In bilingual streams in the Netherlands, school subjects are taught in an additional language so that pupils learn
both subject content and the target language by using language meaningfully. Teachers of English in bilingual streams (TEBs) are
often expected to collaborate with subject teacher colleagues (STs). In addition, they teach separate language lessons. This
provides TEBs with specific challenges. This article reports on a focus group (FG) study exploring the extent to which the ideals
of stakeholders in bilingual schools in the Netherlands reflect the literature on this topic, using a frame of reference developed
for this purpose (Dale, Oostdam, & Verspoor, 2017). Five FGs were held with TEBs
and STs from Dutch schools in the network for bilingual education and with members of the network’s quality assurance panels. Each
FG consisted of between three and six participants with a similar role in bilingual education; audit panel chairpersons, audit
panel secretaries and STs and TEBs from different schools. Participants were asked to discuss what an ideal English teacher would
do in English lessons and in cooperation with subject colleagues. Data consists of five transcripts of the FG discussions. On the
basis of inductive and deductive analyses (using MaxQDA), the ideals of stakeholders are positioned in the framework to explore to
what extent different types of stakeholders have complementary or conflicting views. The findings suggest that stakeholders need
to develop more shared understandings and a shared language to allow TEBs to realise their ambitions.
Arkoudis, S. (2006). Negotiating the rough ground between ESL and mainstream teachers. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 9(4), 415–433.
Borg, S. (2006). Teacher cognition and teacher education: Research and practice. London: Continuum.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2008). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
Chopey-Paquet, M. (2015). Investigating teacher partnerships for CLIL developing a model for subject-content and language teacher pedagogic collaboration towards integration (Unpublished PhD dissertation). University of Aberdeen. Retrieved from <[URL]>
Coyle, D. (2011). Post-method pedagogies: Using a second or other language as a learning tool in CLIL settings. In Y. Ruiz de Zarobe, J. M. Sierra, & F. Gallardo del Puerto (Eds.), Content and foreign language integrated learning: Contributions to multilingualism in European contexts (pp. 49–74). Bern: Peter Lang.
Coyle, D., Hood, P., & Marsh, D. (2010). Content and language integrated learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Creese, A. (2000). The role of the language specialist in disciplinary teaching: In search of a subject?Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 21(6), 451–470.
Creese, A. (2002). The discursive construction of power in teacher partnerships: Language and subject specialists in mainstream schools. TESOL Quarterly, 36(4), 597–616.
Creese, A. (2005). Is this content-based language teaching?Linguistics and Education, 16(2), 188–204.
Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Dale, L., Oostdam, R., & Verspoor, M. (2017). Searching for identity and focus: Towards an analytical framework for language teachers in bilingual education. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
Dalton-Puffer, C., & Smit, U. (2013). Content and language integrated learning: A research agenda. Language Teaching, 46(4), 545–559.
European Platform. (2012). Standard for bilingual education in English – havo/vwo. Haarlem: Europees Platform.
European Platform. (2013). Bilingual education in Dutch schools: A success story. Haarlem: European Platform.
Fasoglio, D., & Tuin, D. (2018). Hoe goed spreken leerlingen Engels als zij het voortgezet onderwijs verlaten? De ERK-streefniveaus onderzocht. [How well do secondary school pupils speak English on leaving school? An investigation of CEFR attainment targets.] Levende Talen Tijdschrift, 19(1).
Freeman, D. (1996). Redefining the relationship between research and what teachers know. In K. M. Bailey & D. Nunan (Eds.), Voices from the language classroom: Qualitative research in second language education (pp. 88–115). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
HBO-raad. (2011–2012). Kennisbasis docent Engels bachelor. Den Haag: HBO-raad.
Krueger, R. A. & Casey, M. A. (2015). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Messelink, A. (2018). Tweetalig onderwijs in het voortgezet onderwijs [Bilingual education in secondary schools]. Den Haag: Nuffic.
Nuffic. (2016). B2 or not B2 – Taalvaardigheden en ERK-niveaus in tweetalig onderwijs. Retrieved from <[URL]>
Nuffic. (2017). Tweetalig onderwijs. Retrieved from <[URL]>
Schleppegrell, M. J. (2018). The knowledge base for language teaching: What is the English to be taught as content?Language Teaching Research.
Swain, M. (1988). Manipulating and complementing content teaching to maximize second language learning. TESL Canada Journal, 61, 68–83.
Swain, M. (1996). Integrating language and content in immersion classrooms: Research perspectives. The Canadian Modern Language Review, 521, 529–548.
Thomas, D. R. (2006). A general inductive approach for analyzing qualitative evaluation data. American Journal of Evaluation, 271, 237–246.
Trimbos, B. (2007). Concretisering van de kerndoelen MVT. Engels. Enschede: SLO.
Cited by (4)
Cited by four other publications
Domke, Lisa M. & María A. Cerrato
2024. Integrating Content and Language Instruction for Multilingual Learners: A Systematic Review Across Program Types. Review of Educational Research
Dale, Liz, Ron Oostdam & Marjolijn Verspoor
2021. Towards a professional development tool for teachers of English in bilingual streams: the dynamics of beliefs and practices. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 24:9 ► pp. 1288 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 4 january 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.