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English language teaching in Ecuador: An analysis of its evolution within the national curriculum of public primary schools

Abstract:

This study aims at portraying the gradual change in the status of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) subject within the Ecuadorian National Curriculum for public primary schools since it was introduced in the curriculum in 2000. For the achievement of this purpose, we performed a review of public documents including Ministry of Education agreements, studies performed by UNESCO as well as data from official webpages, and newspapers. The results showed that the introduction of the EFL subject in the curriculum of public primary schools in 2000 resulted from the attempts made by the administrators of the CRADLE project since 1993. In 2000, English was introduced as an elective subject. It could only be taught in the establishments that had the facilities and specialized human resources. School principals had the say whether to incorporate EFL, Music, or Manual Arts in the periods assigned for the elective subject. In 2011, the status of the subject changed to as complementary activities. EFL and Computing were the choices this time. In March 2014, the complementary activities were excluded from the primary school curriculum, generating a huge controversy around Ecuador. Consequently, the Ministry of Education claimed that EFL would be included again in the primary schools’ curriculum after having the curriculum for this subject and prepared human resources ready. EFL was officially implemented as a compulsory subject in all Ecuadorian public primary schools in September 2016 in the Sierra and Amazon region; and in 2017, in the coastal provinces. Space is left to study whether this subject is being incorporated in all schools or not.