Research on Interculturality in Colombia: Persistent Challenges in 21st-Century ELT Teacher Education
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.47847/Mots-clés :
Colombian ELT, culture, cultural studies, English teacher preparation, interculturality, pervassive challengesRésumé
In the context of intensified global mobility and sociocultural diversification, interculturality has gained renewed prominence in educational debates. However, in English language teaching (ELT), it is frequently reduced to a superficial recognition of cultural difference, framed through national, essentialist, or celebratory perspectives that limit its transformative scope. This conceptual and critical paper examines the evolution of culture and interculturality through key developments in cultural studies, tracing a shift from modernist paradigms toward postmodern, critical, and decolonial perspectives that foreground power, discourse, and historical asymmetries. It critically differentiates multiculturality, pluriculturality, and interculturality, arguing that the latter has often been institutionalized in depoliticized ways that manage diversity rather than challenge inequality. Additionally, drawing on Colombian scholarship on interculturality in ELT teacher education, the paper identifies persistent challenges, including transmissionist models, curricular marginalization, and the prioritization of linguistic outcomes over critical intercultural engagement. Anchored in critical pedagogy, the paper conceptualizes interculturality as an unfinished ethical–political project and proposes practice-oriented actions to embed it structurally within ELT teacher education.
Téléchargements
Références
Álvarez Valencia, J. A. (2014). Developing the intercultural perspective in foreign language teaching in Colombia: A review of six journals. Language and Intercultural Communication, 14(2), 226–244. https://doi.org/10.1080/14708477.2014.896922
Banks, J. A. (2011). Educating citizens in diverse societies. Intercultural Education, 22(4), 243–251. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2011.617417
Basabe, E. (2006). From de-anglicization to internationalisation: Cultural representations of the UK and the USA in global, adapted and local ELT textbooks in Argentina. PROFILE Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 7, 59–75.
Boas, F. (1938). The mind of primitive man (Rev. ed.). Macmillan.
Bonilla, X. (2008). Evaluating English textbooks: A cultural matter. HOW, 15, 167–191.
Castañeda-Trujillo, J. E., Mosquera-Pérez, J. E., & Rojas-Barreto, L. (2023). EFL student teachers’ renewed comprehension of interculturality and research about interculturality. Issues in Educational Research, 33(1), 23–40. http://www.iier.org.au/iier33/castaneda-trujillo.pdf
Chen, V. H. (2014). Cultural identity. Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, No. 22. https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/key-concept-cultural-identity.pdf
Correa, D., & Usma Wilches, J. (2013). From a bureaucratic to a critical-sociocultural model of policymaking in Colombia. HOW, 20(1), 226–242. https://www.howjournalcolombia.org/index.php/how/article/view/32
Coulby, D. (2006). Intercultural education: Theory and practice. Intercultural Education, 17(3), 245–257. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675980600840274
Dervin, F. (2016). Interculturality in education: A theoretical and methodological toolbox. Springer.
Dervin, F., & Simpson, A. (2021). Interculturality and the political within education. Routledge.
Dietz, G. (2018). Interculturality. In H. Callan & S. Coleman (Eds.), The international encyclopedia of anthropology (pp. 1–19). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118924396.wbiea1629
Esteban, M. T. (2021). Pre-service language teachers’ knowledge and practices of intercultural communicative competence. HOW, 28(1), 11–29. https://doi.org/10.19183/how.28.1.596
Faustino-Ruíz, C. C., & Patiño-Rojas, D. M. (2021). Creencias de los profesores sobre la competencia comunicativa intercultural en un programa de lenguas extranjeras de una universidad pública colombiana. Actualidades Pedagógicas, (76), 9–39. https://doi.org/10.19052/ap.vol1.iss76.1
Flórez-Montaño, S., Zapata-García, J. A., & Peláez-Henao, O. A. (2022). Interculturality in the English teaching and learning processes: Literature review. Cultura, Educación y Sociedad, 13(2), 163–182. https://doi.org/10.17981/cultedusoc.13.2.2022.09
Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison. Pantheon Books.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. Continuum.
Giorgis, P. (2017). Critical cultural linguistics (CCL). Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, No. 88. https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/kc88-critical-cultural-linguistics1.pdf
Gómez-Rodríguez, L. F. (2014). Relational teaching: A way to foster EFL learners’ intercultural communicative competence through literary short stories. Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 16(2), 135–150.
Gómez-Rodríguez, L. F. (2015). The cultural content in EFL textbooks and what teachers need to do about it. PROFILE Issues in Teachers’ Professional Development, 17(2), 167–187. https://doi.org/10.15446/profile.v17n2.44272
Granados-Beltrán, C. (2016). Critical interculturality: A path for preservice ELT teachers. Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 21(2), 171–187.
Hall, E. T. (1959). What is culture? In The silent language (pp. 20–32). Doubleday.
Harvey, D. (1989). The condition of postmodernity: An enquiry into the origins of cultural change. Blackwell.
Hidalgo, V. (2005). Cultura, multiculturalidad, interculturalidad y transculturalidad: Evolución de un término. Revista de Ciències de l’Educació, (1), 75–85.
Instituto Nacional de Lenguas Indígenas. (n.d.). ¿Qué es el INALI? Gobierno de México. https://inali.gob.mx
Instituto Poblano de los Pueblos Indígenas. (n.d.). Instituto Poblano de los Pueblos Indígenas. Gobierno del Estado de Puebla. https://ippi.puebla.gob.mx
Jackson, J. (2016). Language and intercultural communication. Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, No. 78.
Kottak, C. P. (1999). Anthropology: The exploration of human diversity (7th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and culture in language teaching. Oxford University Press.
Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and culture. Oxford University Press.
Kramsch, C. (2009). The multilingual subject: What foreign language learners say about their experience and why it matters. Oxford University Press.
Kroeber, A. L. (1917). The superorganic. American Anthropologist, 19(2), 163–213.
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2011, October 31). Identity and cultural globalization [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBWRgi9_bB4
Lado, R. (1957). Linguistics across cultures: Applied linguistics for language teachers. University of Michigan Press.
Leeds-Hurwitz, W. (2014). Intercultural communication. Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, No. 5. https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/key-concept-intercultural-comm.pdf
Liddicoat, A. J., & Scarino, A. (2013). Languages, cultures, and the intercultural. In Intercultural language teaching and learning (pp. 11–30). Wiley-Blackwell.
Malinowski, B. (1972). Argonauts of the Western Pacific. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Monaghan, L. (2014). Intercultural discourse and communication. Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, No. 11. https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/key-concept-intercult-discourse-comm.pdf
Moya-Chaves, D. S., Moreno-García, N. P., & Núñez-Camacho, V. (2018). Interculturality and language teaching in Colombia: The case of three teacher education programs. Signo y Pensamiento, 37(73). https://revistas.javeriana.edu.co/files-articulos/SyP/37-73%20(2018)/86058735004/
Muñoz, H. (Ed.). (2002). Interculturalidad en educación, multiculturalismo en la sociedad. UAM Iztapalapa–Universidad Pedagógica Nacional.
Newbold, C., Boyd-Barrett, O., & Van den Bulck, H. (2002). The analysis of popular culture. In The media book (pp. 212–232). Arnold.
Palaiologou, N., & Dietz, G. (Eds.). (2012). Multicultural and intercultural education today. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Piller, I. (2011). Intercultural communication: A critical introduction. Edinburgh University Press.
Pöllmann, A. (2014). Intercultural capital. Key Concepts in Intercultural Dialogue, No. 6. https://centerforinterculturaldialogue.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/key-concept-intercultural-capital1.pdf
Quintana, S. P. (2012). Exploration of teachers’ perceptions regarding the relation of culture and language. Enletawa Journal, (5), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.19053/2011835X.2577
Ramírez-Espinosa, A. (2023). Culture-related issues in teacher education programs: The last decade in Colombia. HOW, 30(1), 144–163. https://doi.org/10.19183/how.30.1.730
Ramírez-Espinosa, A. (2025). Curricular strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for an intercultural orientation in a FL teacher education program. Educación y Humanismo, 27(48). https://doi.org/10.17081/eduhum.27.48.7091
República de Colombia. (2025). Decreto 481 de 2025. Ministerio de Educación Nacional.
República de Colombia. (2023). Decreto 1345 de 2023. Diario Oficial No. 52.488.
República de Colombia. (2025). Decreto 1098 de 2025. Diario Oficial de la República de Colombia.
Rico, T. C. (2018). The intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in EFL contexts. Signo y Pensamiento, 37(72), 77–94.
Rico, T. C. (2021). Culture and interculture: What are we talking about? Challenges for the ELT community. HOW, 28(3), 105–118. https://doi.org/10.19183/how.28.3.676
Risager, K. (2006). Language and culture: Global flows and local complexity. Multilingual Matters.
Rojas-Barreto, L. S. (2019). Intercultural competence in Colombian university teachers. English Language Teaching, 12(1), 30–39. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n1p30
Scott, R. (Director). (1982). Blade Runner [Film]. Warner Bros.
Sealey, A., & Carter, B. (2004). Applied linguistics as social science. Continuum.
Sercu, L. (2005). Foreign language teachers and the implementation of intercultural education. European Journal of Teacher Education, 28(1), 87–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619760500040389
Smakova, K., & Paulsrud, B. (2020). Intercultural communicative competence in English language teaching in Kazakhstan. Issues in Educational Research, 30(2), 691–708. http://www.iier.org.au/iier30/smakova.pdf
Tylor, E. B. (1997). Primitive culture. Gordon Press.
Walsh, C. (2005). Interculturalidad, colonialidad y educación. In C. Walsh (Ed.), Pensamiento crítico y matriz (de)colonial (pp. 45–70). Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar/Abya-Yala.
Zárate Pérez, A. (2014). Interculturalidad y decolonialidad. Tabula Rasa, (20), 93–110.
Žižek, S. (2001). Multiculturalismo o la lógica cultural del capitalismo multinacional. In F. Jameson & S. Žižek, Estudios culturales: Reflexiones sobre el multiculturalismo (pp. 137–138). Paidós.
