From Mathematics to English As A Second Language: Enhancing Communicative Competences Through Collaborative Strategies

Abstract Book of the 9th International Academic Conference on Education, Teaching and Learning

Year: 2026

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From Mathematics to English As A Second Language: Enhancing Communicative Competences Through Collaborative Strategies

Edwin Romero, Ivonne Caicedo Gonzalez

ABSTRACT:

In the framework of the Uniquindío Multilingual strategy, led by the Academic Vice-Rectory since 2017, the University of Quindío has implemented actions to strengthen English proficiency among its academic community. One of the pillars of this initiative has been the development of communicative competences in a foreign language among professors, aiming to foster interaction with the international academic community and enhance competitiveness in a global context. From an academic and cultural perspective, this program has also enabled professors to achieve a deeper intercultural understanding of their fields of study, relating them to the challenges of contemporary society. In 2021, a diagnostic-based English training course was offered to professors, with a significant participation of faculty members from different programs, comprising 48 hours of instruction in flexible schedules. Within this institutional framework, the strategy “Student Interns at the University of Quindío” has played a key role in linking language learning with disciplinary content. Through this program, senior students of the Modern Languages program supported professors in the design and implementation of activities that integrated disciplinary knowledge with the use of English. In the General Mathematics course, this collaboration materialized in activities such as reading specialized bibliography in English, writing summaries and abstracts, developing workshops, and delivering oral presentations on applied mathematics topics. Additionally, interactive dynamics supported by digital platforms such as Quizz were incorporated, fostering motivation, participation, and the practice of technical vocabulary in academic contexts. The results highlight a positive impact not only on students’ attitudes toward English learning but also on the strengthening of communicative competences applied to their professional training. Moreover, the interdisciplinary collaboration proved essential, as the role of the language teaching interns was not to instruct mathematics, but rather to enhance second language acquisition in authentic learning contexts. This experience projects itself as a replicable model in other courses and programs, demonstrating that the integration of English into disciplinary subjects supports the development of transversal competences, promotes the internationalization of the curriculum, and contributes to the training of professionals better prepared to face global academic and professional environments.

Keywords: English As a Second Language; Mathematics Education; Interdisciplinary Strategies