ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING IN A LIQUID SOCIETY:

reflections on the Lingua Franca in the Early Years of Elementary School

Abstract

The English language, as a global lingua franca, plays a central role in communication within a fragile and fluid social context, where its approach in the early years of Elementary Education faces political and pedagogical gaps. While the language is mandatory from the 6th grade onward, the absence of guidelines for the initial grades reinforces inequalities and reduces its intercultural potential. This study analyzes how to integrate the teaching of this deterritorialized language into a society marked by liquidity, where ephemeral relationships and immediacy challenge education. Through a literature review, the need to adapt pedagogical practices to this liquid reality is discussed, proposing strategies such as flexible curricula, intercultural teacher training, and formative assessment. It is concluded that teaching English in the early years can promote critical and inclusive communication, provided it is aligned with public policies that universalize access and prioritize linguistic diversity. The study highlights education as a space of resistance to market pressures, reinforcing the lingua franca as a tool for dialogue, not domination