Integrating Sports and Health Themes in Bilingual Education: A Pathway to Polite Language Use

Abstract

Bilingual education plays an important role in enhancing students’ language skills and character development, yet many programs overlook how language reflects politeness and cultural values. This study examines how integrating Sports and Health themes into bilingual teaching can foster polite language use among students at MA Al Fithrah Semarang. Using a mixed-methods quasi-experimental design, the study measured students’ language performance and attitudes before and after implementing a thematic bilingual model. Findings show significant improvement in students’ bilingual proficiency and a notable increase in their awareness and practice of polite expressions. The results confirm that context-rich themes, supported by the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) framework, make language use more authentic and meaningful. This approach not only strengthens students’ technical skills but also embeds values of respect and discipline. The study implies that integrating relevant themes with bilingual instruction can help rural and underserved schools cultivate students’ communication competence and polite behavior simultaneously, preparing them for global and local interaction with strong character.