Experiences of a Group of English Language Teacher Educators While Exploring Queer Pedagogy

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In Colombia, acts of discrimination and other forms of violence against the LGTBIQ+ community take place daily, threatening their well-being and putting their lives at risk. This alarming situation requires the education of citizens to stop seeing differences as a threat, to respect and value differences, and to consider everyone as equals. As educators, language teachers are called to take responsibility and be prepared to work against all types of exclusion and violence; this requires them to overcome instrumentalist views of language and language teaching. Although some studies have been set up in the Colombian ELT field regarding sexual identities and gender, there have not been studies on implementing strategies to deconstruct heteronormativity in the English classroom or research involving teachers who do not identify as queer. Similarly, international studies have called attention on the lack of teacher preparation on queer theory and queer pedagogy in undergraduate and professional development programs. Guided by the principles of queer theory and queer pedagogy, the present case study was conducted in a foreign language teacher education program at a public university in Medellín with three English teacher educators who participated in a professional learning community. The study attempted to explore these teachers’ experiences while learning about queer pedagogy. Data collection included two interviews, recordings of the professional learning community sessions, participants’ journals, and the collaborative planning of a unit. Findings indicated that the participants revisited the origin of some of their heteronormative beliefs to unveil heteronormativity and recognize the privilege they hold as heterosexuals; they gained new understandings of queer theory and pedagogy to analyze their academic and personal life practices and start queering them. This study demonstrates that heterosexual language teachers are willing to and can transform themselves and their practices to dismantle heteronormativity, educate critical citizens, and thus contribute to constructing a peaceful society. This study also brings attention to the need to join efforts in deconstructing heteronormative structures as part of the critical agenda in ELT.