Position paper

Toward a comprehension of language policy in Colombia from a bottom-up dimension

by xxx

1. Language policies in Colombia intend to promote the development of the English

language communicative competence of the students in primary, secondary and
higher education levels through laws, decrees, resolutions and ministerial directives.
Though language policies and reform agendas with regard to the teaching and
learning of a second language in Colombia can be followed since colonial times
(Usma, 2009), one still wonders why the current language policies have not been
successful in achieving such a goal. In this paper, I will attempt to grasp this complex
question from a bottom-up dimension of language policy (LP).

2. According to Shohamy (2006), from a nation-state perspective (top-down level) LP

refers to political decisions that are made with regard to the preferred languages
that should be legitimized, used, learned and taught in terms of where, when and in
which contexts. In the case of our country, the English language holds this privilege.
This LP scope reflects the association of policies with power and authority (Spolsky,
2004) through the statements issued by the Ministry of Education (MEN) and other
government agencies. However, other LP agents such as teachers, learners, families
and citizens (bottom-up level) should get involved in decision making in order to
gain deeper comprehension of the actual policies and the language practices

3. In relation to my role as a language educator, as Snow (2010) points out my own

language ideologies play an important part in my interpretation of LP, which are
socially, constructed through quotidian discursive practices. In this context, I feel
that teachers are active participants and their classroom becomes an open space for
experimentation and transformation of policy. Therefore, the English classroom
should embrace practices that foster individualism, critical thinking and self-
expression in order to allow stakeholders to reshape and reconstruct their identities
 and discourse (Zhao, 2008) from informed political, social, and historical
dimensions, viewing others and the target language culture as means for both
personal and professional growth without disregarding power relations.

4. In addition, I think that teachers should comprehend what the current situation is
about, what the consequences of today education are and how to address the
issues, approaches and opportunities that result from contemporary global
challenges. Such interpretation of reality should allow us to provide students with
opportunities to reach educational goals such as academic achievement, positive
attitude towards self and others, awareness and competence for working for a fair
world, for oneself and one’s own group as well as others locally and globally
(Skutnabb-Kangas, 2009).

5. Finally, strategies such as bottom-up research and initiatives should be promoted

and taken under consideration when policy decision making in order to enhance the
teaching and learning processes of second languages and foster the connection
between ideology and practice in our context. (455 words)
 References

Brown, K. (2010). Teachers as Language-Policy Actors: Contending with the Erasure of

Lesser-Used Languages in Schools. Antropology & Education quarterly, 41(3), 298-
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Shohamy, E. (2004). Language Policy: Hidden agendas and new approaches. New York, NY:
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