Meeting the training needs of CLIL educators? An analysis of master’s programmes in bilingual education

María Esther Rodríguez Gil

doi:10.30827/portalin.vi44.31842

Authors

María Esther Rodríguez Gil Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1421-4662

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.vi44.31842

Keywords:

bilingual education, teacher training, CLIL teacher competences, higher education, curriculum design

Abstract

This study evaluates whether Master’s in Bilingual Education (MBEs) programmes in Spain effectively meet the needs of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) teachers. Using Pérez Cañado’s (2015a, 2018) framework of seven core CLIL teacher competences, the study conducts a deductive content analysis of 19 MBEs from public and private institutions. The findings reveal that most MBEs address at least four of the seven competences, with nearly 90% covering six or seven competences in their programme-level competences. Pedagogical, linguistic, scientific knowledge and reflective and developmental competences are particularly well-represented in the masters’ programmes, while interpersonal, organizational, and collaborative competences receive less attention. These results emphasise the need for greater emphasis on soft skills like collaboration and interpersonal communication. The study highlights the importance of aligning MBE curricula with CLIL-specific competences to better prepare teachers for bilingual education, advocating for enhanced professional development in these areas.

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Author Biography

María Esther Rodríguez Gil, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

María Esther Rodríguez Gil is a Lecturer at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), where she teaches English in the Bachelor's degree in Modern Languages and coordinates the Master's programme in Content and Language Integrated Learning in a Foreign Language, offered by the Faculty of Philology at ULPGC. Her current work in applied linguistics focuses on bilingual education, including research projects on diversity and educational innovation.

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