Design of a bilingual learning environment framed in a pedagogical project and the 4 C’s of 21st century skills as a teaching strategy aimed at improving second language learning processes, two primary english teachers from a private school in Norte de Santander (Colombia). An exploratory research.

Abstract

After two years in a total confinement due to the pandemic, schools open their doors again to students and teachers evidencing affection in the good development of bilingual learning by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The present study is aimed at designing a bilingual learning environment developing a pedagogical project such as the 4 C’s of 21st century skills in order to improve the English teaching-learning process. The exploratory research was conducted on students from 4th grade and two English teachers at a private school in Norte de Santander. The data was collected by semi-structures interviews and surveys. As a result, two categories emerged: First, the contributions and limits of the creations of a bilingual environment in the learning and reaching process of a foreign language; second: the development 21st century skills through a Project Based Learning (PBL) framed in an appropriated learning environment for improving the learning and teaching process of a second language. The findings indicate that the design of a learning environment based on the principles proposed by favor the development of competence for life that help to face the challenges of today’s society. Thus, involving a pedagogical strategy such as project pedagogy framed in an appropriate environment contributes positively and effectively the process of learning and teaching a second language.