Inservice teachers training at university: Competences for bilingual education

Abstract

Bilingual education requires teachers who are effectively trained for that purpose. Relying on this premise, the present research studies the impact that a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) training program, taught by in-service bilingual schoolteachers has on the trainees' self-perception of their general and specific competences on the matter. The investigation examines a sample of 214 individuals, who are Primary Education preservice teachers (bilingual and non-bilingual tracks), using a mixed methodology comprised of a quasi-experimental quantitative study - in which an adapted version of the Vilkanciené and Rozgiené (2017) questionnaire is used as an instrument - and conducting a qualitative content analysis of three open questions, also derived from the same questionnaire. Results indicate a positive tendency for the implementation of the aforementioned CLIL training program, proving that a regulated training addressed to preservice teachers serves well to foster the acquisition and development of their competences on bilingual education, as it educates them on theoretical and practical matters while focusing on both linguistic and methodological aspects.