A LIFE DECISION: TO CONTINUE IN ENGLISH OR NOT?! A CASE STUDY ON REASONS TO SWITCH FROM BILINGUAL TO REGULAR SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE NETHERLANDS

Abstract

This case study, performed at a bilingual school in the Netherlands, researches the main reasons for pupils to decide to switch from the bilingual to the regular programme. Carrying out qualitative research, semi-structured interviews were conducted, focusing on pupils' background, the educational environment, study experiences and study achievements. The twelve interviewed pupils mentioned ten different reasons to switch and these were listed according to their frequency. By means of two different data analysis methods, three pupil profiles were extracted, representing indications of the types of pupils that can possibly decide to switch to the regular programme in the future. Switching was associated with study experience and study achievement.