Considering New Perspectives in ELT in Colombia: From EFL to ELF

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Published: Dec 1, 2010
Keywords:
Culture, English, foreign language, lingua franca, native speaker, teaching, varieties

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Diego Fernando Macías
Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva

Abstract

This article aims to explore the characteristics of English as a lingua franca (ELF) as an alternative to English Language Teaching (ELT) in Colombia. It focuses initially on the role played by English in the country and on what the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) model has offered the teaching of English. This is followed by considerations regarding aspects such as teachers, methodologies, teaching materials and culture from the viewpoint of ELF. In short, the author suggests a more international dimension to the teaching of English in Colombia in an attempt to reduce the role played by hegemonic dominant Inner Circle (Kachru, 1992) varieties in ELT in Colombia.

Article Details

How to Cite
Macías, D. F. (2010). Considering New Perspectives in ELT in Colombia: From EFL to ELF. HOW, 17(1), 181–194. Retrieved from https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/72
Issue
Vol. 17 No. 1 (2010): HOW
Section
Reflections and Revision of Themes

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Author Biography

Diego Fernando Macías, Universidad Surcolombiana, Neiva

Diego Fernando Macías works as an assistant professor of English and Literature at the EFL Teacher Education Program at Universidad Surcolombiana. He holds an M.A. in English from Governors State University (USA) and is about to finish an M.A. in TESOL from the University of Brighton (UK). He is mainly interested in the areas of teaching English as an international language, language teacher education and technology in language teaching.

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