CLILCLIL

Content and Language Content and Language Integrated LearningIntegrated Learning

CLIL - Classroom principlesCLIL - Classroom principles

Language is used to learn as Language is used to learn as well as to communicate well as to communicate

It is the subject matter which It is the subject matter which determines the language determines the language needed to learn needed to learn

CLIL CLIL

Subject – in simple, easily Subject – in simple, easily comprehensible ways, using comprehensible ways, using diagrams, illustrations, graphs, diagrams, illustrations, graphs, practice and highlighting terms.practice and highlighting terms.

Language – subject based Language – subject based vocabulary, texts and vocabulary, texts and discussions.discussions.

WHY?WHY?

The ability to use a language is The ability to use a language is much more than knowing its much more than knowing its words and grammar, and words and grammar, and speaking in speaking in perfectly formed perfectly formed sentencessentences. .

Language learning is Language learning is surrounded by myths.surrounded by myths.

We could usefully re-consider We could usefully re-consider some of these beliefs and views.some of these beliefs and views.

Main aims

Acquire knowledge using target language Acquire necessary skills in the target

language Acquire necessary skills in the mother tongue Understand and value both cultures Develop cognitive and social skills

A successful CLIL lesson should combine elements of the following:

Content - Progression in knowledge, skills and understanding related to specific elements of a defined curriculum

Communication - Using language to learn whilst learning to use language

A successful CLIL lesson should combine elements of the following: Cognition - Developing thinking skills which

link concept formation (abstract and concrete), understanding and language

Culture - Exposure to alternative perspectives and shared understandings, which deepen awareness of otherness and self.

Can do

In CLIL, we provide a situation in which the attention of the child is on a form of learning activity which is not the language itself.

It can be very successful in enhancing the learning of languages and subjects, and developing in the youngsters a positive ‘can do’ attitude towards themselves as language learners.

Outcome

The language classroom is essential for the learner to understand the ‘nuts and bolts’ of language – the architectural plans.

Learners need time to build things with the ‘nuts and bolts’ – to build the house which they see in theory on paper.

CLIL - methods

Can learn to play football or the piano without kicking a ball or touching the keys?

Kids learn mother tongue using the resources surrounding them (deaf children in Nicaragua, reading the lips, sign language)

CLIL - methods

Changing the perspective (Robin William, Dead Poets’ Society)

Talk and discuss, write and express, explore and share

Support – mind maps, word clouds, graphs

CLIL - obstacles

New concepts always difficult to accept

Lack of qualified teachers

Heavy load and shortage of materials

Lack of support

CLIL - best practices

Subject or language teacher? Groups or whole class? Materials? Benefits and prospects for the future

NB! the learning of language and subjects is mixed: there are two main aims, one related to the subject, topic, or theme, and one linked to the language

CLIL model

Thinking(outcomes, analysis,

assessment)

Belonging(interests,partners,

local/global)

Subject(integration,

implementation,skills and culture)

Communication(involvement,support mat,discussions)

CLIL – main aspects

Multiple focus – integration of subject and language teching, blending subjects and topics, out-of-class projects, analysis

Learning environment – typical tasks, lots of aids, overcoming fear, authentic materials

CLIL – main aspects

Authenticity – student is the speaker, topics related to their needs, everyday life and interest; contacts with target language users; use of authentic materials

Active learning – students talk more, help to rephrase the outcomes, assess progress, co-operate, discuss. Teacher is a guide and provider.

CLIL – main aspects

Support structure – learning is based on prior knowledge, skills, attitudes, interests and experience; information is provided in student-friendly forms paying attention to different learning styles; critical and creative thinking is supported; new challenging tasks

CLIL – main aspects

Co-operation – courses / classes / topics are planned in co-operation with subject and language teachers; parents are informed and invited to support students; learning reaches outside the common classroom

How – a dozen ways

Language camps Student exchange Project work Language practice abroad Immersion (keelekümblus) Language showers One or several subjects CLIL modules

In a CLIL lesson, all language skills should be combined and seen as: Listening is a normal input activity, vital for

language learning Reading, using meaningful material, is the

major source of input Speaking focuses on fluency. Accuracy is

seen as subordinate Writing is a series of lexical activities through

which grammar is recycled.

CLIL lessons exhibit the following characteristics: Integrate language and skills, and receptive

and productive skills

Lessons are often based on reading or listening texts / passages

The language focus in a lesson does not consider structural grading

CLIL lessons exhibit the following characteristics: Language is functional and dictated by the

context of the subject

Language is approached lexically rather than grammatically

Learner styles are taken into account in task types.

How to begin

Lesson framework

A CLIL lesson looks at content and language in equal measure, and often follows a four-stage framework.

Processing the text

The best texts are those accompanied by illustrations.

When working in a foreign language, learners need structural markers in texts to help them find their way through the content.

Once a 'core knowledge' has been identified, the organisation of the text can be analysed.

Identification and organisation of knowledge Texts are often represented diagrammatically. Diagram types include tree diagrams for

classification, groups, hierarchies, flow diagrams and timelines for sequenced thinking such as instructions and historical information, tabular diagrams describing people and places, and combinations of these.

Language identification

Learners are expected to be able to reproduce the core of the text in their own words.

There is no grading of language Highlight useful language in the text and

categorise it according to function. Pay attention to collocations, semi-fixed

expressions, set phrases and subject-specific and academic vocabulary.

Tasks for students

There is little difference in task-type between a CLIL lesson and a skills-based ELT lesson. A variety of tasks should be provided, taking into account the learning purpose and learner styles and preferences

Tasks designed for production need to be subject-orientated, so that both content and language are recycled.

Typical listening activities include:

Listen and label a diagram / picture / map / graph / chart

Listen and fill in a table Listen and make notes on specific

information (dates, figures, times) Listen and reorder information Listen and identify location / speakers Listen and label the stages of a process /

instructions / sequences Listen and fill in the gaps in a text

Typical speaking activities include:

Question loops - questions and answers, terms and definitions, halves of sentences

Information gap activities with a question sheet to support

Trivia search - 'things you know' and 'things you want to know'

Typical speaking activities include:

Word guessing games Class surveys using questionnaires 20 Questions - provide language support

frame for questions Students present information from a visual

using a language support handout.

Planning CLIL lessons

Teaching a subject in the first language of your learners there are at least two things which you can count on: basic language ability and academic language proficiency.

Learners in CLIL programmes are learning basic language skills, academic language skills and new subject concepts all at the same time.

Planning CLIL lessons

To overcome the language barrier, CLIL teachers need to plan their lessons to include language support as well as content teaching.

Difficulties

Learners have to be able to: listen to and understand teachers talking

about subjects – can they do that? talk about subjects themselves – to

each other in groups and to the teacher in the plenary classroom– can they do that?

read subject textbooks, and write about subjects – can they do that?

Language problems

The language is likely to be an issue at either the word or text level (grammar is less of an obstacle to listening or reading).

Support strategies for listening

To help learners listen, subject teachers highlight or explicitly teach vocabulary. At the text level they help learners to follow them by using visuals and by adjusting their talking style: they enumerate points, give examples, explain, summarise, more then they would in L1.

Support strategies for speaking

To help students talk in the plenary classroom, teachers adjust their questions (asking, perhaps, some cognitively demanding but short answer questions); they prompt (for example they start learners’ responses for them); they provide vocabulary, they may allow some L1 responses.

Support strategies for speaking

To help them talk in groups, they provide support at the word level by listing key words to use; to help with making sentences they can offer supportive task types such as talking frames, sentence starters or substitution tables; or they ask students to use their L1 when discussing but their L2 when reporting.

Support strategies for reading

To help students with reading teachers may check that students understand key vocabulary before they read; they may provide them with pre-reading questions to reduce the reading demands of the text; or they may offer help at the text level by giving reading support tasks, such as a chart to fill in, a diagram to label, etc.

Support strategies for writing

To students with writing, teachers can offer support at all three levels by providing a vocabulary list, sentence starters, or a writing frame. They can also ensure that the learners talk through their writing at the word, sentence and text level, with each other, probably in L1, before they write.

Conclusion

From a language point of view the CLIL 'approach' contains nothing new to the EL teacher.

CLIL aims to guide language processing and 'support language production in the same way as ELT by teaching strategies for reading and listening and structures and lexis for spoken or written language.

Conclusion

What is different is that the language teacher is also the subject teacher, or that the subject teacher is also able to exploit opportunities for developing language skills.

This is the essence of the CLIL teacher training issue.

Sources:

Uncovering CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning in Bilingual and Multilingual Education by Peeter Mehisto, Maria J. F. Martin, David Marsh

CLIL: A lesson framework by Steve Darn, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey

Further reading: CLIL by D. Coyle, P. Hood, D. Marsh (Cambridge)