HOW
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how
<p><em>HOW</em> is a biannual publication by and for teachers of English who wish to share outcomes of educational and research experiences intended to add understanding to English language teaching practices (ELT). Therefore, the journal falls within the field of education and, specifically, the teaching and learning of English as a second, foreign, additional, or international language (ESL, EFL, EAL, EIL).</p> <p><em>HOW </em>is an academic publication led by ASOCOPI, the Colombian Association of Teachers of English. The journal is indexed in the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Latindex, Redalyc, SciELO Colombia, and Publindex.</p> <p>It is also registered with Citas Latinoamericanas en Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades (CLASE), Dialnet, the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), EBSCO, Educational Research Abstracts (ERA), Emerging Sources Citation Index (Clarivate Analytics), InfoTrac GALE Cengage Learning Informe Académico, and the MLA International Bibliography.</p> <h3>Our Purpose</h3> <p><em>HOW</em>’s main objective is to maintain communication among English language teachers both in Colombia and abroad by offering opportunities for the dissemination of knowledge resulting from educational and research practices that concern English language teaching-learning issues.</p> <h3>Deadline for submissions</h3> <p>The deadline for submissions of manuscripts for the first issue (published in January) is <strong>April 1st</strong> of the previous year. Submissions for the second issue (published in July) will be received until <strong>October 1st</strong> of the previous year. Please, read the <a href="https://howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/about/submissions#authorGuidelines" target="_new">Author Guidelines</a> for information on how to prepare and upload your submission.</p> <p align="center"><strong>Follow us on:</strong><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/how_journal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://howjournalcolombia.org/public/site/images/howjournal/twitter.jpg" alt="" height="50px" /></a> <a href="https://linkedin.com/company/how-journal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://howjournalcolombia.org/public/site/images/howjournal/2000px-Linkedin.svg__1.png" alt="" height="50px" /></a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=es&authuser=1&user=sfBFTPwAAAAJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://howjournalcolombia.org/public/site/images/howjournal/google-academico.jpg" alt="" height="50px" /></a></p>Asocopien-USHOW0120-5927<p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" rel="license" target="_blank"><img style="border-width: 0;" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/4.0/88x31.png" alt="Creative Commons License" /></a><br />This work is licensed under a <a style="text-decoration: none;" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" rel="license" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.</p><p>The authors of the manuscripts accepted for publication in HOW journal are required to sign a nonexclusive license agreement allowing ASOCOPI to reproduce the full text on the Internet or in any other available source. Authors retain copyright of their manuscripts with the following restrictions: first publication is granted to ASOCOPI; nonexclusive agreements with third parties can be established as long as the original publication in the HOW journal is properly acknowledged.</p>Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy to Analyze the Scope of CLIL Classes with Children
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/788
<p>This paper reports the results of a qualitative action research study conducted with children from a private Colombian institution. This study aimed to analyze the learners’ cognitive and knowledge outcomes measured according to the revised Bloom’s taxonomy once content and language integrated learning was implemented. Data were gathered through an interview with the learners’ parents, observation, and video recordings. Results give evidence that learners develop different processes simultaneously, classified by the mentioned taxonomy. This taxonomy is a helpful approach for English learners since it allows them to perform cognitive and knowledge processes without following rigid systematic learning. As a conclusion, this implementation with children allowed participants to develop cognitive processes with greater emphasis in levels 3 and 4 (apply and analyze), whereas level 2 (understand) was developed as part of the process. Meanwhile, the factual and conceptual knowledge dimensions were strengthened. Finally, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge is developed through the implementation itself.</p>William Ricardo Ortiz-GarciaZulma Carolina Navarrete-Villarraga
Copyright (c) 2024 William Ricardo Ortiz-Garcia, Zulma Carolina Navarrete-Villarraga
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2024-03-042024-03-04311113510.19183/how.31.1.788Information Literacy and Discourse Analysis for Verifying Information among EFL Learners
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/748
<p>The task of verifying credible and original information is now more complicated, especially for undergraduate students. This study uses information literacy and discourse analysis to develop English as a foreign language learners’ critical reading skills while verifying information on social media. A reading test including false news was used to assess the learners’ awareness of the credibility of social media information. Then, they were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group was trained in evaluating a set of false news using information literacy and discourse analysis skills. The control group did not receive any training. The experiment was conducted again on both groups. The results show a significant improvement among the experimental group compared to the control group. The findings of this study shed light on the growing need for creating a pedagogical space in English as a foreign language classroom that focuses on raising learners’ awareness of information literacy and discourse analysis skills to read with critical perspectives. </p>Yaseen AziSami Abdullah HamdiMohammed Okasha
Copyright (c) 2024 Yaseen Azi, Sami Abdullah Hamdi, Mohammed Okasha
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2024-03-042024-03-0431114816610.19183/how.31.1.748Exploring Listening Assessment in a Colombian EFL Context: A Case Study
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/694
<p>Listening comprehension is a crucial skill in English as a Foreign Language education, yet listening assessment still needs to be explored. This study aims to understand how listening is assessed in a Colombian private language institution and its potential connection to students' underperformance in listening proficiency tests. We characterize the listening assessment used in B1-level classes through a descriptive case study. Utilizing a rubric, we analyzed fourteen listening tasks from various sources, including course materials and a mock PET exam. Our analysis had two primary objectives: (a) to uncover the rationale behind test design and its alignment with the curriculum, and (b) to evaluate the knowledge types targeted and the forms of listening assessment employed using categorization. Our findings reveal that despite the curriculum's holistic listening development goals, assessments predominantly focus on phonological knowledge through dictation tests, in which students primarily engage with audio media and recordings. These findings suggest a misalignment in the way listening is approached during the whole course, the examinations used to assess listening during the B1 level, and the use of an external standardized test as the exit exam. This study holds potential implications for curriculum alignment and the enhancement of language assessment literacy within our context, shedding light on potential factors contributing to students' underperformance in listening comprehension.</p> <p><br /><br /></p>Ana Gutiérrez-RojasNayibe Rosado-Mendinueta
Copyright (c) 2024 Ana Gutiérrez Rojas, Nayibe Rosado
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2024-03-042024-03-04311376610.19183/how.31.1.694Factors Contributing to EFL Learners’ Construction of Arguments in Culturally Infused Discussions
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/766
<p>This study describes the factors that enhanced students’ construction of arguments when participating in culturally infused discussions at an undergraduate English as a foreign language British Culture course. The research was conducted at a university in Northwestern Colombia. This paper presents a section of the results of a larger project whose objective is to identify the elements that aid participants in building and elaborating arguments in culturally infused discussions. Socratic questioning was an integral element of the discussions. To attain the purpose of this study, a qualitative single-case design was employed. Findings show that the factors facilitating the construction of arguments could potentially be peer scaffolding, previous knowledge, connection to participants’ reality, and curiosity and inquiry. This study makes important contributions to the field of critical thinking skills work in English as a foreign language setting, particularly argumentation, as it sheds light on relevant aspects to foster students’ collaborative argumentation.</p>Pablo Vergara-MontesLuzkarime Calle-Díaz
Copyright (c) 2024 Pablo Vergara-Montes, Luzkarime Calle-Díaz
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2024-03-042024-03-04311678610.19183/how.31.1.766Pedagogies of Well-being: A Narrative Perspective to Explore Two English Student-Teachers’ Experiences
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/756
<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p>This article reports on a series of narrative events extracted from an action research methodology that explores teaching practices and pedagogical experiences to foster well-being in English language student-teachers. Although the study adopted an action research methodology, it does not account for the implementation of the pedagogical process per se. Instead, it resorts to its stages (i.e., planning, reflecting, and acting) to situate the narrative events regarding well-being. The study was conducted in a public university in Bogotá, Colombia, exploring the experiences of two student-teachers at the practicum stage. The purpose was to document narrative events concerning teaching practices and pedagogical experiences implemented to foster well-being. These experiences reveal that student-teachers engage in thought-affective pedagogies or pedagogies of well-being that coexist with traditional language pedagogy, although they are not cognitive-oriented pedagogies. Interestingly, student-teachers could engage in more human pedagogical practice to see the other not as a learning object but as someone who feels and requires attention and care.</p>Diego Ubaque-Casallas
Copyright (c) 2024 Diego F Ubaque
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2024-03-042024-03-043118710510.19183/how.31.1.756Critical Reading inside a Cross-curricular Approach
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/652
<p>This qualitative action research study explores six reading strategies to engage students in more dynamic reading through the implementation of workshops focused on the cross-curricular approach to develop critical reading skills among ninth graders at a public school. The study was conducted with 22 students selected, in the city of Manizales, Colombia. The data collection instruments were students’ artifacts, teachers’ field notes, focus group questionnaires, survey questionnaires, and documentary analysis. The findings demonstrate that the use of reading strategies within a cross-curricular approach facilitates the development of critical reading in students. In addition, the design of materials (workshops), based on topics related to the students' environment, has an impact that not only contributes to improving their knowledge of English but also to expanding their knowledge in other areas of the academic field.</p> <p> </p>Rubiela Cruz-Roa
Copyright (c) 2024 Rubiela Cruz-Roa
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2024-03-042024-03-0431110712210.19183/how.31.1.652The Contribution of Board Games to Pre-Kindergarten Students’ Oral Production
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/781
<p>During the last decades, global interest in learning English as a foreign language has increased, encouraging countries to include it in school education. This trend was followed by the Chilean Ministry of Education, which suggests teaching English based on a communicative approach starting in early childhood education. To foster students’ learning, it is imperative to acknowledge that children learn differently than older learners and that English as a foreign language teachers should be able to identify their needs and implement age-appropriate strategies. This article reports the action research findings that explore the contribution of board games, memory, and bingo on pre-kindergarten students’ oral expression when participating in English lessons. A group of 19 children aged four from a private school in Concepción, Chile, took part in this study by playing online and board bingo, and memory games. Data were gathered by qualitative methods, such as an observation checklist, a semi-structured interview applied to the co-teacher, and group interviews carried out with students at the end of the intervention. The group and semi-structured interview data were analyzed through the thematic data analysis technique, along with frequency data analysis used to process the observational checklists. The results show that students increased their English oral production when games were implemented in their lessons.</p>Leslie Werlinger B.Maria-Jesus Inostroza A.
Copyright (c) 2024 Leslie Werlinger B., Maria-Jesus Inostroza A.
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2024-03-042024-03-0431112314710.19183/how.31.1.781Editorial
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/829
Edgar Lucero-BabativaMiryan Cristina Vera Peña
Copyright (c) 2024 Edgar Lucero-Babativa, Miryan Cristina Vera Peña
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2024-03-042024-03-0431110.19183/how.31.1.829Addressing Emotional Aspects in the Second Language Learning Processes
https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/704
<p>Learning a foreign language incorporates cognitive, communicative, emotional, and social aspects. Some of these aspects have to do with the structure of the language being studied; some others deal with social and psychological issues that influence the environment where the learning process takes place. This reflection paper addresses various emotional aspects that can bring up positive outcomes along the foreign language learning stages. Elements such as motivation, attitudes, levels of anxiety, acculturation, ethnicity, and personality are considered for this work. Readers should be able to find useful ideas for their ESL/EFL classes.</p>Luis F. Cisneros
Copyright (c) 2024 Luis Cisneros
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2024-03-042024-03-0431116718510.19183/how.31.1.704