Trajectories of Learning to Become CLIL Teachers: Lived Experiences and Professional Growth

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Published: Jul 19, 2023
Keywords:
CLIL CLIL teachers trajectories of learning

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Denchai Prabjandee
Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand
Punwalai Kewara
Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand

Abstract

In many contexts, implementing CLIL is top-down, in which the policy is imposed on teachers to transform monolingual content classes into CLIL classrooms. This implementation brings several challenges to content teachers, who were previously trained as content specialists only. This study attempted to explore the lived experiences of these CLIL teachers, who were obliged to implement CLIL because of the school policy. The study utilised trajectories of learning as a theoretical framework and employed a narrative case study to interview five in-service CLIL teachers. The findings revealed that the teachers entered the CLIL community by accident; they were assigned to teach CLIL by the school directors simply after visiting a CLIL school. Even though their trajectory was accidental, these teachers moved to an insider and inbound trajectory through constant practice, networking, and extensive professional development. This paper argues that converting a monolingual content classroom into a CLIL classroom is more than changing a language of instruction; instead, it takes one’s identity.

Article Details

How to Cite
Prabjandee, D., & Kewara, P. (2023). Trajectories of Learning to Become CLIL Teachers: Lived Experiences and Professional Growth. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 16(2), 770–783. Retrieved from https://so04.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/LEARN/article/view/267023
Issue
Vol. 16 No. 2 (2023): LEARN Journal (July-December)
Section
Research Articles
Author Biographies

Denchai Prabjandee, Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand

An assistant professor of teacher education at the Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand. His research interests include critical issues in teacher education research such as teacher identity and teacher professional development. His research appears in Asian Englishes, Teacher Development, TESL-EJ, and Issues in Educational Research.

Punwalai Kewara, Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand

An assistant professor at the Faculty of Education, Burapha University, Thailand. She is currently chairing the Master Program in Teaching English as a Global Language, a position she has held since 2015. Her research interests focus on Content and Language Integrating Learning (CLIL) and Teacher Education. Punwalai's significant contribution is transforming conventional monolingual classes into active English-integrated classrooms. She has also worked on characterising content teachers’ support for EMI classrooms and made valuable contributions to in-service content teacher training in CLIL-type classrooms.

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