Content and Language Integration in Chilean English Teacher Education Curriculum Maps

Abstract

New approaches to teaching English have slowly been included in English teacher education in Chile in the last decade. Typically, the curriculum maps of these programs have followed a traditional paradigm based on grammatical curricula, however, new versions of these plans have shown evidence of, at least in paper, the adoption of new approaches, such as content and language integration or task-based learning. By means of the analysis of eight curriculum maps and a review of the current literature in the field, this work addresses the role of content and language integration in teacher education programs to create a space for reflection about new trends in the area. Findings give evidence of the divorce of the different areas of knowledge in the curriculum maps of these programs, but semi-traditional proposals show an advance in adopting progressively the inclusion of new paradigms that highlight the integration of areas. Recommendations based on two principles are given as a starting point in this necessary shift to integrate content and language in Chilean English teacher education.