Uruguay Supporting Globalization and Access through English Language Education Policy

With a comparatively small population and a little over half the country’s population living in the capitol city (The World Factbook: Uruguay, 2019), connectivity internationally and access nationally are important to Uruguay. According to Uruguay’s Commission on Language Policy, English language legislation emerged from national demand to know English for global trade, technology, and academia (Administración Nacional de Educación Pública [ANEP], 2008). Public dialog often depicts the universalization of English as a highly valued commodity essential for student success (Canale, 2011). An example of this is the historic use of internationally recognized standardized exams as a means to gain international mobility (Canale, 2011). In this way, English language education policy serves a broader socio-political purpose in shaping the potential of a society. By understanding the history of language policy in Uruguay, the expansion of policy in recent years, and the response to issues of access- one can better understand how legislative goals reflect national values and the prospects of policy supported language programs