The Language Quadriptych in content and language integrated learning: findings from a collaborative action research study

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, we report the findings from a collaborative action research project carried out between three secondary school teachers (Biology, History, Literature) from a Spanish-English bilingual school in Argentina, and Author 1. The project emerged in response to the teachers’ interest in providing their learners with further opportunities to use English as an additional language in the content and language integrated learning (CLIL) classroom. The experience included a series of workshops on lesson planning and reflection around the Language Triptych (Coyle et al. 2010. CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). Data were collected through classroom observations, teaching and learning artefacts, and interviews with the participating teachers. Data were analysed through qualitative content analysis. We particularly pay attention to how the participating teachers put forward what we shall call the ‘Language Quadriptych’ to account for their learners’ linguistic and cognitive needs and wants in relation reflecting on their learning, alongside constructing disciplinary knowledge in English.