Content and Language
Integrated Learning
(CLIL)
An Overview
Áine Furlong
Waterford Institute of
Technology
[email protected]
The term CLIL
Generic umbrella term encompassing
any activity in which
a foreign language
is used as a tool in the learning of
a non-language subject
in which both language and the
subject have a joint curricular role.
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Definition
• CLIL is a dual-focused educational approach
in which an additional language is used for
the learning and teaching of both content and
language.
• CLIL is not language for specific or vocational
purposes. It is about teaching important
aspects of a subject through a foreign
language.
• For more detail, see www.clilmatrix.ecml.at
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Core characteristics of
CLIL/EMILE
• The major concern is Education and not multilingualism
• Mutilingualism is the added value
• Methodology is at the core of the approach.
• Strength of this approach:
• Re-thinking of how and when certain types of subject
matter and language are taught
• Inter-disciplinary mindset
• Weakness of the approach:
• High vulnerability during the introductory phase
• Challenges to cultural and professional territorialism
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Reasons for CLIL/EMILE
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•
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The reasons are known as:
Dimensions (5 major reasons)
Focuses (18 sub-reasons)
The culture dimension
The environment dimension
The language dimension
The content dimension
The learning dimension
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
The culture dimension
• Building intercultural knowledge and
understanding
• Developing intercultural communication
skills
• Learning about specific neighbouring
countries, regions or minority groups
• Introducing the wider cultural context
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
The environment dimension
• Preparing for internalisation and EU
integration
• Accessing international certification
• Enhancing school profile
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
The language dimension
• Improving overall target language competence
(4 skills)
• Developing oral communication skills (using the
language in real-life situations)
• Deepening awareness of mother tongue and
target language (language-sensitive
curriculum)
• Developing plurilingual interests and attitudes
• Introducing a target language (a language can
be introduced in a non-formal way to stimulate
interest in further study of that language
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
The content dimension
• Providing opportunities to study content
through different perspectives
• Accessing subject-specific target language
terminology
• Preparing for future studies and/or working life
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
The learning dimension
• Complementing individual learning styles
• Diversifying methods and forms of classroom
practice
• Increasing learner motivation (low exposure
CLIL/EMILE programmes, immediate
relevance)
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Criticism of CLIL/EMILE
• CLIL promotes English at the expense of other
languages
• Much of the criticism of CLIL is aimed at 1
particular type of programme (high CLIL/EMILE
exposure over a long period of time in a single
language, English) CLIL promotes English at
the expense of other languages
• The current view is that less exposure to
CLIL/EMILE may be better than more
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
More observations!
• ‘ Using a foreign language as a vehicular
language requires methods, teaching styles
and strategies which are…
• neither in the traditional repertoires of foreign
language teachers and …
• not in the repertoires of the non-language
subject teaching’ (Helfrich 1993).
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
What can a language teacher
bring to CLIL/EMILE?
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Linguistic and cultural knowledge
Language learning methodologies
An open mind
Wolff (1998) states that:
‘it is absolutely necessary to reform language
teaching…What is new is the way in which different
language learning approaches which have developed
in isolation, are brought together in order to promote
more efficient language teaching and multilingualism’.
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
CLIL programmes
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•
The context determines the type of CLIL/EMILE programme that will be
adopted.
The programme will be situated along a continuum from language
driven to content-driven and should aim to be dual-focused.
Language driven
content is used to teach
L3 structures and skills
Content-driven
content is more
important than the
language
(immersion and
bilingual and earlier
CLIL programmes)
Thematic modules
Parallel teaching of the language and the content
Small daily doses of CLIL/EMILE
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
The 4 Cs curriculum (Do
Coyle 2005)
• Content: progression in knowledge and skills;
• Communication : interaction and using
language to learn;
• Cognition: engagement: thinking and
undertanding;
• Culture: self and other awareness/
citizenship.
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Proficiency: BICS and CALP
Cummins (1984)
• BICS = Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills
• Highly contextualised, lower cognitive demands (language is
only one element in the communication process – others include
mime, facial expressions…)
• CALP = Cognitive-Academic Language Proficiency
• Less contextualised, higher cognitive demands (activities in
which language has to do all the work – writing letters, listening
to the radio…)
• Tasks may be plotted at any point on the dimensions of
cognitive demand and contextualisation
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
BICS: contextualised language + low cognitive demand
X: decontextualised language + low cognitive demand
Y: contextualised language + high cognitive demand
CALP: decontextualised language + high cognitive demand
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
The CLIL Matrix
High cognitive demands
3
4
Low
linguistic
demands
High
linguistic
demands
2
1
Low
cognitive demands
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
At Third level
• Joint programmes are seen as a major
platform on which to gain a competitive
edge (CLIL could play a major role).
• CLIL experiences are recordable on ELP
or a similar accreditation reference
frame. Focus on partial competencies
(e.g. reading) can also be recorded and
accredited.
• CLIL can be introduced in conjunction
with ICT
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
At Second Level
• The teacher is a prisoner of his/her own
specialism;
• The teacher does not always have
pedagogical training (ENLU Task force 4
2004);
• The concepts taught are complex and
the L3 can become an obstacle in the
acquisition of the concept.
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Challenge 1
Challenge 2
Transforming
content
into
comprehensible
input
1. Sensitisation :
Sensorial
Cognitive
Plurilingual
Communicative
approaches
Generating
comprehensible
output
2. Research:
Mapping one’s
understanding.
Task-based
Learning.
Learner
Autonomy.
3. Development :
Learner takes
responsibility
for sharing
knowledge.
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
4. Consolidation
(language)
and
synthesis
(content):
Lexical, cognitive
and communicative
approaches
1.
Sensitisation
Davis and Rinvolucri 1988 : Dictation: new methods, new
possibilities.
Text manipulation
http://www.well.ac.uk/wellproj/workshp1/macros.htm
plurilingual activities
http://conbat.ecml.at/;
2.
Research
Mapping one’s understanding
www.enchantedlearning.com/graphicorganisers;
3.
Development
Sharing the mind map with others and developing the will
to be understood;
4.
Consolidation and synthesis
lexical analysis + expert groups, debates, academic essays.
http://puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com/
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Revised version
of Bloom’s
taxonomy
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
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Remembering: Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant
knowledge from long-term memory.
Understanding: Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic
messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing,
inferring, comparing, and explaining.
Applying: Carrying out or using a procedure through executing, or
implementing.
Analyzing: Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how
the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose
through differentiating, organizing, and attributing.
Evaluating: Making judgments based on criteria and standards
through checking and critiquing.
Creating: Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional
whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through
generating, planning, or producing.
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Applying Bloom’s taxonomy
• http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/researc
hskills/Dalton.htm
• http://www.adprima.com/examples.htm
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Examples of text manipulation and plurilingualism
espaces
Macros
Ilexistedeuxsortesdedéfinitiondumarketing
•
Plurilingualism
•
produits et services de valeurs. satisfont leur
besoins et désirs au moyen de la création et
de l’échange avec autrui de
Remettez en ordre
Transformez ce texte trilingue en texte
monolingue
The pratice du coût-plus-marge est-elle
loighciúil ? En général, non. Une
approche qui ne considers ni de la
demande ni de value-based pricing, ni
de competitors dans la fixation des
luachanna a peu de chances de
conduire au profit maximal, qu’il soit à
court ou à long terme. Cette approche
perd son sens si les díolteanna ne
correspondent pas aux anticipations.
•
Dans sa dimension manageriale, le
marketing a souvent ete assimile a « l’art de
vendre »
accents
•
le marketing consiste à planifier et mettre en
œuvre l’élaboration
ponctuation
•
----- des échanges demandent beaucoup -travail et de talent
Complétez le texte
la valeur perçue
tient compte
la concurrence la pratique
logique prix ventes
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Attitudes
ConBaT+
http://conbat.ecml.at/
ConBaT+
task
A Model for…
Attitudes
Attitudes
content
languageS
Attitudes
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
ICT and CLIL
The merging of subject and language is facilitated
by ICT.
CLIL/EMILE depends on ICT in many ways:
• To prepare and manipulate texts (macros +
Word – drawing toolbar, SmartArt);
• To access reference tools (dictionaries,
conjugators, concordancers,puzzle makers,
graphic organisers, SmartArt, authentic
documents);
• To correct the work of students which includes
graphs, tables, pictures(WORD – reviewing
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
toolbar).
2009
Some conditions for a successful
CLIL/EMILE programme
The CLIL/EMILE teacher must become familiar with the
variety of teaching methodologies that exist.
Therefore, training and support is necessary in the
following areas :
• Pre-service and In-service training;
• Access to a data bank containing language sensitive
methodological advice (e.g. how to develop reading
skills, listening skills, according to traditional, lexical,
cognitive, communicative, plurilingual, story telling
methodologies, etc.);
• Regular contact with the subject specialist
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009
Conclusion
The integration of a wide variety of teaching methodologies
into a CLIL/EMILE class leads to:
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intellectual flexibility;
a better understanding of other disciplines as well as of
language;
self-confidence.
The integration of a language into another subject leads to:
• Greater visibility for languages in the institution
• Transforms language learners into language users
Áine Furlong, W.I.T., February
2009