# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
BridgeUniverse - TEFL Blog, News, Tips & Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Dorothy Zemach
July 6, 2021

Bilingual education isn't just for bilingual communities. Thanks to research that shows learning a second language has benefits for just about everyone, schools all over the world are looking for ways to bring these benefits to their students. One growing teaching trend within bilingual education is CLIL methodology. What is CLIL exactly? To take advantage of this integrative approach, teachers and school administrations need a thorough understanding of the theories behind it as well as proper training on how to apply those theories in concrete ways within their institution.
If you're new to teaching, you'll want to get initial training and qualification with a TEFL certificate. You can explore our online TEFL courses to get started!
CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning. This means studying another subject (for example, science, history, or literature) and learning a language, such as English, at the same time - integrating the two subjects. The definition is broad because the integration can happen in many different ways.

Professor Do Coyle, who together with education researcher and author Dr. David Marsh coined the term CLIL, explains, "[T]here isn't just one model. ... It can be a theme. It can be principles. You can spend a lot of time on this or a short time on this. But the fundamental principle of CLIL is that there is an integration between using language to learn and learning to use language through the development of content." In this article, we'll explore what exactly that means and, in particular, how it's used in English language teaching.

Although the term "CLIL" is modern, the technique is as old as learning itself. Any time someone learned about something else - engineering, art, cooking - while they learned and practiced a foreign language, they were using CLIL, even if they didn't realize it!

The approach became more formalized in the 1960s, in language immersion programs in Canada and with Languages Across the Curriculum (LAC) programs and Foreign Languages Across the Curriculum (FLAC) programs in the UK and the US. Many of these classes involved native English speakers studying a subject in a foreign language and included study-abroad programs.

David Marsh and Do Coyle came up with the term CLIL in the mid-1990s, at a time when governments, schools, and individuals were all starting to realize the importance of knowing more than one language. The movement was especially strong in Europe, and it's growing around the world in response to globalization.

What are the core features of CLIL methodology?

A successful CLIL program depends on the cooperation between language teachers and content teachers. Each is an expert in his or her own field, so they need to share both their respective principles and information.

The content teacher

A content teacher is someone who teaches a subject - for example, music, architecture, or biology. However, using CLIL as an approach is more than just switching to English to teach another subject. Content teachers are not normally experts in language acquisition or pedagogy. Therefore, to teach their subjects, content teachers usually require some amount of training and might also use both their students' native language and English, a technique known as translanguaging. They'll also depend on the support of the language teacher.

The language teacher

The language teacher is primarily responsible for teaching English (or another language), but in CLIL methodology, he or she also supports the content teacher by introducing relevant vocabulary and functional language related to a given subject (history or biology, for example) and by emphasizing critical thinking.

As an example, think of an earth science class. The content teacher explains the water cycle through pictures, demonstrations, English, and if necessary, the students' first language (or L1). In tandem, the English teacher might cover language for explaining sequences and processes (first, next, then, after that), language for cause and effect (because of, due to, results in), and word forms (vapor, evaporate, evaporation).

Coordination of the two

On the institutional level, a successful CLIL program needs a cooperative organizational structure, which means there has to be a way for the content teacher and the language teacher to work with each other, such as a set place and time to meet and coordinate lessons.

This is helped by a supportive school administration that is willing to provide comprehensive CLIL training, appropriate materials, adequate funding, and time.

Finally, the program will depend on willing students and parents who understand the program's methods and goals. Students might need to work in new and unfamiliar ways, so it's important that they and their families trust the teachers and the program.

Although different programs and classes will of course have their own individual goals, broadly speaking, all CLIL programs aim to increase students' subject-area knowledge while at the same time improving their knowledge of and skills in the target language. In addition, students should improve their own ability to learn and come to understand and appreciate a new culture. Finally, students should not lose ground in their native language. They're adding a new language, not replacing the one they already know.

Think of bilingual education - education involving two languages - as a broad field that can encompass different programs and approaches. Some of the other main approaches share some features with CLIL, although they have differences as well. Here are some of the most common approaches that you might hear about and how they are similar to and different from CLIL.

CBI

CBI, which stands for Content-Based Instruction, refers to learning about a subject using the target language. Some people say that CLIL is a type of CBI, although in a true CLIL program, there is a stronger emphasis on the content. In a CBI course, students might use a textbook with a unit about history, then a unit about communication, then a unit about economics, and so on. But the history teacher would not be teaching in English at the same time.

ESP

ESP, which stands for English for Specific Purposes, teaches students the vocabulary and functions they need for certain fields. Often it is job- or career-focused. Example courses include English for Hospitality Workers or English for Air Traffic Controllers.

EMI

EMI, which stands for English as the Medium of Instruction, refers to language immersion courses where all instruction occurs in the target language. This covers everything from language immersion summer camps to international schools that conduct all of their classes in the target language, where students either must demonstrate proficiency in the target language to be admitted or, if their level is low, seek out additional instruction or tutoring. Unlike a CLIL approach, EMI programs discourage the use of students' native language.
Watch a video featuring CLIL expert, Peeter Mehisto, about what this method is - and is not - from Bridge's Content and Language Integrated Learning Specialized Certification Courses:
Students

Just about any type of student can benefit from a CLIL approach. It has been used with all ages and ability levels. However, that doesn't mean that every student will be successful in a CLIL class, any more than every student is successful in any class. But the factors limiting a student's success are not tied to the CLIL approach.

Teachers

CLIL courses can take time and energy to prepare and carry out. A good CLIL teacher is someone who is committed to the approach and is hard-working, dedicated, and passionate about his or her students. In addition, a CLIL teacher should be skilled at communication and flexible because cooperating with the subject-area teacher is essential.

Subjects

While almost any subject can be taught through a CLIL approach, the most suited are ones that involve student cooperation and have a cultural aspect to them. Some examples are the social sciences, the arts, many trades, and some sciences such as biology and chemistry. One study found that math and physics were less suited to a CLIL approach because of their technical nature. A CLIL approach in these classes would probably rely more heavily on L1 use.

Many types of schools and programs can benefit from CLIL. Because CLIL is particularly well-suited to groups of students working together, it's ideal for K-12 classes, universities, and vocational schools - which of course are all places where students learn subjects in addition to language. But CLIL can also be used in sports and clubs, with private students (if the language teacher also has content knowledge), and in online classes.

If CLIL takes extra training and effort on the part of the teacher, why should they adopt this approach? The short answer is because it provides so many benefits to the students.

As students become proficient in two languages, they gain social and cognitive advantages. Studies have shown that bilingual people are, on the whole, more flexible, better problem solvers, and better communicators. In addition, learning a second language can improve a person's memory and even protect against the effects of aging on the brain.

Other benefits include a deeper understanding of the target language, mastery of a subject, improved social and critical thinking skills, and even a stronger, more flexible brain. With all of these advantages to students, why not see if you can incorporate some CLIL principles and practices into your own teaching?

Harness the benefits of this method with Bridge's new CLIL Certification Courses, developed to help teachers and administrators successfully adopt the CLIL approach to bilingual education institute-wide.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is CLIL? The Global Trend in Bilingual Education Explained

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is CLIL in language learning, and who is this method best suited for? Take a look at the features and benefits of using CLIL in the classroom, and see how this instructional method differs from others.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In ELT, forms of CLIL have previously been known as ' Content-based instruction', 'English across the curriculum' and 'Bilingual education'.

Why is CLIL important?
With the expansion of the European Union, diversity of language and the need for communication are seen as central issues.

Even with English as the main language, other languages are unlikely to disappear. Some countries have strong views regarding the use of other languages within their borders.

With increased contact between countries, there will be an increase in the need for communicative skills in a second or third language.

Languages will play a key role in curricula across Europe. Attention needs to be given to the training of teachers and the development of frameworks and methods which will improve the quality of language education

The European Commission has been looking into the state of bilingualism and language education since the 1990s, and has a clear vision of a multilingual Europe in which people can function in two or three languages.

How does CLIL work?
The basis of CLIL is that content subjects are taught and learnt in a language which is not the mother tongue of the learners.

Knowledge of the language becomes the means of learning content

Language is integrated into the broad curriculum

Learning is improved through increased motivation and the study of natural language seen in context. When learners are interested in a topic they are motivated to acquire language to communicate

CLIL is based on language acquisition rather than enforced learning

Language is seen in real-life situations in which students can acquire the language. This is natural language development which builds on other forms of learning

CLIL is long-term learning. Students become academically proficient in English after 5-7 years in a good bilingual programme

Fluency is more important than accuracy and errors are a natural part of language learning. Learners develop fluency in English by using English to communicate for a variety of purposes

Reading is the essential skill.

CLIL helps to:

Introduce the wider cultural context

Prepare for internationalisation

Access International Certification and enhance the school profile

Improve overall and specific language competence

Prepare for future studies and / or working life

Develop multilingual interests and attitudes

Diversify methods & forms of classroom teaching and learning

Increase learner motivation.

CLIL in the classroom
CLIL assumes that subject teachers are able to exploit opportunities for language learning. The best and most common opportunities arise through reading texts. CLIL draws on the lexical approach, encouraging learners to notice language while reading. Here is a paragraph from a text on fashion:

The miniskirt is a skirt whose hemline is high above the knees (generally 200-300 mm above knee-level). Its existence is generally credited to the fashion designer Mary Quant, who was inspired by the Mini Cooper automobile, although André Courrèges is also often cited as its inventor, and there is disagreement as to who invented it first.

The language to be looked at in a passage like this falls into three categories - subject specific, academic and other lexis including fixed expressions and collocations:

The treatment of this lexis has the following features:

Noticing of the language by the learners

Focus on lexis rather than grammar

Focus on language related to the subject. Level and grading are unimportant

Pre-, while- and post-reading tasks are as appropriate in the subject context as in the language context.

The future of CLIL
There is no doubt that learning a language and learning through a language are concurrent processes, but implementing CLIL requires a rethink of the traditional concepts of the language classroom and the language teacher. The immediate obstacles seem to be:

Opposition to language teaching by subject teachers may come from language teachers themselves. Subject teachers may be unwilling to take on the responsibility.

Most current CLIL programmes are experimental. There are few sound research-based empirical studies, while CLIL-type bilingual programmes are mainly seen to be marketable products in the private sector.

CLIL is based on language acquisition, but in monolingual situations, a good deal of conscious learning is involved, demanding skills from the subject teacher.

The lack of CLIL teacher-training programmes suggests that the majority of teachers working on bilingual programmes may be ill-equipped to do the job adequately.

There is little evidence to suggest that understanding of content is not reduced by lack of language competence. Current opinion seems to be that language ability can only be increased by content-based learning after a certain stage.

Some aspects of CLIL are unnatural; such as the appreciation of the literature and culture of the learner's own country through a second language.

Until CLIL training for teachers and materials issues are resolved, the immediate future remains with parallel rather than integrated content and language learning. However, the need for language teaching reform in the face of Europeanisation may make CLIL a common feature of many European education systems in the future.

Where is CLIL happening?
CLIL has precedents in immersion programmes (North America) and education through a minority or a national language (Spain, Wales, France), and many variations on education through a 'foreign' language. Euro-funded projects show that CLIL or similar systems are being applied in some countries, but are not part of teacher-training programmes. There has been an increase in the number of schools offering 'alternative' bilingual curricula, and some research into training and methodology. Several major European organisations specialising in CLIL projects have emerged, including UNICOM, EuroCLIC and TIE-CLIL (see web references for details).

In the UK the incentive comes from the Content and Language Integration Project (CLIP) hosted by CILT, (the National Centre for Languages) which is the UK government's centre of expertise on languages. CILT monitors a number of projects covering the 7-16 age range and involving innovations in language teaching such as the integration of French into the primary curriculum. Other research is based at the University of Nottingham, while teacher training and development courses in CLIL are available through NILE (the Norwich Institute for Language Education).

Further reading
Translanguage in Europe www.tieclil.org
Centre for Information on Language, Teaching and Research www.cilt.org.uk
Forum for Across the Curriculum Teaching www.factworld.info
The BBC and British Council are not responsible for the content of external web sites, neither do we endorse them. These are the recommendations of the writer.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Content and Language Integrated Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In ELT, forms of CLIL have previously been known as 'Content-based instruction', 'English across the curriculum' and 'Bilingual education'. Why is CLIL important? How does CLIL work? The advantages of CLIL CLIL in the classroom The future of CLIL Where is CLIL happening?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Bridge Education Group TEFL TESOL Certifications

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is CLIL and What Is Not? Introduction to CLIL - Content and Language Integrated Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you a language teacher who, apart from your job, is extremely passionate about something else, like cooking, hiking, biology, or spreading positivity around you? If yes, this is the article for you! In this blog post, we will discuss what the very effective Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL methodology) approach is and how it can be integrated into your language teaching to engage your learners. Through CLIL you will boost your students' excitement and teach them important life skills in addition to immersing them to their target language. This is one more effective language teaching methodology that will bring the learning results you want out of everyone and is usable in ESL, ELT and foreign language teaching.

What is CLIL or Content and Language Integrated Learning?

CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning and as the term suggests, this approach is used to teach students about a new subject in a language foreign to them. Through CLIL, students not only learn a second language but also learn about a topic totally new to them, for example drawing or climate change. If students are familiar with the subject then the approach is not CLIL. Therefore the success of this approach relies on the integration of the new language and the new learning content. The subject can be anything really, from painting and physics to life skills. If you are out of ideas, reach out to your school's subject teachers to get recommendations or even ready-made lesson plans!

Think of yourself in a class, learning painting through Italian or English if it is not your native language. Keep in mind you are familiar neither with painting techniques nor with the target language. During the first classes, you will hear the teacher mentioning the word quite often. In the beginning, you are dependent on the instructor's body language and gestures in order to understand the tasks you need to perform. Observing their body language and the items the teacher is showing, you will soon realise that stands for . In other words, what you will work on during these classes is paintings!

This is a simple example of the CLIL approach and how a CLIL teacher operates. In order to learn what dipinto, paesaggio (landscape) and(portrait) mean you will only need to attend the painting lessons, observe and listen to the teacher.

What are the benefits of using CLIL in language learning?

The CLIL approach has gained popularity in language teaching as it offers various benefits to both language learners and educators. Here are some of the key benefits of using the CLIL lessons in language teaching:

In summary, the CLIL approach offers a holistic and immersive way for students to learn a second language while acquiring knowledge in other subject areas.

What are the challenges in Content and Language Integrated Learning?

The fact that the target language is new might confuse the learners at the beginning, as they have to focus on both the target matter and using their foreign language skills. By assignments, group work and discussion in the classroom, students will eventually become part of a routine and nothing will seem abnormal or too difficult anymore. In order for the teacher to prepare suitable learning materials and efficiently teach, they should develop their knowledge of the target subject. This is of course a substantial time investment from the CLIL teacher especially if there are no ready-made learning content available. At the same time, the classes are best to be designed in a way that students have a good comprehension of the subject taught and of the foreign language used to teach the topic. Teachers should also be aware of the skills and difficulties of each student, and scaffold the learning activities according to the students' learning process. Concept checking questions are a teacher's right hand when using the CLIL approach!

The elements of a CLIL lesson in foreign language teaching

Learning a language using the CLIL approach is done implicitly. Students learn the language naturally, through conversation, observation and socializing, where learning grammar is not the primary goal. Students are also focused on a subject, for example, maths or woodworking, that interests them and the fact that acquiring more linguistic knowledge will help them learn the target matter better is very motivating.

Language teachers should not be off using CLIL just because it is used for subject teaching. The point is not to be expert in a target matter, for example biology, as you, the language teacher, can add the CLIL approach in a lesson hour.

The elements of a successful CLIL lesson based on 4Cs curriculum (Coyle 1999 & Coyle 2008) are:

Content - progression in knowledge, skills and understanding related to specific elements of a defined curriculum.

Communication - using language to learn whilst learning to use language.

Cognition - developing thinking skills which link concept formation (abstract and concrete), understanding and language.

Culture - exposure to alternative perspectives and shared understandings, which deepen awareness of otherness and self

A practical example of CLIL approach in a language classroom

Based on the week's/month's topic, as an introductory or wrap-up lesson you can try out the CLIL approach in your classroom. For example, you might have taught key vocabulary about nature and the countryside, and building from this, planning a flower or gardening activity could be very exciting for your students as they will see this lesson as a game or, better say, a break time. The only difference is that for this CLIL lesson you will place yourself as an experienced gardening instructor.

You can bring in class plants and flowers (both common and some more rarely seen items) and organise a gardening, watering and flower decoration lesson. Display the items for your students to see. Do not forget to also provide the tools necessary. The reason we suggest that is the students will meet the items on lesson day (and not prior to that as they would if they were asked to bring the tools themselves), so there will be the element of the surprise for the upcoming lesson.

If your school's facilities allow it, you can take the students outdoors and give them a gardening class. Speak to them while you put the plants in the soil. Hold the items and repeat the word. For example, hold the plant pot and repeat " maceta". In that way, the children will learn what plant pot means in Spanish, in our case, without you translating the words. Students will remember the vocabulary better when they can make the real visual connection to the item. As soon as you have finished your gardening lesson, always revise the key vocabulary by showing the items once more with the help of your students (for example using Flashcards to do so would be a great way to help students recall these vocabulary items).

Remember to also check out our another article on the 10 best language teaching strategies for more inspiration and ideas for your next language class!
If you're a language teacher who's looking for inspiration to try out new language teaching methods, then check out Sanako's Youtube Channel for instructional videos to some of the most advanced, evidence-based approaches to language teaching and the key concepts behind them. References used in this blog post:
B. F. KLIMOVA CLIL and the teaching of foreign languages. [Online] Elsevier Database. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com

Pearson. What is Content and Language Integrated Learning

FluentU. CLIL: What it is and why language teachers will find it delightful
This blog post was last updated 20 September, 2023.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is CLIL and how to use it in language teaching?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning and it is used to teach students about a new subject in a language foreign to them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Content and language integrated learning - Wikipedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Content and language integrated learning ( CLIL) is an approach for learning content through an additional language (foreign or second), thus teaching both the subject and the language.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Written by Sheila Corwin

Teacher Trainer in Florence

Introduction to CLIL

As a CLIL teacher myself, I often use the example of a content course that would interest me and that is taking a course about French cinema (content) in French (language), while on a study abroad holiday in Paris (of course!). Since French is not my mother tongue, this kind of course would expose me to learning about the specific content of interest to me while also learning about (and becoming more fluent) in the French language.

So, what does CLIL mean?

CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning and it has officially been around since the 1990s. It is an educational approach that originally stems from Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and has been used mostly by language teachers.

The concept is often credited to David Marsh. CLIL incorporates both the learning of content and the learning of a foreign language which is often English, but it could be teaching in any foreign language that is not the mother tongue of the students.

When we think of content, CLIL is often about the teaching of academic subject matter such as science, history, or geography, but it can also be about the teaching of any other kind of content which is less academic and, some may say, more fun subject matter such as photography, fashion, cooking, or cinema.

CLIL refers to situations where 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.

David Marsh, University of Jyväskylä, Finland (1994)

Soft CLIL and hard CLIL: what is the difference?

Soft CLIL is often applied in young learner (primary school) classrooms and is mostly about teaching words and vocabulary in a foreign language i.e., getting students familiar with a second language by providing some limited exposure, while still teaching primarily in the mother tongue. Soft CLIL is appropriate for lower proficiency levels such as beginning and elementary.

Hard CLIL means that an entire course is taught in a foreign language and learners need to be at an intermediate or above proficiency level and already be quite autonomous in the second language. In a course where everything is in a foreign language, learners need to be confident in the second language and have some substantial experience studying it already.

The challenges of planning CLIL Lessons

I once attended a conference where the presenter mentioned that CLIL was a good way for primary and secondary schools to get 2 for 1. In other words, an academic subject teacher and a language teacher are represented by one individual i.e., two for the price of one.

As with anything, difficulties can arise when a trained language teacher becomes an academic subject teacher, and when the trained academic subject teacher becomes the language teacher.

What is really needed, but not easily obtained, is for every CLIL course to have access to two teachers; an academic subject teacher expert and a language teacher expert who knows how to teach a foreign language to non-native speakers.

CLIL and language teachers - challenges and the good news

If you are a language teacher, one of the biggest challenges you will face in the teaching of an academic subject is a lack of background knowledge in the teaching of specific academic content.

Furthermore, developing this expertise may not be a realistic expectation because many language teachers have been trained to teach a foreign language and may not have a higher specialized degree in an academic content area.

The Good news: If you are a language teacher, you have expertise in how to teach a foreign language to non-native speakers and you are already sensitive to working with these kinds of learners.

You know how to execute activities for second language learners and are used to checking on learners' comprehension and dealing with error correction in both writing and speaking activities.

CLIL and academic subject teachers - challenges and the good news

If you are an academic subject teacher, you may have an advanced degree in history or geography but no experience in teaching language and you may find that you are unable to make the necessary modifications to make your content knowledge comprehensible to language learners.

You may also find difficulties with teaching their subject matter in a foreign language if you, too, are non-native speakers of the language required to teach.

The Good news: If you are an academic subject teacher, you have content area expertise, which a language teacher might lack. You probably have a very specialized degree and you are an expert in your areas of study which could be anything from history, geography, art, science, or math. Since you might also be native speakers, you will know how to communicate their subject matter effectively if the mother tongue is used.

How to implement CLIL in your classroom

CLIL is driven by academic or other subject-matter content and teachers who are interested in (or required to) incorporate this approach in their classroom need to know and understand how to create and incorporate the teaching of the four skills reading, writing, listening, and speaking to non-native speakers of a language effectively and in a beneficial way for their learners.

The Receptive Skills: Listening and Reading CLIL activities

Anything that students receive in a foreign language is referred to as input. The receptive skills are known as Listening and Reading and require that all teachers check on their learners' comprehension of what has or has not been understood.

A formula for Listening activity (with handout):

1. Pre-teach difficult or unknown vocabulary words

2. Listen first time for gist - without handout

3. Listen second time for specific details - with questions on handout

4. This step can be skipped if over 50% of questions have been answered: Listen a third time for confirmation and to get missed details.

After the second or third listening, individual students can share and compare with those around them before coming back together as a class to confirm anything else that they are unsure about or that they were unable to discern with their partner or partners.

In the CLIL in Secondary School - Practical Activities for All Teachers course in Florence, Italy, the second day focuses on teaching CLIL through Science. In one of the first listening activities, the 2006 movie trailer An Inconvenient Truth is used in a cloze activity*.

The first listening allows students to listen to and watch the 3-minute trailer. Before the second listening, students are given a handout where 12 words from the transcript are provided in a word bank at the top of the worksheet. During the second listening, students are required to fill in the missing words in the text without the visual of the video to allow them to focus solely on listening.

As mentioned in the above formula, students can skip the third listening if they were able to fill in at least 50% of the missing words.

*Cloze Activity - an activity in which words are removed from a passage for a learner to fill in as an exercise in reading comprehension. The missing words may or may not be provided in a word bank.

A formula for Reading Activity (with handout):

1. Pre-teach difficult or unknown vocabulary words and highlight them in the text

2. Students Read first time aloud (dividing up reading equally by sentences or paragraphs) to practice pronunciation

3. Students read second time silently for comprehension

At this point, students can complete comprehension questions with or without the text, individually, or with a partner or partners. If comprehension questions are answered without the text, they can be answered with a partner through speaking and relying on memory of what was read together.

In another example from the course CLIL in Secondary School - Practical Activities for All Teachers, the third day focuses on teaching CLIL through History. In one of the reading activities, a short reading passage about the life of Henry VIII, a former King of England, is passed out. For the first reading, each student is allowed to read at least one sentence aloud.

During the second reading, students read silently (on their own) and are asked to write their names at the top of the handout when they have finished. Teachers can collect the reading passage from all students when they have finished reading.

As mentioned in the above formula, individual students or pairs are given one handout with 12 comprehension questions to answer without the ability to refer to the reading passage for answers.

The Productive Skills: 5 ways to do Writing and Speaking activities

Anything that students produce in a foreign language is referred to as output. The productive skills are known as Writing and Speaking and require that teachers engage in error correction which can be done by the teacher, the student, or a peer depending on what needs to be corrected, student level, and or the activity.

Students can work on productive activities (where writing and speaking are required) in any of the following ways:

On the fourth day of the course CLIL in Secondary School - Practical Activities for All Teachers, the focus is on teaching Geography through CLIL. Students are required to produce a roleplay, using speaking, based on the travels of Marco Polo. On this day, a two-minute film clip from the 2014 film Marco Polo is used.

First students choose the role they would like to play. Then they are provided with the transcript from the film. After highlighting their role(s) and what they need to say, they Listen and watch - paying attention to the character they are playing and how they sound. The next step (depending on how many students there are in class) is to put students in small groups, two teams, or as a whole class to practice the script.

When each group is ready, students perform. There can be more than one performance and everyone else who participates as the audience can provide oral or written feedback. If students are studying the part of the world where Marco Polo explored, they can also research and write about different cities along his route.

Using authentic CLIL resources

Since CLIL is all about knowing how to prepare and implement reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities to non-native speakers of a language, teachers who are particularly creative and dedicated to their craft, can seek out Authentic Materials from the real world to develop their courses.

If I use the same example of learning more about French cinema in the French language while enjoying a holiday in France, I could, for example, think about incorporating movie trailers (listening); short interviews (in French) found on YouTube with film directors or French actors (listening); include movie reviews of films in French (reading); anything about the places, people, or events that take place in any film (reading).

I could also engage my learners in speaking and writing activities that get students to express their opinions or thoughts about certain films, French actors and actresses, film topics, locations depicted in French films, timelines, genres, or songs used in French movies. Students could be asked to create movie posters or a short guide to French films perhaps from different time periods as a fun project.

Conclusion and resources

Many countries and educational institutions around the world are promoting the teaching and learning of both content and language through CLIL. For example, the European Union (EU) also embraces it.

The language policy of the EU, drawn up by the European Parliament at the Social Summit held in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2017, declares that by 2025, young citizens of the EU should be learning and able to speak at least two additional European languages along with their native tongue by the time they complete school.

As we all know, competence in more than one foreign language plays an important role in improving educational and employment opportunities. The argument then is that through CLIL students can simultaneously study academic or other subject matter through a foreign language at school which will help them reach a good level of multilingualism by the time they become an adult.

Teachers should therefore have an integrated and well-prepared education themselves to help them properly prepare their own students to be open-minded European citizens who speak more than one language.

Since CLIL is about teaching content through a foreign language. It can serve as an approach to provide meaningful language use driven by specific content, CLIL is not only an important instrument for fostering European citizens' language learning goals; it is a way to embrace language diversity and a deeper understanding of other EU countries and ways of life.

If you would like to know more about CLIL, I have an exiting news to share!

After 10 years of teaching CLIL to more than 1'000 European teachers, I recently had the opportunity to create an online course on it. The best part?

Thanks to the Erasmus+ project EUTEAM, the course is 100% free!

The MOOC clarifies the CLIL methodology and introduces several examples of CLIL activities focusing on EU content and the original EU members-with authentic (real world) materials in English.

It offers several activity handouts ready to be used in the classroom, along with questions for reflection for the students.

Click on the following link to register:

Furthemore, within our catalogue of Erasmus courses for teachers, we have an entire selection of more than 20 courses focused on CLIL!

They are all week-long courses that focuses on how to create reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities in academic subject matter such as science, history, geography, and art.

English is the language for which this specific content is taught. All these courses are filled with a multitude of activities to help both the language and academic subject teacher gain a better understanding of managing an effective CLIL classroom experience for both learners and teachers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) is an educational approach credited to David Marsh (Finland) that is around since the 90s

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Defining CLIL: What is CLIL and How to use it in your ESL classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is CLIL? What are the principles of this approach? How can it be implented into the modern ESL class? What are the pros and cons?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Twig Education (now Imagine Learning Studios)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you're raising your eyebrow in arched confusion right now, wondering what on earth CLIL is, don't worry. We've got you covered.

CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning. What that means in real life is learning another (content) subject such as physics or geography through the medium of a foreign language as well as learning a foreign language by studying a content-based subject. In short, content subjects are taught and learned in a language which is not the mother tongue of the learners.

So why is CLIL important?

In CLIL lessons, the foreign language becomes the means of learning content. Students feel more motivated to learn the language because they are actually doing something with it, rather than dealing in some of the rather tired phrases and topics that old-fashioned language lessons tend to turn up. The focus is on language acquisition rather than enforced learning, i.e. building up language competency through using it to explore and discuss curriculum topics, leading to more natural and sophisticated communicative skills over time.

CLIL helps with:

Improving overall and specific language competence.

Preparing for future studies and/or working life.

Developing multilingual interests and attitudes.

Diversifying methods & forms of classroom teaching and learning.

Increasing learner motivation.

Integrating language into the broader curriculum.

Long-term learning: students become academically proficient in a language after 5-7 years in a good bilingual program. This is because CLIL focuses on fluency rather than accuracy, treating errors as a natural part of language learning.

Introducing a wider cultural context to content lessons

Accessing International Certification and enhancing the school profile.

There are other advantages too, which extend outside the classroom, making CLIL relevant within a global context.

The rise of the global economy means different countries interact with each other on a daily basis. Even with English as the main language, there is often a need for communicative skills in a second or third language. Besides, some countries have very strict policies regarding the use of regional languages within their borders.

Learning and knowing other languages often promotes feelings of trust and helps in better communication. It's one of the reasons why the European Commission has been looking into the state of bilingualism and language education since the 1990s, and has a clear vision of a multilingual Europe in which people can function in two or three languages.

Interested in knowing more about CLIL? We are happy to help. We just won the BETT award for our CLIL digital resources and we're feeling even more inspired than usual to promote all things Content and Language Integrated Learning.

Email clil@twig-world.com to let us know your thoughts on CLIL.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CLIL and why it matters - Twig Education (now Imagine Learning Studios)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you're raising your eyebrow in arched confusion right now, wondering what on earth CLIL is, don't worry. We've got you covered. CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning. What that means in real life is learning another (content) subject such as physics or geography through the medium of a foreign language as [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
If You’re Happy And You Know It | Kids Songs | Super Simple Songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Each verse in this classic kids’ song gets harder and harder, making it super fun to sing! And while singing about the sailor’s adventures, we also learn the names of some very cool sea creatures. Like a seahorse, a jellyfish, a turtle, an octopus, a baby shark, and a blue whale?! Phew!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
BINGO Dog Song – There Was A Farmer Had A Dog - Nursery Rhyme – Songs For Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
TheLearningStation - Kids Songs and Nursery Rhymes

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I am the Music Man - Action Songs for Children - Brain Breaks - Kids Songs by The Learning Station

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
LooLoo Kids - Nursery Rhymes and Children's Songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five Little Monkeys - THE BEST Songs for Children | LooLoo Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Counting Bananas featuring the Super Simple Puppets | Kids Counting Song | Super Simple Songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Old MacDonald Had A Farm | Nursery Rhymes | Super Simple Songs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Check Pages 1-14 of Abe The Service Dog in the flip PDF version. Abe The Service Dog was published by Perpustakaan Digital SMK Menglembu on 2020-11-24. Find more similar flip PDFs like Abe The Service Dog. Download Abe The Service Dog PDF for free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read Pout Pout fish by andrea armesto on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Start here!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Check Pages 1-26 of The Wonky Donkey By Craig Smith in the flip PDF version. The Wonky Donkey By Craig Smith was published by meadowsacademytz on 2020-06-11. Find more similar flip PDFs like The Wonky Donkey By Craig Smith. Download The Wonky Donkey By Craig Smith PDF for free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kids vocabulary - Drinks - Learn English for kids - English educational video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
AdaptedMind is a customized online math curriculum, problems, and worksheets that will significantly improve your child’s math performance, guaranteed. We make learning fun, game-oriented, and give you ways to get involved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is a game for practicing simple vocabulary words in English. You listen to the audio and then click on the correct word or image.

The aim of the game is to practice interacting with English words for simple everyday use. The images used in the game convey meaning and context. Through the interactions, this meaning is paired with text and audio to facilitate learning and reinforcement.

Before the game starts, you are presented with the 10 items that will be used in the game. On this screen you can review and familiarize yourself with the target language and then when ready, then you can click on start to begin. There are three parts to the game. In the first part, you simply listen or read the words and then click on the matching image. In the second part, you drag the images to match the target words. Then in the third part, you have to look and the image and click on the matching word. If you make a mistake at any time, the game ends and you are shown the error. From this screen, you can click on 'retry' to have another go, or you can click on the arrow button to return to the preview screen and once again review the items. Once you complete all three parts without making any mistakes, the game ends and you are shown a summary.

There are 31 different sets of content that can be used in this game. A set of content is automatically selected for you, but if you would like to pick a set to use, then you can click 'choose' at the first screen. Each set of content has between 10 and 35 different items, but only 10 are used at one time. These 10 are chosen at random and if you replay the same set of content, you will likely get different items. The reason for only using 10 items is that students may be unfamiliar with a lot of the vocabulary. Showing more than 10 potentially new words to students would be too many to pick up at once.

You can give feedback or suggestions through the contact form or by leaving a comment below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Practice simple English vocab in a fun way. Read and listen to the words and then click and move the images. You can use this to learn English online for free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Treasure Diving: Numbers 1-10 | Game | Education.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Young learners gain practice recognizing numbers 0-10 in this learning adventure that takes place under the sea!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Rhyme Time Matching Game | Game | Education.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Which word rhymes with bat? In this card matching game, kids look at the pictures and listen to the words to find pairs that rhyme.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guess the Animal Game | Game | Education.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Help your kid hone deductive reasoning skills and learn about animal attributes by listening to clues in this search for a missing animal from the zoo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Floyd’s Pattern Quiz Game | Game | Education.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Patterns are essential building blocks of math and this fun game is the perfect way to practice pattern recognition.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This is a new game made with a more modern web development framework. It may not work properly with older browsers and likely will not work at all with Internet Explorer.

This is a mini game for practicing daily routines vocabulary and phrases in English. The focus in on vocab for daily activities. These are things the average person does in the morning, afternoon and evening. Phrases used in the game also include language for sequencing and linking activities.

There are three parts to the game. In the first part, you are introduced to the vocabulary items and are required to click on the correct item to match the text and audio. In the second part you have to respond to a daily routines phrase. These phrases involve sequencing and times of day. In the third part, you have to re-arrange sentences into the correct order.

The game uses 27 daily activities. This is a list of those used:

The game also involves phrases for linking activities and phrases for times of the day. These phrase include the following.

This game is made in Javascript using the Pixi.js library. If you have any comments, questions or feedback, then please use the form below to post a message.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An ESL game for practicing daily routines phrases in English. The game has images and audio for daily activities. This is a fun way to learn ESL daily vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your room is a mess! There’s rubbish lying all around, but you can recycle it. Can you put the rubbish in the right recycling bins?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you like playing games in English? We have fun games for you to play. Read the instructions and have fun playing and practising English. You can also post comments!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Wordwall - Create better lessons quicker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Group sort - Drag and drop each item into its correct group.