Foreign language competence and content and language integrated learning in multilingual schools in Catalonia: an ex post facto study analysing the results of state key competences testing

The member states of the European Union have funded many initiatives supporting the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Content and language integrated learning is one of the experimental language programmes that have been introduced in Catalonia, in the north-east of Spain. The aims of this study are to analyse the results achieved by students on the state test of English language competence during the period 2009–2012 at (1) 1175 Catalan primary schools, (2) a purposive subset of 85 primary schools and (3) a school of reference, which applies a programme integrating physical education and language. The analysis indicates that the improvement of English competence occurs regardless of whether schools have participated in the experimental English language programmes. It is also showed that slightly better results can be observed in schools that apply the content and language integrated approach and a notable improvement in the school of reference.