Narrativas de docentes de inglés no certificados: una reflexión pedagógica

Abstract

This thesis presents a narrative study that looks into the experiences of two non-certified ELT teachers working in elementary public schools in order to give account of how they understand their teaching practices given the particularities of their educational contexts. The study was conducted in Bogotá, Colombia. Data was collected through narrative interviews, which were then transcribed and analyzed in order to answer the research question. The analysis was addressed from a thematic content analysis approach. Results point out that the participants of this study understand their practices as a sort of inevitable challenge. Such challenge was divided into three categories: emotions that arise when teaching English, teaching the subject, and interest in improving. These categories suggest that we need to understand teachers’ emotions as a fundamental part of their knowledge and their professional development. Moreover, their teaching experiences have taken them to get involved in professional development courses and sessions as they demonstrate their interest in their students’ learning process. However, their stories also show that the language policy related to bilingualism in Colombia needs to be revised in the light of teachers’ experiences in the classroom. Finally, the study suggests that more research action is needed in regards to non-certified ELT teachers in elementary school.