The recent application of Content and Language Integrated Learning programs in higher education provides an extensive area for research due to the quick implementation of English as the medium of instruction for university programs, as well as to the need of university students around the world to communicate through English and to try different learning strategies and methodologies than the ones they used to work with. This study aimed to estimate the extent to which the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program at the University of Cuenca designed for students who wish to become EFL teachers complies with the principles of the Content and Language Integrated Learning approach. The 121 participants of this study were students from the fourth, fifth, and seventh semesters of the program. A general proficiency English test was administered to these students; some writing assignments to evaluate the development of Higher Order Thinking Skills were considered; and a survey to inquire about students’ perceptions on the development of language, content, and Higher Order Thinking Skills in their content subject classes was also applied. The findings revealed that 52% of the students are between A1 and A2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages; this means that they do not have the necessary linguistic conditions to take content subjects. It seems that the parameters teachers used to plan their classes do not consider the three dimensions of this approach (content, language, and procedures); therefore, students are not developing these dimensions simultaneously.

A profound and systemic education change requires taking into consideration the several factors that intervene, particularly, and most importantly, the role of the teacher. Ecuador, since 2009 has been immersed in constant changes to achieve an educational transformation; however, nothing has been invested in the professional development of teachers, instead, all efforts and funds have been assigned to create more directions for teachers to follow. This article paper focuses on the role of teachers in the education system in Ecuador. It reviews the objectives of revalorizing the teaching profession within the literature of teacher empowerment with the purpose of critically analyze if what is written in official documents is what is happening in reality in the country. Moreover, it examines the role of Ecuadorian teachers in terms of the factors that have led to their disempowerment: feminization, technologization, deskilling, intensification, and privatization.

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The influence of target language proficiency on language teaching practices is not a new area of research; nevertheless, there is still lack of knowledge since some research results have yield weak and inconclusive findings in different contexts. This research examines the relationship between EFL teachers' language proficiency and their teaching practices. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was followed and two data collection instruments were used: an English proficiency test, to determine the EFL teachers' proficiency level and a class observation scheme, to record instructional practices of seventeen EFL teachers systematically. The percentage of time spent on the different categories of the first part of the scheme and proportions of each category of the second part of the scheme were calculated to perform a Spearman correlation test. After that, a qualitative analysis of the teaching practices was conducted in order to get a deeper understanding of the quantitative data. The results indicate that higher proficient teachers provide better quality of input and feedback and are better models for learners; however, a direct influence on classroom management was not found. An equal focus on pedagogy and methodology instruction as well as on target language improvement is suggested for EFL teacher education programs.