In recent decades, bilingual education has expanded rapidly and gained significant international recognition. In Spain, the model is widely implemented: 41.4% of primary school students and 32.2% of secondary school students participate in bilingual programs, studying subjects such as Social Sciences, Mathematics, Art, History, and Physics and Chemistry in a foreign language.
This growth has been driven by European Union policies that seek to increase exposure to foreign languages, promote multilingualism and encourage mobility, employability and inclusion throughout the European territory.
The History Case
However, its rapid expansion has also generated debate, especially in the field of social sciences. Many may wonder if it makes sense to talk about The Catholic Monarchs in Spanish-speaking contexts.
Along these lines, in the Community of Madrid , since the 2024-2025 academic year, some of the subjects of Social Sciences and Geography and History have stopped being taught in a foreign language in primary and secondary education, to be taught compulsorily in Spanish.
This change raises an interesting debate: Is it pedagogically beneficial or limiting to teach historical content – especially the history of one’s own country – in a foreign language?
Why History in English?
Compared to other subjects, choosing Social Sciences to be taught in a foreign language is ideal for language learning. In this subject, language is a central learning tool, and a large amount of vocabulary, expressions, and grammatical forms are used.
Students learn to describe, define, explain, evaluate, compare, justify, and narrate, thereby making use of the cognitive functions of discourse . This contributes to the development of critical thinking and academic language.
Furthermore, these subjects foster genuine, meaningful, and natural language learning and promote intercultural competence. For this reason, in most European bilingual programs , Social Sciences and Geography and History are the subjects most commonly taught in a second language.
Acquisition of content
Most research indicates that bilingual education does not negatively impact social studies learning. For example, studies published in Finland , Cyprus , and the Netherlands show similar or even better results for bilingual students.
In Spain, several studies have identified equivalent or better student performance in bilingual programs. Although some studies detect specific disadvantages for bilingual primary school students, research with very large and controlled samples concludes that there are no significant differences and that, by the end of secondary school, bilingual students may even outperform non-bilingual students .
Longitudinal studies also show faster progress in science in bilingual programs. Ultimately, the evidence suggests that bilingual education ensures the acquisition of content at performance levels equal to or higher than those of mainstream education.
Cognitive benefits and global competencies
Bilingual education is based on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) . Integrated learning provides cognitive advantages for bilingual students. This is due to the increased effort required to process information in another language, which activates and exercises the brain, as various studies have shown .
Thus, bilingual students use more learning strategies, improve their ability to process information, and show higher levels in critical thinking and in the competence of learning to learn .
Furthermore, studying Social Sciences and Geography and History in another language allows access to international sources, maps, comparative data, and diverse historical perspectives. In this way, it promotes global competence.
Pedagogical and improvement guides
In any case, bilingual programs are constantly evolving, and it is essential to continue ensuring their quality. Investing in specialized teacher training, both initial (at the university level) and ongoing, is crucial. It is fundamental to guarantee the improvement of teachers’ language proficiency and their mastery of CLIL pedagogical strategies and methodological principles .
A suitable institutional design for the program is also necessary. The percentage of hours of curricular exposure to the foreign language, teacher staffing, and the required language proficiency and methodological training levels for teachers are key factors. Providing clear pedagogical guidelines, allocating the necessary resources, and regularly inspecting and evaluating these programs are fundamental. Only in this way can it be ensured that bilingual education fulfills its educational and equitable potential.
Author Bio: Esther Nieto Moreno de Diezmas is Professor and Director of the Department of Modern Philology at the University of Castilla-La Mancha
