Language Assistants’ Expectations Towards their Role and Main Functionsthe Case of Madrid’s Bilingual Schools

  1. Beatriz López-Medina 1
  2. Ana Otto 2
  1. 1 Universidad Complutense de Madrid
    info

    Universidad Complutense de Madrid

    Madrid, España

    ROR 02p0gd045

  2. 2 Universidad a Distancia de Madrid (UDIMA)
Revista:
Porta Linguarum: revista internacional de didáctica de las lenguas extranjeras

ISSN: 1697-7467

Año de publicación: 2020

Número: 33

Páginas: 95-109

Tipo: Artículo

Otras publicaciones en: Porta Linguarum: revista internacional de didáctica de las lenguas extranjeras

Resumen

Language Assistants (LAs) are nowadays part of the faculties of those schools oriented towards an improvement in foreign languages across the world. In Madrid, LAs have been part of the school staff since the implementation of bilingual programs in 2004 (Consejería de Educación e Investigación, 2017). Their role and main functions, however, have not always been clear (Tobin & Abelló-Contesse, 2013) and, as a result, LAs have been greatly underestimated. In this paper, their perceptions are analysed to provide recommendations on how to improve their participation in bilingual programs. The participants (n=106) responded to a questionnaire adapted from Buckingham (2016) about their role and main responsibilities at Madrid’s bilingual schools after some years of the program implementation. Responses show evidence of how LAs’ perceptions differ from the recommendations provided in the guide issued by Consejería de Educación especially on responsibilities, assessment and teachers’ support

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