Learners’ Perceptions and Undergraduate Foreign Language Courses at a Colombian Public University

Article Sidebar

PDF HTML
Published: Apr 5, 2017
DOI: https://doi.org/10.19183/how.24.1.310
Keywords:
Foreign language courses, foreign language methodology, post method era

Main Article Content

Ana Clara Sánchez Solarte
Universidad de Nariño
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7346-5218
Gabriel Vicente Obando Guerrero
Universidad de Nariño
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6121-9290
Diana Ibarra Santacruz
Universidad de Nariño

Abstract

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.

Article Details

How to Cite
Sánchez Solarte, A. C., Obando Guerrero, G. V., & Ibarra Santacruz, D. (2017). Learners’ Perceptions and Undergraduate Foreign Language Courses at a Colombian Public University. HOW, 24(1), 63–82. https://doi.org/10.19183/how.24.1.310
Issue
Vol. 24 No. 1: (January/June 2017)
Section
Research Reports

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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.

Author Biographies

Ana Clara Sánchez Solarte, Universidad de Nariño

Ana Clara Sánchez Solarte holds an MA in TESOL/Linguistics from the University of Northern Iowa (USA). She is the director of the Lenguaje y Pedagogía research group. She is part of the Editorial Advisory Board for HOW Journal. Her interests include L2 methodology and assessment.

Gabriel Vicente Obando Guerrero, Universidad de Nariño

Gabriel Vicente Obando Guerrero is an associate professor at the Linguistics and Languages Department at Universidad de Nariño. He holds a Master’s degree in TESOL/ Linguistics from the University of Northern Iowa (USA). He is a member of the research group Language and Pedagogy.

Diana Ibarra Santacruz, Universidad de Nariño

Diana Ibarra Santacruz holds a BA in English and French and an MA in English Linguistics from Radboud University (The Netherlands). She belongs to the Language and Pedagogy Research group at Universidad de Nariño. Her interests are second language acquisition, assessment, and methodology in language teaching.

Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

Bailey, K. M. (1998). Learning about language assessment: Dilemmas, decisions and directions. Pacific Grove, US: Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

British Council. (May, 2015). El inglés en Colombia: estudio de políticas, percepciones y factores influyentes [English in Colombia: A study on policies, perceptions, and influential factors]. Retrieved from https://www.britishcouncil.co/sites/default/files/colombia_version_final_-_espanol.pdf.

Brophy, J. E. (1983). Research on the self-fulfilling prophecy and teacher expectations. Journal of Educational Psychology, 75(5), 631-661. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.75.5.631.

Brown, H. D. (1994). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (2nd ed.). White Plains, US: Prentice Hall Regents.

Brown, H. D. (2002). English language teaching in the “postmethod” era: Toward better diagnosis, treatment, and assessment. In J. C. Richards & W. A. Renandya (Eds.), Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice (pp. 9-18). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667190.003.

Brown, H. D. (2004). Language assessment. Principles and classroom practices. White Plains, US: Pearson Education.

Brown, H. D. (2007). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy (3rd ed.). White Plains, US: Prentice Hall Regents.

Carter, R., & Nunan, D. (Eds.). (2001). The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667206.

Castellanos, A. (2009). Fostering communication through blogs in an international, multi-grade context. HOW, 16(1), 151-166.

Celce-Murcia, M. (Ed.). (2001). Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3rd ed.). Boston, US: Heinle & Heinle.

Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. (2014). Characteristics of CBI. Retrieved from http://carla.umn.edu/cobaltt/modules/principles/characteristics.html.

Daley, C. E., Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Bailey, P. (1997). Predicting achievement in college level foreign language courses. Retrieved from ERIC database. (ED415273)

Deckert, G. (2004). The communicative approach: Addressing frequent failure. English Teaching Forum, 42(1), 12-17.

Elyildirim, S., & Ashton, S. (2006). Creating positive attitudes towards English as a foreign language. English Teaching Forum, 44(4), 2-21.

Guo, N., & Li, D. (2004). An ongoing teaching experimental project of EFL in a Chinese tertiary education context. Paper presented at the AARE Annual Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Retrieved from http://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2004/nai04371.pdf.

Hamp-Lyons, L. (2001). English for academic purposes. In R. Carter & D. Nunan (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to teaching English to speakers of other languages (pp. 126-130). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667206.019.

Harmer, J. (2007). How to teach English. Harlow, UK: Pearson.

Harshbarger, B. (2007). Chaos, complexity and language learning. Language Research Bulletin, 22, 17-31.

Jaime Osorio, M. F., & Insuasty, E. A. (2015). Analysis of the teaching practices at a Colombian foreign language institute and their effects on students’ communicative competence. HOW, 22(1), 45-64. https://doi.org/10.19183/how.22.1.133.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (1994). The postmethod condition: (E)merging strategies for second/foreign language teaching. TESOL Quarterly, 28(1), 27-48. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587197.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Beyond methods: Macrostrategies for language teaching. New Haven, US: Yale University Press.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). Understanding language teaching: From method to postmethod. New York, US: Routledge.

Lastra, S. P. (2009). An understanding of the concept and conditions of bilingualism: A study in an EFL setting. HOW, 16(1), 167-187.

Locastro, V. (2001). Large classes and student learning. TESOL Quarterly, 35(3), 493-496. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588032.

Ministerio de Educación Nacional, MEN. (1994). Ley general de educación [Colombian general law of education]. Bogotá, CO: Author.

Ministerio de Educación Nacional, MEN. (1996). Lineamientos curriculares idiomas extranjeros [Curricular guidelines for the teaching of foreign languages]. Bogotá, CO: Author.

Ministerio de Educación Nacional, MEN. (2004). Plan nacional de bilingüismo [National Bilingual Plan]. Bogotá, CO: Author.

Ministerio de Educación Nacional, MEN. (2006). Estándares básicos de competencias en lenguas extranjeras: inglés [Basic standards for foreign languages: English]. Bogotá, CO: Author.

Nunan, D. (1999). Second language teaching and learning. Boston, US: Heinle & Heinle.

Renaud, S., Tannenbaum, E., & Stantial, P. (2007). Student-centered teaching in large classes with limited resources. English Teaching Forum, 45(3), 12-17.

Richards, J. C. (2008). Growing up with TESOL. English Teaching Forum, 46(1), 2-11.

Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (1986). Approaches and methods in language teaching (1st ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching. (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667305.

Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching. (3rd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Rogers, A. (2008). Using technology to facilitate process writing and interaction among adult students. PROFILE Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 9(1), 197-218.

Rojas Serrano, J. (2007). Technology applied to ELT: Reviewing practical uses to enhance English teaching programs. HOW, 14(1), 143-155.

Sánchez Solarte, A. C., & Obando Guerrero, G. V. (2008). Is Colombia ready for “bilingualism”? PROFILE Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 9(1), 181-195.

Sarwar, Z. (2001). Innovations in large classes in Pakistan. TESOL Quarterly, 35(3), 497-500. https://doi.org/10.2307/3588033.

Scrivener, J. (2011). Learning teaching: The essential guide to English language teaching. (2nd ed.). Oxford, UK: Macmillan.

Ur, P. (1996). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory (1st ed.). New York, US: Cambridge University Press.

Ur, P. (2012). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory (2nd ed.). New York, US: Cambridge University Press.

Van den Branden, K. (2012). Task-based language education. In A. Burns & J. C. Richards (Eds.), The Cambridge guide to pedagogy and practice in second language teaching (pp. 132-139). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Yu-Ying, C. (2010). English-medium instruction for subject courses in tertiary education: Reactions from Taiwanese undergraduate students. Taiwan International ESP Journal, 2(1), 55-84.