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CLIL Definition CLIL - Content and language integrated learning - is the use of an L2 in the teaching of nonlanguage subjects. (Dalton-Puffer 2008) Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a generic term and refers to any educational situation in which an additional language and therefore not the most widely used language of the environment is used for the teaching and learning of subjects other than the language itself (Marsh 2000). In terms of the OFF WE GO project this means that students participating in the International Communication and Business weeks will use English as a means of communication in the plurilingual environment of the course and content will be taught in the L2, in our case English. Learning and Teaching with the CLIL matrix The CLIL matrix is a tool for teachers and trainers to achieve quality CLIL. This Matrix is a 4 dimensional core framework built around the core elements of CLIL: Content, Language, Integration and Learning. These four elements are realized through a set of four parameters: Culture, Communication, Cognition and Community. This results in a matrix array of 16 indicators. These indicators are the basis for ensuring quality CLIL in learning and teaching of both content and language. To access the CLIL matrix, click on the following link: http://archive.ecml.at/mtp2/clilmatrix/EN/qMain.html 1 OFF WE GO Comenius-project In the following 16 points the quality indicators are discussed closely following the CLIL matrix . The quality indicators will be interpreted in the context of the OFF WE GO Comenius project and should serve as a guideline for setting up the International Business and Communication Week for the students involved in the project. 1) CONTENT-CULTURE Culture is deeply embedded in many aspects of communication. In CLIL it is necessary to ensure that there is not a cultural black hole in the learning environment. This is achieved through appropriate target language input. …In high quality CLIL classrooms teachers usually choose authentic materials. They must be careful, however, not to select language materials that are too difficult. For the IB&C week this means that language material should be chosen along the requirements of the A2/B1 student or steps have to be taken to deal with more complex language items. 2) LANGUAGE-CULTURE CLIL teaching often provides the possibility to develop cultural aspects of using language. A quality CLIL classroom will allow the learner to acquire and use a broad range of registers in the target language. The special situation in the IB&C week classroom is that students from a wide variety of linguistic backgrounds (Norwegian, Swedish, German, Italian, Spanish, Portugese, Czech and Croatian) are going to communicate with each other. 3) INTEGRATION-CULTURE Integrating the learning of culture and content needs to be culturally relevant. The wider cultural objectives (the reasons for doing language x and location y) are clearly specified in quality CLIL. To give an example for IB&C week, the reason for using English is to foster mutual understanding. English is used as the Lingua Franca for this programme. In all the locations, where the IB&C weeks are taking place English is used as a means of communication and tuition. Special attention has to be put on the cultural relevance of the input in each location. For example, raising awareness of Austrian culture has to be a clear objective when the IB&C week takes place in Vienna. 2 OFF WE GO Comenius-project 4) LEARNING – CULTURE Quality CLIL invites opportunities to engage in intercultural learning (e.g. studying a topic through an alternative perspective allows for self- and other reflection). These opportunities have to be analyzed and integrated into the curriculum. When dealing with a specific topic in a CLIL classroom the learning environment allows teachers and learners to look at it from different perspectives. Especially topics from the Social Sciences (history, geography) seem suitable to encourage intercultural learning. Focusing on the European Union, World War 2 or migration for example would provide ample opportunity for learners to analyze the topic from different perspectives. 5) CONTENT – COMMUNICATION Interactive learning (e.g. cooperative learning through pair and group work as opposed to mainly teacher talk) is usually a quality feature in a common CLIL classroom. Cooperative learning, learning from each other, group work, pair work and working independently on assignments is not only a quality feature of CLIL but should be a core feature of teaching and learning in general. While autonomous and cooperative learning should be core features in any classroom, it is especially important for the CLIL classroom as learning content through another language is more challenging for the learner and closer attention has to be paid to the pedagogical setup. 6) LANGUAGE – COMMUNICATION A quality CLIL class will typically include learner-learner, learner-teacher communication which is socially oriented. The teacher’s communication should ensure maximum richness of language while adapting to the learner’s level. Quality indicator 6 should serve as a reminder for teachers and learners to use the target language as much as possible. One of the most appealing features of IB&C is the fact that using L2 (English) is a matter of necessity in order to communicate successfully with students and teachers alike. Thus using English is a prerequisite for the whole project. Teachers should guide the learners’ comprehension process and make sure that the input is comprehensible (see 1 CONTENT – CULTURE) 3 OFF WE GO Comenius-project 7) INTEGRATION – COMMUNICATION Diverse types of communication when learning content are typical features of most quality CLIL classrooms. The teacher needs to ensure that the methods used enable such communication to take place through content learning. When setting up the IB&C, course designers should keep in mind that interactional types of communication should be encouraged while teacher centred communication should be kept to a minimum. Although it might be useful every now and then that the teacher teaches and the student listens (the traditional classroom situation), the rationale behind setting up the IB&C week should be a more interactive approach which gives learners ample opportunity to work in groups (see 5 CONTENT – COMMUNICATION) or to engage in projects which could be prepared well before the IB&C week. 8) LEARNING – COMMUNICATION In quality CLIL the classroom communication needs to actively support both the language and the content learning process. This requires a wide variety of communication skills to be used by both teachers and students alike. Quality indicator 8 (LEARNING – COMMUNICATION) stresses the importance of communicative skills as described in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). As all of these skills are equally important in order to enhance understanding, neither the receptive nor the productive skills should be neglected. Teaching different types of reading like skimming, scanning or reading for detail) are equally important as teaching the conventions for writing well structured texts which do not put a strain on the reader. Preparing well structured presentations (Spoken Production) is as important as teaching Spoken Interaction (e.g. turn taking, interrupting politely, negotiating meaning or compensatory skills). It can be assumed that teaching communicative skills is the underlying principle of any EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom in Europe. The CEFR and Language Portfolios have been widely adopted in Europe. As has already been mentioned in 5 (CONTENT – COMMUNICATION), the CLIL teacher has to pay extra attention to these factors in order to support the learners. 9) CONTENT – COGNITION In CLIL learners deal with complex content in another language. It is necessary to ensure that methods used in the classroom nurture the cognitive demands resulting from CLIL. The IB&C teacher (or the CLIL teacher) must support learners to deal with vocabulary effectively, which could mean involving them in fun activities to grasp new words and phrases but also to provide definitions and explanations. Defining vocabulary in the 4 OFF WE GO Comenius-project target language (English) will help the IB&C week student to acquire new terminology and build new concepts. Sub-skills like using dictionaries are a prerequisite in this process. 10) LANGUAGE – COGNITION Subject learning requires handling cognitive load. In quality CLIL care is taken to support and guide learners in concept-building in the target language. Cognitive concepts are represented through linguistic signs (words or phrases), and learners have to grasp the relationship between the linguistic sign and the cognitive concept. In content subjects many concepts are usually structured in a much more precise way than in everyday subject matter. So concept-building is in a way both easier and more difficult than in everyday contexts. Although the IELW teacher does not have to concentrate on long term concept building as is usually the case in a content subject taught at school, he or she has to guide the learners towards a deeper understanding of the terms. For example, one of the objectives of IB&Cweek is raising intercultural awareness. The IB&C teacher will realize that in order to deal with intercultural communication in a training company, the terms culture and interculturality have to be clarified first. The teacher in an L1 classroom might not have been aware that the concept behind the term “intercultural” could be easily misunderstood and misinterpreted. 11) INTEGRATION – COGNITION Some types of quality CLIL result from team-teaching or close cooperation between content and language teachers. All CLIL teachers, however, should constantly carry responsibility for the cognitive demands of dealing with both language and content. For the IB&C language week this means that close cooperation between teachers (hosts as well as guests) will enhance the IB&C week experience and play an essential part in the success of the project. 12) LEARNING – COGNITION Quality CLIL requires careful consideration of the linguistic and subject cognitive demands of the learners. The teacher needs knowledge and skill in balancing the dual-focus of these through appropriate methods in the classroom. Teachers in the IB&C week setting have to be aware of the double challenge of teaching content and teaching communication. The aim of the IB&C teacher should be to balance content and language teaching. The linguistic needs of the learners as well as the motivation for the content should be focused upon. 5 OFF WE GO Comenius-project 13) CONTENT – COMMUNITY The “community” includes the school, parents and other stakeholders. A CLIL class should be embedded in a positive and supportive community. A CLIL school should be open to other countries, to Europe and to the world. Exchange programmes should make it possible for learners to meet students from other countries either in their own school, or in the target language country. The school ethos should be European. IB&C week, the whole design of the OFF WE GO project, meets the requirements of quality indicator 13 (CONTENT – COMMUNITY). Learners from the participating countries have the chance to meet students from other countries, to work on joint projects and thus raise intercultural awareness. By submitting the application, participating schools and organizations have shown European spirit and a commitment to European values. 14) LANGUAGE – COMMUNITY Language learning rarely takes place only within the classroom. In quality CLIL it is optimal if the school and other external stakeholders also support the language development of the learners. Quality CLIL schools usually are very active in establishing contacts with schools in target language countries through internal and European programmes. They do so because they know that the classroom as a learning environment is not sufficient to allow for high quality content and language learning. In many CLIL schools it is very common now to send out students to stay for longer periods of time in a partner school of the target language country. Other schools send students out into businesses in partner language countries to do a period of practical training. Quality indicator 14 (LANGUAGE and COMMUNITY) aptly summarizes the objectives of the Comenius project. Learners should be encouraged and motivated to participate in an exchange programme similar to the IB&C week. The target language, however, is not the L1 of the hosting country but English as a Lingua Franca. 6 OFF WE GO Comenius-project 15) INTEGRATION COMMUNITY The value of doing CLIL needs to be recognized by the wider community/society around the school. This is to ensure long-term development and sustainability. The quality CLIL school ensures that these values for the wider society are clear and transparent. Schools and organizations participating in the OFF WE GO project should be proactive in establishing contacts with their surroundings by inviting parents, interested citizens and stakeholders in the learning process to show and tell what has been achieved. There could be an IELW fair, a project presentation or any kind of activity that draws attention to the COMENIUS project. Involvement of the media would be most welcome as well as presenting the project on the school’s website and/or social media. 16) LEARNING – COMMUNITY Quality CLIL depends on a positive learning environment both within the classroom, the school, and in the wider community. The success of the IB&C weeks and the OFF WE GO Project very much depends on the support of fellow teachers, students and administration of the schools concerned. Participating teachers and learners have to make sure to create a positive atmosphere for the project. 7 OFF WE GO Comenius-project