Content And Language Integrated Learning Group Research Articles

How does Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Influence University Students’ English Acquisition? A Systematic Literature Review

This study aims to provide a comprehensive and detailed view of how Content and Language Intergraded Learning (CLIL) impact university students’ English learning outcomes in non-English as native-speaking countries. The study attempts to use a systematic literature review method to look through various peer review journal articles about the implementation of CLIL and its influence on learners’ English acquisition in higher education from three perspectives: general English proficiency, productive and receptive language skills outcomes, and students’ attitude. Findings show that English ability has developed after CLIL—based lessons while the difference between the CLIL group and non-CLIL group is not significant, and different linguistic skills unevenly developed. Meanwhile, students gain motivation and interest to learn English in CLIL, while some claim they feel challenged in learning English by the new teaching approach. Based on these findings, the study offers recommendations and teaching strategies implications for introducing CLIL in universities, especially in China’s tertiary educational settings.

The effect of CLIL context on the primary education EFL receptive and productive lexical growth

This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the nature and the patterns of lexical growth in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and non-CLIL learners across three successive academic years. To pursue the purpose of the study a total of 110 female students of six classes in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades in both bilingual and monolingual schools in Tehran, Iran, were selected. The experimental group included 50 students, while the control group included 60 students. Receptive and productive vocabulary sizes of three grades from both environments were compared using the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) and the Productive Vocabulary Levels Test (PVLT). The results indicated that learners’ receptive and productive vocabulary sizes in both CLIL and non-CLIL groups are below 1,000 words, according to the results of the 2k VLT and 2k PVLT tests. In addition, both CLIL and non-CLIL groups showed a gradual increase in their receptive and productive vocabulary growth from third grade to fourth and fifth grades. Finally, across all three grades, the CLIL group showed a higher increase in their receptive and productive vocabulary growth than the non-CLIL group. The results of the study have implications for bilingual schools, language institutes, and language teachers and learners.

Socioeconomic Status, English Exposure and CLIL Motivation in High and Low Exposure CLIL Groups

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) programs are often praised for bringing equity to foreign language learning (e.g., Lorenzo et al., 2020). However, streaming processes, such as those of the Community of Madrid Bilingual Program, may reinforce social inequalities among students (e.g., Llinares & Evnitskaya, 2020). In line with recent research comparing CLIL students’ affective factors in high exposure (HE) and low exposure (LE) tracks (e.g., Fernández-Agüero & Hidalgo-McCabe, 2020), the present study examines potential differences in the socioeconomic status (SES), CLIL motivation and exposure to English of HE and LE students at a bilingual (Spanish/English) secondary school in a low SES town in Madrid. A questionnaire measuring cultural and economic capital, CLIL motivation, and teachers’ use of English was administered to a sample of LE and all HE students in year 10. Results show that the students of lowest and highest SES were concentrated in LE and HE tracks, respectively. In the LE track, CLIL and English teachers used English less frequently, and students exhibited lower intrinsic motivation. For students with lower English proficiency (often of lower SES), access to the cultural and economic capital afforded by knowledge of English may be constrained by fewer meaningful learning opportunities.

The effect of implementing CLIL on subject learning in the context of business English

This paper aims to outline the effect of implementing Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach in teaching Business English through task-based practice. This includes gap-filling exercises, words in context activities, reading comprehension of ESP texts, translation of specialized terms, and oral presentation rubric. Students were divided into a CLIL and a Non-CLIL group. The aim was to assess students’ speaking skills in terms of acquisition of subject-specific profession-related terms depending on the used approach. The obtained qualitative data revealed higher progress of the students in the CLIL group. The results support the importance of CLIL methodology as a relatively new and more effective approach for an overall improvement of language skills and more specifically for the development of communicative competence in terms of teaching Business English terminology and ESP as an important part of preparation for problem solving in real-life situations enhancing future career opportunities.

A comparative study of CLIL implementation in upper secondary school in Sweden and students’ development of L2 English academic vocabulary

Although research on content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has shown that CLIL instruction may enhance students’ second or foreign language learning compared to regular foreign language instruction, there are also studies that have indicated similar language development between CLIL and non-CLIL students. However, CLIL can be organized and implemented in many different ways and thus, it is necessary to identify the specific features of various CLIL contexts when comparing learning outcomes. In this study, CLIL implementation at three Swedish upper secondary schools was explored and compared. Further, students’ development of second language (L2) English productive academic vocabulary was compared over three years between CLIL groups at different schools as well as between CLIL and non-CLIL groups ( n = 230), using corpus-based methods. The results revealed significant differences in the progression of L2 academic vocabulary between CLIL groups that may be attributed to substantial differences in CLIL implementation, e.g. with regard to the time allotted for CLIL, teacher availability and the balance between first language (L1) and L2. At the school where the CLIL group’s L2 productive academic vocabulary progressed more than in other groups, both Swedish and English were languages of instruction, increasing the proportion of English over the three years; in the third year, English dominated as the language of instruction. The results indicated similar development of L2 academic vocabulary between CLIL and non-CLIL groups when CLIL implementation was very limited in scale and scope. Further, the results showed that apart from vocabulary, CLIL teachers of non-language subjects generally paid very little attention to other aspects of language.

Analysis and insights into written competence of clil and non-clil programs in tertiary context

In 2020 a new faculty was established at Yeoju Technical Institute in Tashkent. This faculty is the first in Uzbekistan that teaches learners dual-focused Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach.The research was conducted within one academic year (2 semesters), in experimental and control groups that include CLIL and non-CLIL language learners. The chosen module was Introduction to Academic Writing that compares the writing performance of CLIL and non-CLIL students in terms of 3 dimensions: fluency, accuracy, and complexity of academic writing. The result of the research revealed that the CLIL group showed better results compared with non-CLIL students regarding the frequent usage of academic vocabulary, complexity in structure, and content of writing, demonstrating a more critical approach to the assigned topics.

Motivation towards the foreign language (English) and regional language (Basque) in immersion schools: Does CLIL in the foreign language make a difference?

Motivation to learn languages strongly correlates with language achievement, and the school context has a great influence on the motivation of young learners (YLs). A key rationale for the implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) programs, therefore, was pupil motivation. Very few studies have measured motivation in this context, especially in primary schools. Even fewer have done so in bilingual areas, where the continuation of widespread use of the regional language often depends on its presence in the school system and where CLIL reduces this presence. To address these gaps, motivation towards the foreign language (FL), English, and the regional language, Basque, was measured in 399 YLs of English (aged 10–12 years) in Basque immersion schools. The learners were divided into a CLIL group ( n = 230), with English as a foreign language (EFL) and CLIL lessons, and a non-CLIL group ( n = 169), which received only EFL lessons. Results showed that the CLIL learners had a more positive attitude towards English and a slightly lower motivation towards Basque. This suggests that increasing the amount of exposure to the foreign language (FL) via CLIL lessons improves the motivation towards English but could decrease the instrumental motivation towards the regional language.

The (heterogeneous) effect of CLIL on content-subject and cognitive acquisition in primary education: evidence from a counterfactual analysis in Italy

ABSTRACT This article claims to provide evidence on whether content-subject and cognitive achievement vary in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and non-CLIL classrooms in the framework of a newly introduced CLIL programme in Italy. A standardized and validated science test (TIMSS) was administered to a sample 988 fourth-grade students. The sample was divided into three groups: one group learning science through English, one group through German, and a control group in which the students’ school language, Italian, was employed. In our study the lack of taking into account causal relations which prevails in many prior studies is reduced by employing a counterfactual design. Results show a slightly negative effect of CLIL on science learning in both treatment groups in comparison to the control group. However, for both CLIL groups the negative effect exclusively pertains to the learning of purely content-related knowledge, while there are no differences between the non-CLIL and the two CLIL groups with regard to two other cognitive domains: application of knowledge and reasoning. Moreover, the paper shows significantly negative CLIL effects only among low language achievers and students from less advantaged parental backgrounds.

The development of receptive vocabulary in CLIL vs EFL: Is the learning context the main variable?

This paper explores the impact of exposure on the development of receptive vocabulary knowledge of L2 learners in two different types of instructional context -mainstream English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). In order to measure vocabulary size, the 2K and academic version of the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT; Schmitt, Schmitt & Clapham, 2001) were administered to 138 secondary-school learners with different learning backgrounds in terms of language learning approach (CLIL vs. EFL) and amount of exposure to the L2. The data obtained indicate that the amount of input does not play a significant role in the differences between CLIL and EFL learners’ receptive vocabulary knowledge, but rather it is the educational context which seems to benefit the CLIL group in terms of vocabulary growth.

The effect of bilingual Physical Education on students’ Physical Activity. Things are not always as they seem

One of the priorities of ET2020 is to increase the efficiency of teaching through the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach. In Physical Education (PE), it is still not crystal clear whether sessions that involve CLIL undergo such substantial modifications that the amount of physical activity in the lessons is jeopardized when compared with ordinary Physical Education lessons. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the difference in Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) between a CLIL and a non-CLIL group; (2) to analyse the progression of MVPA during a PE unit; (3) to analyse the possible differences in MVPA between males and females. A quasi-experimental design was implemented. The sample consisted of 48 from a Spanish secondary school, divided into a CLIL group and a non-CLIL group. GENEActiv Accelerometers were used to objectively measure their MVPA. The results showed significant differences in favour of the CLIL group, whose average MVPA was higher than that of the non-CLIL group. In conclusion, the results suggest that CLIL may be a valid approach to use in PE without compromising students’ physical activity.

Pragmatics in CLIL

AbstractThis study is a mixed-method, cross-sectional study that compares the acquisition of request modification in the productions of two secondary school groups (15–16 years old) in two school programs: content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and traditional mainstream (non-CLIL). A total of 192 requests were gathered from both groups by means of an elicitation instrument (a Written Discourse Completion Test – WDCT). The requestive pragmatic moves (external and internal modifiers and request strategies) were analysed according to their pragmatic functions (softeners and aggravators) and a data-driven taxonomy of request modification was elaborated in line with previously developed taxonomies (Blum-Kulka et al., 1989;Alcón Soler et al., 2005) for the data analysis. The results showed that both groups share similarities typical of foreign language learners. Nonetheless, significant statistical differences between them indicated that the CLIL group had a fuller repertoire of request modification strategies, yet their sociopragmatic knowledge is questioned.

THE ACQUISITION OF L2 LISTENING COMPREHENSION SKILLS IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION SETTINGS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN CLIL AND NON-CLIL STUDENT PERFORMANCE

This study explores the impact of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) on the development of listening skills in English both in Primary and Secondary Education in Spain. To do this, CLIL (n=2,790) and non-CLIL learners (n=17,070) enrolled in the 4th grade of Primary Education (9-10 years old), and CLIL (n=2,680), and non-CLIL students (n=17,638) in the 2nd year of Secondary Education (13-14 years old) were compared regarding their oral comprehension skills. Results showed no differences between CLIL and non-CLIL groups in Primary Education, while in Secondary School, the CLIL group significantly outperformed the non-CLIL group in the overall results of listening and in every oral comprehension subskill evaluated, and differences were higher in the most complex listening tasks. These findings seem to suggest that CLIL programs are more effective to promote the acquisition of listening skills in the target language in secondary than in primary school settings. The age of students, along with other contextual differences between the CLIL programme in Primary and in Secondary School might explain these results.

The use of previously known languages in the oral production of L3 English learners: A pseudolongitudinal study

AbstractRecent studies have concluded that type of language teaching programs such as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) may have an effect on the use of previously known languages. Most of the studies that have tackled the use of previously known languages in the CLIL literature have compared CLIL to non-CLIL learners. However, few (pseudo)longitudinal studies have been conducted in this respect. This paper will try to fill this gap by examining the use of previously known languages (L1 Spanish/L2 Basque) in an oral narration task in two different age/proficiency CLIL groups. Participants are Basque/Spanish bilinguals learning English as a third language (L3) in a CLIL setting. Both groups started learning English at the age of 3 but differ in length and amount of exposure. Results show that both groups behave in the same way in terms of the use of previously known languages except for the production of foreignizings, which were more frequent in the younger group. The examination of the results also revealed that discourse markers was the most common manifestation of use of previous linguistic experience when compared to the rest of the categories.

Explicit phonetic instruction vs. implicit attention to native exposure: phonological awareness of English schwa in CLIL

AbstractThe present study aims at determining whether instruction in the form of explicit phonetic training and of implicit exposure to native input impacted Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) students’ phonological awareness of the occurrence of Englishschwain unstressed syllables of content words (bacon). Four intact CLIL groups were administered a perception task immediately before and after an intervention period of one month in which two groups underwent explicit instruction on the incidence of reduced vowels versus full vowels in English disyllabic words while another group was exposed to native input in their CLIL sessions. A fourth CLIL group with neither explicit intervention nor native teacher input served as control group. All four groups tended to judge bothschwasand full vowels as correct in the pre-test, indicating that they were not knowledgeable of the general pattern of vowel reduction occurrence in unstressed syllables in English prior to intervention. In the post-test, the three experimental groups significantly improved their ability to identify full vowels as incorrect, the groups receiving explicit instruction exhibiting higher gains than the group which was implicitly exposed to native input.

Adquisición de la lectura en L1 en programas bilingües de Educación Primaria. Un estudio comparativo

En este trabajo se analiza el efecto de las enseñanzas bilingües tipo AICLE (Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lenguas Extranjeras) en el desarrollo de la competencia lectora en lengua materna en estudiantes de 4.º de Educación Primaria (9-10 años). Para ello se aplicó un test de comprensión lectora y se compararon las puntuaciones obtenidas por los estudiantes que recibieron enseñanzas bilingües (grupo CLIL, n=18 541) y los que cursaron enseñanzas ordinarias (grupo no-CLIL, n=1998). Los resultados globales indican que las enseñanzas bilingües evaluadas en este estudio, a pesar de conllevar una limitación académica de la lengua materna de en torno al 25 % del currículo, no ocasionaron ningún perjuicio a la adquisición de la competencia lectora en la L1, posiblemente debido a la existencia de procesos de transferencia de estrategias entre lenguas. Tampoco se detectaron diferencias entre los dos grupos en la adquisición de los niveles de lectura literal e inferencial, aunque sí que se encontraron diferencias significativas a favor del grupo CLIL en la comprensión de elementos léxicos y a favor del grupo no-CLIL en el nivel de lectura crítica.

A micro process-product study of a CLIL lesson l

We begin by comparing two models for the simultaneous teaching of language and content: immersion, and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). Following a brief summary and critique of research on CLIL, we describe a micro process-product laboratory experiment with young adult native speakers of Arabic for whom English was the L2. The same fifteen-minute lesson about an amateur anthropologist’s alleged discovery of a hitherto unknown indigenous tribe in the Amazonian jungle was delivered by nine surrogate teachers to nine groups of four surrogate students in three baseline English native speaker groups, three baseline Arabic native speaker groups and three CLIL groups. Findings on language use in the nine lessons are related to content learning and vocabulary knowledge. The short-term, artificial nature of the study precludes generalisations to real CLIL programs, which was not our intention. Rather, we wish to suggest that process-product laboratory studies of larger scale and longer duration, paired with classroom studies employing a similar design and research methodology, offer a useful approach to identifying strengths and weaknesses of CLIL programs largely ignored to date.

The influence of CLIL on receptive vocabulary: a preliminary study

Empirical studies have shown that Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) seems to be beneficial to receptive vocabulary, which in turn correlates with a higher level of general competence. However, these studies have mainly compared CLIL and Non-CLIL groups matching in age at testing and without a control of other variables such as amount of exposure. The present study, even though exploratory in nature, sets out to fill this gap by comparing groups with the same onset age as well as controlling for other variables. To test general proficiency, the Quick Placement Test (QPT) was used, and the 1,000 and 2,000 frequency bands of the Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT) were delivered to measure functional vocabulary size. CLIL students were found to outstrip their respective Non-CLIL counterparts at the same educational level and to perform as well as an older Non-CLIL sample. Taking together the level of English language lessons and differences in cognitive maturity and amounts of exposure, it is argued that CLIL instruction has intrinsic benefits for receptive vocabulary.

Analysis of accuracy in the writing of EFL students enrolled on CLIL and non-CLIL programmes: the impact of grade and gender

ABSTRACTThis paper examines written language accuracy in a content and language integrated learning (CLIL) and a non-CLIL instruction context including grade and gender in the analysis. Essays written by 393 third and fourth year CLIL and non-CLIL secondary education students were evaluated by two measures of second language (L2) accuracy: error-free sentence ratio and errors per word ratio. Errors were analysed and scored as syntactic, morphological, lexical, lexicogrammatical, spelling and punctuation errors. Results revealed that accuracy progressed with grade significantly in the CLIL instruction context whereas in the non-CLIL group only lexicogrammatical errors decreased significantly. The analysis of error subtypes revealed some cases of regression and stabilisation tendencies, with articles posing problems in both contexts and prepositions, determiners, voice, subordination and word order in the non-CLIL context. As regards gender, female participants did not significantly outperform their male peers in written accuracy in the CLIL group as they did in the non-CLIL group indicating that CLIL may help balance gender differences.

The effects of CLIL on mathematical content learning: A longitudinal study

Previous research has shown that content and language integrated learning (CLIL), an educational approach that offers content courses through more than one educational language, increases metalinguistic awareness. This improved insight into language structures is supposed to extend beyond the linguistic domain. In the present study, the question whether pupils who learn in a CLIL environment outperform their traditionally schooled peers in mathematics is investigated. In total, 107 pupils entered the study. All participants were in the first year of secondary education at a school in Ostend, in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. Thirty-five pupils followed CLIL education in a foreign language (French) and 72 followed traditional education that was given in the native language (Dutch). All participants were tested using a mathematical test at the beginning of the year, after three months, and after ten months. The first measurement of the mathematical scores showed that the two groups did not differ. In accordance with our hypothesis, the CLIL group scored higher than the non-CLIL group after ten months. Surprisingly, an effect was also found after three months. To conclude, CLIL appears to have a positive impact on the mathematical performance of pupils even after a short period of time.

L1 Use, Lexical Richness, Accuracy and Syntactic Complexity in the Oral Production of CLIL and NON-CLIL Learners of English

As more focus on communication is promoted in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) classrooms and general proficiency is usually enhanced in these settings, this study aims to explore (i) whether a lower rate of L1 use, as regards interactional strategies and transfer lapses, is found in CLIL learners when compared to NON-CLIL learners; (ii) whether differences exist between both groups in lexical richness (type/token ratio and D), accuracy (word order and correct production of the definite and indefinite article) and syntactic complexity (production of simple and complex sentences and variety of tenses used); and (iii) whether L1 use correlates with lexical richness, accuracy and syntactic complexity. The analysis of an oral production task of two groups of fourteen year-old Basque/Spanish bilingual students learning L3 English indicates that the CLIL group made lower use of L1. The CLIL group also obtained better scores in lexical richness and general proficiency as well as in the correct production of definite and indefinite articles and in the use of complex clauses. No correlation was observed between L1 use and accuracy or syntactic complexity, suggesting that a decrease in L1 use is not always related to better performance in specific aspects of language or the use of more complex language.