Addressing the language challenge in monolingual CLIL contexts: stakeholder perspectives in the Canary Islands

Abstract

The current article presents the outcomes of a preliminary quantitative study into stakeholder perspectives of the effects of CLIL on linguistic and intercultural competence development in the Canary Islands, Spain. The investigation has employed data triangulation (students, parents, and teachers, and, within the latter, non-linguistic area and English language teachers), and location triangulation (primary and secondary schools) in order to obtain a representative picture into the way the dual-focused challenge is being perceived in the target monolingual CLIL programme surveyed. A total of 279 informants (26 teachers, 221 students, and 32 parents) have been questioned at both primary and secondary level. Within- and across-group comparisons are carried out in terms of a series of intervening variables (involving gender, age or grade, school setting, level of English or perceived acquisition of contents delivered in English). A detailed diagnosis of where we currently stand on the linguistic and intercultural front is provided and the main lacunae to be addressed in this area pinpointed, as well as suggestions for further areas to be explored such as success in content learning and the possible effect of socio-economic factors in bilingual education outcomes.