The
purpose
of
this
paper
is
to
analyze
the
determinants
of
the
current
state
of
the
ELT
field
in
Mexican
contexts.
In
particular,
it
explores
the
ways
in
which
diverse
social
and
political
factors
hamper
the
successful
implementation
of
national
and
institutional
ELT
policies.
Drawing
on
a
case
study
carried
out
throughout
a
period
of
five
years,
the
paper
uses
three
situations
to
illustrate
the
ways
in
which
institutional
efforts
to
promote
English
language
teaching
are
deviated
at
some
point
in
their
developmental
stages.
The
paper
concludes
by
emphasizing
the
value
of
research
to
raise
ELT
practitioners’
awareness
of
the
challenges
that
the
profession
faces
and
proposing
ways
of
overcoming
them.