ATTENDING TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION THROUGH CONTENT AND LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING (CLIL) IN KAZAKHSTAN: TEACHERS’ EXPERIENCES AND PRACTICES IN DIVERSE CLIL CLASSROOMS

Abstract

Since the CLIL programs were implemented in Kazakhstani mainstream schools and more and more students are engaged into foreign language acquisition through subject content learning, it becomes crucial to cater to the diversity of learners. A closer glance at the CLIL classrooms practices in Kazakhstan demonstrates the unpreparedness of the education system and teachers to accommodate the inclusive alternatives for diverse educational needs of students and the need to operate foreign language fluently. The purpose of this paper is to build a better understanding of what kind of pedagogical support is required in order to provide Kazakhstani students with appropriate and effective instruction in diverse CLIL classrooms. The study focuses on Kazakhstani teachers’ practices and experiences in teaching CLIL programs in inclusive settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 CLIL teachers from different schools in Kazakhstan. The study revealed that not all teachers receive the appropriate training in CLIL and its strategies to address all students’ needs; the notion of inclusive education is not fully understood. Furthermore, the CLIL curriculum should undergo transformations, taking into account different learning styles and individual peculiarities of students, and a better methodological base for teachers should be developed...