FROM TRAINING TO SUSTAINABILITY: A STUDY ON THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF A CLIL PROGRAM ON TEACHER PRACTICE

Abstract

Building upon previous research investigating a professional development (PD) program designed to train primary school teachers in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) methodology, this follow-up study examines the long-term impact of the intervention approximately one year after completion. It aimed to determine the extent to which primary school teachers retain and implement CLIL principles after completing the PD program. The data were collected via multiple instruments, including a CLIL knowledge quiz, classroom observations, lesson plan analysis, and semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated strong short-term retention of the Content and Communication components, with challenges persisting in the implementation of Cognition and Culture. Contextual factors such as peer collaboration, student readiness, and time constraints played a critical role in shaping long-term adoption. The study contributes to understanding teacher learning as a situated, iterative process, and offers implications for designing sustainable CLIL-oriented PD.