The Transformative Power of Context-Based Learning: Cultivating Cultural Identity and Proficiency in Intercultural EFL Classrooms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23857/dc.v12i2.4785Resumen
This action research investigated the application of Context-Based Learning (CBL) to resolve the "pedagogical dissonance" prevalent in Ecuadorian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction, which often relies on imported materials disconnected from students' sociocultural realities. Utilizing an applied mixed-methods design, a 12-week CBL intervention was implemented with 85 secondary students in a rural, intercultural setting in Riobamba. Pre- and post-test data, triangulated with qualitative narratives, showed statistically significant improvements in both linguistic proficiency (mean score gain of 19.35%, with a large effect size) and Cultural Awareness/Motivation (with a very large effect size). The results demonstrate that anchoring the curriculum in local identity and cultural content transformed English from a foreign subject into a "communicative bridge" for self-expression. The study concludes that the CBL methodology is a highly effective, decolonizing model for achieving both superior linguistic competence and essential intercultural consciousness in similar Latin American contexts.
Citas
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Derechos de autor 2026 Carmen Alejandra Villarroel Solórzano, Pedro José Quimbiurco Villa, Angel Paúl Obregón Mayorga, Vannesa Alexandra Abarca Alulema
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