La conciencia social como base para la construcción de los significados culturales de los estudiantes de inglés

Abstract

Social awareness is understood as the ability to empathize with others and understand different perspectives, as highlighted by Selman (2011). In Colombia, while social awareness has been emphasized in EFL classrooms, scarce research on this theme focuses on primary education contexts (Herrera et al., 2023; Jadán-Guerrero et al., 2022; Pérez, 2013). This study explores the cultural meanings 17 second graders assign to their interactions and perceptions of social reality, and the ways they construct meanings around significant cultural issues. To achieve this, Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (CRP) was implemented to foster social awareness within the classroom environment. Employing a qualitative, descriptive, and interpretive analytic approach, this research addressed students’ artifacts, which were collected from the pedagogical intervention. Also, I conducted an analysis of the co-construction of cultural meanings via semi-structured interviews and systematic observations of student interactions during classroom activities. Findings reveal students’ awareness of conflicts impacting their families, schools, and other environments. Additionally, students displayed an ability to co-construct positions on social issues, emphasizing the importance of not criticizing or offending others. These insights underscore the potential of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in developing social awareness and fostering empathetic respectful interactions among young learners.