The Impact of CLIL Teacher Education on the Beliefs of In-service CLIL Teachers

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates the impact of a CLIL teacher education programme on the beliefs that six in-service CLIL secondary school teachers of content subjects had about CLIL as a methodology for teaching and about using a FL as the means of instruction. The importance of CLIL teacher education provision is now uncontested, however, little research exists on the impact that those CLIL teacher education programmes may have on teachers’ beliefs. Data was collected by means of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews before and after the CLIL teacher education programme was delivered to teachers. Results showed that the programme had significant impact on the teachers’ beliefs. The programme enabled teachers to learn about, understand and become aware of what CLIL methodology is and implies both as regards the methodology itself and as regards language. Teachers gave voice to their beliefs and were able to reflect on their own previous (wrong) CLIL teaching practices, which had been informed by those beliefs. After the programme, the teachers had become empowered and confident professionals who were willing to implement real CLIL in a conscious way. This evidence of impact has important implications for CLIL teacher education provision and for effective CLIL implementation in classrooms.