Programa Inglés Abre Puertas Ministerio de Educación Chile The Teaching/Learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Chilean Schools

EFL CURRICULUM OVERVIEW  English is part of a national educational policy in Chile. It is conceived as a tool for understanding other cultures and developing new learning skills.  The new EFL curriculum was implemented nationwide in 1998.

EFL CURRICULUM OVERVIEW  The main objectives and contents of the EFL curriculum reflect an emphasis on the development of reading and listening comprehension skills, although it does not exclude speaking and writing.  Learning a foreign language starts in 5th Grade (middle school). Before 1998, it started in 7th grade.

EFL CURRICULUM OVERVIEW  EFL coursebooks are provided free for every school in the country (distributed by the Ministry of Education.)  Performance standards in English will be aligned with the levels defined by ALTE, the Association of Language Testers of Europe (

PROGRAMA INGLÉS ABRE PUERTAS English Opens Doors Program (EOD)

The English Opens Doors (EOD) program was launched in 2003 to improve the quality and availability of English language teaching in Chile with the aim of enabling Chilean citizens to function in English. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

GOALS 2007: English language skills will be tested for the first time in schools nationwide (SIMCE). 2011: deadline for all EFL teachers to be certified at a minimum level of English equivalent to ALTE : Students will have achieved the following language proficiency levels: 8th graders:equivalent to ALTE 1 12th graders:equivalent to ALTE 2

EOD fosters EFL teachers’ professional development as a way to promote better teaching practices and language learning. Teachers participating in EOD have access to a number of strategies according to their language skill level: FOCUS: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES FOR EFL TEACHERS

English, Methodology and Pedagogy Courses 200-hour program; 3 components: language, methodology, and microteaching; 1200 scholarships granted by the Ministry of Education to EFL teachers all over the country since August International Teacher Training Grants 1996–2004: more than 450 teachers trained in English- speaking countries. All teachers must pass a language proficiency test and submit an innovative teaching/learning project to implement with their peers and in their school context. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

Mentor Training Mentor Teachers act as an essential link between schools where English is taught, and universities with initial teacher education programs – 2005: 7 universities are training mentors in strategic locations in the country. Over 100 school teachers have become Mentors following a 1- year course with their Mentor Trainers. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES English Summer Town (EST) 200 EFL teachers from all regions of the country met at CPEIP in Santiago last January for a full English immersion 5-day program which included academic and cultural activities. English Opens Doors and Fulbright are organizing the second EST, which will take place in January 2006.

District Level Workshops These are communities of teachers who reflect, share and act upon their current teaching practices in order to implement more effective methodologies. 2005–2007: 900 middle school EFL teachers are part of a 3-year training program to improve their command of English as well as methodologies in and out of the EFL classroom context. Local Teacher Networks EFL teachers from different schools meet regularly to share and analyze common issues and problems, as well as to design activities that improve the teaching of English. These learning communities get funding and experts’ support from our program and other organizations. 2003: 7 Local Teacher Networks throughout the country. 2005: 52 LTN throughout Chile.

Public Speaking & Debate High school teachers are trained by the Debate Society from Diego Portales University to use public speaking and debate as didactic activities to develop and improve their students’ communication skills in English. These specially trained teachers’ students then participate in debate contests with different schools. International Volunteers Foreign university students whose first or second language is English collaborate with Chilean EFL teachers and help motivate their students, exchanging intercultural experiences. They also develop conversational workshops and other activities to serve and assist the larger school and local community. 2005: 15 full time volunteers working in a pilot project in schools in Antofagasta; 53 part-time volunteers in Santiago.