Abstract
In Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), the design of a language policy at school level is not only bound up with the number of languages used for learning and the number of hours devoted to teaching those languages, but also with the fact that language becomes specialised in relation to the subject, which impacts on the methodology used. These are the reasons for both language teachers and subject teachers to work together in design and implementation; and for the teachers’ use of a translanguaging-based approach to language learning (San Isidro, 2018).
 
 Previous research has dealt with teachers’ opinions (Calvo & San Isidro, 2012; Coonan, 2007; Infante et al., 2009; Pladevall-Ballester, 2015) on the difficulties of curriculum integration and its effects on both the different languages of instruction and the learning of content; or on the difficulties of language and content integration. However, methodology-oriented research on teachers’ views and work in specific contexts is direly needed so as to gain a deep insight into the methodological commonalities that make CLIL what it is.
 
 Our qualitative study is focused on a two-year monitoring of teachers’ (N=6) views on CLIL implementation in a rural multilingual setting in Galicia. The teachers were monitored by means of interviews held between 2012 and 2014. After being trained, they took part in a CLIL project based on curriculum integration with two different groups of students. The findings reported showed that 1) teachers’ initial views on CLIL implementation turned more positive over the two years; 2) teachers believed that CLIL provides a very good framework for the development of pluriliteracies; 3) their views regarding content learning in CLIL turned more neutral in the course of the two years; and 4) teachers stressed the need for methodology-oriented training.
Highlights
1.1 CLIL Implementation, a Pedagogical ApproachInitially, in its originally European context, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) was “heralded as the potential lynchpin to tackle the foreign language deficit in our continent” (Pérez Cañado, 2016, p. 2), and, as such, in the course of more than two decades of implementation, it has adapted to the variegated contexts of the European language diversity and policies through various models in the different countries and regions (San Isidro, 2018)
The findings reported showed that 1) teachers’ initial views on CLIL implementation turned more positive over the two years; 2) teachers believed that CLIL provides a very good framework for the development of pluriliteracies; 3) their views regarding content learning in CLIL turned more neutral in the course of the two years; and 4) teachers stressed the need for methodology-oriented training
From a “well-recognised and useful construct for promoting L2/foreign language teaching” (Cenoz, Genesee, & Gorter, 2013, p. 16), CLIL implementation has morphed into the design of language policies at school level, putting the spotlight on curriculum integration and the development of pluriliteracies along with remodelling teaching practice (San Isidro, 2018)
Summary
In its originally European context, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) was “heralded as the potential lynchpin to tackle the foreign language deficit in our continent” (Pérez Cañado, 2016, p. 2), and, as such, in the course of more than two decades of implementation, it has adapted to the variegated contexts of the European language diversity and policies through various models in the different countries and regions (San Isidro, 2018). Regarding the Galician context, the one where our research took place, two studies (Barreiro & San Isidro, 2009; Calvo & San Isidro, 2012) focused on large-scale quantitative analyses of teachers’ perceptions and students’ results in secondary and primary education, respectively In both studies, teachers’ perceptions were really positive about students’ attitudes and performance in the three languages and content learning. Teachers’ perceptions were really positive about students’ attitudes and performance in the three languages and content learning Both emphasised the need for long-term and small-scale analyses, which is exactly what our study accomplishes as it is focused on a longitudinal qualitative small-scale monitoring of teachers' views
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
