Heini-Marja JärvinenUniversity of Turku

COMBINING CONTENT AND LANGUAGE TEACHING IN SUBJECT-INTEGRATED CURRICULUM 18.3.2010

VAMK Vaasa University of Applied Science

What does integration of content and language mean?

What is the role of language in CLIL? What is learning (in CLIL) What are the challenges in the CLIL

classroom?

an additional language is used for the teaching and learning of subjects other than the language itself (Marsh & Langé 2000)

subjects, or parts of subjects, are taught through a foreign language with dual-focused aims, namely the learning of content, and the simultaneous learning of a foreign language. (Marsh 2002)

pupils learn a subject through the medium of a foreign language (European Commission)

languages and skills of communication are given a prominent role within a curriculum. It is often carried out by professionals who teach on courses other than languages. (Marsh et al. 2001).

“…its distinctiveness lies in an integrated approach, where both language and content are conceptualised on a continuum without an implied preference for either” (Coyle in Lasagabaster)

…different labels are used in different contexts, which is why the reader can come across manifold labels for CLIL in literature on the subject (The 2006 Eurydice Survey,30 countries

surveyed)

Bilingual Integration of Languages and Disciplines (BILD) Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Content and Language Integration in Primary CLIP Content-based Instruction (CBI) Content-based Language Instruction (CBLI) Content-based Language Teaching (CBLT) English Across the Curriculum (EAC) English as an Academic Language (EAL) English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Foreign Language Immersion Program (FLIP) Foreign Languages as a Medium of Education (FLAME) Languages Across the Curriculum (LAC) Teaching Content Through English Teaching English Through Content

Language

Content

Content-based language teaching

Language-sensitive content teaching Content-sensitive language teaching

Content and language integrated learning

25%

Language is a tool.

Language is a meaning makingresource.Texts make meaning through words.

Words give shape to meaning.

Language is a meaning making resource.

Language learning is extending language resources for making meaning in context.

Language development can be seen as growing meaning potential.

Language acquisition is learning how to express meanings acquiring the functions one can perform with human language

Language is a tool.

Language is a meaning resource.

Language is an empowering mediator.

Teachers feel they need language skills:fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, presentation skills, grammar…

Teachers need classroom language & content language.

Teachers need good pedagogical materials.Teachers need knowledge about language

learning and teaching and methodology.Teachers need in-service training.

where can teachers find materials which are authentic, challenging and meaningful and that can be understood by foreign language students

how to practise content-related skills (interpreting maps, diagrams, etc) in a foreign language

what kind of scaffolding is needed to help students cope with input that is usually more demanding than what they are used to from their EFL lessons

how to trigger meaningful content-based conversations how to push language output how to design tasks that

trigger higher order thinking what about test design how can teachers help students cope with so many

unknown words

Finnish L1 student's perceptions of characteristics of successful English-Medium instruction as part of dental studies in Finland. CONCLUSIONS

Content learning primary, thus quality of EMI of key importance,

Challenging content > comprehension important, no language barriers

Identity and professional image: target of studies: high-quality craftsmanship, national rather than international context,

Identity of studies: dentistry, not language learning

Is there a minimun level of language proficiency?

Threshold? Does CLIL provide added value in terms of

language learning (Eeva’s thesis)? What are the best methods to teach language &

content? What is the role of mother tongue in CLIL?

Thank you