Editorial

"Think Big" or "Think Small": the Tension between Global and Local in Language Research

Without doubt, one of the most important events in the teaching, learning and language acquisition processes is the emergence of new communication and information technologies, particularly in the last decades. This technological shift has had an influence reflected by the predominance of pedagogy and didactics through the development of learner autonomy strategies, the access to and creation of new types of documents for language learning and the development of computer assisted language teaching. But its influence does not stop there; this shift also has had consequences in research that at first sight would seem contradictory and that we will analyze next.

On the one hand, the use of ICTs has allowed researchers to "think big" as they now have access to large data bases from all parts of the world. Additionally, knowledge networks can be easily generated to advance the phenomenon studied in a transdisciplinary manner. Immediate access to information and specialized literature for a specific research topic is a significant tool in language research. In a world marked by a broad range of research beliefs and cultures, the new technologies are indispensable tools for the understanding of and exchange with other researchers and for the comprehension of phenomena from a global perspective.

On the other hand, this same technology has led to the emergence of studies that emphasize the importance of "thinking small." These studies generally focus on very particular language phenomena and collect and analyze data in specific contexts to describe and analyze the unique elements of these environments. The presentation of these results in specialized journals leads to the promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity as it permits the inclusion of diverse perspectives and approaches. These studies, due to their research nature, do not aim to generalize but they do allow a dialog between knowledge built from a local context with knowledge developed in a global context.

And it is precisely this dual view of the local and the global which characterizes the articles in this issue of the journal Matices en Lenguas Extranjeras.

The article "Socialization of the Systemization of Significant English Teaching Experiences in Risaralda" seeks to disseminate the identification, systemization and support process of successful English pedagogical practices carried out in the Department of Risaralda. The authors urge a strengthening of the teacher network in the Risaralda to promote significant teaching practices in the Department and make the respective socialization.

The next three works focus on the implementation and development of pedagogic and didactic strategies in specific contexts. The work "Children's Multilingual Books at School. Analysis at Two Levels of "The Little Girl Who Was Looking for Her Smile" by Milagros Ortiz-B" analyzes the use of multilingual books in the foreign language classroom and presents activities to be carried out in the context of a multiethnic or foreign language class. The book is understood as a cultural object and a linguistic object, following the proposal of Gagnon and Deschoux (2008).

The article "A Pedagogical Experience with Literary Text Translation: A Case Study" gathers the teaching experiences of a literary translation course at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia to propose a pedagogical methodology for literary translation that could be applied to translation in other fields. The author concludes that it is necessary to incorporate technological tools such as the use of forums and blogs to share translation experiences, in addition to CAT programs like Trados and Wordfast.

Similarly, Karen Gray's text "Critical Reading as a Strategy to Develop Cognitive Processes among FLE B2 Undergraduate Students at a Public University: A Qualitative Study" seeks to implement critical reading as a mechanism that allows B2 level students to develop their intellectual capabilities and at the same time enhance their communicative competence. The work identifies and explains the cognitive processes most implicated in critical thinking.

Finally, the article "Translation Studies and the Hispanic World: Concepts and Location" studies some aspects of translation within the Spanish speaking sphere. The article provides a historical review of translation in Spain and Latin America and looks at the current situation of translation studies in both regions. It concludes that translation must focus on aspects influencing the training of translators in both the training itself and the design of study programs and curriculums.

Looking at the diversity of articles and research focuses presented in this issue of Matices en Lenguas Extranjeras, we can conclude that there exists a tension between those studies with global approaches and those with local approaches. In this context we celebrate the existence of a journal like Matices en Lenguas Extranjeras that opens a space to reflect on these phenomena. We agree on this point with Patrick Chardenet who affirmed in the editorial of Issue No. 8 of Matices en Lenguas Extranjeras that "... we must positively value the strategic decisions of scientific journals such as Matices en Lenguas Extranjeras that contribute to the diffusion of global and local knowledge of languages, their education and their learning."

Javier Hernando Reyes Rincón
Invited Editor
Professor - Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
President - Colombian Association of French Professors