It’s Never too Late to Mend: Potentials of CLIL Pedagogical Approach to Internationalize Ethiopian Journalism Education

Abstract

Recently, due to globalization and the consequent knowledge sharing, there is a paradigm shift in the focus of education. English is a new wave flowing throughout the academic landscape of the world. 21st century is facing the challenges of the new status of English language as a lingua franca. Globally, many countries have embraced English as a medium of instruction to prosper in this new world economic order. This is impacting the didactics and pedagogy in the educational systems as a consequence of which fresh winds of pedagogic changes are blowing and new approaches are knocking. Furthermore, innovative curriculums are appearing and equally rejuvenated materials are coming up. More interactive classrooms are becoming the predominant feature of the contemporary pedagogical practice. Besides, the new technologies, the multimodal ways, growing local diversity and global connectedness are calling for an educational response to the expectations of the modern age. Today, learning is moved from the acquisition of knowledge to the development of the competence, expertise and problem solution. This article contextualizes the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach to journalism education in Ethiopia. This article begins with the conceptualization of CLIL, and justifies why CLIL is necessary for journalism education in Ethiopia. The article further signifies how CLIL philosophy is beneficial for journalism education; and how CLIL approach can be used as a journalismeducational approach. In addition, the article argues how CLIL can be contextualized for curriculum design, material development, and classroom procedure of journalism education. The article concludes that if CLIL approach is used as journalism pedagogic approach, there is a greater chance of better curriculum design, enhanced material development, and discourse-oriented classroom procedures. This will certainly lead to the academic success and professional achievement of both the learners and the teachers.