Bertha Ramos Holguín - Understanding the Complexities of Self-Image in an EFL Rural Setting

UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITIES OF

SELF-IMAGE IN AN

EFL RURAL SETTING

Bertha Ramos Holguín

Jahir Aguirre Morales

Adrián Mauricio Pita Pabón

Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia

2021

Primera Edición, 2021

50 ejemplares (impresos)

Understanding the Complexities of Self-Image

in an EFL Rural Setting

Comprendiendo las complejidades de la auto-imagen en un contexto rural de enseñanza de inglés como lengua extranjera

ISBN 978-958-660-472-7

ISBN Digital 978-958-660-475-8

Proceso de arbitraje doble ciego

Recepción: junio de 2020

Aprobación: agosto de 2020

Colección de Investigación UPTC N.° 180

© Bertha Ramos Holguín, 2021

© Jahir Aguirre Morales, 2021

© Adrián Mauricio Pita Pabón, 2021

© Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, 2021

Proceso de arbitraje doble ciego

Recepción: junio de 2020

Aprobación: agosto de 2020

Colección de Investigación UPTC N.° 180

© Bertha Ramos Holguín, 2021

© Jahir Aguirre Morales, 2021

© Adrián Mauricio Pita Pabón, 2021

© Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, 2021

Editorial UPTC

Edificio Administrativo – Piso 4

Avenida Central del Norte 39-115,

Tunja, Boyacá

comite.editorial@uptc.edu.co

www.uptc.edu.co

Rector UPTC

Óscar Hernán Ramírez

Comité Editorial

Manuel Humberto Restrepo Domínguez, Ph. D.

Enrique Vera López, Ph. D.

Yolima Bolívar Suárez, Mg.

Sandra Gabriela Numpaque Piracoca, Mg.

Olga Yaneth Acuña Rodríguez, Ph. D.

María Eugenia Morales Puentes, Ph. D.

Edgar Nelson López López, Mg.

Zaida Zarely Ojeda Pérez, Ph. D.

Carlos Mauricio Moreno Téllez, Ph. D.

Editora en Jefe:

Lida Esperanza Riscanevo Espitia, Ph. D.

Coordinadora Editorial:

Andrea María Numpaque Acosta, Mg.

Corrección de Estilo

Claudia Helena Amarillo Forero

Libro financiado por la Dirección de Investigaciones de la UPTC. Se permite la reproducción parcial o total, con la autorización expresa de los titulares del derecho de autor. Este libro es registrado en Depósito Legal, según lo establecido en la Ley 44 de 1993, el Decreto 460 de 16 de marzo de 1995, el Decreto 2150 de 1995 y el Decreto 358 de 2000.

Libro resultado de investigación con SGI 2325

Citar este libro / Cite this book

Ramos Holguín, B., Aguirre Morales, J. & Pita Pabón, A. (2021). Understanding the Complexities of Self-Image in an EFL Rural Setting. Tunja: Editorial UPTC.

https://doi.org/10.19053/9789586604727

Abstract

In this book, we looked at self-image from a humanistic perspective. We see it as a dynamic and complex process that compromises self-respect and self-confidence. The protagonists of this story come from a rural area. They were a group of eleventh graders from a high school in Samacá, one of the 123 towns in the state of Boyacá, Colombia. As narrators of the story, we wanted to explore, analyze, and interpret how these adolescents perceived their self-image through their life stories under a narrative inquiry method. By telling their narratives, the students could reconstruct and re-signify their reality, while showing us who they are in relation to other people and their contexts. Therefore, life stories offered us the possibility to explore students’ inner and social worlds. This research study helped us increase our sensitivity to how the adolescents saw themselves as part of their rural contexts, as well as how this might affect their futures.

Keywords: self-image, rurality, narratives, life stories, self-respect, self-confidence

Resumen

En este libro comprendimos la auto-imagen desde una perspectiva humana. Es decir, como un proceso dinámico y complejo que se relaciona con el auto-respeto y la auto-confianza. Los protagonistas de esta historia provienen de una zona rural. Ellos son un grupo de estudiantes de grado once de un colegio localizado en Samacá, uno de los 123 municipios que conforman el departamento de Boyacá en Colombia. Como narradores de esta historia, quisimos explorar, analizar e interpretar como estos adolescentes percibían su auto-imagen a través de sus historias de vida, enmarcadas en un método narrativo. Al narrar sus historias, los estudiantes reconstruyeron y resignificaron su realidad mientras nos mostraban su relación con otras personas y su propio contexto. Estas historias de vida nos dieron la posibilidad de explorar su mundo interno y social. Incrementamos nuestra sensibilidad como investigadores y entendimos como los adolescentes se percibían en un contexto rural y las implicaciones que esto tiene para sus vidas futuras.

Palabras clave: autoimagen, ruralidad, narrativas, historias de vida, auto respeto, autoconfianza

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

THE TRIP THAT WE PLANNED

OUR FELLOWS IN THIS TRIP

Self-Image

Life–Stories

Rural Colombia

OUR REST AREAS TO REFLECT UPON THIS FIELD TRIP

Strategies for Data Collection

Life story.

Focus Group Interview.

School Context

Social Subjects

Ethical Issues

THE EXPERIENCES WE ENCOUNTERED IN OUR JOURNEY

Self-image is an Ambivalent Construction

The role of the parents.

The role of friends/partners.

The role of the school.

THE PHOTO ALBUM WE END UP WITH IN THIS VOYAGE

REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

WHAT WE CARRY IN OUR LUGGAGE

Twelve years ago, when we created the research group TONGUE (Teaching on New Grounds Unexplored English Possibilities), we were interested in exploring students’ identities and self-images. We firmly believe that individuals, as human beings, are the most valuable part of society. Likewise, each student represents a whole world. One which is independent and unique. As teachers, we have strived to understand, interpret, see, and live our students’ worlds. In other words, we believe that we are called not only to teach, but to also to interpret our students’ contexts to better understand who they are as people. It is only after exploring our students’ lives that we can proceed to teach and learn.

We see the process of teaching and learning English as a symbiosis, in which students and teachers can learn and grow with each other. Time and time again, we have noticed that teaching and learning a language come second to understanding our students. Comprehending and connecting to our students’ realities have aided the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) process, in which students have become protagonists of their own learning. Because of this, we urge the need to listen to, amplify, and echo our students’ voices.