Page 8 - ELG1601 Jul Issue 438

Page iv ELLatin America July 2016

Cuba – what Struggling against the odds

really matters Andrea Pérez talks to consultant Isora Enriquez and Professor Eduardo

Jeremy Harmer goes back to Garbey after their Iatefl presentation on Cuban language education
the island and is reminded of he thaw in the relationship One is the limited exposure to
its proud educational tradition between Cuba and the US foreign languages in genuine and
Tmeans that the English lan- authentic communicative situa-
guage is now a top priority in Cuba. tions. Although not impossible, it
n Birán, on the estate where realise that I was in a different world English as a foreign language is very challenging to attain a good
Fidel Castro and his brother – a world where essential teach- has been considered important level of English solely in the pub-
IRaul were born and grew ing skills are what really matters, in the Cuban pedagogical tradi- lic schools. We need to increase
up, the Escuela Rural Mixta (a especially because the technologi- tion since the 19th century. It has the quality of the teachers, the
tiny one-room school) is still cal world that some of us take for consistently been the most stud- lessons delivered and the materi-
there and being used. Education granted is not there to lean on. ied foreign language in Cuba. als provided, boost the number
provided the brothers (and their It’s refreshing for a trainer to be Even in the 1960s and ’70s, of class hours per week and
sisters) with a stepping-off point in that situation. There are shared when Russian was popular in exposure to English, and reduce
for all that would follow. coursebooks, often, and a power- Cuba, due to the close relations the number of students per class.
Back in La Habana there is the ful success ethic, but this is – for a with the former Soviet Union, 80 Copyright Matt Salusbury But we are optimistic because the
Literacy Museum, a modest but European like me – teaching in the per cent of students were taught process of curriculum renovation
incredible record of the moment raw, and in some ways (but only English and only 20 per cent were and reform is taking most of these
in 1961 when the youth of Cuba some!) all the better for it. taught Russian, which indicates aspects into account.
(mostly teenage girls, but some What makes Cuba so differ- that English has always been pri- MOVING FORWARD Eduardo Garbey at Iatelf’s 2016 conference How would you describe the
as young as 11) spread out all ent of course is the sense of time oritised. Fidel Castro referred to level of ELT in higher education?
over the island and, as volunteers, standing still – the 1950s cars, the importance of the English lan- of the main curriculum objectives proficiency level of Cuban EFL The best, if compared with
eradicated illiteracy in just a few the clapped-out trucks and buses, guage for the cultural formation is oriented to the formation of an teachers, in a country where other educational levels. It’s
months. There was sacrifice too, the horse-drawn public transport. of the people since the early years intercultural speaker and a more less than 2 per cent have had the where more qualified EFL teach-
but that’s another story. And all because of the blockade of the revolution. English lessons autonomous learner by encourag- opportunity to study overseas, ers work, several with masters
So when in March 2016 I made that was imposed when, instead of are available and accessible to ing the development of learning never mind improve their peda- and PhD degrees. At university
my third visit to Cuba, at the embracing the profound change children and adults throughout strategies. gogical skills. This has been the level all English language teach-
invitation of the British Council the country was going through the country through television. What are the main issues result of Cuban teacher training ers have a bachelors degree, and a
and the Cuban higher education at the beginning of the 1960s, What is the main gov- affecting English language programmes with few resources significant number hold a masters
ministry, I was involving myself the USA decided Castro and his ernment English language teachers in Cuba and what – which speaks highly of the in education or linguistics. In most
in a proud educational tradition. gang were communists and drove learning policy? are the minimum qualifica- quality of the programme. In university language departments
Together with Eduardo Garbey, them into the arms of the Soviets. Communicating in English is tions to teach the language in spite of that, our most pressing there are also a growing number
Isora Enriquez Offaril and Greta But then, when the Soviet Union viewed as an essential constituent the state sector? challenge is to match the quality who hold a PhD or are already in
Apkeneye I was taking part in a collapsed, Cuba was left with of people’s culture and one of the To teach at any educational in teacher education with better a PhD programme. The Ministry
road show, working with teachers nothing, absolutely nothing. The key elements of citizenship edu- level teachers need to be certified results in the teaching-learning of Higher Education has estab-
in universities at Santiago, Hol- dreaded periodo especial. And cation – it has been given priority by teacher training programme process of English in the entire lished new national guidelines
guin, Santa Clara and La Habana. yet, despite that, they somehow at all levels of education, includ- supported by pedagogical educational system. Then there and standards aimed at producing
Working with Cuban teachers kept their health and education ing graduate programmes. The universities (teacher training are the few opportunities teach- better results in English language
is very like working with teachers systems going. Something to be main goal of education is to foster colleges) or faculties. So, most ers have for systematic contact learning. The idea, advanced by
everywhere – except that it isn’t! proud of, I reckon! the comprehensive development teachers have been certified with with natural and authentic Eng- Dr Dolores Corona, ELT advisor
Something is significantly different. Does that mean Cuba should of the learners’ personalities as a bachelors degree granted by lish either in Cuba or overseas. in higher education for more than
The teachers I worked with were stand still so that we (tourists, edu- human and social beings, includ- one of these programmes. They So a great effort in continuous 25 years, is to turn universities
fun, funny, committed and highly cationists, etc.) can enjoy it? No, ing citizenship education. English have a CEFR B2 level and basic professional development is into English language learning
motivated. No one could have of course not. And anyway Presi- language education obviously pedagogical and didactic skills. required to improve teachers’ communities to provide more
asked for more. That was beautiful dent Obama has been and the first shares the same goal. At present Visiting educators and interna- abilities in English. exposure to English and a variety
to be involved with but, as I have monstrous American cruise ship the school curriculum is under tional ELT experts from the US What are the largest barriers of learning opportunities in all
suggested, unsurprising. Time and has docked in La Habana. The renovation, and the reformulation or UK have praised the language to learning English? university spheres. n
time again, however, I was about world is coming in. But as one
to say or suggest something which proud Cuban told me, ‘You think
in other places I take for granted we are going to change because of
(about access to the internet, for that? Think again.’ Colombia’s bilingual plan
example – but not only that) only to We’ll see. n

Andrea Pérez asks Jermaine S. McDougald from the Universidad de
La Sabana about the country’s English language learning policy

olombia is investing include standards for English and private education. Despite intake remain problems. There
effort and resources to competence, evaluation of teach- great advances in public educa- have also been noticeable efforts
Cimprove its citizens’ ing licensing programmes in tion, ELT remains rudimentary. to update teachers in foreign
English proficiency. Interest in ELT and the inclusion of IT into There’s also a lack of resources language through immersion
English culture and the Eng- teaching and learning processes. and few hours of instruction. courses in Colombia and abroad.
lish language are growing, with Colombia Bilingüe also looks to There is no uniformity on the MEN has also implemented an
the language set to become support teaching and learning in number of hours devoted to assistantship programme, which
highly valued, according to the English, using the model of co- English instruction in public allows teachers and students to
latest British Council report teaching (Colombian licensed schools. In some cases, there is interact with English speakers
on Colombia. The ambitious EFL teachers plus foreign Eng- only one hour a week – but in from various countries (see the
Colombia Bilingüe project, run lish-native-speaker teachers) to private bilingual schools much April 2016 Gazette).
by the Ministry of Education improve English for both stu- more, 50 per cent or more of the Many tertiary education insti-
(MEN), with a huge investment dents and teachers, via a much curriculum is in English. tutions require students to take an
of $1.75 billion announced for more dynamic pedagogy that fos- A British Council report international exam (Toefl, Ielts,
the education sector, suggests ters the use of English at school. mentioned a ‘lack of teacher FCE) to graduate. They’ve cre-
that the country is set for a con- Colombia has invested a lot training, resources and funding, ated their own English courses
siderable expansion of ELT. of resources to strengthen the large class sizes and unenforced to help students reach B2 level.
Can you explain how Colom- use of English so as to help standards’. Is the government To strengthen the use of the lan-
bia Bilingüe, the government’s the country play a more active addressing this issue? guage, more and more Clil-type
ELT policy, works? role in globalization in sev- I am not sure the government classes are being implemented
It’s a governmental strategy eral fields: academic, cultural is genuinely doing very much in higher educational institu-
aimed at improving the quality and economic. The main issue that has much real value to face tions. Lots of research has been
of teaching English and provides is probably one of attitude, this issue. There is some support carried out, mainly at higher
Colombian citizens with better affected by isolation. Colombia for re-training existing teachers education institutions, by practi-
tools to be part of the globalized is a deeply introverted country, who – certainly in the language tioners to identify new strategies
world. The main objective of the and many people simply don’t teaching area – are often very to improve the way English is
strategy is to develop communi- realize the advantages of access badly prepared for their roles. taught in Colombia. n
cative competence in Colombian to opportunities that learning I see more value coming out
citizens. For starters, the MEN another language can bring. of current pre-service teacher Jermaine S. McDougald is
has three strategic areas that they Many Colombians see learn- training, but it’s difficult for me director of ELT masters
are working on to ensure that the ing a second language as an to estimate how much MEN is programmes at the Universidad
bilingual policy for 2014–18 arbitrary obstacle imposed on involved. MEN has made fair de La Sabana in Chia,
will be successful: teachers, them. Another reason why ELT attempts to face the issue through Colombia and managing editor
materials and follow-up and in Colombia has not been as funding training at postgraduate of the Latin American Journal
evaluation. successful as it should be is the levels. The lack of resources and of Content & Language
Other elements of this policy huge differences between public high student numbers in each Integrated Learning

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