DISCOURSE ANALYSIS ASSIGMENT

 DISCOURSE ANALYSIS  OF THE VIDEO “PILARES DE EDUCACIÓN EN EL PLAN NACIONAL DE DESARROLLO 2022-20226”  (EDUCATION PILLARS IN THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2022-2026)  FROM 00:56 UNTIL 1:29

LAURA FERNANDA GUERRERO CASTILLO 

Master of Arts in language teaching 

General Linguistics 

INTRODUCTION

     “Education pillars in the national development plan 2022-20226” is the name given to a video conference made by the Colombian minister of education to socialize what is next about Colombia's education, making reference to political interventions or projects planned to be applied during the following four years that is going to be the ruler period of the current government.

     From this spoken discourse, a segment of the video (from 00:56 to 1:29)and transcribed, translated, and delimited to finally be analyzed. The analysis conducted in the present document is going to be presented in three different extracts, and those extracts were divided into some specific chunks to get a deeper understanding of the discourse.

      Through the analysis made of the aforementioned extracts it was possible to identify the recurrent use of the term quality applied to Colombian education but never explaining how is understood that quality by the Ministry of Education or what dimensions of education may be involved in it, especially in the basic education that is the level of education that in the discourse analyzed was mention the most.

LITERATURE REVIEW

     To start this section, it is pertinent to know what is discourse analysis. According to Tannen (1989) s"the name for the field 'discourse analysis' ... says nothing more or other than the term 'linguistics': the study of language". So in this specific project, it would be necessary to define linguistics in relation to education. According to Sposky (1999,p,1), educational linguistics could be understood as the confluence of multiple tributaries where applied linguistics has connections with education and psycholinguistics. It covers multiple areas of study, that range from pronunciation and intonation of words and phrases to sentence grammar, to different types of text of the scientific study of language including formal and informal education. In other words, educational linguistics is concerned with every aspect of educational activity where language is involved. ( Leung, 2010).

So we can say that discourse analysis is the study of language beyond its surface-level meaning to understand the underlying social and cultural context.

     Also, it is important to know that discourses are ideas as well as ways of talking that influence and are influenced by the ideas of society. In this sense, research projects in discourse analysis are questions about particular forms of social practice and their relations to social structure. As Faireloogh (1992) mentions, There are many aspects to take into account while doing research in discourse analysis, for example, Interdicoursivity, Intertextual chains, Manifest intertextuality, Interactional control, Cohesion, Politeness, Ethos, Grammar, Transitivity, Theme, Modality, Word meaning, Wording, Metaphor, Social practice, Social matrix of discourse, Orders of discourse, Ideological and political effects of discourse, among others.

     To do a good project we can implement a technique used by discourse analysts who often find it useful to divide longer stretches of discourse into parts according to various criteria and then look at the particular characteristics of each part. (Faireloogh,1992) Probably, selecting some of the aspects aforementioned.

      Finally, we are going to talk about the importance of doing research in the field of discourse analysis. Also, Leung  (2010) claims that research in educational linguistics can provide the essential instruments for designing language education policy and for implementing language education management. In order words, research itself can contribute to changing policy and practices by pushing their agendas in particular directions.

METHODOLOGY 

     “Education pillars in the national development plan 2022-20226” is the name given to a video conference presented by the current minister of education in Colombia to socialize briefly what are the plans to work on for the next four years of the presidential term, all related to education. the minister also mentions that this video was made as a complement to the huge debate that took place around the national development plan 2022-20226”. The discourse analysis it took from minute 00:56 until 01:29 this segment covers the whole second pillar which is focused on basic education as the quality education.

     The process developed for the recollection of the data mentioned before was divided into four stages. the first one was the transcription of the segment selected from the video. this was a transparent transcription made in the original language that in this case is in Spanish. The second stage was the translation. this translation was made by the researcher base on my own knowledge of the foreign language. the translation was made from my mother tongue, Spanish to my second language English. The objective of this translation was to keep the sense of what was mentioned in the video as closest as possible. The third stage was to fragment the data into four different extracts to be analyzed one by one. Finally, the last stage was delimitation, where I decided that four fragments were too much for this discourse analysis. So, I decided to live just the first three fragments of the segment.

RESEARCH QUESTION

     How does a sample of spoken discourse addressed by a former minister of education in Colombia represent the dimensions of basic education?

DATA ANALYSIS 

Analysis of the first fragment (highlighted in red color in the appendix)

     In the first fragment, we are going to start with an enormous concept which is “education”. Education is a complex and multifaceted concept that has been defined and discussed in various ways throughout history. In general, we can say that education refers to the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes that enable individuals to participate in society and lead fulfilling lives. However, the meanings and purposes of education are often contested, and different discourses shape how it is understood and practiced.

     And as an umbrella concept, education itself is composed of many elements.  Some of them are called by the education minister as “education pillars” But in this case, he is using a strategy of advertising through confusing the public by mentioning some concepts pretty used by the teacher's union, as something totally different. Then the preposition “in '' helps us to infer that having a political context, the education minister is making reference to the main aspects that the new government in Colombia is planning to take into account the most, for the next four years. These four pillars later in the video are mentioned as higher education, basic education,  scholar feeding, and education for peace and coexistence.

     To finish the first line of the extract we are going to find a temporal delimitation that confirms what was mentioned before “2022-2026” because this interval or range of time covers the past year, the present year, and the following three years that is the period of time delimited to rule for the current government according to the Colombian legislation, As part of the Colombian law this information is part of the common knowledge of people in our context.

      It is important to clarify then what is “The National Development Plan ''. It is a roadmap or plan created by the Colombian government to guide the country's development over the next four years. It outlines the government's goals, strategies, and priorities for improving various aspects of Colombian society, including education. despite being included in some principles of inclusion, access, and gratuity in the national development plan of past governments; still, the quality of our education remains a significant challenge.

      In the context of this political talk, we already mention and specify that the second pillar refers to basic education. But, how is “basic education" in the Colombian context understood?  In our country, it refers to the first nine years of formal education, which includes primary  (years 1-5) and lower secondary education (years 6-9). Here we should ask, what’s behind this segregation? Is it a government strategy to create collective identities to not delve further into the necessities of each group?

     Despite these efforts, basic education in Colombia still faces several challenges, including high dropout rates, unequal access to education across regions and socioeconomic groups, and low academic achievement in some areas in international standardized exams. Those challenges are the main reason why the Colombian government aims to improve quality in “basic education,". “what we like to call quality education”. 

      And here, it is when we have to ask ourselves; what do we call quality education?  probably the quality of an education system implies that students are provided with the knowledge, skills, and competencies that they need to become productive and responsible as members of our Colombian society. but this term is presented during the discourse with ambiguity because at any point he mentions what kind of education elements the minister considers to be part of that quality. Some people may think about teacher training when they hear about improving education quality. And others may think about infrastructure, better educational resources, higher teachers' salaries, or more technology, In other words, the term becomes apparently clear to the reader but totally vague. Finally, as a personal opinion, Quality education should also be inclusive, accessible, and equitable. 

      As we can see, the MEN plans to achieve this second pillar of education through “emphasizing” which means giving special importance, attention, or prominence to something. In this case to “five points”.  And that makes me think, why just five?  Isn't education something more complex? Why those five points and no others? What were the criteria to choose them.? Or it was just because as the minister mentions “we want”. Referring to that “we” to the current government.

Analysis of the second fragment (highlighted with orange color in the appendix)

      We are going to start this second extract by analyzing the chunk “the dignification of teaching work” to this government. It results crucial to look for  “dignification”. But that search does not imply a lack of dignity? and what is dignity in our society? How could you show that you have dignity as a person no matter your income or social position because “dignifying ” someone implies honoring, elevating, or giving a sense of worth or respect to that person? But also dignifying should involve acknowledging and respecting someone's inherent value, treating them with kindness and consideration, or recognizing their achievements or contributions. In essence, treating others with respect and honoring their dignity as human beings. In that order of ideas, everyone already has dignity. So why is it a necessity related to basic education? So we can consider that “teaching work” is something that needs to be dignified, something unworthy of which teachers should be ashamed? I consider that, on the contrary, “teaching work” refers in general words to the profession or occupation of educating students or learners, typically in a classroom or other educational setting.

      To me, it is an honor that few people have even when it implies a lot of extra work because It involves a broad range of activities, including planning lessons and developing curricula, delivering instruction, assessing student progress, and providing feedback, among others. From my point of view as a  teacher, teaching work is a challenging and rewarding profession that requires a combination of knowledge, skills, and patience.  Also to me, it is one of the most important professions because It plays a critical role in shaping the future of society by preparing the next generation of learners to become informed, engaged citizens who can contribute to the betterment of their communities.

     In relation to the second aspect, the minister talks about “infrastructure” but in this case, we are not talking about the concept in general of the infrastructure, we are talking specifically about Colombian educational infrastructure.  So, in this context, we are going to find that it varies depending on the region and type of educational institution. It could be an urban or rural, private or public institution, and each one of them has its specific necessities, according to the infrastructural situation and the context in which they are located.   In general, the country has made significant progress in expanding access to education in recent years, but there are still challenges to be addressed related to infrastructure.

       Then in a separate sentence, we are going to find the chunk “we can have higher quality education” The minister starts mentioning “we” including himself in a collectivity undefined. But because of the context and intention of the discourse we can infer that he is making reference to Colombian people, that is the public to whom it is addressed, the speech he is doing, with the aim of informing. Followed by “can have'', two powerful verbs that in this case together are just indicating a lack of  “higher quality education”   mentioning again the term quality with ambiguity, as something already defined, but without having interest in clarifying what it involves on education and what kind of changes it implies to be higher. At the same time, the term higher can let us infer that in Colombia does exist some level of quality education. Also here it is important to ask: what is the parameter to measure the quality? to say that the one we have now could be better.

      Apparently to the MEN (the ministry of national education), the answer to this question is in how motivated are the teachers to work. but also here the current education minister sins of ambiguity by not clarifying the kind of motivation he is proposing to the teachers and did not even mention how MEN expects to motivate teacher all around the country, with the diversity that this implies because what motivates me to teach could be something totally different to what motivates my colleagues.  Additionally, how can he manipulate the emotions in the teachers to be motivated all the time when they can not do it even by themselves. 

      To finish this extract the minister mentions another element that influences the educational quality that the government wants to improve through the following four years. This element is a “good infrastructure” but what is good infrastructure? Maybe in general words, we can describe it as the physical structures, facilities, and systems that provide essential services and support to a community or society.  But there are many elements that readers can assume when estimating how good the infrastructure of a school includes, such as Reliability and Safe Transportation, Adequate and Safe Water Supply, Efficient Energy Systems, Efficient Waste Management, Effective Telecommunications, Accessible Public Facilities, and Resilient Infrastructure. None of them were mentioned, as well as it was never mentioned any plan or schedule to work on school infrastructures. We can think that the minister is making reference to the infrastructure of Colombian schools but still, he never clarifies anything.

Analysis of the third fragment (highlighted with yellow color in the appendix)

     Finally, to analyze the third extract we are going to start with the term “volunteer program.”A volunteer program is a structured effort to engage individuals in unpaid activities that benefit a community or organization. These programs provide opportunities for individuals to contribute their time, skills, and expertise to support a cause or project they are passionate about.   but in this case, it is not specified what the volunteers are supposed to give if it is their time or skills and doing what and where? to whom is directed this program? what kind of people can volunteer for it? does really that program generate interest in volunteers if they are not even mentioning how it is supposed to work?.

      And talking about the possible volunteers, the minister mentions “tens of thousands of people” but this is a colloquial expression to refer to a big but undetermined amount of people, from this detail, we can infer that even when they are socializing the plan to the education for the next four year what they are talking about is just about the general ideas that government has been considered important to mention in this discourse. But those are not plans yet, they do not even have a schedule or locations to work in. The video was published only two months ago and the national plan of development that he is talking about is supposed to be underway since the beginning of this year.

     “Which we have called” is the next term to be analyzed. In this segment there are many aspects to take into account, let's start with “we” This pronoun includes the person who is talking, in this case, the education minister, and more people but who are those people. Because on the contrary in some cases analyzed before this, we do not make reference to the public that could be watching the video. By context, we can infer that is making reference to people with a certain power of taking decisions because it was their idea the name of the program and probably are the same people behind all those pillars, plans, and projects around Colombian education “viva la escuela'' is the name given by this unmentioned collectivity of people, probably workers of the education ministry. And is an interesting selection of words (live the school) that could be interpreted by the reader in different ways.

     Finally the term, “the articulation with secondary education” secondary education in Colombia. Typically, it is divided into two cycles: Basic Secondary Education (Educación Secundaria Básica) and Upper Secondary Education (Educación Media). Basic Secondary Education consists of the years  6 to 9, while Upper Secondary Education comprises years 10 to 11. It was aforementioned in the first extract that basic education already included years 6-9. So, according to this, it would not be necessary to articulate something that is already articulated. Or at least clarify first the organization of Colombian education. Another approach would be that the Ministry of Education is interested into create collective identities to do not delve further into the necessities of each group. 

CONCLUSIONS 

     To conclude this analysis it is important to answer the question: How does a sample of spoken discourse addressed by a former minister of education in Colombia represent the dimensions of   basic education? And we can say that somehow the chunk of spoken discourse analysis represents the teachers' discourse, their expectations, and utopias for the Colombian educational system. But it is just an example of utilitarianism of the teachers' beliefs as a strategy of advertisement to the current government and educational policies. And even when the minister of education enlists some priority elements to work on, it does not reflect the complexity of the dimension in basic education.

     By the way, we should also highlight from this analysis, that it was possible to identify in two of the three extracts analyzed the recurrent use of the term quality applied to Colombian education. But, all along the discourse, it was never mentioned how it is understood that quality by the Ministry of Education.  Or what kind of dimensions in Colombian basic education may be involved in it.

APPENDIX

Pilares de educación en el plan nacional de desarrollo 2022-20226 

00:56 : El segundo pilar tiene que ver con la educación básica, con lo que nos gusta llamar la educación de calidad;y tiene a su vez cinco temas, en los que queremos hacer el énfasis: 

- El primero es la dignificación de la labor docente

-El segundo es la infraestructura; con profesores motivados y buena infraestructura, podemos tener una mayor calidad de la educación.

El tercero, un programa de voluntariado, de decenas de miles de personas, que hemos llamado “viva la escuela”.

- El cuarto, la articulación con la educación media , que es fundamental .

Education Pillars in the national development plan 2022-20226 

The second pillar is related to basic education, what we like to call quality education. It has five topics that we want to emphasize:

 - The first one is the dignification of teaching work.

-The second one is about infrastructure. We can have higher education quality with motivated teachers and good infrastructure. 

- The third one, is a volunteer program of tens of thousands of people, which we have called "viva la escuela".

- The fourth, is the articulation with secondary education, which is fundamental.