Bogotá English

The specific problem that I am trying to solve is the lack of accessibility to learning English in Latin America and the developing world. The communities most affected are those that don't have the disposable income to access English courses. Taking Colombia as the example of a country over 50 million people, the access to a foreign language education is around 1%. This being tied directly to socioeconomic status, where people who can afford it send their children to private schools. 

The most relevant factor contributing to this is economic inequality and lack of government oversight in public schools. 

My solution has been to create spaces where people from all over Colombian society in Santa Marta (coastal city) and Bogotá (capital) can come and be exposed to English. 

The workshops that I create are meant to create a cost free space for learning and practicing English. What I've seen is that most people are introduced to basic English, but lack the resources to continue growing in their learning. The technology used has been ZOOM during the COVID-19 pandemic, instagram post, ESL learning websites, and Whatsapp.  

The target population so far has been people that have been exposed to some manner of English, but lack the resources, time, or space to continue growing in their endeavor.  

The idea is to create pop-up workshops where children and teenagers can come and participate. One of the biggest obstacles is allowing for communities to believe that English learning is only for a specific set of a society. This hinders curiosity for children as it leads to believe they are not 

I think Bogotá English and me personally are great for this solution because I am from the US, English being my native language, and I am impartial to the economic divisions in the country. I see English as my language, and as a tool to help people. Many people here see it as a business idea, a way to make money, a language that only the wealthy or those who can afford it should learn. 

Through the workshops that I have done (60-70) I have learned the needs of the community which is for spaces where they can practice English, improve their skills, and find support for questions (interviews, scholarships) without the need to feel that there is a catch. Many ways that I engage people are through Instagram (@bogotaenglish) and the workshops like I mentioned. 

Since starting the project, I have experience with people who have some knowledge of English, these are usually college students or professionals. I want to grow this project to include children and high school students. Soon I will start a pilot project with sex workers and femicide victims who want to learn English, which is a step towards working with people who have no knowledge of English,

For me, introducing basic English to a community who is barred from learning it can be life changing. Exposing children or teens to English gives them the confidence to continue learning it in a more formal manner in school or when they enter university. Most people from low income background give up on English as a whole because they feel that when they enter school or university they are behind at a disadvantage from peers who have been learning English previously.

 The barrier that I face is creating a curriculum that can be easily taught and replicated, and also organized to where students can feel they are improving in their English learning. The most important thing would be guidance on how to go about engaging students, keeping them interested, creating material age appropriate, and funds to be able to rent spaces to create these spaces.  

My solution aims to be engaging and consistent. I don't aim to create these spaces so that children leave speaking fluently, but I do aim for them to feel curious about learning English. The catalytic variable here is instilling a sense of "I can learn English, it's not only for the ones that can afford it". 

These spaces are dynamic. Formal classes tend to drown children in formalities. If we aim for small gains, that is more impactful. If we aim to teach children the colors, numbers, and animals in six workshops over the span of six. This creates a solid base for more workshops with the same aim. 

To summarize, exposure means hope. These children aren't exposed to foreigners, English, a good education. Exposing them to a "small gains" type of learning can spur their curiosity, increase their self esteem. 

• Increase access to English learning and practice.
• Expose children from marginalized communities to the English language via short goal oriented workshops. 

Long term goals 

• Have a platform where learning resources are available to go hand in hand with physical in person workshops. 

For me, the measurable indicators are those of growth and participation in the workshops. Recurring participants and their improvement in English. Questions through Instagram and Website about when and where the workshops will be held. 

My theory of change is the theory of opportunity. It is to inspire children, adults, anyone to dream. Given the dire conditions in which many people around the world live, dreaming becomes that, a dream. Through my workshops, I seek to break with the idea that English is a language just for a few. I seek to push people to realize that English is a language of opportunity, and it's a language for all by breaking mental barriers that withhold them from pursuing their learning. 

I emphasize the use of web resources to improve, finding friends, using available technology to their advantage (Netflix, websites, movies, songs). When you help people change the idea that English is not for them because of their socioeconomic status, they actively seek ways to learn and improve with the resources they have. For me, that is the real impact. To have people act on their dreams. 

The technologies that I use right now for the workshops are ZOOM, a truck with a screen that I use to host workshops outdoors, my office in WeWork, I Instagram for post, and the website. 

 I do think that there can other technologies that can be adapted depending on the group that workshops are catered towards. If I am going to the south of Bogotá where majority of the low income population is located, access to internet is limited I might resort to using the truck with screens, and creating a hot spot for people to come and use and enjoy the workshops.   

One of the things that I have thought of is creating these hotspots in these communities. The Tesla Starlink initiative is a great way to do this. Hopefully, in the future, I can create an alliance to make this happen in these communities.