Designing CLIL

CEP Las Palmas, November 25th 2013

Language Learning Matters

Designing CLIL

CLIL

What is CLIL? We could start by explaining what the letters CLIL stand for:

C = Content and ...

L = Language

I = Integrated

L = Learning.

'CLIL refers to situations where subjects, or parts of subjects, are taught through a foreign language with dual-focussed aims, namely the learning of content, and the simultaneous learning of a foreign language’.

by David Marsh

Designing CLIL

Rationale

What are the specific benefits of CLIL for students?

CLIL is felt to offer students a range of educational and personal benefits:

1. Increasing motivation as language is used to fulfill real purposes. Rather than focus on language itself, students focus on another subject

through English – this is a far more natural way to learn a second language.

2. Introducing learners to the wider cultural context. It

makes sense for students to use their English language skills to communicate with L2 English speakers from other countries using English.

3. Developing a positive ‘can do' attitude towards learning languages. CLIL helps build confidence in language learners. By not

focussing directly on language, students are surprised at how much they can understand because of contextual and situational clues.

4. Preparing students for further studies and work. CLIL offers

students a realistic preparation for a wide range of professions in which English is routinely used.

Designing CLIL

CLIL in Primary

Normally, the English teacher is the person in charge

of developing CLIL sessions thanks to an integrated

planning. Apart from teaching 2-3 hours a week of

L2, he/she also teaches on session in Science or Art

in L2. This means that this person could have 5

hours a week in L2 with each group.

Right now 832 teachers in 381 Primary Schools are

participating in CLIL in the Canary Islands.

The subject in CLIL are: Science and Geography, Art,

Physical Education, Music, Education for Citizenship

and Maths.

Designing CLIL

CLIL in Secondary

In Secondary Education, Subject CLIL teachers partially teach subject in English. They must prove a B2 CEFL in English.

Right now 455 Secondary Education Teachers

participate in CLIL in 90 schools including these

subjects: Maths, Music, Technology and ICT, Physical

Education, Science (Biology and Geology), Art, Social

Studies (Geography and History), Physics and

Chemistry, The Classics, Education for Citizenship,

Ethics.

Designing CLIL

Implementation issues

Teachers training to give CLIL programmes have asked the following questions about implementation:

a) Are CLIL programmes common in other countries, and do all countries adopt a similar approach to implementation?

b) Does the CLIL subject teacher have to ‘teach’ language? What happens when this teacher encounters a language problem that s/he can’t explain?

c) What is the balance of the teaching focus between content and language?

d) What kind of support does a CLIL teacher need?

e) What strategies can the CLIL teacher use to help students understand the subject in L2?

f) Is a successful CLIL programme mainly a question of the teacher having a good level of English?

g) Is it right or wrong to occasionally explain things in L1?

h) What about the English language teacher? Will his/her role change in the English language lessons?

i) What is assessed? Language use? Understanding of content? Both?

Designing CLIL

Practical concernsThese are some of the practical concerns that teachers need to think of when planning for and delivering CLIL:

1. Language - Communication

2. Subject - Content

3. Cognition

4. Culture

5.Planning

• Materials & Resources

• Methodology - Teaching procedures & strategies

1. Assessment

2. Classroom Management & Classroom language

3. The CLIL Pyramid

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

1.Language - Communication

Teachers need to have:· A good command of the L2, and confidence in their ability to communicate in L2. B2 CEFL· Skills to break the language down into comprehensible input: be able to simplify language to meet the learner’s needs

Pupils need to have:· Language for learning; vocabulary relating to the topic which is essential to meet the learning objective· Language of instructions/pair work/ explanations etc.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

2. Subject - Content

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

Teachers need to have:

· Good knowledge and understanding of the curriculum· Good knowledge and understanding of appropriate pedagogy in curriculum area.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

3. Cognition

Developing thinking skills which link concept formation (abstract and concrete), understanding and language.

Teachers need to be aware of:

· the progressiveness of the thinking skills when planning tasks.. the starting cognitive level of the students.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

4. Culture

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

Teachers need to

•have a good knowledge of intercultural aspects relating to the topics they are working with.

•be able to integrate the intercultural aspects between L1 & L2.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

5. Planning (curricular issues): - Evaluation criteria. - Aims and objectives. - Synergies, subject integration - School staff

Teachers need to have the ability to:· identify objectives clearly and plan how to adapt these for CLIL teaching starting from the evaluation criteria.· plan carefully for the level of language to be used.· identify key language/terminology for the curriculum content and plan how to introduce it successfully (language of leaning) · seek links with other subject areas and encourage cross curricular learning.· work in partnership with teachers from different years and curriculum areas and use this while planning.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

6. Materials and resources

Teachers need to be prepared to:· Spend time creating resources appropriate to CLIL teaching and adapting existing resources to make them appropriate for CLIL lessons.· Be creative and aware of the importance of visuals to support teaching.· Integrate Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic (VAK) materials and approaches into their teaching.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

7. Methodology - Teaching procedures and strategies

Teachers need to be able to:

· “Think on their feet”· Adopt a more VAK approach to curriculum teaching· Develop greater clarity in planning and delivery.· Adapt the pace of learning to suit the CLIL context (rate of learning may be slightly slower)· Plan initial lesson input to ensure basic vocabulary for the topic is acquired.· Speak as much as possible in the L2· Adapt lessons quickly and learn from their own developing CLIL experience.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

8. Assessment

Teachers need to be prepared to:· Assess formatively throughout the lesson.· Focus on assessing the curriculum objectives NOT the L2 performance (subject teachers)· Assess informally at each step of the lesson to ensure that children are secure enough to move on to the next phase

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

9. Classroom management & Language

Teachers need to:•Ensure that pupils understand and can respond to the language of classroom management & language.

•Improve the effectiveness of their classroom management strategies, taking into account the additional challenge of getting pupils to focus on content in L2.

•To have a common classroom language for all the CLIL teachers and progressively introduce a wider variety.

Designing CLIL

Practical concerns

10. The CLIL Pyramid (Oliver Meyer)

0. Criteria Evaluation Selection

How to get a quality CLIL program

1.- Increasing awareness in the whole Teachers Staff that the

Program does not "belong" only to CLIL teachers, but all the

SCHOOL (it is included in the Educative Project) in

order to avoid the phenomenon "two schools in one"

2.- Increasing awareness and involve the students and

parents.

3.-Facilitating teachers training and their attending follow-up

sessions.

4.- Being able to guarantee continuity of the Program all

along the educational stage.

5.- Spreading the Program to other areas/subjects, groups,

and levels always starting in the first level of Primary

Education.

6.Supporting the teachers in their implementation of CLIL

methodology (projects involving several areas/subjects).7. Getting the support from the teachers staff reporting all the achievements.

8.-Permitting CLIL Job Shadow Sessions between CLIL

and non-CLIL teachers in order to spread CLIL

Methodology.

9. Creating a collaborative work stream from a

consensual didactic programming in which essential

aspects of CLIL methodology appear.

10. Having a good coordination among all CLIL teachers

in the school.

How to get a quality CLIL program

Designing CLIL

Moodle platforms for follow up & social networks