Awareness of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Among School Principals, Teachers and Parents in the Puttalam Education Zone, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has been adopted as the pedagogical framework for bilingual education in Sri Lanka since 2012, aiming to develop both subject knowledge and English proficiency simultaneously. However, successful implementation depends critically on stakeholder awareness. This study investigated the level of CLIL awareness among teachers, principals, and parents in the Puttalam Education Zone, Sri Lanka. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 105 bilingual teachers, 18 principals, and 165 parents through structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze awareness levels across three dimensions: conceptual, pedagogical, and policy/structural awareness. Findings revealed that teachers demonstrated to high conceptual awareness (M=3.82) but moderate pedagogical (M=3.65) and policy/structural awareness (M=3.41). Principals showed concerningly moderate overall awareness (M=2.72), while parents exhibited moderate awareness (M=3.24) despite positive attitudes toward bilingual education (M=3.89). The study concludes that targeted professional development for principals and systematic awareness programs for parents are urgently needed to support sustainable CLIL implementation.