From Global South to Global North: Lessons from a Short-Term Study Abroad Program for Chilean Teacher Candidates in English Pedagogy

ABSTRACT

In this qualitative study of a short-term study abroad program from Chile to the United States, teacher candidates in English pedagogy reported developing globally competent teacher attributes. Through the experiences in the program, the Chilean teacher candidates reported that their international perspectives were enhanced, their repertoire of teaching strategies and skills was broadened, and they felt more equipped to work effectively with multilingual students in their own contexts. There were also challenges related to their own cross cultural learning and English language proficiency. While most research has followed university students from the Global North traveling to another locale, this study is unique in that the participants were from Chile studying in the United States. The impacts of colonialism and anti-colonialism were explored that related not only to the institutional structures and geopolitical frameworks of the disparate regions but also educators’ thinking. Thus, to be globally competent in Chile may encompass different attributes than being globally competent in the United States.

KEYWORDS:

• Chile
• critical thinking
• English as a foreign language
• global competency
• global South
• short-term study abroad
• teacher education

Acknowledgments

This short-term study abroad program was made possible through a grant from the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund. Negrete Lagos, B. C., Lara Morales, P. R., Gainer, J. S., López, M. M., Colegrove, K., & O’Malley, M. P. (2018). Migration, inclusion, and diversity in Texan and Chilean K-12 schools and local communities. ($24,300)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.