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Miao Li
This study examined the effectiveness of a bilingual education program in social science majors in Chinese education at tertiary level. Participants were 53 undergraduate students enrolled in their third year of an Early Childhood Education program at a university in northwestern China. Students’ English proficiency and their attitudes toward the bilingual education programs were investigated. A mixed-methodological approach was used to better understand the efficacy of bilingual education programs. Both quantitative and qualitative results suggested that the bilingual education model successfully enhanced students’ level of English proficiency. However, the mastery of subject knowledge in the bilingual education program was questioned. Students’ English language ability appeared to be the strongest predictor associated with learning outcomes in the bilingual course. Teaching quality was considered to be another important factor associated with the bilingual education program. Strengths and weaknesses of the bilingual education program model and its implications for educational practices in tertiary institutions in Chinese higher education were discussed.
