Development of language competence of future special education teachers in a bilingual context

The aim of the study is to examine the specific features of language competence development within bilingual education and to substantiate the pedagogical conditions that enhance the effectiveness of this process in the context of preparing future teachers in special education. The study employed a mixed-methods design, combining standardised assessment based on the CEFR scale with qualitative semi-structured interviews, which enabled a comprehensive understanding of language competence development. The sample comprised 250 students and 40 instructors from a university in Kazakhstan. The CEFR-based assessment results indicated that students, on average, demonstrated language proficiency within the B1–C1 range, with higher performance observed in receptive skills (reading and listening), while speaking emerged as the most challenging domain. Instructors demonstrated a high level of professional language competence (B2–C2), particularly in subject-specific terminology and professional discourse. In addition, semi-structured interviews with instructors provided insights into their perceptions of the challenges associated with bilingual education, instructional strategies, and the conditions influencing the development of students’ language competence in the field of special education.