English Language Teaching in Colombia: A Necessary Paradigm Shift

Abstract

In a first step, this article presents a reflection on the current state of the teaching of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Colombia. Analysing teachers’ certification and teacher training, methodologies, language policies, and materials used, the textdiscusses how these processes essentially relies on technology importation. In a second step, the article introduces the sociocritical approach (SA), a recent development in Foreign Language Teaching which would contribute to the aforementioned issue since SA implies a shift in current policies from a private to a public orientation, from a top-down to a bottom-up approach in order to implement a context-based and adapted English Language Teaching (ELT) in Colombia.