Date of Defense
25-11-2025 2:00 PM
Location
H1-0057
Document Type
Thesis Defense
Degree Name
Master of Education (Educational Leadership)
College
CEDU
Department
Foundations of Education
First Advisor
Dr. Ali Shehadeh
Keywords
Bilingual, teaching, co-teaching, pilot school.
Abstract
This study investigates the perceptions and experiences of bilingual co-teaching in a school in Abu Dhabi, focusing on how teachers coordinate and collaborate to support students’ learning in both Arabic and English. This study aims to understand how teachers view their roles, challenges, and professional needs when implementing bilingual co-teaching in KG1 and KG2 classrooms.
This study uses a qualitative design with a bilingual open-ended survey that allows teachers to express their views freely and share examples from their daily practice. Eight teachers participated: four from KG1 and four from KG2, each working as part of an Arabic–English co-teaching pair. Their responses are analyzed thematically to identify common ideas and patterns in their experiences. The findings show that teachers see bilingual co-teaching as a valuable approach that helps students develop their language skills, confidence, and a sense of cultural identity. However, many spoke of the practical difficulties they faced, such as insufficient training, planning time, or suitable bilingual resources. These challenges show that, while bilingual co-teaching has strong potential, it is still developing as a practice in the UAE and requires stronger institutional support to reach its full potential. By focusing on teachers’ voices and experiences, this study adds to the small but growing body of research in this area. It provides insights that can guide future improvements in teacher training, curriculum design, and educational policies that support bilingual learning and co-teaching in the UAE’s increasingly multilingual and interconnected communities.
Included in
INVESTIGATING BILINGUAL CO-TEACHING IN KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOMS IN ABU DHABI
H1-0057
This study investigates the perceptions and experiences of bilingual co-teaching in a school in Abu Dhabi, focusing on how teachers coordinate and collaborate to support students’ learning in both Arabic and English. This study aims to understand how teachers view their roles, challenges, and professional needs when implementing bilingual co-teaching in KG1 and KG2 classrooms.
This study uses a qualitative design with a bilingual open-ended survey that allows teachers to express their views freely and share examples from their daily practice. Eight teachers participated: four from KG1 and four from KG2, each working as part of an Arabic–English co-teaching pair. Their responses are analyzed thematically to identify common ideas and patterns in their experiences. The findings show that teachers see bilingual co-teaching as a valuable approach that helps students develop their language skills, confidence, and a sense of cultural identity. However, many spoke of the practical difficulties they faced, such as insufficient training, planning time, or suitable bilingual resources. These challenges show that, while bilingual co-teaching has strong potential, it is still developing as a practice in the UAE and requires stronger institutional support to reach its full potential. By focusing on teachers’ voices and experiences, this study adds to the small but growing body of research in this area. It provides insights that can guide future improvements in teacher training, curriculum design, and educational policies that support bilingual learning and co-teaching in the UAE’s increasingly multilingual and interconnected communities.