Teaching English to Young Learners in Mexico: Teachers' Perceptions About Their Teaching Contexts/La ensenanza del ingles para jovenes estudiantes en Mexico: las percepciones de los profesores acerca de sus contextos de ensenanza

This paper discusses the perceptions that six English language teachers, from public schools in the south region of the state of Veracruz in Mexico, have about their particular teaching contexts. A qualitative approach was adopted, and main data collection was through semi-structured interviews. The results show that all teachers have mostly negative perceptions about their teaching conditions. It was concluded that urgent action is needed on the part of the government to improve the English as a foreign language scenario, especially now when the introduction of English as a foreign language has been proposed at even earlier ages in all levels of education in the country. Key words: English for young learners, English language teaching, Mexico, working conditions. Esta investigation describe las percepciones que tienen seis maestros de ingles de escuelas publicas de la region sur del estado de Veracruz en Mexico acerca de sus propios contextos de ensenanza. Se decidio adoptar un enfoque cualitativo y entrevistas semi estructuradas para la recoleccion de los datos. Los resultados muestran que la mayoria de las percepciones que los maestros tienen son negativas y se concluyo que las autoridades deben tomar medidas urgentes para mejorar el panorama de la ensenanza del ingles especialmente ahora que se ha propuesto que el ingles sea obligatorio en todos los niveles de education basica en el pais. Palabras clave: condiciones laborales, ensenanza del ingles, ingles para jovenes, Mexico.