Transición hacia el bilingüismo en el colegio San Ignacio de Loyola: percepciones docentes.

Abstract

This study analyzes the perceptions of teachers at San Ignacio de Loyola School (Medellín) regarding their experience with the transition from a traditional monolingual approach to bilingualism (English as a second language). The study, which employed a mixed methods approach using an inductive method and a case study design, utilized a demographic survey, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. The findings reveal predominantly positive perceptions, linked to institutional support, the gradual nature of the process, the availability of resources, and immersion experiences. However, significant tensions emerged: the ineffectiveness of English for behavioral regulation and giving instructions in the classroom, the lack of continuity in CLIL teacher training, poor coordination between departments, the overload of simultaneous pedagogical approaches, and concern about the potential loss of local cultural roots due to the emphasis on the foreign language (subtractive bilingualism). Triangulation reveals a persistent gap between declared policies (immersion, CLIL) and actual practices (use of Spanish in informal spaces and classroom management). The study concludes that even in resourced private contexts, the transition to bilingualism faces qualitative challenges linked to affective, identity, and institutional culture dimensions. Contributions are offered for educational research, for the school (recommendations for continuous training, curricular articulation, and intercultural approach), and specifically for the Master's Program in Bilingual Learning Environments (MABA) in curricular, methodological, and social outreach terms.