Multiple Roles of Language Teachers in Supporting CLIL [英語教師在學科內容和語言整合教學中的多重角色]

Abstract

Content and language integrated instruction (CLIL) has been adopted in higher education as part of globalization. Most concerns center on students’ low English proficiency and content teachers’ readiness. The lack of discussion on English teachers’ views and experiences of CLIL programs calls for examining language teachers’ role in supporting the programs. This study looks into the content-specialized English program implemented by a Korean university, under the government-supported initiative for campus internationalization. This study explores English language teachers’ beliefs and practices while developing and executing a new specialized curriculum. Both a native and a non-native instructor participated in the study. The data were collected through in-depth interviews and classroom observations. The findings revealed that both participants experienced initial resistance to the change due to their beliefs in language teaching and content specialization. Through much negotiation process, their focus of language teaching was integrated with CLIL objectives gradually. We argue that language teachers’ resistance and negotiation process during the implementation of the curriculum reflect both their beliefs about language teaching and students’ needs. The findings of the study highlight the recognition of teachers’ agency in curriculum development, instructional adjustment, teacher collaboration, and the need for professional development. © 2020, National Taiwan Normal University.