Content and language integrated learning adaptation in teaching geography in higher education: evidence from Kazakhstan

Abstract

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is essential for internationalizing higher education. However, its adaptation in Central Asia’s trilingual context, specifically in geography teaching, remains under-researched. As one of the first empirical studies on CLIL in Kazakhstani higher education geography, this paper analyzes how instructors adapt CLIL, focusing on the gap between their theoretical awareness and actual practice. The study employed a mixed-methods design. A survey of 150 instructors was followed by 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews to explain the quantitative results. A distinct “knowledge-practice gap” was identified: while instructors show high conceptual awareness (M=4.18), actual implementation is moderate (M=3.76). The primary barriers are institutional and methodological rather than linguistic. Furthermore, translanguaging strategies emerged not as a deficit, but as a vital cognitive resource for decoding complex concepts. Challenging traditional monoglossic models, this study validates the use of plurilingual pedagogies in post-Soviet higher education. Sustainable CLIL adaptation requires systemic support, specifically the establishment of methodological hubs and translanguaging-friendly curricula. Future research implies longitudinal studies, classroom observations, and comparative analyses with other Central Asian contexts.