DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14483/22487085.20531Published:
2024-05-24Issue:
Vol. 26 No. 1 (2024): January-JuneSection:
Theme ReviewPotential of a Pluriversal Literacies Framework for Decolonizing English as Foreign Language (EFL) Policy and Practice in Colombia
Potencial de un marco de literacidades pluriversales para descolonizar la política y la práctica del inglés como lengua extranjera (ILE) en Colombia
Keywords:
enseñanza del inglés, inglés como lengua extranjera, literacidades, pluriverso, Sur Global, teoría decolonial (es).Keywords:
decolonial theory, EFL, ELT, Global South, literacies, pluriverse (en).Downloads
Abstract (en)
Literacy scholars have pointed out the neoliberal co-opting of literacy and language learning, specially when English is often promoted as the language of progress by the English language teaching industry and educational policies worldwide. This utilitarian discourse on English language learning has been passively accepted and reinforced by governments, policy makers, educators, and society in general. Such positioning not only furthers neoliberal values of competition and individualism, but also perpetuates Western ideas of development that have proven to be detrimental for our planet. Scholars in the field of Education have acknowledged the necessity of prioritizing indigenous epistemologies to transform education. Thus, in this article I introduce the ‘Pluriversal literacies’, a decolonial framework which conceptualizes literacies as relational, land-based, and multisentient practices, such as weaving plants, constructed within communities and their territories. I argue that this framework may facilitate the transformation of English language teaching, especially in foreign language contexts, by centering and valuing the knowledges, cultures, and literacies of non-dominant learners.
Abstract (es)
Varios investigadores en el campo de la literacidad han señalado la cooptación neoliberal de la literacidad y el aprendizaje de idiomas, particularmente a través de la constante promoción del inglés como la lengua del progreso por parte de la industria de la enseñanza del inglés y las políticas educativas globales. Este discurso utilitarista sobre el aprendizaje de la lengua inglesa ha sido aceptado pasivamente y reforzado por gobiernos, políticos, educadores y la sociedad en general. Tal posicionamiento no sólo promueve los valores neoliberales de competencia e individualismo, sino que perpetúa las ideas occidentales de desarrollo que han demostrado ser desastrosas para nuestro planeta. En este contexto, los investigadores en el campo de la educación han reconocido la necesidad de volver a centrar las epistemologías indígenas para transformar la educación. En este artículo, propongo las “literacidades pluriversales”, un marco decolonial que conceptualiza las literacidades como prácticas basadas en la tierra, relacionales y multisensoriales, construidas dentro de las comunidades y sus territorios. Sostengo que este marco teórico puede permitir transformar la enseñanza del inglés, especialmente en contextos de lenguas extranjeras, al centrarse en y valorar los conocimientos, las culturas y las alfabetizaciones de los alumnos pertenecientes a grupos no dominantes.
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