Cultivating CLIL preservice teachers’ CALL competencies through a TPACK-based teacher training program

This study investigated an 18‑week teacher education model grounded in technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). Known as CATERR (comprehending, analyzing, teaching, evaluating, reflecting, and refining), this teacher education model cultivated the computer-assisted language learning (CALL) competencies of 43 content and language integrated learning (CLIL) preservice teachers (PSTs) from Taiwan. The model promotes peer coaching, where participants collaborate, reflect, and refine their teaching over three rounds. The study utilized a multi-method case study and triangulated the quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data refers to the TPACK-CLIL questionnaire administered before and after the teacher education model. Qualitative data included lesson plans, self-analysis, teaching demonstration videos, revised lesson plans, classroom discussion records, peer evaluations, and reflection notes. Data analysis involved paired-samples t-tests and descriptive statistics for the coding framework, thematic analysis for qualitative data, and a repeated measures ANOVA to compare three total scores across three rounds using scoring rubrics. Results showed that the CATERR teacher education model enhanced CLIL PSTs’ self-perceived and observed CALL competencies. Specifically, as “digital native” PSTs with high levels of technological knowledge (TK), they successfully transferred their TK into TPACK by adding pedagogical values and contextualizing the ICT tools in their CLIL lessons. Meanwhile, their ability to use ICT tools to facilitate interaction and students’ autonomous learning substantially improved. The theoretical and pedagogical implications for CALL teacher education research and practice are discussed.