unit 7 designing a clil unit
TRANSCRIPT
UNIT 7: DESIGNING A CLIL UNIT
OUTCOMES
Analyze all the elements of a CLIL teaching unit, paying special attention to the tools,
frameworks and models that can help us to plan and design the tasks and the materials
for our own teaching unit.
1.
Create a CLIL unit applying the knowledge acquired in this course, with the help of the
models and templates studied in this unit.
2.
Assess our own CLIL Unit and those of our colleagues.3.
Share the created units and materials with our colleagues.4.
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PLANNING THE UNIT
INTRODUCTION
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a term relating to any educational situation
where subject content is delivered to some degree via the medium of a foreign,second, or third
language.
According to Do Coyle, Philip Hood and David Marsh, "Successful CLIL practice is likely to require
teachers to engage in alternative ways of planning for effective learning (...) Connecting theoretical
ideas to changing practice requires time, patience and professional support (...)there is neither one
preferred CLIL model, nor one CLIL methodology. The CLIL approach is exible in order to take
account of a wide range of contexts (...)However, for CLIL to be effective, certain fundamental
principles must be recognized as essential- it is not the case that any kind of teaching or learning in
another language is CLIL.
As in every other field of teaching, planning for CLIL classes is a pre-condition to successful
teaching.
There are some different approaches to planning CLIL units and materials, such as the SIOP model
outlined by Echevarria, Enright and McCloskey’s model called "Integrating English"; Do Coyle's "4Cs
Framework"* model, etc.
The way we plan CLIL depends on the educational level, the context and the legal framework among
others. In the same way, we can find a big variety of models and templates that we can use to plan
CLIL units.
The approach that we are going to use to plan our CLIL unit is mainly based on the "4Cs framework"
but has also taken into account some ideas of the "Integrating English" and "the SIOP" model.
The templates that we are going to use for planning a CLIL unit and a CLIL lesson are the ones
published on the website of Conselleria d'Educacio, Servei d'ensenyament en Llengües. Anyway you
will also find some other templates and unit examples at the resources section.
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* You can find a link to Do Coyle's "4Cs Framework" in the resource section.
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Curricular Key Elements
The first
step in
planning
our CLIL
unit is to
decide:
A) The
subject
area that
we are
going to
teach in
the target
language
(English):
Art&craft;
PE; Maths;
Science;
Geography, etc.
B)Grade level: 1st Primary, 3rd ESO; Pre-school 4 years old; etc.
Later on we will correctly identify our CLIL unit by giving it a name and indicating the number of
lessons or sessions that it will require.
It is very important to pay attention to some key elements in our unit plan:
-Teaching Objectives
-Final Task
-Key competences
-Assessment Criteria
-Materials and resources
As we pointed out in the introduction, the process of planning a CLIL unit, can be done from different
perspectives, but most of them start the process by identifying the contents and skills integrated in a
final task.
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This FINAL TASK has to be relevant, embedded in social practice, interesting and motivating.
Although the elements mentioned above appear first in our template, they can be written after
deciding on the activities and exercises that will lead students to the final task.
OBJECTIVES: Specific of the subject ,cultural,cognitive and linguistic.(Usually linked to the curricula
outcomes)
ASSESSMENT: The assessment (initial, formative and final) should include the subject contents,
linguistic competence, cognitive skills and cultural content. ( We can review the section referred to
assessment before completing this part)
KEY COMPETENCES: We have to indicate the key competences worked thorough the unit.
MATERIALS AND RESOURCES: They should accomodate different learning styles and and activate
different language skills so they have to be diverse. (We can review the section reffered to materials
to include some ideas)
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The four Cs Framework
Before
completing this template we can brainstorm activities that lead to the final activity and select those that
best fit the learning objectives.
According to Do Coyle, the steps will be
1) Consider the CONTENT
Include contents from different subjects that form part of an existing syllabus. Organize
learning through cross-curricular tasks.
Select the contents which best fit our CLIL setting (meaningful and real)
Give priority to the content which best develop our global goal.
Think about scaffolding for the content: Vocabulary presentation through multisensory
media,video, songs, flashcards, kinaesthetic activities, non-verbal resources etc.
2) Connect contents with COGNITION
Given an outline of the content, the next step is to analyse and select the thinking skills, problem
solving and creativity which connect with the content. This process ensures that the cognitive level of
the CLIL unit relates to the learners' own levels of development.
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Encourage the use of HOTs (High thinking Order skills) as well as LOTs (Low thinking
Order skills).You can use a Bloom /Gadner template or a Bloom Taxonomy's list of verbs.
(see example of this template in the resource section)
Plan activities for developing thinking skills such as those in "Thinker's keys" by Tony Ryan
(see this document in the resource section)
Present students with challenging activities and opportunities to verbalize strategies.
Use Graphic Organizers and teach students how to use them too.
3) Think about COMMUNICATION
Identifying the language needed to learn in a CLIL classroom demands systematic
analysis at the planning stage. We have to plan not only the content- obligatory
language such as key words and phrases that the students will need to participate in the
learning of the content, but also in the content-compatible language, which allows
learners to operate more fully in the content subject, such as writing a summary, explaining
an experiment,etc.
Identify the language needed to learn the subject content (key vocabulary, specific
language) and the language needed for interaction and classroom management. Content-
obligatory, content-compatible language and language through learning.
Think about scaffolding for the language and interaction: Classroom displays with key
expressions and language for each unit; labelled diagrams showing procedures; speaking
substitution tables for verbalizations and expositions; adapted texts (text with images,
diagrams, drawings, highlighted words, etc).
Once you have planned the activities, think how to make them MORE communicative.
4)Integrating CULTURE & COMMUNITY
Integrating cultural oportunities in the CLIL classroom is not an option, it is a necessity. Intercultural
experiences can be developed through different perspectives: within the ethos of the classroom,
through conections with the wider world, with other classes, the local community,etc.
Plan activities in pairs and groups to develop intercultural understanding and global
citizenship.
Foster collaborative work and parents involvement.
Community: Make connections with the local community and/or other schools (regional,
national or global) if possible.
Make reference to culture when and where possible: Their own culture and other cultures
including the target language culture
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The Lesson structure
There are numerous lesson plan formats for CLIL, variations among them can often be reduced to
different terminology and presentation styles. Regardless of format, every effective lesson plan should
be built towards the achievement of the learning objectives and connect to the final task.
We usually start creating a lesson plan with the "end" in mind, we determine what outcomes our
students will produce and how we are going to assess those outcomes.
Conselleria template for a CLIL lesson has the following structure:
- Learning Objectives (following the 4Cs
approach). We have to identify the learning
objectives regarding content, communication,
cognition and culture.
-Activities:
a)Opening activity (introduction
/revision)Setting up outcomes. What are we
going to learn? Why is it important? How are
we going to learn?
b) Warm up activities to introduce the topic, to motivate students, to engage students and catch their
interest.
c)Main activities: considering different learning styles/ input and then output/ pair work, group work
and individual work. Use multiple opportunities for practice.
-Reinforcement and extension: scaffolding for language, content and thinking skills from easy to
hard. Check for understanding. Provide opportunity for extension, using the knowledge/skills in
creative ways.
- Assessment/ reflection: Self and peer assessment. Formative assessment of student
understanding .
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- Materials and resources for the lesson: worksheets, websites, real objects, language displays...
Remember about the importance of selecting quality materials.
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Example of CLIL Unit: Supermarket
A) Supermarket unit and lesson using Conselleria's templates.
Unit_Template_Supermarket
Lesson_Template_Supermarket
B) Other templates used in this unit.
Unit supermarket using a Task based learning template (Key competences approach)
Math Task_ Supermarket role play
Math task-curricular concretion
Bloom_ Gardner template for cognition
Bloom_Gardner_for_unit_supermarket
Unit programme according to the Order 45/2011 8th June:
Unit_programme_supermarket
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Resources
These are the resources for this unit:
A) How to plan a CLIL Unit. "CLIL" by Do Coyle, Philip Hood and David Marsh (2010)
You have a link to the whole chapter 4 of this book at:
http://www.cambridge.org/servlet/file/9780521112987c04_p48-73.pdf?ITEM_ENT_ID=5633692&
COLLSPEC_ENT_ID=7
B) Templates and tools for your unit.
Conselleria templates:
http://www.cece.gva.es/ocd/sedev/val/tilc.htm
Cognition:
Thinkers_Keys_ Tony_Ryan.pdf
Bloom_Gardner_template.odt
Bloom_Verbs.pdf
Tasks and activities:
Task based template.odt
Curricular concretion.odt
C) Other examples of CLIL Units:
Conselleria_Template_example_1.pdf
Conselleria_template_example_2.pdf
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