The silent cultural gap: a qualitative approach to English reading comprehension in Colombian primary education

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative diagnosis of English reading comprehension in fifth grade of primary education at a bilingual school in Mosquera, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Through participant observation (11 hours distributed over 8 sessions) and a focus group with 8 students, it was found that the cultural distance between imported texts (with foreign references such as snow or medieval castles) and the lived experience of children generates demotivation and low linguistic selfesteem. In contrast, when locally adapted narratives (legends, local foods, or nearby landscapes) were introduced, motivation and comprehension increased significantly. Systemic factors (materials, teacher training, curriculum, ICT, public policies) are analyzed, and situated solutions from intercultural pedagogy are proposed. Study limitations are discussed, and recommendations for practice are offered.