This paper aims to share the results of a small-scale research project, focused on developing speaking skills through the implementation of speaking-oriented workshops. The workshops incorporated the use of puppets as an interaction strategy and were based on “healthy lifestyles”, a cross-curricular project developed in the school. This project was carried out with a group of fourth graders in a Colombian public school in Tunja, Boyacá. A field diary, video recordings, interviews and workshops were used to gather information in this action research study. Findings revealed that through the use of these workshops students became more confident and developed their speaking skills while enhancing their cooperative learning abilities

AbstractThis literature review aims at dealing with some issues to be considered at the momentof thinking about the incorporation of critical pedagogy in the EFL classroom. In suchway, it explores different points of view given by several authors who have been workingdeeply on this topic. Thus, it compiles and discusses the most relevant issues in relation to the definition of critical pedagogy, education as reproduction, English language and critical pedagogy, critical pedagogy into practice, the role of the teacher, and the incorporation of critical pedagogy in the classroom. Finally, critical pedagogy is tackled in this document taking into account that it is necessary to look for teaching  approaches which go against the conventional language classrooms and the traditional teaching and learning processes that do not have a transformational effect on learners.Key words: critical pedagogy, education as reproduction, role of the teacher, Englishforeign language classroom.

AbstractThis article aims at sharing the results of a small scale research project focused on guiding non-English speaking teachers of a Colombian bilingual school to perform their tasks in English within a school environment, through the implementation of a learner– centered curriculum based on English speaking-oriented workshops. Through theimplementation of this curriculum, it was seemed that the teaching, incorporation and use of some expressions of the English language, such as: greetings and farewells, common classroom expressions,commands and vocabulary, relate d to the specific subjects or topics those teachers teach, in addition to other aspects closely related to those topics, such as pronunciation. This project was conducted at a Colombian bilingual school with a group of 11 teachers in different subjects. Informal conversations with the teachers, interviews, questionnaires and workshops were used  to collect the information in this action research study. Findings revealed that through the use of speaking-oriented practice in the workshops, those teachers could reflect on their own foreign language learning process. They became confident and improved their speaking skills. They had the opportunity of working and enhancing their autonomous and cooperative learning skills.Key words: learner-centered curriculum, speaking-oriented workshops, autonomous learning, cooperative learning.