Signposts for Comprehensive Knowledge of CLIL Contexts

The implementation of a bilingual program at higher education raises multiple questions to those involved. The uncertainty around such novel experience could be lessened if participants understood all the factors converging. This paper provides a list of elements and parameters to aid both present and prospective practitioners to deepen in the characteristics and factors of their contexts. This systematic approach to the knowledge of the context assembles several theoretical models and descriptors of the practice of teaching content through English at higher education. Special attention will be given to linguistic issues. The five- year experience of bilingual teaching at the Escuela de Ingeniería de Informática de Segovia (Universidad de Valladolid) is used to illustrate the models and descriptors.