The Issues and Challenges of CLIL Implementation in Higher Education: Teachers’ Beliefs in the Ukrainian Context

Abstract

The purpose of CLIL in higher education is to increase the level of students’ both professional knowledge and foreign language competence. While implementing CLIL, it is important to take into account teachers’ beliefs on a point, since they can either accelerate or inhibit the CLIL effectiveness. The purpose of the research is to study the Ukrainian teachers’ beliefs, motivation and ideas concerning the implementation of the CLIL approach in the Ukrainian higher education. The theoretical and methodological basis of research was formed on comprehensive analysis of literature sources. The experimental work included: 1) obtaining the research data (a survey was conducted in which more than 160 teachers from different universities of Ukraine took part); 2) analyzing the obtained data statistically (conjugation tables, asymptotic approximation method, and Pearson’s statistical criterion χ2 were used); 3) identifying influential factors in the CLIL implementation (factor analysis was used). The analysis shows there is relationship between the teachers' subject background and their beliefs on the CLIL appropriateness. The study disproves the influence of the teachers’ pedagogical experience on their views on the CLIL implementation. These findings are confirmed by a factor analysis indicating the importance of appropriate learning materials for CLIL, teachers’ specialty, their professional preferences, the importance of flexibility in choosing the CLIL strategy, depending on students’ content knowledge and language skills. The study indicates challenges for the efficient CLIL implementation, and the directions for the change of teachers’ motivation regarding the importance of CLIL for modern Ukrainian students.