IMPLEMENTATION OF CLIL AT TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY FOCUSING ON CLIL TEACHER PROFILE

Jaroslava Štefková,Elena Kováčiková,Zuzana Danihelová

doi:10.20535/2410-8286.240313

Jaroslava Štefková, Elena Kováčiková + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.20535/2410-8286.240313

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Abstract

The submitted paper deals with the issue of CLIL implementation at the Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia, specifically with the CLIL teacher profile and the preparedness of the university teachers to apply CLIL into their teaching practice. The topic was selected due to the ever-increasing importance of English in everyday communication and for professional, academic, and scientific purposes. The nature of the research is qualitative; therefore, the SWOT analysis was used for analyzing the current state of teacher preparedness for CLIL implementation. The study was conducted using a sample of 15 university teachers teaching disciplinary subjects via a structured interview. The interviews were subsequently analyzed, considering three aspects of CLIL teacher profile: professional background and expertise, methodological preparedness, and language preparedness. Individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of implementing CLIL were established in the analysis. The results indicated a general lack of language and methodological preparedness of teachers. On the other hand, all interviewed teachers were eager to improve in the specific areas to teach using the CLIL methodology since they all acknowledged the importance of language knowledge. Nevertheless, students' insufficient level of language preparedness could be a threat to implementing the CLIL methodology, which could eventually discourage them from attending lectures and seminars where CLIL elements are applied.

Highlights

In the educational practice, teachers have been looking for the way which would be most fruitful towards their students and their self-satisfaction
CLIL methodology focuses on learners more than the teacher, the teacher remains crucial in the pedagogical process
The CLIL Matrix gives a “user-friendly” description of the complex topic of CLIL methodology. Another description of CLIL methodology is provided by Mehisto et al (2008), who sees the main attributes of CLIL in the following parameters: multiple foci, safe and rich learning environment, authenticity, active learning, scaffolding, cooperation

Summary

Introduction

Teachers have been looking for the way which would be most fruitful towards their students and their self-satisfaction. In the second half of the 1990s, a new approach called CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) emerged in Europe. It was promoted by the plurilingualism movement in the European Union and covered in the Council of Europe when students should attain two foreign languages in their education. CLIL is bilingual education and dualfocused education as it usually includes two languages (mother tongue and a foreign language) It combines language and content input in various ratios. The CLIL Matrix gives a “user-friendly” description of the complex topic of CLIL methodology. The least common approach to the understanding of CLIL is presented by Meyer (2010) as the CLIL pyramid

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