Mendive. Journal on Education, 21(2), e2983

Translated from the original in Spanish

Original article

Strategy for the Sociocultural Competence in the Foreign Languages Major

Estrategia para la competencia sociocultural en la carrera Licenciatura en Educación, Lenguas Extranjeras

Estratégia para a competência sociocultural no Bacharelato em Educação, Línguas Estrangeiras

Geovel Gómez Remedio¹ http://orcid.org/0000-000-23391-5915
Vilma Violeta Borrero Ochoa¹ http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1757-1195
Sonia Vargas Suárez¹ http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6454-5515

¹ University of Las Tunas. Cuba. geovelgr@ult.edu.cu, vilmavioleta@gmail.com, soniavs@ult.edu.cu

Received: March 20, 2022.
Accepted: January 21, 2023.

ABSTRACT

Sociocultural competence is a feasible topic due to its importance in the development of communicative competence. The research was characterized by having a professional pedagogical approach. The objective of this article was to determine the reasons why teachers in initial training of Foreign Languages present insufficient development in sociocultural competence in English that limits the performance of their profession, as well as the establishment of the solution from a strategy. In this study, the categories sociocultural competence and didactic-sociocultural competence were taken into account. The research methods used were the following: participant observation, interviews, surveys, pedagogical test and study of the products of the activity. These methods correspond to the participatory action-research methodology typical of the qualitative paradigm. As a fundamental result of the investigation, the causes that originated the difficulties of teachers in initial training related to the subject under investigation and the actions corresponding to the strategy were determined, whose fundamental theoretical foundation is the didactic-sociocultural competence. Likewise, the veracity of the previously established theoretical deficiency is concluded.

Keywords: sociocultural competence; didactic-sociocultural competence; strategy; foreign languages.

RESUMEN

La competencia sociocultural es una temática factible debido a su importancia en el desarrollo de la competencia comunicativa. La investigación se caracterizó por tener un enfoque profesional pedagógico. El objetivo de este artículo consistió en determinar las causas por las que los docentes en formación inicial de Lenguas Extranjeras presentan un insuficiente desarrollo en la competencia sociocultural en inglés que limita el desempeño de su profesión, así como el establecimiento de la solución desde una estrategia. En este estudio se tuvieron en cuenta, fundamentalmente, las categorías competencia sociocultural y competencia didáctico-sociocultural. Los métodos de investigación empleados fueron los siguientes: observación participante, entrevistas, encuestas, prueba pedagógica y estudio de los productos de la actividad. Estos métodos se corresponden con la metodología investigación-acción participativa propia del paradigma cualitativo. Como resultado fundamental de la investigación se determinaron las causas que originaron las dificultades de los docentes en formación inicial relacionadas con la temática que se investiga y las acciones correspondientes a la estrategia, cuyo basamento teórico fundamental es la competencia didáctico-sociocultural. Asimismo, se concluye la veracidad de la carencia teórica previamente establecida.

Palabras clave: competencia sociocultural; competencia didáctico-sociocultural; estrategia; lenguas extranjeras.

RESUMO

A competência sociocultural é um tema viável devido à sua importância no desenvolvimento da competência comunicativa. A investigação foi caracterizada por uma abordagem pedagógica profissional. O objectivo deste artigo era determinar as razões pelas quais os professores em formação inicial de línguas estrangeiras apresentam um desenvolvimento insuficiente da competência sociocultural em inglês que limita o desempenho da sua profissão, bem como o estabelecimento da solução a partir de uma estratégia. Neste estudo, foram tidas em conta as categorias de competência sociocultural e competência didáctico-sociocultural. Foram utilizados os seguintes métodos de investigação: observação dos participantes, entrevistas, pesquisa, testes pedagógicos e estudo dos produtos da actividade. Estes métodos correspondem à metodologia de investigação da acção participativa do paradigma qualitativo. Como resultado fundamental da investigação, foram determinadas as causas que originaram as dificuldades dos professores na formação inicial relacionada com o tema em investigação e as acções correspondentes à estratégia de intervenção, cuja base teórica fundamental é a competência didáctico-socio-cultural. Do mesmo modo, conclui-se a veracidade da deficiência teórica anteriormente estabelecida.

Palavras chaves: competência sociocultural; competência didáctico-socio-cultural; estratégia de intervenção; línguas estrangeiras.

INTRODUCTION

This study responds to the problem bank of the research project entitled "The training of the professional in the education of the humanistic sciences", specifically to the line of research related to the initial training of the foreign language teacher in the current Cuban university. This line addresses, among other aspects, the development of communicative competence in foreign languages, according to the descriptors of the Common European Framework.

Even when the learning of foreign languages begins to be worked from the perspective of the communicative approach in Cuba, mostly from the 90s, where the development of communicative competence is recognized, it is not underestimated that in the previous stages the speakers of foreign languages proved to be competent.

Currently, the Plan E professional model of the Bachelor of Education, Foreign Languages career determines as one of its general objectives: "Communicate in the English language (first foreign language) as a means and object of work and as a means of communication intercultural, with correctness, propriety and fluency, evidencing a level of communicative competence, equivalent to a B2 pedagogical professional" [Ministerio de Educación Superior (MES), 2016, p. 5].

The foregoing implies that the student discloses:

   A system of communicative skills integrated with communicative competence in its cognitive, linguistic, discursive, strategic, socio-linguistic, sociocultural and professional components, which allows reading and listening comprehension of authentic texts, as well as the oral and written production of texts of different types about daily life, and academic, pedagogical, sociocultural and scientific activities (MES, 2016, p. 5).

From this general objective of the professional model, the authors of this research focus on the exposed sociocultural aspects, as they are the fundamental category of this study. Therefore, it is essential that teachers in initial foreign language training achieve, in this case, the established levels of communicative competence in each of the years. In this sense, this research defends the need to promote sociocultural competence for professional pedagogical purposes.

The study made it possible to determine the existence of certain palpable problems in pedagogical practice, while teachers in initial training showed:

• Limitations in the expression of the sociocultural aspects involved in the communicative situations that are proposed.
• Deficiencies in the command of vocabulary related to the exercise of the profession.
• Lack of sensitivity and interest towards the discovery and use of the socio-cultural aspects of English and the exercise of their profession.

In the study of this competence, with an emphasis on sociocultural competence, national and foreign authors have stood out, among which Hymes (2001), Tejeda Cerda & Niebles Gutiérrez (2016), Velázquez, Nieves and Parra (2018), Gómez, Borrero & Velázquez. (2019), Ferrales, Tejeda & Arteaga (2021).

The aforementioned authors ventured into the study of sociocultural competence, emphasizing somehow in the sociocultural part in a general way, and others, in the cultural and artistic elements, with the purpose of establishing communicative competence. They also addressed sociocultural competence as a dimension of communicative competence for the study of skills and the development of autonomy.

From this first approach, a theoretical study was carried out, which led to the need to carry out an empirical investigation about sociocultural competence in English for professional pedagogical purposes in the Foreign Languages career. Hence, the objective of this study is to determine the causes why teachers in initial training of Foreign Languages present an insufficient development in the sociocultural competence in English that limits the performance of their profession, as well as the establishment of the solution from a strategy

The proposed strategy, based on didactic-sociocultural competence, stands out for offering teachers in initial training of foreign languages a fundamental basic tool for the exercise of their profession. This tool has a didactic-sociocultural character, as it prepares them in unison in both directions, an issue that marks the uniqueness and importance of this proposal.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This empirical study is carried out under the precepts of the participatory research-action methodology corresponding to the qualitative paradigm. The following research methods were used: participant observation, interview, survey, pedagogical test, study of the products of the activity, critical analysis of sources and modeling.

The critical analysis of sources, which is supported by procedures such as induction-deduction and analysis-synthesis, was used to determine the background of the investigation. The remaining empirical methods mentioned in the previous paragraph were used to assess sociocultural competence in English for professional pedagogical purposes in the Foreign Languages program at the University of Las Tunas.

The modeling, with the use of the systemic-structural-functional procedure, was used for the elaboration of the strategy for the development of the didactic-sociocultural competence, structured in two stages with their corresponding actions.

The population of this study was made up of 207 teachers in initial career training, which constitutes the total enrollment of the same. The sample consisted of 21 teachers in initial training of the third-year group. This was determined intentionally, due to the direct incidence of the main author in that year as a teacher of the Integral Practice of the English Language subject. Thus, a budget of the qualitative research methodology is fulfilled; this precept is the one that involves both investigated and investigators.

This research took place over a period of three years. It began in the 2018-2019 academic year, with the first steps of the investigation, such as the exact definition of the subject depending on the regularities detected in the teaching-learning process of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline. It ended in December 2021 with the graduation of the teachers in initial training that constituted the research sample.

Application of empirical research on sociocultural competence for professional pedagogical purposes at the University of Las Tunas

The study that preceded this empirical investigation provided the set of essential foundations that resulted in this investigation.

This was in charge of inquiring about sociocultural competence for professional pedagogical purposes in the Foreign Languages career of the University of Las Tunas. The result achieved allowed us to know the behavior of this competence in the subjects of the investigation.

Consistent with the logic of this research, the fundamentals were deepened to determine the diagnostic indicators. For this, theories on sociocultural competence and professional-pedagogical communicative competence, respectively, were considered.

The indicators that were determined are the following:

1. Incorporation of sociocultural behaviors, with emphasis on the vocabulary and customs of English-speaking countries in teachers in initial training in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes.

2. Professional-pedagogical development achieved by teachers in initial training with the use of socio-cultural aspects of English-speaking countries in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes.

The evaluative categories for indicator one was the following:

Very high: in this category are located teachers in initial training, who are capable of knowing how to do, based on the incorporation of a high number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in English in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language (PILI) classes. They must show a high command of vocabulary, referring to socio-cultural aspects, as well as knowing how to incorporate elements of the customs of these countries into their communication in English. This category is equivalent to five points.

High: this level includes teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do, based on the incorporation of a high number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that are involved in communication in English in English language classes. Comprehensive Practice of the English Language. They must show a high command of the vocabulary referring to sociocultural aspects, as well as knowing how to incorporate elements of the customs of these countries into their communication in English. This category is equivalent to four points.

Medium: in this case, teachers in initial training are capable of knowing how to do, based on the incorporation of an average number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in English in PILI classes. They must show an average domain of vocabulary referring to sociocultural aspects, as well as knowing how to incorporate elements of the customs of these countries into their communication in English. This category is equivalent to three points.

Low: This is where teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do are located, based on the incorporation of a limited number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in English in PILI classes. They must show a limited command of the vocabulary referring to sociocultural aspects and know how to incorporate elements of the customs of these countries into their communication in English. This category is equivalent to two points, with a slight qualitative level above very low.

Very low: this category involves teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do, based on the incorporation of a minimum number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that are involved in communication in English in PILI classes. They must show a minimum command of the vocabulary referring to socio-cultural aspects and know how to incorporate elements of the customs of these countries into their communication in English. Some of them do not achieve this know-how. This category is equivalent to two points.

In the second indicator, the evaluative categories were the following:

Very high: in this category are located teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do, from the professional-pedagogical development achieved for the use of a high number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in English language in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes. This professional-pedagogical development is evidenced through know-how, by carrying out activities consistent with the profession, such as:

• The solution to professional pedagogical communication problems from the use of sociocultural aspects.
• The influence of the professional development achieved, making use of the sociocultural aspects in the effective direction of the teaching-learning process of English, expressed in the integrating character that is determined in the professional model of this career. This category is equivalent to five points.

High: in this category are located teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do from the professional-pedagogical development achieved for the use of a high number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in the English language in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes. This professional-pedagogical development is evidenced through know-how, by carrying out activities consistent with the profession, such as:

• The solution to professional pedagogical problems from the use of sociocultural aspects.
• The influence of the professional development achieved, making use of the sociocultural aspects in the effective direction of the teaching-learning process of English, expressed in the integrating character that is determined in the professional model of this career. This category is equivalent to four points.

Medium: in this category are located teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do, from the professional-pedagogical development achieved for the use of an average number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in language communication English in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes. This professional-pedagogical development is evidenced through know-how, by carrying out activities consistent with the profession, such as:

• The solution to professional pedagogical communication problems from the use of sociocultural aspects.
• The influence of the professional development achieved, making use of the sociocultural aspects in the effective direction of the teaching-learning process of English, expressed in the integrating character that is determined in the professional model of this career. This category is equivalent to three points.

Low: in this category are located teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do, from the professional-pedagogical development achieved for the use of a limited number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in language communication English in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes. This professional-pedagogical development is evidenced through know-how, by carrying out activities consistent with the profession, such as:

• The solution to professional pedagogical problems from the use of sociocultural aspects.
• The influence of the professional development achieved, making use of the sociocultural aspects in the effective direction of the teaching-learning process of English, expressed in the integrating character that is determined in the professional model of this career. This category is equivalent to two points, with a slight qualitative level above very low.

Very low: in this category are located teachers in initial training who are capable of knowing how to do, from the professional-pedagogical development achieved for the use of a minimum number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in English language in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes.

The participant observation verified that the scarce knowledge of the sociocultural aspects results in a poor incorporation of them into their professional-pedagogical communicative competence, qualified as low in correspondence with the first indicator of this diagnostic study.

The difficulties determined in the introduction of this work were corroborated, which have to do with the limited knowledge of sociocultural aspects in the communicative competence of teachers in initial training of Foreign Languages, as well as a scarce vocabulary related to their profession. This is in correspondence with the low category of the second indicator.

The results of the interview were as follows:

Ten of the teachers in initial training interviewed showed that they knew more about the sociocultural aspects of the English language than were presented in the interview. Five teachers in initial training recognized less than half of the sociocultural aspects presented. They showed that their knowledge about the conception of this competition was limited and they did not conceive some aspects of customs and traditions as part of it.

Four of the interviewees recognized that they incorporate an average number of sociocultural aspects in their expression in the English language, which means that their communicative competence in the English language has been enriched from sociocultural competence, without having yet reached the level of competence optimal communication (B1).

Only two of the interviewees expressed that they use sociocultural aspects as motivation for the classes that they model in the Didactics of Foreign Languages discipline and in exchanges with leaders, workers and associates of the Provincial Directorate of the National Association of the Blind, in search of empathy for the projection of sustained work, as part of the ANCI-Department of Foreign Languages Extension Community Project. However, they did not recognize in this an incorporation of the pedagogical contents in their actions.

The main potential of this interview was given in the enthusiasm with which the teachers in initial training welcomed the subject on the basis of knowledge; This is part of the research carried out by his professor of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language subject.

In the case of the survey of teachers, the results that stand out are the following:

The professors of Integral Practice of the English Language considered that the elements of sociocultural competence for learning the English language are not sufficiently exploited, due to a limited methodological preparation in this regard and theoretical elements that link sociocultural competence with the pedagogical profession.

The teachers also expressed that this situation that occurs with sociocultural competence limits the development of the levels of professional-pedagogical communicative competence that teachers in initial training must achieve, this limitation being one of the weaknesses of the career.

These teachers also determined, for the most part, that the greatest potential for the development of sociocultural competence is the level of motivation reached by teachers in initial training for learning the English language.

The results of the pedagogical test for the first indicator were:

The very high category was left empty, with a teacher in initial training being the one with the best result. This is located in the high category, since he was able to know how to do it, from achieving the incorporation into his communicative competence of a high number of words and sociocultural aspects, which oscillates in the range of what was previously established. This demonstrates their ability to know how to do as a pedagogical precept of the competition.

In the case of the medium category, with 12 teachers in initial training, it groups the majority of them. They were able to know how to do, from the incorporation, to their communicative competence in English, of an average number of the required aspects of sociocultural aspects and vocabulary of English-speaking countries in the range of what is established in this indicator.

Four teachers in initial training are located in the low category. These were able to know how to do in a very limited way. They were in a range below half of the items when it came to expressing their communicative competence in English, making use of vocabulary referring to sociocultural aspects and elements of the customs of these countries. Although they do not reach the pass, they are qualitatively superior to the very low category.

As in the previous category, four teachers in initial training are located at the very low level. They are capable of knowing how to do, from the incorporation of a minimum number of vocabulary and sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in English. Of them, one did not achieve this know-how by leaving this part of the test unanswered.

The second indicator showed that the very high and high categories were left empty; only three teachers in initial training obtained the best result, being in the medium category. These teachers in initial training were able to know how to do, from the professional-pedagogical development achieved for the use of an average number of sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries that intervene in communication in English.

In the case of the category corresponding to the low level, it groups six teachers in initial training. This result represents the limited level of know-how regarding professional-pedagogical development, in relation to the articulation of this pedagogical category with sociocultural competence.

The number of items with correct answers that denote the professional sociocultural and pedagogical development of the sample being studied is below half of the items evaluated. Consequently, six teachers in initial training were not able to give a correct solution to the pedagogical professional communication problems from the use of sociocultural aspects.

Likewise, they showed limitations when integrating communicative and professional content with the sociocultural aspects of English-speaking countries. This brought with it an affectation in the fulfillment of the integrating character that is determined in the Professional Model of the E study plan of this career.

The very low level is represented by 12 teachers in initial training. This part of the sample is the lower level from the qualitative point of view. This is so because the professional-pedagogical performance in solving problems of this nature is below a third of the elements submitted to evaluation. In this way, the integration of communication contents and pedagogical professionals with sociocultural competence in the English language is also affected, to contribute to the integrating nature of the career.

This study allowed us to determine the following causes that originated the problem regarding sociocultural competence for professional pedagogical purposes.

There is insufficient incorporation of the sociocultural aspects of the English-speaking area into the linguistic heritage of teachers in initial career training, with emphasis on the limited vocabulary available to them.

An evident disarticulation is expressed, determined in the theoretical study and in the theoretical foundation of the investigation, with corroboration in the pedagogical practice, between the aspects that are part of the sociocultural competence and the pedagogical professional elements that characterize the profile of the career that it is studied.

Consequently, the didactic-sociocultural competence is defined as a professional discursive articulator for the teacher in initial training of foreign languages. It contains in its internal structure the formation of the integrative motives and the externalization of the same in the sociocultural aspects and those of the profession for the teaching of English, with emphasis on sociocultural competence with a professional approach.

The didactic-sociocultural competence constitutes a discursive articulator, insofar as it establishes essential relationships between sociocultural aspects and the didactics of foreign languages. This leads to the discursive improvement of teachers in initial training of foreign languages in a unique sense, as part of their own culture; that is, the didactic-sociocultural sense.

Strategy for the development of didactic-sociocultural competence l

From the elaboration of the definition of didactic-sociocultural competence, which constitutes the singular category in this research, and which differs from sociocultural competence in its general character, the need for a tool that is based on that theory. For this, the practical premises were determined below:

• The elaboration of a set of actions for the teacher and the teachers in initial training of foreign languages guarantees, in the first and second years, the appropriation of motivations, with emphasis on the sociocultural aspects for the learning of the foreign language and the exercise of the profession.
• The establishment of actions for the teacher and teachers in initial training from third to fifth years, to strengthen their mode of action through the use of sociocultural elements, contributes to the enrichment of sociocultural competence, communicative competence and the exercise of profession.
• The application of a set of actions for the teacher and teachers in initial training of foreign languages from first to fifth years guarantees the comprehensive training of the latter, with emphasis on didactic-sociocultural competence.

The objective of the intervention aspect of the strategy for the development of the didactic-sociocultural competence is established below: to offer a didactic tool, based on the didactic-sociocultural competence of the teacher in foreign language training, to develop said competence as part of their communication and professional training.

This elaboration is structured in two fundamental stages, which have a system character and are manifested in the form of a spiral, since its operation is progressive and regressive, according to the needs that arise. In this sense, the stages are in correspondence with the philosophical principle of development.

In keeping with the structure and foundation that led to the new category (didactic-sociocultural competence), the stages are as follows:

1. Stage for motivational development from a sociocultural didactic perspective.

2. Stage of activation of the didactic-sociocultural competence for the communicative and professional training of teachers in initial training of foreign languages.

The stages are structured into actions aimed at teachers in initial training and teachers of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline. There is a direct interrelation between these two types of actions due to the correspondence with the teaching-learning process and its bilateral nature. In other words, the actions are a methodological guide to help teachers in initial training learn to communicate in English, with an emphasis on didactic-sociocultural competence, for which the Integral Practice of the English Language teacher is in charge of directing the course. process based on the proposed actions.

Stage for motivational development from a sociocultural didactic perspective

Objective: to develop motivations and interests in teachers in initial training of Foreign Languages, first and second years, for the appropriation of the didactic-sociocultural competence through the determination of actions.

Taking into account the linguistic need of teachers in initial training at this stage and the deepening that each discipline of the curriculum must carry out to reaffirm the contents related to the direction of the teaching-learning process of foreign languages and in this particular case English, the way to teach these processes in an integrated way is determined. To this end, two types of actions are defined: those carried out by teachers and those followed by teachers in initial foreign language training.

Actions for teachers of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline:

• Determine the objectives, deriving them with intentional emphasis on the aspects that make up the didactic-sociocultural competence.
• Regulate the focus of the objectives with a motivational character, without limiting the spontaneous action of teachers in initial training.
• Encourage qualities in teachers in initial training, highlighting sociocultural awareness and responsibility for their profession.
• Plan the teaching-learning process of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline from and outside the classroom, to solve didactic and sociocultural problems.
• Determine the sociocultural contents in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes with a character of familiarization and creation of interests in teachers in initial training in this regard.
• Determine efficient ways for teachers in initial training to appropriate these contents.
• Select teaching means that promote an adequate level of motivation in the appropriation of the contents, emphasizing the use of ICT as a means and as sociocultural and didactic content of the digital age.
• Use the evaluation in a general way and in a particular way in relation to sociocultural and didactic contents in such a way that it is truthful and representative of the results achieved by teachers in initial training; but that it also constitutes a motivational element towards their personal, professional and sociocultural growth.
• Establish, as part of the organization of teaching, didactic-sociocultural sensitization workshops in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline.
• Plan teaching and extra-teaching tasks according to the objectives and contents to promote didactic-sociocultural competence.
• Introduce vocabulary, phraseology, grammar, sociocultural context, celebrations of different types, as sociocultural elements of the teaching-learning process of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline.

Consequently, teachers in initial foreign language training must comply with the actions set out below to achieve true integration between teaching and learning:

• Raise awareness of the objectives that are related to the aspects that make up the didactic-sociocultural competence.
• To single out the fulfillment of the sociocultural and didactic objectives that serve as motivation to learn about them and learn to teach these contents without placing limits on their potential.
• Develop the activities proposed by the teacher in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language class, in such a way that they appropriate a mode of action characterized by qualities that encourage sociocultural and didactic enrichment, highlighting sociocultural awareness and responsibility for their profession.
• Solve didactic and sociocultural problems raised by the teacher, inside and outside the classroom.
• Appropriate the sociocultural contents in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes, in such a way that they are interested in these aspects.
• Being able to interact with the ways that the teacher uses to bring them this content, suggesting other ways, depending on their needs and styles.
• Use the technological devices at their disposal as means to appropriate the determined contents, as well as other means proposed by the teacher.
• Perceive evaluation as a way to consolidate their personal, professional and sociocultural growth, in addition to demonstrating the level of development achieved.
• Actively participate in didactic-sociocultural awareness workshops in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline, guaranteeing solid prior preparation.
• Sensitize with the elements of didactic-sociocultural competence through teaching and extra-teaching tasks.
• Identify sociocultural elements such as vocabulary, phraseology, grammar, sociocultural context, celebrations of different types, among others, at different times of the teaching-learning process of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline.

This system of planned actions for the first stage of the teachers in initial training in the career prepares them to face the second stage, which includes the third to fifth years.

This preparation is not only motivational, but in keeping with the principle of development that is declared in the theoretical aspect of this strategy, teachers in initial foreign language training have appropriated a didactic-sociocultural mode of action in its initial phase that is characterized mainly by their familiarization and identification with these aspects.

Therefore, this led to the determination of the need to have a second stage to follow up on the achievements that are achieved.

Activation stage of the didactic-sociocultural competence for the communicative and professional training of teachers in initial training of foreign languages

Objective: activate the didactic-sociocultural competence in teachers in initial training of foreign languages from third to fifth years.

Actions to be developed by the teachers in the stage:

• Determine the objectives, making the derivation of the same with intentional emphasis on the aspects that make up the didactic-sociocultural competence, marking a level of conscious activation in the way of acting of teachers in initial training of foreign languages.
• Focus the objectives, so that they transcend the motivational nature of the previous stage.
• Promote the externalization of potential in teachers in initial training, highlighting sociocultural awareness and responsibility for their profession.
• Plan the teaching-learning process of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline from and outside the classroom to solve didactic and sociocultural problems in pedagogical practice, through interdisciplinary relationships.
• Activate the sociocultural contents in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes, which were previously determined, so that they constitute the essence of their didactic-sociocultural modes of action.
• Incorporate learning strategies so that teachers in initial training effectively appropriate these contents and revert them into their performance.
• Deepen the use of teaching media that promote an adequate level of activation of the contents, highlighting the use of ICT as a medium and as sociocultural and didactic content of the digital age.
• Conceive the evaluation of sociocultural and didactic contents with the focus of learning and learning to teach, so that teachers in initial training know how to use this didactic category in their pedagogical practice and as part of their personal, professional and sociocultural growth.
• Consolidate didactic-sociocultural awareness workshops as part of the organization of teaching in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline.
• Plan teaching and extra-teaching tasks according to the objectives and contents to activate the didactic-sociocultural competence.
• Promote ways for teachers in initial training of foreign languages to appropriate the vocabulary, phraseology, grammar, sociocultural context, celebrations of different types, among others as sociocultural elements of the teaching-learning process of the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline. and externalize it as part of the didactic-sociocultural mode of action.

Due to the dialectical interrelation that is established between the teaching and learning categories, the teaching-learning process becomes an integrating and conscious process in the appropriation of the didactic-sociocultural contents of the specific case of this investigation. Correspondingly, to comply with these postulates, actions are determined to be developed by teachers in initial training of foreign languages in coordination with those of the teacher.

• Raise awareness of the objectives, which are related to the aspects that make up the didactic-sociocultural competence so that teachers in initial training of foreign languages develop mechanisms of appropriation and implementation of the same in their pedagogical practice.
• Take advantage of the conditions created to meet sociocultural and educational objectives, exploiting their potential in an unlimited way.
• Activate the mode of action characterized by qualities that encourage sociocultural and didactic enrichment, highlighting sociocultural awareness and responsibility for their profession through the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language class.
• Determine didactic and sociocultural problems inside and outside the classroom with the proposal of possible solutions.
• Appropriate the sociocultural contents in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language classes, in such a sense, that these aspects are externalized in their didactic-sociocultural mode of action.
• Actively participate in the appropriation of the learning strategies used by the teacher to bring them this content.
• Propose their own ways of using technological devices as means to appropriate the didactic-sociocultural contents.
• Consciously use the evaluation to learn the didactic-sociocultural contents and learn to teach them to the new generations.
• Take part in the planning and execution of didactic-sociocultural sensitization workshops in the Comprehensive Practice of the English Language discipline.
• Consolidate the elements of the didactic-sociocultural competence through teaching and extra-teaching tasks for its implementation in their professional work.
• Incorporate sociocultural elements such as: vocabulary, phraseology, grammar, sociocultural context, different types of celebrations, among others, into their didactic-sociocultural mode of action.

DISCUSSION

The study that preceded this one, in which the authors of Paz Gálvez, Bosch Izquierdo & Godoy Becerra (2012), Pennycook (2017), Margiotta (2018), Medina and Tejeda (2018), Gardy (2019) stood out. and Arteaga (2021), provided the essential foundations that resulted in this empirical research.

The authors referred to so far in this research agree on the importance of treating sociocultural aspects. These investigations go deeper into practical issues, which must be taken into account by teachers and teachers in initial training for learning a foreign language. They are appropriate, taking into account the objectives of the researchers; but for the specific case of this research, they have as one of the main limitations an insufficient treatment of the theoretical aspects that support their proposal.

It can be summarized, from this first approach to the theory related to the subject, that the values of these works lie in the recognition of the importance of sociocultural competence, practical interventions that favor them and, in the case of the last three cited authors, manage to establish theoretical links between the language and the profession, without paying special attention to sociocultural aspects as the essence of the proposed models.

This analysis leads to suggest that there is a limited treatment of the contents of sociocultural competence and especially of the professional pedagogical contents. This is related to the need to establish a link between sociocultural competence and the teaching of foreign languages as one of the fundamental aspects of the profession.

After making an analysis of the first epistemological approach on sociocultural competence, the social need to deepen the investigation of this category is determined. For this, the external manifestations that were detected in the study are also taken into account. Therefore, the research seeks to promote sociocultural competence in English, depending on the profession.

With the application of the different methods declared in the article, it is shown that the results of the empirical investigation of sociocultural competence are objectively affected in the Bachelor of Education, Foreign Languages program at the University of Las Tunas. The foregoing was expressed in the disarticulation between the sociocultural and didactic contents as part of the profession.

The one with the lowest result was the second, which had 12 teachers in initial training in the very low category, which shows the problems of the profession that exist from the limited development of sociocultural competence.

The study allowed us to propose a theoretical deficiency expressed in the need to articulate the sociocultural competence dimension in the English language with the professional-pedagogical dimension of the career, in such a way that it favors the development of the professional-pedagogical communicative competence that graduates of this race.

The empirical investigation revealed the occurrence of the problem that is expressed in the insufficient development of the sociocultural competence in English, which limits the exercise of the pedagogical profession and that occurs in the discipline Comprehensive Practice of the English Language as the object of this study. In addition, it allowed to delimit the theoretical deficiency that was declared in the results.

The intervention strategy for the development of didactic-sociocultural competence constitutes a practical tool, whose novelty lies in revealing the didactic-sociocultural identity of the foreign language teacher, through the double communicative-socio-cultural and didactic functionality to establish communicative competence. professional-pedagogical as one of the standards of the professional models of Study Plan E. This practical tool has a communicative, sociocultural, didactic and flexible nature.

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Conflict of interests:

The authors declare not to have any interest conflicts.

Contribution of the authors:

The authors participated in the design and writing of the work, and analysis of the documents.

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