Bilingual Teaching in Geography: Effects on Students' Motivation and Academic Performance in Secondary Education

The growing interest in multilingual education has encouraged schools to explore new ways of combining subject teaching with foreign language learning. In this context, the present paper discusses the possible impact of bilingual teaching on students’ motivation and academic achievement in secondary Geography classes. Particular attention is given to the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) approach, which allows learners to study school subjects while using a foreign language as a means of communication. The paper combines theoretical perspectives with a proposed methodological framework designed for future classroom implementation. The research focuses on how the integration of English into Geography lessons may influence students’ participation, classroom interaction, motivation, and understanding of geographical concepts. The proposed methodology includes classroom observation, interactive learning activities, assessment tasks, and the use of bilingual instructional materials adapted to secondary education. In addition, digital resources such as interactive maps, visual presentations, and multimedia materials may support both language learning and geographical understanding. The anticipated findings suggest that bilingual Geography instruction may contribute to increased learner motivation, more active participation during lessons, and improved communication skills in English. At the same time, CLIL-based activities may support the development of transferable competences such as collaboration, critical thinking, and intercultural awareness. The paper also discusses possible challenges related to language proficiency, instructional planning, and classroom implementation while emphasizing the educational value of bilingual teaching approaches in Geography education.