Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine challenges in bilingual education at the secondary level in AndalucĂa, Spain. Bilingual education, where students receive academic instruction in two languages (Garcia, 2009), is practiced throughout the world in linguistically diverse societies. The European Commission has supported a model of bilingual education in order to address the needs of citizens living in a global economy, known as content and language integrated learning (CLIL). However, challenges and inconsistences in the delivery of bilingual instruction have led to debates about CLIL (Granados & Lorenzo, 2022). The focus this study examines bilingual teachers’ instructional practices at the secondary level in various schools surrounding Malaga including public, private, and concertados. Observations of 26 classes, interviews with 14 teachers and two language assistants, three administrators, and one university professor of teacher education were analyzed and coded for themes according to typology (Hatch, 2002). Findings show an overwhelming support for bilingual education among school personnel, but a mixed use of the second language (English) on a class-by-class basis. Findings also show a lower minimum level of English proficiency among public school teachers than that of private schools. Teachers and administrators report challenges with student motivation and a need for further resources to implement quality bilingual instruction. Discussion includes the exploration of Chat GPT and how it can be leveraged to assist students struggling with English proficiency and to assist teachers in need of enhanced academic resources in English.
Presenters
Michele RegallaAssociate Professor, School of Teacher Education, University of Central Florida, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Bilingual Education, Content and Language Integrated Learning, Chat GPT
