Implementing CLIL-informed language education policy in schools: policy perspectives from the UK and Ireland

This study uses qualitative research methodology to explore the implementation of CLIL-informed language education policies in the school systems of five jurisdictions: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The research focusses on the teaching and learning of Languages Other Than English (LOTE) in schools where English is otherwise the medium of instruction.

Reflexive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke 2006; 2020) was applied to data collected from semi-structured qualitative interviews with key organisations from each jurisdiction, representing the executive level and/or an arm’s-length body charged with policy implementation.

This presentation will discuss the successes and challenges of implementing a CLIL-informed approach to language education, analysing how teachers are empowered and enabled as co-initiators, -interpreters and -implementers of policy. The findings illustrate practical and actionable solutions to the challenges of putting CLIL-informed policy into practice.