing academic texts.

This article presents the results of an on-line cross-sectional questionnaire and further discuss... more This article presents the results of an on-line cross-sectional questionnaire and further discussion about the characterization of ASOCOPI's affiliates, their expectations of being a member, and the contributions that the association has made to their professional development. The respondents' answers were analyzed by following a statistical analysis and a content analysis under a survey research approach. Findings reveal that the Association has highly qualified and experienced English teachers who maintain expectations in relation to encountering opportunities to update its teaching and research knowledge, creating professional links, and knowing about academic events and studies in the field. Contributions are oriented to their teaching, research, and professional practices. Discussion highlights prominent issues about the Association's profile, trends, and ideals.

Welcome to the second edition of our twenty-third volume. It comes out within the expectations th... more Welcome to the second edition of our twenty-third volume. It comes out within the expectations the new indexing policies issued by Publindex-Colciencias have generated. The Colombian research agency that monitors the academic journals published in the country is about to launch the changes in the parameters that will be borne in mind for ranking purposes. They will most likely insist on the visibility of the journals in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR), led by Thomson and the Scientific Journal Ranking (SJR), managed by Scopus. Both of them measure the journals' impact on the citations received in prestigious publications. Whether or not we can fulfil the coming policies, our commitment to maintain HOW open to local and international scholars' projects remains as the main driving force to publish ASOCOPI's (Asociación Colombiana de Profesores de Inglés) journal.

Due to the need of decentering language learners' conceptions and practices of " othering " again... more Due to the need of decentering language learners' conceptions and practices of " othering " against the target culture, it has become necessary to help them grow in critical cultural understanding and positive appreciation towards the richness of difference and plurality, as a transversal dimension of their intercultural competence. Thus, this paper seeks to summarize the literature on the notion of othering and its pedagogical possibilities to promote critical cultural awareness raising in the language classroom. It initially presents some theoretical contributions on the concepts of the " Other " and the " Self " and its dialectical relation, and later, it proposes four pedagogical tools that could enable learners to achieve the already mentioned objective.

This article reports on how the use of peer-assessment and a corpus influence the development of ... more This article reports on how the use of peer-assessment and a corpus influence the development of the spontaneous interactive speaking of 14 adults with an A1 English level. The data, that were collected through video recordings, two peer-assessment forms, and a teacher’s journal, evidenced the development of three enhancement strategies (willingness to improve, use of compensatory strategies, and construction of a personalized version of the corpus) and two detrimental traits (underassessment and dependency on the corpus).The results of the inquiry evinced some limitations in the pedagogical intervention.

This article reports on a qualitative, descriptive, and interpretative research intervention case... more This article reports on a qualitative, descriptive, and interpretative research intervention case study of English as a foreign language students' construction of perceptions on social issues found in famous works of art. Participants in this study engaged in the practice of critical thinking as a strategy to appreciate art that expresses social issues. The research was conducted at a Colombian public school over ten days. Famous works of art were presented with the purpose of creating a conversation club in which students were expected to identify and discuss social issues implicit in those works of art. Data were collected through direct observation, field notes, and interviews. Findings showed participants' perceptions of works of art while interacting in English conversations.

The teaching and learning of English as a foreign language has a long tradition within the Mexica... more The teaching and learning of English as a foreign language has a long tradition within the Mexican public education system. Unfortunately, this endeavor has been unsuccessful for the most part throughout the country. In this paper, we share and compare the results of two studies, ten years apart, whose data collections were carried out in very similar contexts. Both studies looked at what is happening in practice from the teachers' perspectives. Class observation, interviews, and official documents were important sources of information. We conclude that even though there has been ten years between these two studies there seem to be no changes that could enhance the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language in public schools.

This research report shares the findings that emerged from a qualitative study in which the main ... more This research report shares the findings that emerged from a qualitative study in which the main objective was to discover whether or not novice English as a foreign language teachers regulate their negative emotions during their initial teaching practice, and if so, how they do this. The data were collected by semi-structured interviews and observations, and analyzed by microanalysis and constant comparative analysis. The participants were five novice teachers who study English at the same university, and who were giving classes as part of their internship. The results from this research revealed that these particular novice English as a foreign language teachers use different emotional strategies to regulate their negative emotions.

This paper reports the process of designing and partially implementing and evaluating a content-b... more This paper reports the process of designing and partially implementing and evaluating a content-based and genre-oriented syllabus with a group of ninth graders at a public school in Barranquilla, Colombia. The syllabus sought to promote reading strategies in order to improve learners’ comprehension of natural science texts. The results of this intervention show that the use of academic texts with low achievers, who in turn can develop a good comprehension of different kind of texts, is possible if these students are aware of the structure of the texts they are reading and if they are provided with reading strategies that are appropriate for each genre.

HOW Journal, 2019

This action research study aims to explore the contribution of the use of points of improvement a... more This action research study aims to explore the contribution of the use of points of improvement as a reflective strategy to support eleven Chilean EFL pre-service teachers' ability to plan communicative-oriented lessons. Through questionnaires and a focus group, participants' responses were examined using thematic analysis. Findings yielded that their beliefs about communicative-oriented lessons were in fact linked with the communicative approach. Lastly, their perceptions towards the use of points of improvement as a reflective strategy showed more awareness in the classroom, narrowing the gap between their pedagogical and disciplinary knowledge.

Colombian universities and some professional organisations have faced the challenge of gaining vi... more Colombian universities and some professional organisations have faced the challenge of gaining visibility, mainly via accredited publications whose reputation depends upon their inclusion in prestigious rankings. This article contains a documentary analysis of the evolution of the HOW journal, the authors’ profiles, and their preferred themes and concerns—as evidenced in the articles published to date and in records of the editorial processes kept over the past ten years. From that analysis we derive a series of challenges dealing with editorial policies and processes which are closely related to current trends in the evaluation systems that govern the rankings of academic journals.
Las universidades colombianas y algunas organizaciones profesionales han enfrentado retos para alcanzar visibilidad, principalmente a través de publicaciones acreditadas, cuya reputación depende de su presencia en prestigiosos ránquines. Este artículo contiene un análisis documental de la evolución de la revista HOW, los perfiles de sus autores, sus temas de interés y sus preocupaciones —tal como se evidencian en los artículos publicados hasta la fecha y en los registros de los procesos editoriales de los últimos diez años. De dicho análisis derivamos una serie de retos concernientes a las políticas y procesos editoriales, los cuales están íntimamente relacionados con las tendencias actuales en los sistemas de evaluación que rigen las clasificaciones de las revistas académicas.

The rapid growth and interest of college students in Computer Mediated Communication and social m... more The rapid growth and interest of college students in Computer Mediated Communication and social media have impacted the second language learning and teaching process. This article reports on a pilot project that attempts to analyze the use of Skype as a synchronous communication tool in regard to the attitudes of students in learning a foreign language when interacting with native speakers and engaging in conversation. The participants are Spanish foreign language students at Fordham University in New York City and English foreign language speakers at a Jesuit university in Bogotá, Colombia. Students were paired up and required to set up online conversation meetings. The results of the pedagogical experience of this pilot project suggest that students felt more interested in engaging in conversation with native speakers and exchanging personal and academic information as well as other aspects of their culture using the target language rather than completing language laboratory activities or writing compositions.

Materials development is a field of study which has recently acquired significant importance in t... more Materials development is a field of study which has recently acquired significant importance in the Colombian context due to the fact that teachers, as materials developers, consider materials development as an area of knowledge that helps them to improve their teaching practices. However, the rationale, the gains as well as the challenges that drive materials designers have not been explored enough in Colombia. This article aims to provide some general considerations about the benefits teachers, as material developers, will obtain and some of the shortcomings which may emerge along this process. Finally, the authors discuss some implications for teachers, students, and teacher education programs.

This article focuses on the way in which technology-based activities may shape and characterize s... more This article focuses on the way in which technology-based activities may shape and characterize students’ awareness of their own learning processes and their understanding of autonomy. The study was carried out at a public university in Colombia. Data collection was done through the implementation of class observations, a survey, and some focus groups. Two categories emerged from data analysis which supported the preliminary finding that technology-based activities can be conceived of as a starting point in students’ autonomous decisions about their learning.

This article presents the findings of an action research study on developing learner autonomy thr... more This article presents the findings of an action research study on developing learner autonomy through project work in an English for Specific Purposes class. The study was conducted at a regional, public university with environmental engineering undergraduates. The instruments for data collection were field notes, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, students’ artifacts, and video recordings. The results revealed that learner autonomy could be developed by means of cooperative work in order to achieve common interests and support each other. Students also displayed self-regulation in regard to facing failures through learning strategies; furthermore, this study showed how intrinsic motivation implies the desire for accomplishment and knowledge to fulfill a learning goal.

Rural education has been the focus for several research studies which reveal a tendency to includ... more Rural education has been the focus for several research studies which reveal a tendency to include students' home context in the curriculum. Considering the aforementioned statement, this article aims to share a pedagogical experience which was carried out in a rural school in Guavatá, Santander, Colombia. The main purpose of this experience was to integrate eleventh graders' rural context through the design of curricular units. After implementing the curricular units, information was collected through a journal, a semi-structured interview, and students' surveys. The outcomes of the experience showed that aspects such as students' sense of cultural belonging and intercultural understanding were enhanced.

This article reports an action-research project aimed at designing, applying, and assessing a did... more This article reports an action-research project aimed at designing, applying, and assessing a didactic sequence for teaching English as a foreign language in the first grade of a public school in Cali. The article comprises the context, reasons that justified the research, theoretical support, methodology, and results, analyzed through descriptive statistics and a data matrix. The findings suggest that the didactic proposal was easy to use for the teacher, understandable for the students, and appropriate for the students' proficiency level due to its emphasis on the oral skills. It was concluded that didactic material should follow the pacing of the teachers' academic work and has to be closely linked to the reality of teachers and students., English as foreign language, primary school. Este artículo reporta una investigación-acción cuyo objetivo fue el diseño, aplicación y evaluación de una secuencia didáctica para enseñanza de inglés en grado primero de una escuela pública de Cali. Se presentan el contexto, las razones que originaron el estudio, el soporte teórico, la metodología y los re-sultados obtenidos. Los hallazgos sugieren que la propuesta didáctica fue de fácil uso para la docente, comprensible y acorde con el nivel de proficiencia de los estudiantes, dado su énfasis en las habilidades