Intercultural approach: recognizing the identity and knowledge of children from the doquera embera chamí indigenous community

Abstract

This project looked at how an intercultural approach to teaching English as a foreign language could support cultural awareness among children in the Doquera Embera Chamí indigenous community, in Lejanías, Meta, Colombia. The study responded to a specific need: connecting English lessons with the community's own knowledge, traditions, values, and experiences. Our aim was to see whether teaching English from an intercultural perspective could help children understand and critically reflect on their own culture. We used a qualitative approach within an action research design. Data came from semi-structured interviews with two students and the community teacher during the first phase, followed by a questionnaire given to the same two students after we implemented intercultural English activities. We organized and analyzed the information through qualitative thematic analysis using ATLAS.ti Web, which let us identify, compare, and refine the codes and categories that emerged from participants' responses. Three main categories emerged: cultural identity built through family and community education; language, beliefs, and environmental knowledge as expressions of culture; and English learning as a space to strengthen reflection on one's own culture. Family members, grandparents, elders, and the community teacher all played a role in passing down cultural knowledge, traditions, values, language, and knowledge about the natural environment. The intercultural English activities also encouraged children to value and preserve their traditions, express pride in their identity, and take an interest in learning about other cultures. Overall, the findings suggest that bringing intercultural perspectives into English teaching gives Indigenous children real opportunities to connect language learning with their cultural experience, strengthening both their identity and their reflection on their own culture.