Mathematics in English? A Pilot Study on the Benefits of an Interdisciplinary Experience in Initial Primary Teacher Education
Keywords:
bilingual education; interdisciplinarity; collaborative teaching; teacher self-efficacyAbstract
Although Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is regulated in bilingual education programmes in Spain, the collaboration between mathematics and English as a foreign language (EFL) is generally a controversial topic. This study addresses some of these challenges and analyses the impact of an interdisciplinary experience in preservice primary teacher education, integrating mathematics and English instruction through a collaborative teaching project. The objective is to assess whether this approach influences teacher self-efficacy, perceptions of interdisciplinary teaching, and acceptance of the CLIL approach in mathematics. The research involved 119 preservice teachers in a pre-test-post-test design with non-equivalent experimental (N=59) and control (N=60) groups, using pre- and post-treatment measures with an ad hoc questionnaire comprising 17 items grouped into three dimensions: teacher self-efficacy, interdisciplinary teaching, and Maths CLIL. The results show a significant improvement in the experimental group in teacher self-efficacy for both mathematics and English instruction, as well as in the perception of interdisciplinary collaborations between the mathematics and English subjects. However, no significant changes were observed in attitudes toward teaching mathematics in English. The findings suggest that interdisciplinary experiences between mathematics and English can enhance preservice teacher training and recommend integrating collaborative teaching strategies and expanding CLIL training in mathematics to optimize the professional development of future teachers.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.4.20
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