The teaching in foreign languages at the university. Working conditions, practices, and beliefs of teachers

La enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras en la universidad. Condiciones laborales, prácticas y creencias de los profesores

Abstract

Knowing the growing importance of foreign languages ​​(FL) in modern societies. Since the end of the last century the public universities in Mexico have driven their massive teaching among students having special academic units. In this effort, the work of FL teachers is essential given that the task of instruction rest on them; nevertheless, these educators are barely known. This article analyzes this group of academics, specifically the relationships between their working conditions, teaching practices, and beliefs. For this, the General Foreign Language Courses Area (ACGLE) of the University of Sonora (UNISON) is taken: it is constituted of 66 teachers, all of them are qualified in Foreign Language Teaching and hired with a part-time contract under unfavorable working conditions. The methodological design is qualitative through a case study since it allows to delve into the labor characteristics of the group of teachers, as well as their practices and systems of ideas that guide the teaching of FL. The information that supports this article comes from 30 interviews with teachers. The results demonstrate a group of teachers who make a daily effort to develop the teaching of FL under unfavorable working conditions and with diverse student groups. To deal with these adversities, this groups of educators have developed beliefs that help them cope with their work: a strong teaching vocation, dedication to teaching, empathy towards their students, and the value of learning FL in the university environment. Despite these images, the participants consider that the institution does not sufficiently value the effort and dedication to teaching FL, hence the teachers are far from the traditional notion of an academic profession and closer to a precarious professional group.