1. BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN SPAIN:
The MECD/British Council Bilingual Programme
INSPIRING TEACHING AND LEARNING
IN A BILINGUAL ENVIRONMENT
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

2. Spain The main objectives of the Spanish Education Policy:
Increase the number of the students that successfully complete Secondary Education.
Increase the number of the students that continue studying after Secondary Education.
Increase the number of the students that successfully fulfil any educative stages
after Secondary Education.
Increase the allure and relevance of vocational education.
Assure the improvement of the quality of education through external examinations.
Incrementar el número de alumnos que superan con éxito cualquier estadio educativo posterior a la E.S.O. (Puesto que es necesario para asegurar un buen nivel de competición en el mercado laboral internacional.
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3. Reinforce the teaching of core subjects,
providing key competences for academic development.
Offer personal attention to students and increase vocational route’s flexibility.
Integrate and foster the information and communication technology .
Support multilingualism and assist the students to speak
at least one foreign language with fluency.
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

4. Commission proposal by 2020:
at least 50% of 15 year-olds attain the level of independent user
of a first foreign language (compared to the present 42%)
at least 75% of pupils in lower secondary education study
at least two foreign languages (compared to the present 61 %)
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AD BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

5. Foreign Languages CNIIE-MECD
Royal Decree 257/2012, 27th of January, where the basic organic structure of the MECD is developed, in its Article 6, attributing DGECT, more concretely, CNIIE, among others, the function of:
k) The coordination of interventions concerning foreign language teaching and foreign language and bilingual programmes.
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TRINIDAD DE HARO-LLEE-CNIIE-MECD

6. Background of the programme
Societal motivators in Spain in 1996
Recognition that existing approaches were not producing desired results
Parental pressure & demand
Economic & Business demand
Pressure from the academic world
Technological developments
POLITICAL WILL to provide the necessary funds
SUCCESSFUL BILINGUAL BC SCHOOL
PARENTAL DEMAND
The underlying aim is to prepare children for participation in the global world, in which English has undoubtedly become the dominant language of communication. One can think of many good reasons for Spanish children learning English within an immersion approach, provided that it is successfully taught. Not only will they become fluent and literate in it but they will also learn to handle advanced, cognitively demanding subject matter. They will be in a good position to consider doing some of their Higher Education studies abroad or to seek high-level posts which require advanced bilingual and intercultural skills. At the same time, however, the very prominence of English as the dominant global language might conceivably have such a powerful influence on the children in English-medium education that questions might arise. For example, might their command of the Spanish language be compromised? Or, might they lose some of their sense of Spanish identity? In fact, the research on immersion programmes elsewhere already referred to suggests that, where the appropriate conditions for immersion education are put in place, then children’s command of their first or their national language can in fact be enhanced rather than compromised and their sense of identity strengthened. However, it is understandable that some parents should feel anxious about this. Accordingly, it was important to the evaluation team to look into this question of whether or not spending some 40% of time being educated through English would indeed have any negative impact on children’s Spanish language and identity. In fact, as our main report shows5, we did not find any negative effects, but it undoubtedly was an important question to address
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7. The Programme
In 1996 the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and the British Council signed an agreement to develop a Bilingual Education Project through an integrated Spanish-English curriculum.
New agreements: 2008, 2010 & 2013*
Adendas: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 & 2016
Orden 5 Abril 2000 (BOE 2 mayo) Approval of the curriculum
Real Decreto 717/2005 (BOE 6 julio) regulation of the programme
It is also expected that children who are being educated through such a model will be able to function in two or more cultures and will be better prepared to face the demands of the 21st century in an increasingly competitive and multilingual Europe.
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8. General Aims of the Programme
To provide from a very early stage an enriched model of education through an integrated curriculum where two languages and two cultures meet to create a quality school experience.
Children who have been educated through such a model will be able to function in two or more cultures and will be better prepared to face up to the demands of the 21st century in an increasingly multilingual Europe
In 1996 the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science and the British Council signed an agreement to develop a Bilingual Education Project through an integrated Spanish-English curriculum.
The project aims to provide from a very early stage an enriched model of education through an integrated curriculum where two languages and two cultures meet to create a quality school experience.
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

9. Specific Objectives
To promote mutual knowledge of the culture and history of both countries and the acquisition of both languages through content language teaching and to encourage awareness of the diversity of both cultures.
To share teaching experiences between British and Spanish teachers.
To promote equal opportunities of learning English.
To promote the certification of studies under both educational systems.
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

10. Specific Objectives
To foster the use of information and communication technologies in the learning of other languages
To conduct studies and research in the field of second language learning.
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11. 20 YEARS AGO TODAY 44 state schools 1800 3-4 year old children
87 primary schools
48 secondary schools
year olds
More than 1500 teachers
IGSCE exams
The Programme was established in 44 state schools, teaching 1, year-old children, throughout Spain. 20 years later 87 schools are teaching the integrated curriculum throughout primary and 48 secondary schools have already reached the end of compulsory secondary education. A total of young people between 3 and 16 are now being educated in English by more than 1,400 teachers.
Many of those students choose to take –at the age of 16- several IGCSE exams, with excellent results, therefore ensuring that they are prepared to continue their studies in any of the two educational systems.
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12. Some data
July 2016
10 Autonomous Regions: Aragón, Asturias, Baleares, Castilla- León, Castilla-la Mancha, Cantabria, Extremadura, Madrid, Murcia and Navarra, plus Ceuta and Melilla
87 schools
48 secondary schools
More than 250 hired teachers
More than civil servants’ teachers
students
Distributed in Regions
Aragón: 34 schools, 11 secondary schools
Asturias: 2 schools, 2 secondary schools
Baleares: 2 schools, 2 secondary schools
Cantabria: 1 school, 1 secondary school
Castilla-La Mancha: 7 schools, 7 secondary schools
Castilla y León: 19 schools, 18 secondary schools
Ceuta: 1 school, 1 secondary school
Extremadura: 2 schools, 1 secondary school
Madrid: 10 schools
Melilla: 1 school, 1 secondary schools
Murcia: 2 schools, 1 secondary schools
Navarra: 6 schools,3 secondary schools
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13. TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

14. Features of the Programme
Duration: age 3 – parental consent and agreement until 4th ESO
Public schools in socially disadvantaged environments
Continuity agreed with secondary schools
Substantial time for education through the medium of English (40%-50%)
No selection of pupils the whole school in primary from 1st kindergarten to the end of primary all follow the integrated curriculum
Although the MEC/British Council Bilingual Programme might be considered to come under the wide umbrella term of a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated) programme, since subject content is taught through another language, there are several features which make this a different and unique programme.
1.-The Programme starts at the age of three and goes through to the end of compulsory secondary education. Though there are different opinions regarding the suitability of a second language being taught at an early age, the experience within the Spanish context seems to suggest that if the second language is consistently taught with a clear focus on continuity and progression, the results will be better. The experience is also showing that introducing reading through the use of synthetic phonics from the age of four is clearly helping children in acquiring and recognising sounds and words, and encouraging the development of the reading skill.
2.- Not an elitistic programme
3.- %
5.- There is no selection of children, and all pupils in the primary schools involved follow the integrated curriculum. Although bilingual education has traditionally been considered as something only more academic children can achieve, this Programme aims to offer children from all socio-economical and academic levels the opportunities to acquire fluency in a second language.
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15. Features of the Programme
Focus on coordination, collaboration and opportunities for sharing good practice within schools and across schools
Subjects: English, Social Science, Natural Science, Geography and History, Arts and Crafts, (Physics & Chemistry)
Teacher Training (supervised, tailor-made)
Whole School Project
6.- coordination
7.-
8.-One of the main factors in this Programme and certainly one of the reasons for success has been the strong focus that it has always put on teacher training. Although bilingual teaching has become more prevalent in Europe in the last decade, there is a mistaken assumption that mastering the language should be the only requirement for a teacher to teach through a second language. Experience shows that children learn differently through a second language, and therefore, a new approach has to be used in these programmes.
9.-It is a whole school project, involving Spanish and English teachers, and all other staff, showing better results in schools where management is clearly involved. It encourages the development of the curriculum and there is a strong focus on coordination throughout the school as part of the daily life of the school.
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16. The Curriculum
Integrated Curriculum supported by Guidelines at: Infant (3-6 years), Primary (6-12 years), Secondary (12-16 years).
Guidelines describe contents, objectives, a methodological approach and targets of achievement for Language Literacy, Science, Geography, History and Arts.
Focus on the teaching of literacy skills from early years right through to IGCSE examinations at the end of secondary.
Focus on the development of syntactic and metalinguistic language from a very early stage.
Curriculum integrating best practice from both and appropriate to the needs of pupils learning in both languages
Based on real classroom experience.
There is an integrated curriculum which describes contents, objectives and targets of achievements for language and literacy, science, geography and history and art. The curriculum is based jointly on the Spanish and the English National Curricula and was written by Spanish and UK teachers working in the Programme. The content and skills are clearly established with guidelines suggested on the approach to be followed.
The language is acquired through the use of authentic fiction and non-fiction texts across the subject areas, and there is a strong focus on the teaching of literacy skills in English from infants and throughout the primary and secondary stages. Bilingual pupils must become not only competent speakers, but also competent readers and writers in order to be able to study subjects in the two languages. Therefore pre-reading and writing have to be introduced as early as possible. combina los contenidos básicos de los currículos español e inglés en las materias de Inglés, Ciencias Sociales y Ciencias Naturales. EN INFANTIL: LITERACY, PHONICS. EN PRIMARIA: SOCIAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD, MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND LITERACY. Especial atención a la alfabetización en inglés. La experiencia ha demostrado que el trabajo con phonics (fonética sintética) a partir de los 4 años ayuda a los niños en la adquisición y reconocimiento de sonidos y palabras y a fomentar el desarrollo de la habilidad de la lectura.
Establece unos niveles de consecución y plantea sugerencias metodológicas para impartir dichos contenidos en una segunda lengua.
Fue aprobado por Orden de 5 de abril del 2000 (BOE 2 de mayo), así como el Real Decreto 717/2005 de 20 de junio (BOE 6 de julio) con el fin de regular la ordenación de estas enseñanzas en los centros acogidos al Convenio.
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17. MORE FEATURES:
Focus on CPD throughout the project : 3- 4 courses yearly
Prestigious External International examinations: CIE IGCSE
Project Evaluation studies
External evaluation ( )
Findings: academic and linguistic aims superseded, good practice and teachers benefits.
Teachers:
Civil servants, hired teachers and language assistants, ALL TEACHERS
With some requirements
Selection procedure for Ceuta and Melilla and other Autonomous Regions:
laboral/asesores-linguisticos-british-council-ceuta-melilla.html
  The MEC/BC Bilingual Programme has recently completed a three year independent evaluation study directed by Professor Richard Johnstone and jointly funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and the British Council.
The task of the evaluation team was to collect high-quality evidence through classroom observations, reports and questionnaires to learn whether the Programme was achieving its objectives. The findings in the report provide examples of how the Programme aims with regard to language proficiency are being achieved, often superseded. The evaluation report also identifies a number of societal, provision and process factors which have contributed to the development and success of the Programme over the past 16 years.
The full report is available at donde/ensenanza-idiomas/centros-bilingues.html
The integrated curriculum is taught by a combination of teachers with experience in British or bilingual schools, Spanish teachers of English and Spanish teachers of other subjects. All teachers involved are of equal importance in the Programme. The combination of different teaching experiences and styles has encouraged the development of a successful more interactive, hands-on approach.
Teachers: not only Asesores lingüisticos
Key stakeholders: mecd bc. Spanish regional goverments, schools, parents, universities and reearchers, international links
Do the supernumerary teachers have to be native speakers (of English)? It is important that supernumerary teachers have a very high level of competence in English, but it does not follow that they must always be native speakers. The BEP has recruited large numbers of supernumerary teachers (asesores linguisticos - AL) who are native speakers of English, but others are native speakers of Spanish with a very good knowledge of, and fluency in, English. Some of the most effective lessons in English seen during the evaluation were taught by these AL native speakers of Spanish.
It is a project that involves all the school and it stimulates the development of the Educative Plan of the School. This programme’s aim is to offer the students of all academic and socio – economic levels, the opportunity to be taught bilingually. This is the reason why all the students of primary schools take part in the programme, without any selection
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18. Teacher Training The integrated curriculum
Language and methodology courses: Science and Geography, Literacy and Assessment for Learning
Study visits
Meetings of teachers
Attention to the transition
Attention to evaluation? Training of trainers
Opportunities to participate in teacher training programmes
Opportunities to learn by observing classes
El Centro Nacional de Innovación e Investigación Educativa y el British Council desarrollan un riguroso y amplio plan de formación para el profesorado de los centros adscritos al Convenio con el fin de desarrollar adecuadamente el programa. Dicho plan de formación se centra fundamentalmente en la metodología necesaria para impartir las distintas materias en una segunda lengua y se organiza en función de las necesidades de las distintas etapas educativas. Asimismo, en los últimos años se ha comenzado un plan de formación de formadores especializados en enseñanza bilingüe.
El programa favorece también el contacto entre alumnos y profesores de ambos países y el intercambio de experiencias. Con ese fin, se potencia el hermanamiento de los centros adscritos al Convenio con colegios británicos o de otros países europeos, lo que está dando lugar, en algunos casos, a visitas de estudio de los propios alumnos, y sobre todo, a la realización de numerosos proyectos conjuntos en los que participan directamente.
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19. Achievements
Overall satisfaction – model adapted to extend bilingual education to new projects in different regions of Spain & expansion of the existing project.
Integrated curriculum in place for the whole school in primary and “linguistic sections” in the corresponding secondary schools.
No adverse effects on Spanish subjects.
Pupils success.
Continuity and progression through from kindergarten to end of secondary compulsory education (3- 16 year-olds).
Political willpower to implement this type of education; it’s in a good disposal and it has been continued for 15 years without being modified by governmental changes.
• Parents interest and demand.
• Generalized opinion that English, as a global language, is important for the international citizenship of Spanish young people.
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20. Popular perception
Mostly favourable opinions from several collectives.
Pupils (primary and secondary), parents, teachers, schoolmasters, AMPAS.
Very few negative opinions, often focused on a small number of aspects of the programme.
The BEP is widely seen as conferring benefit not only on the pupils but also to teachers and schools in a number of ways.
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

21. Popular perception
“I think being able to talk two languages was a great idea because thanks to that my future looks brighter.” (Primary student)
“I’ve loved this project and I plan on go on with it in secondary and even in Baccalaurate if possible.” (Primary student)
“I think the programme has helped me a lot since I now understand English and I’m able to read, write and talk well in English.” (Secondary student)
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

22. Popular perception
“In subjects such as History and Geography or Science we cover less topics since we are using English but in general I’m very happy with the project.” (Secondary student)
“The only disadvantage is that after leaving school I have to wait for the following day to practice English at school.” (Primary student)
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

23. Obstacles
During its conception the PEB had to overcome a series of obstacles in order for it to succeed. These obstacles were:
Being successful across a large number of schools, all in the state system and across a wide range of socio-economic circumstances.
Being successful in a societal environment in which (as our evidence clearly shows) very little English is used by pupils in their lives outside school.
El último punto remarca la importancia del éxito de este programa en España, puesto que muchos otros países de la unión europea no sufren de este problema.
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

24. Factors associated with successful outcomes
SOCIETAL FACTORS:
Political will for this form of education, extending over 20 years and accommodating changes of government.
Widely held view that English as a global language is important for the international citizenship of the young people of Spain.
PROVISION FACTORS
An early start (in some cases from age 3).
Substantial time for education through the medium of English (40%).
Leadership at national level from Ministry & British Council together.
Supernumerary teachers fluent in English.
Highly valued in-service courses for teachers.
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

25. Factors associated with successful outcomes
PROCESS FACTORS
Language-focused strategies, covering grammar and vocabulary, plus the discourse of different school subjects.
Creation of community atmosphere in class, in which students collaborate.
Management approach based on consultation and collaboration with teaching colleagues
INDIVIDUAL/GROUP FACTORS
Numerous examples of dedication by school staff to the programme and commitment to making it succeed
Willingness of students to rise to the considerable cognitive, social and emotional challenge of being educated for substantial periods of time through the medium of an additional language
Parental commitment and continued support.
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

26. Added Value The children demonstrate:
High concentration & good listening skills in all subjects.
Evidence of higher order cognitive skills: questioning, summarising, predicting.
Awareness that life is not “black & white”.
Independent learning skills.
Personal confidence.
Ability & willingness to confront a challenge.
Knowledge that they are part of an expanding world.
TRANSFERABILITY
The BEP presents an interesting and valuable source of experience to inform the thinking of those who may be planning initiatives in the fi eld of bilingual education: • it delivers bilingual education across both primary and secondary schools • it is based in (non-selective) state schools • the schools included cover a wide socio-economic spectrum • it includes schools in a range of autonomous regional authorities across Spain from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean • it has been developed over a 15-year period • it is large in terms of the numbers of pupils and teachers as well in schools involved11 • pupils and their parents in Spain do not generally have the exposure to English outside the school that their counterparts in some parts of northern Europe experience,
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27. Students’ motivation. IGCSE results: more than 90% Parental enthusiasm
Two languages and cultures
TRANSFERABILITY
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28. Lessons learned
Long term political buy-in & commitment are fundamental
Not a “hop on/hop off” programme: in for the duration
Ongoing teacher support is essential
All stakeholders need to understand the underlying principles
Patience is required: results are not instantaneous
Earlier is proving to be better!
An appropriate curriculum which challenges, encourages continuity & develops thinking processes in students is fundamental
Collaboration/ Team work at all levels
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

29. Challenges
How can we reach the level of language competence to be able to teach subjects confidently in English?
How can we teach more effectively in English?
Where can we find resources & help?
How do we know it works?
How do we know that we’re doing the right thing?
How do we encourage our colleagues to become involved?
TRINIDAD DE HARO- FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND BILINGUALISM-MECD/CNIIE

30. Challenges Further incorporation of new technology into the programme
Recognition at European Levels
Addressing the needs of 10% who are not benefitting
More info:
The British Council:
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31. CENTRO NACIONAL DE INNOVACIÓN E INVESTIGACIÓN EDUCATIVA
@educacniie
@mtdhf
Thanks for your attention
❝The limits of my language are the limits of my world.❞ ‒Ludwig Wittgenstein
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