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In an increasingly globalized world, mastery of two or more languages ​​has become a fundamental tool for personal and professional success. In both the United States and Colombia, bilingualism takes on a considerable level of importance, taking into account both negative and positive aspects. Therefore, below you will be able to notice those differences and common situations between the idea and functionality of bilingualism that we had through what each participant has known through their life.

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1. Bilingualism for Socio-Economic Advancement

2. Challenges in Policy Implementation

3. Cultural Identity and Heritage Languages

4. Teacher Perspectives and Language Ideologies

5. Access and Equality in Bilingual Education

Comparing and contrasting bilingualism in Colombia and the US, it's evident that both countries recognize bilingualism as valuable for economic, social, and cultural reasons. However, while Colombia focuses on English proficiency as a means of global integration and economic competitiveness, the US emphasis on preserving heritage languages and fostering inclusive educational environments. Both contexts face challenges in implementing effective bilingual education policies and addressing imbalance in access and fairness, but the approaches and priorities vary based on social needs and values.

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Literature Review Findings- About Bilingualism in Colombia

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Literature Review Findings- About Bilingualism in Colombia

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---One of the objectives of education should be the acquisition of speaking, reading, and comprehension skills in at least one foreign language.

---Language learning is a means to social development, specifically because it brings forth more job opportunities.

---Speaking English has been defined as an asset, in the sense that it brings benefits to those who learn it, mainly as the access to a modern world characterized by technology, wider communication, economic power, and scientific knowledge.

---Number of job offers requiring bilingual workers in the Colombian labour market provide little incentive and opportunity for advancing bilingualism for the larger social goals.

---Providing incentive implies influencing people's desire to learn, such as linking language learning to job offers.

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There are many factors that contribute to the existence of bilingualism across the US. However, as it is present as a phenomenon, society are not aware of it, and the promotion of bias, stereotypes, and segregation are evident.

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Imposed Utility

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What are the second languages in Colombia?

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What are the second languages in Colombia?

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There are Indigenous languages on the fringes of society but, overwhelmingly, there is only one second language and it is English.

Indigenous languages can also be found in the United States, but most of these communities speak even more English rather than their native language. Therefore, in both countries regarding sociolinguistic aspects indigenous languages are perceived as a minority.

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English is not used by Colombians to speak to each other, even those who both know English. If you hear it on the street, that probably means it is being used to communicate with a tourist or some other foreigner.

(US) Even though heritage language is not used in formal domains, bilingualism is perceived; especially, in situations in which sign language is performed.

"... I consider myself more proficient in English than sign language" (Interview Fragment)

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---English is used for "Business Process Outsourcing" (BPO), more commonly referred to as "call centers". Many anglophone foreign companies have call centers in Colombia due to its lower wages and lack of regulation, allowing for the extraction of labor value at a low cost.

"In Colombia alone, BPO employs around 230,000 staff according to one source (Invest in Bogotá, 2020). As a result, it has been argued that the principal objective of the MEN’s promotion of EFL is to provide the BPO industry with a pool of English-speaking labourers (Bonilla Carvajal & Tejada-Sánchez, 2016)." (MacKenzie, 2021)

"... It's very common to learn English for job opportunities or overall quality of life" (Interview Fragment)

("Language learning is a means to social development, specifically because it brings forth more job opportunities. Carvajal (2016)")

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No, among the Colombian elite, English can be helpful for working directly with transnational corporations, and there are other benefits like studying or working abroad, and communicating with tourists but insofar as English has a clear, material use to a normal Colombian in Colombia, it is in BPO.

In the same line of thought, in the United States English is viewed as a necessity for those who belong to the immigrant community. Consequently, some families maintain their heritage language for personal, cultural, and ethical considerations rather than language status. Lastly, there is a division between people who believe that everyone should speak English and those who agree about speaking other languages in the country.

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"In fact, although free trade treaties have been used as a justification for the promotion of English in Colombia . . . no evidence could be found to support a positive correlation between trade and English in the country. On the contrary,

these commercial agreements, along with a series of reforms by successive neoliberal governments, offer transnational organisations from the global North favourable business conditions which impede the country’s development (Valencia, 2013). These conditions, which include, inter alia, protections against lawsuits and the expropriation of assets, lax environmental regulations, tax breaks, tariff discounts, and reduced benefits for workers, have not only facilitated the flow of profits and mineral wealth to countries such as the US and Canada, but have also eroded employment rights and labour conditions (Valencia, 2013). Unsurprisingly, this neoliberal agenda has both deepened inequities in the country and widened the gap between Colombia and its wealthier counterparts in the global North . . . . Indeed, while English may promote international trade, those Colombians most likely to benefit from this trade are the English-speaking elites, whose interests are aligned with those of multinational corporations in the global North (Aviles, 2006; Usma, 2009)." (ibid)