Complementing the rich literature on Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) classroom discourse, this study is one of the first to focus on teachers and students topicalizing language in ...technical education at upper secondary level. By using an extended conceptualization of the “language-related episode” (LRE) to incorporate all interactional sequences dealing with linguistic topics (e.g., lexis or pronunciation) as well as suggestions or comments on language use or choice, this multi-case study analyzed 17.5 h of IT and economic lessons observed in five cases set in four different upper-secondary technical colleges in Austria. The quantitative and qualitative findings reveal an overall high frequency of LREs of both types, although individual cases display a surprising diversity in using LREs, ranging from one per lesson to one per minute. Furthermore, certain LRE topics, such as lexis and language choice, are highly dominant, and individual cases show their own ways of developing LREs and thus integrating language (learning) in CLIL. When combined with insights gained from the reflection interviews undertaken with all teachers, these findings reveal both language-related teaching aims and how the participating teachers put them into practice in the form of LREs.
•LRE is adapted to analyse language being topicalized in technical CLIL.•The new conceptualisation of LRE includes linguistic and language-use topics.•Language (use) is topicalized in technical CLIL discourse to differing degrees.•Differences in LRE use reflect learner-group and subject-related factors.•Reflecting content teachers’ language (learning) aims, LREs instantiate CLIL.
This study aims at determining the effectiveness of the Bilingual Education Italy (BEI) project as opposed to monolingual programmes in primary education in Italy, a country with low exposure to ...English as a foreign language. The BEI project originated from a memorandum of understanding between the Directorate-General for Educational Systems and School Autonomy of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry for Universities and Research, and the British Council. The research questions focus on the difference in the performance in English, oral mathematics and oral Italian between BEI and non-BEI students. To answer them, a statistical analysis of the English language competence state test in two primary schools involved in the BEI project was carried out. A descriptive analysis of the scores obtained by BEI and non-BEI students was performed, followed by the analysis of the correlation between the scores in English, Italian and mathematics, and a linear regression considering all the relevant variables. The results point to an advantage of BEI students over non-BEI ones.
Engineering lecturers' views on CLIL and EMI Aguilar, Marta
International journal of bilingual education and bilingualism,
09/2017, Volume:
20, Issue:
6
Journal Article, Publication
Peer reviewed
Open access
The present study aims to shed some light on how engineering lecturers teaching in English at a Spanish university view their work (teaching goals) within the current European internationalisation ...trend of offering courses and master programmes in English. A questionnaire where content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and English-medium instruction (EMI) were differentiated and with questions on their self-attributed duties, training preferences, assessment and internationalisation issues, among others, was prepared. The 41 lecturers who participated were asked to identify the modality they were following and their views related to the key factors in their courses. Findings point to the fact that EMI is the modality they follow and that they do not want to shift to CLIL because they refuse to teach language. To gain qualitative information about their beliefs, six lecturers were later interviewed. These interviews suggested that lecturers attach no importance to language integration. More specifically, they do not usually reflect on their lecturing, they welcome the idea of distinguishing both modalities in higher education (HE), they regard English proficiency as a key factor for all stakeholders and finally they think CLIL better suits less proficient students in HE.
This paper sets out to position CLIL research within the broader field of bilingual education in the 21st century. In considering the development of CLIL across diverse European contexts, the author ...problematises the construction of a research agenda which lies at the interface of several different fields of study. A conceptual framework for CLIL is presented which reorientates the integration of language and content in order to inform and develop CLIL pedagogies from a 'holistic' perspective. Using the 4Cs Framework for analysis, the author concludes that for CLIL research to 'mature', the nature and design of the research must evolve to identify CLIL-specific issues whilst drawing on a much wider frame of reference. This poses a challenge for a future CLIL research agenda which must 'connect' and be 'connected' if the potential of CLIL is to be realised.
This article aims to review literature on CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) theory and practice, particularly during Science classes using English as a foreign language. In Europe, the ...CLIL approach – directed at the acquisition of both the additional Language and subject Content – has arisen to promote foreign language learning, but it could also be beneficial for the specific subject education. To support learners in understanding scientific information and taking responsible socio-scientific decisions, Science communication (its verbal language and other representation modes) should be emphasised over facts and formulas and addressed as a key competence. Studying CLIL programmes, which nurture language learning/use within Science education, becomes relevant. As a state of the art this work shows aspects of CLIL emergence and evolution and research gaps, such as CLIL as an educational methodology to enhance Science teaching. This study contributes to research on CLIL Science and language-focused Science education towards scientific literacy.
CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) is an approach thought to provide, mainly during Content (non-language, subject) classes, a meaningful environment at school for the use and learning ...of a foreign language (FL), and may also improve conditions and practices of the specific subject. Moreover, CLIL can represent a research context to gauge the importance of language-aware teaching as is the case with the Portuguese “English Plus” project (EP), in which History and Science are taught/ learnt with/in English at lower secondary school. Our doctoral research is designed as a descriptive-explanatory case study on the EP project and its participants (English and Science teachers, former and current students). More specifically, this work focuses on students and shows their relationship with the EP approach and (dis)advantages in learning a subject with a FL. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and interview, with subsequent content analysis. The importance of “integrated learning” and of diverse strategies used by the teacher to support/scaffold learning is present in students’ perspectives which may further influence teaching practices
This article reports on an English for academic purposes course designed following the tenets of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) to address the needs of language minority (LM) high ...school graduates entering Canadian universities. The language used in and required of post-secondary study is challenging for many LM students, particularly those with marginal English language arts grades, contributing to a difficult transition into university. The goal of this course was to improve academic English language skills to mitigate this transition; academic language skills and strategies were embedded, and the content and materials mimicked mainstream university courses. To determine what, if any, vocabulary gains took place during the course, data from pre-/post-testing and writing samples of the ten consenting participants were analyzed using t-tests. These data consisted of lexical measurement tools including the Gates MacGinitie Test of Reading (Vocab) and the Productive Academic Word Test, along with writing analysis using TAALEs and Lextutor software to evaluate lexical sophistication. Each measurement indicated vocabulary gains occurred during the six-week CLIL course. Qualitative examples of student work are provided, and subsequent academic performance of participants is presented. This research concludes with recommendations for future research and CLIL implementation in higher education.
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