Project work as a methodological alternative for linguistic and curricular integration. A case study in a bilingual school

Abstract

The present study uses observational and narrative research methods to analyze the implementation of a didactic proposal of linguistic and curricular integration based on project work in a bilingual school. A case study is carried out with a team of teachers in order to analyze the main difficulties, facilitators and achievements identified in the process. The results show that there are difficulties for the development of the proposal related to the dimensions of management and organization of teaching, teachers´ language competence and teaching methodology. It also identifies facilitating elements such as the collaborative culture of the teaching team and the potential of project work approach to motivate students. The achievements allude to the professional development of the teaching staff and students´ learnings in the dimensions of content and language. Among the conclusions, the study shows the relevance of developing proposals for curricular and linguistic integration in the framework of project work as a strategy to combat potential curricular fragmentation resulting from the incorporation of foreign languages for teaching content as well as the risks of trivializing the curriculum of bilingual areas.