Two languages= Una pasión

 

Goal: 

The blog aims to provide inclusive and educational content in both languages, making it accessible to everyone.

Do you know the difference between being bilingual and bicultural?

First, is important to know the definition of the two concepts. 

Bilingual, in the Cambridge dictionary, bilingual means "able to use two languages equally well". 

It pertains to the ability to comprehend, speak, read, and write in two different languages. This can be attained in various ways and contexts, such as learning both languages at an early age.

On the other hand, bilingual in the Colombian context, the meaning of bilingualism is a person who speaks Spanish (as its mother tongue) and speaks English. 

However, Bicultural, in the Cambridge dictionary means" belonging to, representing or understanding two different cultures. The text appears to describe an individual or a group of people who have a dual identity and cultural experience.  

What is the difference between both?👀

Biculturalism involves comprehension, appreciation, and active participation in two cultures, while bilingualism focuses on the ability to speak two languages.

For example: 

Bilingual person: A Colombian person whose native language is Spanish, but due to work reasons, learns English or French. This person, because of their profession (International Business), needs to know different languages due to the environment they are involved in.

 Bicultural person: A person who lived for 15 years in Barrancabermeja, Santander, and due to work reasons, moves to Nariño, Pasto, and continues to live there for the rest of their life. In this case, they have been Santandereano and have the customs and traditions from their homeland, but they arrive at new ways of life and adapt.

 Person who is both bicultural and bilingual: A person belonging to the Arawak culture, which has its domain in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, goes out into civilization for better opportunities. They spend 10 years living in Santander, where they adopt customs and learn the language, as their family's language was different. They continue to carry with them what they learned during their time in their homeland, including their language.

We can also refer to someone who has lived in Spain for 20 years and must move to Great Britain, where the language is English. Not only must they know and learn the language, but they will also adopt the customs of the place where they are going to live.

Conclusions: 

In short, we can be bilingual and bicultural at the same time, respecting both our language and our culture, being empathetic, inclusive and valuing the quality of language proficiency of others, and prioritizing intercultural, focusing on bringing society and the environment education to a state of tolerance and understanding. 

 We conclude that in the future we will be capable teachers and we will be able to direct students to accept and appreciate cultural diversity, without losing their essence and mastering different languages to communicate with the people around them. 

Finally, we can reach the case that a student focuses on being bilingual but does not want to betray his culture, so he will not be bicultural, in this case, we can help the student with teaching materials and neutral programs, in this way respecting his culture and learn new languages without leaving aside their native customs, norms and values

 Observational Practice:🙋

-The observation practice using the LILEI strategy was incredible. All students from the last semester were proficient in the subject. Furthermore, the activities were dynamic and engaging. The future teachers not only explained the topic but also encouraged students to participate in class discussions. The communication in every class was clear and effective. 

However, in some cases, teachers faced internet connectivity issues, which hampered their ability to conduct the class or use the activities. In such cases, they preferred to reschedule the class, and everyone agreed. Alternatively, they used the forum to communicate if the group could not agree on moving the class to another day. Moreover, most of the future teachers used online games to facilitate the learning and teaching process. This method ensured that students actively participated in the class and engaged in the learning process.

In the class, the capacity was limited to five students. All the students actively participated in the class, and I noticed that they were all in the observation class like me. This created a harmonious learning environment and helped the class to develop better.

I have vivid memories of attending classes at 6 am. The teachers were always full of energy even though there were no other students in attendance. I made the most of the opportunity to participate and ask questions about the topic at hand. Additionally, the teachers provided me with tips and guidance on how to improve my English skills. 

I also remember struggling a lot during the C1 class. I made numerous errors while trying to comprehend the topics at this level. Nevertheless, I learned from my mistakes and have been continuously improving my English ever since.

Conclusions:

-On the LILEI strategy, I learned and developed my English level. These classes are fundamental for future professors to start their teaching practice in their careers. Besides, observing students learn the topic and analyzing the methods used for the student's teaching practice is also very helpful.

-The advantage of online classes is that teachers have access to tools like online games, slides, videos, and interactive videos for teaching. This makes the class more engaging and active for the students.

-However, the disadvantage of online classes is that, on some occasions, teachers could have problems with their internet connection, and this could cause students to fall behind in their learning process.