The CLIL teacher in Italy:Language certifications

Communicative competences

Attilio Galimberti - Paola Martini Ufficio Scolastico per la Lombardia

Albino, 7th June 2018

The CLIL Teacher

OUTSIDER

MASO

CHIST

???

The CLIL teacher should be..

A teacher who is…

A pedagogical path-finderA self-study promoterAn enthusiast of new teaching approachesA prototype of the successful international

teacherA professional new-technologies educator

LANGUAGE COMPETENCES ENGLISH LITERACY (BICS)• General English

Conversational language +Formal linguistic register =• Language mastery

B2-C1 CEFR levels in communicative language

competences

ACADEMIC LITERACY (CALP)• Subject specific lexis

Academic languageDisciplinary vocabulary +Key subject phrases =• Discipline-specific discursive

language use

• Subject mastery and linguistic expertise

Common European Framework- levels

• A1: beginner• A2: elementary• B1: lower intermediate• B2: higher intermediate• C1: lower advanced• C2: higher advanced

http://clients.squareeye.net/uploads/eaquals2011/EAQUALS_Bank_as_levels.pdf

COMMON REFERENCE LEVEL BThreshold B1 The ability to express oneself in a limited way

in familiar situations and to deal in a general way with non-routine information.Example: CAN ask to open an account at a bank, provided that the procedure is straightforward.

Vantage B2 The capacity to achieve most goals and express oneself on a range of topics.Example: CAN show visitors around and give a detailed description of a place.

http://www.examenglish.com/CEFR/cefr.php

COMMON REFERENCE LEVEL CEffective Operational Proficiency

C1 The ability to communicate with the emphasis on how well it is done, in terms of appropriacy, sensitivity and the capacity to deal with unfamiliar topics.Example: CAN deal with hostile questioning confidently. CAN get and hold onto his/her turn to speak.

Mastery C2 The capacity to deal with material which is academic or cognitively demanding, and to use language to good effect at a level of performance which may in certain respects be more advanced than that of an average native speaker.Example: CAN scan texts for relevant information, and grasp main topic of text, reading almost as quickly as a native speaker.

Imagine you are a visiting professor.

Rely on your subject expertise and don’t expect

your students to check your language proficiency!

Their focus will be on content, especially in those

schools where specific content is their only care!

The CLIL Teacher AND the Language Teacher:

friends or foes?

Think of your school context:

Are your colleagues who teach English…

1. judgmental or disapproving2. unresponsive3. collaborative ?

For all these categories… watch this video together!

2 Billion Voices: How to speak bad English perfectly, Heather Hansen, TEDxOdense

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dum2Z4B3js

CLILInstitutional

in upper secondary schools

CLIL Legislation

• DD.PP.RR. n. 88/2010 e 89/2010 implementing the Upper Secondary School Reform, includes the teaching/learning of a non-linguistic subject (DNL) in a foreign language (FL) in the final year of Licei and Istituti Tecnici and of two non-linguistic subjects (DNL) in two foreign languages (FL) in the triennio of Licei Linguistici

Pre-service teacher training

• DM 249 del 10 settembre 2010 on pre-service teacher training.

• art. 14 introduces university master courses for the teaching/learning of a non-linguistic subject (DNL) in a foreign language (FL): teachers with a disciplinary qualification and linguistic C1 level (CEFR) certified competences can apply.

2014 transitional rules

• AOODGOS prot. N.4969 25/07/2014 introduces transitional rules for 2014-15 concerning the systematical introduction of the teaching/learning of a non-linguistic subject (DNL) in in a foreign language (FL) with CLIL:

1. Minimum CEFR B2 level certified competence2. Being engaged in university training on CLIL

methodology

2014 transitional rules• CLIL Learning paths will have to do with the specific

learning aims linked to the subjects which are included in the curriculum.

• Experiences in the foreign language will gradually be carried out relying on a hands-on approach, workshops and manipulative activities and they will aim at the oral and written comprehension as well as reinterpretation of subject-specific contents.

• CLIL paths will be developed thanks to sharing of best practices at national or international level and the use of ICT.

• Liaising or building up school networks (videoconferencing or webinars with national or international pundits) is highly recommended.

Which language certificate for CLIL teachers?

From B2 to C1: Mission Impossible?

Language Exam Boards recognised by MIUR

AOODPIT 3889/2012 and 1490 19/12/2017, its latest integrationwww.istruzione.it/allegati/2017/AOODIPT1490.pdf

n. 17 Language Exam Boards for the English Language (1)

• Cambridge ESOL, 1, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, UK• City and Guilds (Pitman) 1, Giltspur Street, London, EC1A 9DD, UK• Edexcel /Pearson Ltd 190, High Holborn, London, WC1V 78H, UK;• Educational Testing Service (ETS) www.ets.org • English Speaking Board (ESB) 9, Hattersley Court, Burscough Road, Ormskirk L39 2AY, UK;• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 1 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB1 2EU, UK;• Pearson - LCCI; • Pearson - EDI;

• Trinity College London 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 OTA, UK www.trinitycollege.it;

• Department of English, Faculty of Arts - University of Malta Tal-Qroqq, Msida MSD 2080, Malta;• National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI – ACELS) Jervis Street,

Dublin 1, Ireland;• Ascentis; • AIM Awards;• Learning Resource Network (LRN) http://www.lrnglobal.org/ • British Institutes

www.britishinstitutes.it/bi/certificazioni-british-institutes • Gatehouse Awards Ltd www.gatehouseawards.org • LanguageCert www.languagecert.org

n. 17 Language Exam Boards for the English Language (2)

Not operating in Lombardy

• City and Guilds (ex. Pitman Qualifications) operating in Rome and Latina;

• Edexcel /Pearson Ltd (now replaced by Pearson PTE);

• Department of English, Faculty of Arts - University of Malta operating in Malta;

• Ascentis operating in Scotland.

n. 3 Language Exam Boards for the French language

• Alliance Française, ente operatore del Ministero francese dell'Educazione Nazionale per certificazioni rilasciate fino al 2008, 101, boulevard Raspail 75006, Paris, France;

• Camera di Commercio e d'Industria di Parigi, Francia;• Centre International d'Etudes Pédagogiques (CIEP),

ente operatore del Ministero francese della Educazione Nazionale, 1 avenue Léon-Journault 92318 Sèvres cedex, France.

n. 4 Language Exam Boards for the Spanish language

• Istituto Cervantes C/Alcalà 34, 28014 Madrid, Spagna;• Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte C/Alcalà 34, 28071 Madrid, Spagna;• Fundación para la Investigación y Desarrollo de la

Cultura Española (FIDESCU) Gran Vía 45, 4°-1, 28013 Madrid, Spagna;• Ministerio de Educacíon de la Nacion Argentina Pizzurno 935 C1020 ACA, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

n. 3 Language Exam Boards for the German Language

• Goethe-Institut Monaco di Baviera, Germania;• Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch (ÖSD) ÖSD-Zentrale, Hörlgasse 12/14, 1090 Wien, Österreich;• Telc Language Tests, Germania www.telc.net • Kultusministerkonferenz der Bundesrepublik

Deutschland (KMK) www.kmk.org

ONE SIZE cannot fit all PEOPLE!

ONE EXAM cannot suit ANY LEARNER!

From B2 to C1: Mission Possible!

There is no elevator to success:

you have to take the stairs!

But you can choose the exam format that

suits you best!

Two main language certification formats

1. Accuracy centred (grammar, lexis, phrasal verbs – Use of English)

2. Language use through content

1. Accuracy CentredExample of Cambridge Use of English

C1 Key Word Transformations

1. Apparently, the restaurant in town has been bought out by someone else.UNDERI hear the restaurant in town .........................................

1. Accuracy CentredExample of Cambridge Use of English

C1 Key Word Transformations

1. Apparently, the restaurant in town has been bought out by someone else.UNDERI hear the restaurant in town IS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

1. Accuracy centred(Grammar, lexis,

phrasal verbs)

• British Institutes• Cambridge Exams• ESB• Pearson Jetset - LCCI• Trinity

2. Language use through content

(No Use of English)

• AIM Awards LanguageCERT

• Gatehouse-TIE Pearson PTE

• IELCA (LRN) TOEIC• IELTS

TRINITY (oral)• •

2. Language use through contentThe candidate can choose and prepare a topic for either the speaking and/or the writing test

•AIM Awards •Topic from a pre-selected list (speaking)•GATEHOUSE-TIE•Logbook with book+news+project (speaking and writing)IELCA (LRN)

1 minute to prepare what they want to say

(speaking)

2. Language use through contentThe candidate can choose and prepare a topic for either the speaking and/or the writing test

•IELTS•1 minute to prepare and 2 minutes to deliver•LanguageCERT•30 seconds to present a topic (speaking)•Trinity•Any topic (speaking)

AIM AwardsC1 Proficiency www.angliaitalia.it/index.php/documenti/

International English Language Competency Assessment (IELCA)

Learning Resource Network (LRN)

IELTS

LanguageCERT

TRINITY Integrated Skills English Exam (ISE III = C1)

Gatehouse-TIE• Irish English Test originally delivered by National

Qualifications Authority of Ireland - Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services (NQAI – ACELS) called ‘Test of Interactive English’

Now delivered by: • Gatehouse Awards (www.gatehouseawards.org ) In Italy run by:• Gatehouse (www.gatehouse.it) • Istituto Formazione Franchi

www.istitutoformazionefranchi.it/test-of-interactive-english-tie/

Gatehouse-TIE

Gatehouse and CEFR

Revision of the CEFR

https://rm.coe.int/cefr-companion-volume-with-new-descriptors-2018/1680787989

Modes instead of skills

Tim Goodier, Milan, 17th April 2018

Integrating different domains

WHICH LEVEL shall I go for?One-level examThe same materials are used to test candidates at any level and then awarded the one they deserve.

• IELTS• IELCA (LRN)• TOEIC• TOEFL

Pre-Selected level• AIM Awards: 50-55% pass• British Institutes: 60% pass• Cambridge Exams: pass 70%

but extended certification: 40%-69% = lower level < 90% = higher level• ESB: pass 50%• Gatehouse ESOL: 60%

pass/fail• LanguageCERT: pass 50%• Pearson: no set marks for

grading: Ofqual pass/fail• Trinity • TIE-Gatehouse

Format Use of English

Oral topic prepar.

Written topic prepar.

Separate sessions

Listening test without reading/writing

Listen twice

Speaking visual prompts

Speaking interaction

Integr skills

One level exam

SEN

AIM awards √ √ √ √ √

British Institutes √ √ √ √ √ √

Cambridge exams

√ √ √ √

ESB ESOL √ √ √ √

Gatehouse-TIE √ √ √ √ √ √ √IELTS √ √

LanguageCert √ √ √ √ √ √

LRN IELCA √ √ √Pearson PTE √ √

TOEIC–ESB,ETS √ √ √

TOEFL-ESB,ETS √ √ √Trinity √ √ √ √ √ √

Comparing exams at a glance (C1 level)

How long does a C1 exam last?Exam (C1 level) Listening Speaking Reading Writing Total time

AIM Awards 3h (R & W inc) 20’’ 3h (L & W inc) 3h (L & R inc) 3h 20’’

British Institutes 30’’ 20’’ 2h (W inc) 2h (R inc) 2h 50’’

Cambridge exams 40’’ 15’’ 1h 15’’ (UoE inc) 1h 30’’ 3h 40’’

ESB ESOL 2h 40’’ (R & W inc) 15’’ 2h 40’’ (L & W inc)

2h 40’’ (L & R inc) 2h 55’’

Gatehouse-TIE 30’’ (S inc) 30’’ (L inc) 90’’ (W inc) 90’’ (R inc) 2h

IELTS 30’’ 15’’ 1h 1h 2h 45’’

LanguageCert 30’’ 15’’ 2h 40’’ (W inc) 2h 40’’ (R inc) 2h 55’’

LRN IELCA 30’’ 10’’ 1h 20’’ 1h 3h

Pearson PTE 2h 30’’ (R & W inc) 8’’ 2h 30’’ (L & W inc)

2h 30’’ (L & R inc) 2h 38’’

TOEIC–ESB, ETS 45’’ 20’’ 75’’ 50’’ 3h 10’’

TOEFL-ESB, ETS 60-90’’ 20’’ 60-90’’ 50’’ 3h 10’’

Trinity 25’’ (S inc) 25’’ (L inc) 2h (W inc) 2h (R inc) 2h 25’’

Which is (usually) the scariest exam paper?

LISTENING comprehension formats Single answer All the exam boards

rely on one-answer testing formats:

True/Falsemultiple choicecloze testmatchingsentence completion

Open answerExample from Trinity: (Listening task): After

the first time, you tell the examiner in one or two sentences what the talk is about.

LISTENING test Trinity

LISTENING TEST

In most exam boards• each section is

played twice• different for each

level

Except in IELTS, IELCA (LRN) and TOEIC:

• only hear audio once• same for all

candidates

SPEAKING TEST

Visual prompts

• British Institutes• Cambridge• ESB• Gatehouse-TIE• IELCA LRN• Pearson PTE• TOEIC

Oral interaction(two candidates)

• British Institutes• Cambridge Exams• ESB• Gatehouse-TIE• TRINITY

WRITING TEST

• Word count is VERY important in all of the formats!

Integrated Skills

• Gatehouse-TIE • PTE• TOEFL• TRINITY

• EX:1. Read and take notes2. Look and discuss3. Listen and draw4. Watch and write a

summary

Best for studying and working abroad

• IELTS• IELCA• TOEIC• TOEFL

Best for vocational (non-language) professionals

• Gatehouse-TIE• IELCA • TOEFL• TOEIC• AIM Awards (Technical and Vocational)

Validity – Expiry Date

• TOEFL and IELTS 2 years for employers, government

immigration authorities.

• NO EXPIRY DATE for the Italian Ministry of Education (MIUR).

OFFICIAL WEBSITES (1)

• AIM Awards: www.anglia.org • British Institutes:

www.britishinstitutes.it/bi/certificazioni-linguistiche • Cambridge:

www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-tests/ • ESB ESOL: www.esbitaly.org/ • Gatehouse-TIE: www.gatehouse.it/exam.html • IELTS: www.ielts.org/

OFFICIAL WEBSITES (2)

• LanguageCERT: www.languagecert.org/• Learning Resource Network (IELCA): www.lrnglobal.org

Pearson Test of English (PTE): https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/pearson-test-of-english.html

• TOEIC: www.ets.org/toeic http://eas-milan.org/pagina-TOEIC_Test

• TOEFL: www.ets.org/toefl http://eas-milan.org/do-dettaglio.php&id=4&tipo=2 • TRINITY: www.trinitycollege.it/lingua-inglese/

SAMPLE PAPERS (1)• Cambridge:

www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/resources-for-teachers/

• ESB ESOL: www.esbitaly.org/sample-papers • Gatehouse-TIE: www.gatehouse.it/exam.html

www.istitutoformazionefranchi.it/test-of-interactive-english-tie/

• IELTS: https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/prepare-test/free-practice-tests

• LanguageCert: www.languagecert.org/en/Qualifications/Preparation-Material/Pages/Download-Preparation-Material.aspx

SAMPLE PAPERS (2)• Learning Resource Network (IELCA):

www.lrnglobal.org/?page_id=1085• Pearson Test of English:

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/pearson-test-of-english/pearson-test-of-english-general/resources.html

• TOEIC: https://www.etsglobal.org/Tests-Preparation/The-TOEIC-Tests/TOEIC-Sample-Tests

• TOEFL: www.etsglobal.org/Tests-Preparation/The-TOEFL-Family-of-Assessments/TOEFL-Sample-Tests

• TRINITY: www.trinitycollege.com/site/?id=3192

Attilio Galimberti - Paola Martini Ufficio Scolastico per la Lombardia

Albino, 7th June 2018