Content And Language Integrated Learning Materials Research Articles

Content-specific vocabulary in CLIL: Exploring L2 learning outcomes in a primary education programme in Catalonia

The present study seeks to explore the effects of participating in a content and language integrated learning (CLIL) programme in terms of second language (L2) content-specific vocabulary learning in a primary education school. CLIL instruction has been found to benefit the development of English L2 vocabulary, more receptive than productive. Nonetheless, little is known on content-specific vocabulary learning in CLIL and how it is supported through classroom input with young learners. We explore the impact of a 4-week CLIL programme implemented in a Catalan primary education school with a group of 16 Catalan/Spanish first language (L1) children, aged 10–11 years. Vocabulary learning was measured by means of ad hoc tests, designed on the basis of the input from the CLIL materials and targeting vocabulary depth and breadth. The results indicate that CLIL instruction positively impacted children’s depth and breadth of content-specific vocabulary knowledge. More specifically, the children experienced a significant improvement both in their receptive and productive knowledge of word meaning and form with regard to content-specific lexis. Moreover, with regard to children’s productive vocabulary knowledge as elicited through a written content task, statistical improvement was found in terms of lexical diversity and sophistication, but not lexical density. We argue for the need to use input profiled assessment instruments to appraise L2 vocabulary gains in CLIL.

Core Features of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): An Exploratory Study in Indonesian Primary Schools

This study explores the implementation of an adapted form of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in primary schools as it is utilized to support the teaching of English to young learners (TEYL) in Indonesia. Three teachers of well-established public primary schools in one of the municipalities of East Java province participated in the study due to their experiences in integrating subject content and English in day-to-day classes. The data collection was conducted using classroom observations, in-depth interviews, lesson plan analyses, and a questionnaire about how CLIL core features were integrated into the class. The results revealed that the teachers performed some core features of CLIL, as defined by Mehisto et al. (2008), such as multiple foci, active learning, scaffolding, and cooperation. However, the teachers reflected that cooperation between content and language teachers should be enhanced to improve CLIL materials. In addition, the teachers argued that they needed more training to improve their competence to conduct effective CLIL practices. The practical application of the current study is summarized in the presentation of some pedagogical suggestions to offer a more efficacious learning process, especially in TEYL practice Hence, the emerging outcomes of the study should serve as practical guidance for the improvement of TEYL acivities by adapting CLIL in the primary schools of Indonesia.

Framework for CLIL materials for Russian heritage language learners

The increasing number of immigrants made heritage language learning a crucial issue of 21-st century education. The neediness for an effective educational approach in this field leaded to CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning). CLIL materials are high-contextualized by age, skills, language, subject content, etc. So, teachers ought to become materials designers to provide their learners with an effective tool of learning. Usually, teachers did not specifically train for materials design. Thus, easy-to-use framework for materials is essential to provide high-quality materials. This article provides a framework for CLIL materials design for Russian heritage language learners. The framework is based on the main materials design principles, heritage learners` pedagogical needs, and CLIL-specific materials design principles. It is written in the easy-to-use form of a checklist. The checklist has seven sections and 32 questions. The framework may be used in different contexts of teachers from different countries who use CLIL to teach the Russian heritage language.

Research into practice: CLIL in South America

AbstractThis paper discusses three relationships between content and language integrated learning (CLIL) research and practice in the context of South America. The first relationship focuses on research with successful results in the areas of language learning motivation and intercultural communicative competence and citizenship. The second relationship discusses research which has yielded mixed results to support language learning and cognitive development. The last relationship suggests what areas deserve special attention to offer further support to teachers involved in CLIL provision. The following areas are addressed: teacher-made CLIL materials, language and content gains, L1-L2 (first language, second language) curriculum design, and inclusion. In conclusion, I assert that CLIL in South America can be invigorated if researchers and educators carry out research, preferably in collaboration, that recognises, maximises and improves CLIL in practice. I also suggest that the CLIL community in South America may engage in creating CLIL models and conceptual frameworks that respond to the particularities of their settings with the aim of making CLIL context-responsive and sustainable.

ON DEVELOPING MATERIALS FOR CLIL

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is not an unknown term. In Slovakia, many schools communicate they apply CLIL methodology; however, there are numerous studies that are sceptical about CLIL application. The most significant problem defined by CLIL teachers is the lack of appropriate materials that follow dual aims. Based on this feedback the development of CLIL materials became a part of pre-service teachers’ methodology courses. The present study aimed to explore the attitudes of the pre-service teachers towards the possible application of the content and language integrated learning in their teaching. Questionnaires and pre-service teachers’ portfolios provided data from 63 participants. The study also presents the results of discussions on the problems faced by students, the attitudes of student teachers towards material evaluation and development, planning CLIL lessons and the analysis of the questionnaire focussing on students’ attitudes towards CLIL application. Data suggest that even though pre-service teachers are positive about CLIL application and are interested in doing CLIL lessons they do not feel confident especially in evaluating the outcomes of CLIL lessons and creating materials for CLIL lessons. Finally, the author summarises the pedagogical implications to pre-service teachers study programmes as well as recommendations for teaching practice.

Effects of focus on form on primary CLIL students’ foreign language performance in task-based oral interaction

Abstract In content and language integrated learning (CLIL) programmes, attention to language can be easily overlooked behind the assumption that language learning will take place incidentally. This study aimed at analysing the effects of a balanced integration of content and language on fifth graders’ foreign language (FL) oral performance. Two groups of participants had been doing CLIL in the form of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) subject as of first grade, and yet observations revealed an important lack of focus on form in these lessons. CLIL materials and lessons that provided enough attention to language were designed and implemented for three months only in one of the groups. Students were assessed on their FL fluency and complexity before and after the treatment. Results revealed higher gains in speech rate and number of minimal contributions and a significantly lower L1 reliance in the case of the treatment group.

The Challenges of Implementing Content Language Integrated Learning in Tertiary Education in Thailand: A Review and Implication of Materials

The trends of globalization and intercultural communication influence education in most countries of the world. The implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is a big challenge for Thai content teachers and professional development programs. It is not easy for both teachers and learners who are non-native speakers of English. In Thailand, English is used as a foreign language, so teachers try to find out the most appropriate teaching approach to develop learners’ English skills in order to serve the trends of globalization. This article expresses the idea of CLIL in Thailand, including challenges of implementing CLIL in Thai context, CLIL materials, and steps to successful material development in the Thai context. Additionally, it explains the problems of using CLIL among Thai teachers and learners. The goal is to understand principles that should be considered when adapting or designing CLIL materials for teaching in classrooms. Consecutive steps to implement materials to CLIL class are alternative for teachers to create the successful teaching. It can incorporate elements of the learner’s first language and culture effectively. Furthermore, appropriate materials can be used in the classroom to help motivate learners.

DEVELOPING TERTIARY LEVEL CLIL LEARNERS’ INTERCULTURAL AWARENESS WITH A SELF-PRODUCED COURSEBOOK INTEGRATING CONTENT AND LANGUAGE

Integrating content and language at tertiary level has recently become very popular in Asian contexts. Extensive studies have also been done, evidencing that CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) can be beneficial for improving learners’ linguistic outcomes and content achievements. However, cultural awareness, as one core dimension of the 4Cs (communication, content, cognition, and culture) conceptual framework is less addressed in the literature. Often it is assumed that CLIL education can also naturally increase learners’ cross-cultural competence, but hard evidence on the increment of this competence is still lacking in the CLIL literature. Thus, to bridge this gap, the present study used a mixed research method to investigate to what extent a self-produced CLIL culture coursebook can help university students enhance their inter-cultural knowledge in a national Taiwan polytechnic university. One survey was conducted to evaluate the tailor-made CLIL materials and another was administered to measure the cultural competence after the CLIL intervention. The coursebook writers as well as the CLIL learners were also interviewed in the study. The findings showed that the contextualised design met its set educational aims and targets, and the users made significant improvement in their cultural competence. Also, the interviewees showed a high degree of satisfaction with the coursebook and the approach, although the book authors held divided opinions on some issues. Implications and suggestions are provided.

Evaluating Contextualized Content and Language Integrated Learning Materials at Tertiary Level

Evaluacion de materiales de aprendizaje integrado de contenidos y lenguas extranjeras contextualizados a nivel de educacion superiorAvaliacao de materiais de aprendizagem integrada de conteudos e linguas estrangeiras contextualizados a nivel de ensino superiorThe Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach has been broadly adopted and extensively researched at different educational levels across European contexts. It is also becoming popular in Asian settings due to its dual focus on developing both language skills and content knowledge. It aims to empower learners with high mobility and employability in the globalized job market. However, successful implementation of CLIL in these countries has been difficult for various reasons, including lack of suitable CLIL-based curricular materials. This study reports how an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teacher, who is also a CLIL practitioner, worked collaboratively with an English learner who has professional, industrial internship experience, to produce contextualized CLIL learning materials for tertiary education. It also examines to what extent the self-designed CLIL materials satisfy standards of good quality. In total, 47 English-major first-year students joined the study in a national polytechnic university in Taiwan. The results reveal that CLIL learners have a fairly high expectation of quality materials, and our design received 5%–25% lower agreement than the criteria. Moreover, learners’ gender, language proficiency and previous secondary school major were factors that affected how they perceive the criteria of quality and our own CLIL materials. This demonstrates complexities of designing CLIL-based curricular materials addressing learners’ individual differences (especially in terms of needs and expectations) in a polytechnic university with pedagogic implications.To reference this article (APA) / Para citar este articulo (APA) / Para citar este artigo (APA)Yang, W. (2018). Evaluating Contextualized Content and Language Integrated Learning Materials at Tertiary Level. LACLIL, 11(2), 236-274. DOI: 10.5294/laclil.2018.11.2.4Received: 11/09/2018Apporved: 30/11/2018

Teachers develop CLIL materials in Argentina: A workshop experience

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is a Europe-born approach. Nevertheless,CLIL as a language learning approach has been implemented in LatinAmerica in different ways and models: content-driven models and language-drivenmodels. As regards the latter, new school curricula demand that CLIL be usedin secondary education in Argentina and that teacher pedagogies and materialsmatch the L1 curriculum and overall context. Therefore, teachers initially educatedin other paradigms need professional development opportunities to understandCLIL as an innovative language teaching approach. The aim of this article isto reflect on CLIL materials produced by a group of Argentinian teachers as partof a professional development workshop. In this article, I shall first conceptualizeCLIL and review the literature around CLIL materials. Then, I describe the workshopand offer content analysis of participants’ lesson plans. I shall conclude withemergent working principles based on these participants’ practices and suggestionsfor further research. doi:10.5294/laclil.2016.9.1.2

Reconsidering the first steps of CLIL implementation in Vietnam

Among various measures introduced in the National Foreign Languages 2020 Project by Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) to enhance foreign language (FL) competence of Vietnamese people, the implementation of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has received much public attention and feedback from those concerned. This paper aims to discuss four critiques by the policy actors regarding the significance of CLIL in the Vietnamese context, teachers’ readiness, students’ readiness and CLIL materials. In addition, a case study was conducted to illustrate the discussion and provide a general picture of teachers’ perceptions of CLIL, how they implement CLIL and the difficulties they encounter in practice.

Vocabulary learning at primary school: a comparison of EFL and CLIL

Comparative studies in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) often show CLIL students to be at something of an advantage over their non-CLIL peers. However, such studies are often difficult to interpret given problems of cross-group comparability (different schooling systems, different number of instructional hours, bias attributable to selection/self-selection, etc.). This study focuses on a single group of schoolchildren (n = 22), aged eight years old, that were exposed to English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction in the fall term and to CLIL instruction (Science) in the winter term. The main objectives are to analyze the vocabulary of the class materials and to examine gains in productive lexical knowledge. Our results show that students were exposed to a greater number of words and to more abstract and technical vocabulary in the CLIL materials, but that they made significant progress in vocabulary learning in both contexts. The study also reveals that learning English through Science proved to be a more challenging experience than learning English in the EFL class.

CLIL: SUGGESTED ENGLISH MATERIALS FOR CURRICULUM 2013

Teaching approaches always change from time to time. The change of teaching approaches is followed by the change of materials. The new materials in secondary level are Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). From these materials, the students are expected to be able to understand other subjects which are written in English. In secondary level, the subjects are science and mathematics. Thus, this paper provides materials, teaching procedures of CLIL and SWOT analysis. The materials are related to the science theme. There are three topics under science theme: digestive system, laboratory equipments and symbols, and light. The teaching procedure of CLIL is Presenting, Practicing and Producing (PPP). Firstly, the teacher presents the material. Secondly, the students practice to retell the material. Lastly, the students produce wall-magazine, posters and experiment report. In conclusion, CLIL materials can be explored more by English teachers because it is new and interesting.