Percepciones y experiencias docentes sobre la integración de sus disciplinas y lengua extranjera en un ambiente bilingüe de aprendizaje.

Abstract

This study examines the reality of non-language subject teachers in Colombia who teach in English without specific professional training in foreign languages within the framework of bilingualism policies. The study aimed to assess their level of preparedness, the strategies they employ, and their perceptions, in order to identify the key challenges and opportunities facing these programs and to help improve pedagogical practice. To this end, a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was implemented in two phases: a quantitative phase involving surveys of teachers from various disciplines, and a qualitative phase consisting of semi-structured interviews that allowed for a deeper exploration of their experiences. The results indicate that, while teachers highly value the use of English as a medium of instruction, various obstacles related to their language proficiency and training shape their classroom practices and the surrounding environment. Nevertheless, they are also able to evaluate these conditions. We conclude by outlining implications for more rigorous teacher training, improved institutional guidance, and the need to strive for the viable implementation of long-term regional models that meaningfully bridge theoretical approaches and practice, drawing on the insights of those who have learned from their students' success.