Assignment - CLIL

SUBJECT ASSIGNMENT:
CONTENT & LANGUAGE INTEGRATED LEARNING

Names and surname(s):

Noelia Fuentes Rivera
Mylene Sandoval
Lorena del Aguila
Logins:
PEFPMTFL1562274

PEFPMTFL1322544
PEFPMTFL93019
Group: 2014-02
Date: March 2015

Assignment - CLIL

INDEX

1. Introduction:
2. What is CLIL?
3. Brief History of CLIL
4. CLIL in Peru.
5. Is CLIL used in our country?
6. Advantages of CLIL
7. Issues of using CLIL
8. Conclusions
9. Bibliographical References

Assignment - CLIL

Assignment:
Consider the various caveats expressed about CLIL in section 5.6 entitled 'Some
problems'. Take these points and any others that you wish to consider from the
whole subject, and use them to form either a defence or a repudiation of the
notion that 'CLIL is the approach for the future'. This must take the form of an
appraisal of CLIL, in which you must consider the arguments and the materials
that you have seen in this subject, and then balance these with perspectives
gathered from your own teaching experience.
Most importantly of all, you must organise these points into a coherent essay.
Please avoid taking the points one by one, as if you were simply appraising a
list. Try to look at the issue from both a local and an international perspective,
and also try to consider CLIL from both a practical and a philosophical
viewpoint. Will it enable us to teach languages better? Perhaps. Will it enable
you (in your context) to teach languages better? Perhaps not. But the latter is
not a total repudiation of CLIL. Try to give the defendant a fair trial!

INTRODUCTION
Do you have any idea of how the world would look like in 20 years? It is our job
as teachers to prepare our students for the future globalized world, specially taking into
consideration our ongoing rapidly changing society. Ken Kay, CEO of Edleader 21
remarked, Todays students need critical thinking and problem solving skills not just to
solve the problems of their current jobs, but to meet the challenges of adapting to our
constantly changing workforce. Globalization is here, now shaping how we live, and
work. It is said that it is ideal for young adults to learn a second language, develop a
global mindset, and be flexible and self-reliant. Nowadays, companies are looking for
employees with competencies such as critical thinking and the ability to interact with
people from different linguistic and cultural background. Through this essay we intend
to discuss the various issues related to CLIL, whether they can be considered as
advantages or disadvantages and if our educational system is prepared to implement a
CLIL methodology in its bilingual context
WHAT IS CLIL?
CLIL stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning. It is an approach
concerning languages or intercultural knowledge and understanding (Marsh, 2002); it is

Assignment - CLIL

a meaning-focused learning method (Van de Craen, 2006) and an umbrella term used
to talk about bilingual education situations (Gajo, 2007).
In practical terms, this means that a curricular subject, such as Geography,
Mathematics or any other generally non-linguistic subject, is taught and learnt through
the medium of a foreign language. It is a very effective way of developing
communicative competence.
This is why this approach is growing so fast in so many European countries, which
mostly view CLIL as an exposure to the language without requiring extra time in the
curriculum and also a way of improving poor results in language teaching. It is
increasingly important in our global, technological society, where knowledge of another
language helps learners to develop skills which will be able to communicate to people
around the world. It is a completely different learning experience compared with most
foreign language teaching because content and language are taught together.
CLIL relates to the fact that language development in L2 cannot be left to chance.
Without the proper attention, the learning of a non-language subject will not improve
due to difficulties in the L2, and language competence in the L2 will not grow.

BRIEF HISTORY OF CLIL

Although the word CLIL was coined not a long time ago, in 1994, CLIL is not a
brand new phenomenon at all. 5000 years ago, in what is now the modern Iraq, the
Attakians conquered the Sumerians and the local language Sumerian was learned as
the language of instruction to learn content.
In the 1890s approximately, bilingualism and multilingualism existed among wealthy
families. Children were either sent abroad to learn a foreign language or a tutor or
governess were rented to teach a foreign language.
A more recently recorded fact, which can be described as the first example of modern
CLIL was in 1965 in Canada. English speaking parents who were living in the French
quarters of Quebec were worried because they saw their children were in disadvantage
with French speakers. So, they asked the Government to produce immersion of
programmes in the schools so that they learned the subjects in French (instead of
French). This idea apparently spread all over Canada and the rest of the world.

Assignment - CLIL

At last, in the 1970s appeared more bilingual immersion programmes for people of
different backgrounds and there was an increase of awareness that language and
content should go hand-in-hand.
This is a brief story of CLIL however this concept is not new and it has been just
recycled and brought into the scene again. In a globalized world, CLIL is a tool that is
worth analyzing and discovering its possibilities and benefits.
IS CLIL USED IN OUR COUNTRY?
CLIL first influenced in Peru started a few years ago. However, we have records
of the first congress going back to 2011. The first congress was organized by UDEP
and recognized Peruvian and Canadian researchers.
In our country, a foreign language can be learned in school, in a private institution or in
university. The approach to CLIL varies according to the institution that is being
observed. For the basic education, students can attend a private or public school, and
whether attending one or the other determines a big difference in the approach. In the
city of Lima, there are approximately 245 schools among private and public, of this
grand total only 12% -30.- develop their curricula in English or other foreign language.
There is also an undeniable reality in our country; schools that engage in CLIL in their
curricula are mostly private schools that can be categorized as expensive. Public
schools for the most part lack resources, money and qualified teachers to implement
CLIL in their teaching. We can conclude that the development of CLIL is a slow process
in our basic education.
Moving to young adults, which is the area where we teach. We can also state, that
most the Universities in Peru (private and non-private) are trying to implement their
curricula with English Subject Courses. This is mainly because Universities are offering
different abroad programs such as Summer Programs, One Semester Exchange
Abroad Programs or even Double Degree Programs to countries in Europe, Asia and
North America. Most European Universities require students to participate in one of
these programs in order to obtain their Bachelor Degree. Here in Peru, as of now there
is only one private university that has this requirement (USIL).
Our institution started as a university 8 years ago. At first, we used to offer a small
amount of our curricula in English, now it is rapidly increasing more and more. Now we
are offering ESL Courses in a blended form, we also offer Subject Courses and Subject
Courses in English that will increase up to 25%. Last but not least, now there are more
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Assignment - CLIL

international scholarships for a master degree being offered to the students. Pronabec
(Peruvian Institution from the government) is presently offering 300 Presidential
Scholarships for young students. For that reason, we believe that CLIL had an
excellent acceptance here in Peru and is growing positively. One important thing to
consider is teacher training for more preparation and for developing materials.
Regarding language institutions that teach a foreign language, the use of CLIL
has not been implemented yet. Language institutions that mainly teach English usually
implement their own teaching methodologies and they rely on different aspects that can
aid in the teaching of a language. For instance, a large binational center located in
Lima, applies a methodology called experiential flow which is based on three pillars:
use of technology, engaging classroom dynamics and maximizing language production.
The central idea is to create opportunities and offer resources for learning.
As another example of methodology, there is another big institution that is focused on
Communicative language teaching, where the idea of learning successfully comes
through having to communicate real meaning. Most groups are enthusiastic about the
lesson opportunities which CLT offers. When learners are involved in real
communication, their natural strategies for language acquisition will be used, and this
will allow them to learn to use the language. In addition to this teacher-student
relationship becomes an interactive, harmonious relationship, rather than the traditional
education. Although communication is the main skill, writing, the receptive skills and
grammar have an important role during the learning process.

ADVANTAGES OF CLIL
CLIL is considered a revolutionary response for todays teaching and learning. CLIL
offers a number of advantages such as:
a) It builds intercultural knowledge and understanding;
b) It develops intercultural communication skills;
c) It improves language competence and oral communication skills;
d) It develops multilingual interest and attitudes;
e) It provides opportunities to study content through different perspectives;
f) It complements other subjects rather than competing with them;

Assignment - CLIL

g) It increases learners motivation and confidence in both the language and the subject
being taught and it provides materials which develop thinking skills from the start.
CLIL can be realized using very different models. Each one is determined by the school
and learners. Language use and learning can be re-conceptualized through CLIL. It
enables development of an integrated educational approach which actively involves the
learner in using and developing the language of learning. CLIL has been referred to as
education through construction, rather than instruction.
The essence of CLIL leads to it having status as an innovative new educational
approach which transcends traditional approaches to both subject and language
teaching.
ISSUES OF USING CLIL
Can CLIL be implemented in our country? This question cannot be answered
straightforward since it involves working on a series of analyses on the issues that can
be found in CLIL.
These analyses will be done on the basis of what our reality is in teaching a foreign
language in Peru and the real possibilities of implementing CLIL as a methodology.
One first consideration is the Trojan horse argument, according to which CLIL can be
used for non-orthodox linguistic purposes to impose political domination through
language. Nothing farther from reality. This argument is not valid, since in our
environment the activity of teaching English, which is the most popular language and
the one that is needed for different kind of activities, is an opportunity to offer better life
conditions for those who learn it. English is by far a needed and wanted language for a
great majority. A chance to teach relevant content through the use of a relevant
language is only an opportunity to expand students knowledge and offer them a better
future. As Kumaravadivelu (1994) has claimed we are now in a 'post-method' era and
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and the use of English as the
language of instruction has moved from experimental research to the center of global
education.
Another issue to consider is the one that states that language teachers lack knowledge
on the subjects and subjects teachers have a minimal knowledge of foreign languages.
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Assignment - CLIL

A language teacher has the challenge to learn more about subject content and subject
teachers need to learn about the language needed for their subjects.
Nowadays, in the vast majority of schools in our country it is not possible for subject
teachers to work as CLIL teachers because they are not equipped with the necessary
language competencies required to teach in a foreign language.
This is a problem that is faced by most institutions; however, this that appears to be a
threat can be confronted as a challenge which is closely related with training.
Language teachers and subject teachers do not need to go separate ways. CLIL
appears as an opportunity to motivate and introduce a foreign language or a subject
such as math or geography, teachers will find an opportunity for personal development
as they can become subject-language teachers in full. This will surely demand an
effort of all the participants involved in the process, but it is a fact that not only teachers
-language and subject- but also students will greatly benefit from it.
Another aspect to consider is the lack of materials for teaching CLIL. CLIL materials are
not in the market, since each would have to be personalized to fit the curricula and
culture of a country. Teachers are confronted with the task of creating their own
materials, which is time-consuming. Additionally materials need to suit students during
their different stages of learning. This seems as a disadvantage, however considering
that no one version of CLIL is exportable the need of creating our own materials just
reinforces the notion that each country deals with its own reality and will establish its
own way of implementing CLIL as a methodology and in that process, materials will
play a very important role. So what seems as a disadvantage and a titanic task
becomes a need to fulfill if we as educational system wish to adhere to a CLIL
methodology.
Another aspect to consider is what subjects should be selected when working with
CLIL. Are some subjects better taught than others? The choice of core studies depends
on different factors. In some places, it is the educational authority that decides in others
it is the teachers call. Social sciences that provide rich language and many
opportunities for communicative activities are common courses for CLIL. Math and
other science subjects are also candidates for CLIL. In our country, private schools that
use a CLIL methodology, usually teach math, chemistry, physics, biology, and

Assignment - CLIL

geography. Courses such as literature or history are specifically taught in the mother
tongue.
Another important issue to be considered is the fact that it is still unknown how well a
student can transfer knowledge from a second language to the mother tongue. It is not
clear when learners are transferring that knowledge and if they will do it conceptuallinguistically correctly. Without a doubt, one of the main advantages of CLIL is to
promote students awareness of the value of transferable skills and knowledge, which is
the result of an intense acclimatization work. In a CLIL context not only does the
amount of exposure to the target language increase, but also the type of input
changes. The rationale for this learning context bases on the idea that learners who are
exposed to large amounts of language will be expected to develop higher levels of
proficiency in the foreign language. This seems especially true for vocabulary
development, with CLIL students learning more words and more nuances
(associations, collocations, syntax, etc.) of words than learners in instructional
approaches.
Last but not least, there comes assessment. What will happen then with
assessment in CLIL? Will we take into account the linguistic level acquired by the
student or will we grade the academic level? How will we do it? While some
colleagues stress that CLIL means that both the content and the language are taught
and that is why both should be evaluated at the same time, other colleagues suggest
that an alternative way of doing assessment is a mark for content and a separate mark
for language. This confusion in the way of assessing students is what would mostly
prevail in our system, not only among teachers but also among authorities that will
definitely prove their incapability to provide solutions.
Scriven (1967) distinguishes two types of assessment: formative and summative. The
type of assessment chosen on CLIL courses will determine how learners perform and
how they work towards the language and content objectives. Hence, teachers should
make conscious decisions as regards the type of assessment taking into account their
objectives, each institutions requirements, among several other factors. Both types of
assessment can be useful within this approach. Formative assessment according to
Scriven is how judgments about the quality of students responses (performances,
pieces, or works) can be used to shape and improve students learning during the
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Assignment - CLIL

learning process, and summative assessment is concerned with summing the

achievement status of a learner.
CONCLUSIONS
Having exposed the advantages and disadvantages of CLIL we came up to the
conclusion that CLIL is growing slowly in Peru. We still need to patch all these
problems mentioned above and to see if the advantages overcome the drawbacks in
our setting.
It is known that learning a language and learning through a language is an ongoing
process, also including CLIL requires a rethink of the traditional concepts of the
language classroom and the language teacher and the countrys political context.
Until CLIL training for teachers and materials issues are resolved, the immediate future
remains with parallel rather than integrated content and language learning.
CLIL is not so much a revolutionary proposal for language teaching as a new
orientation within the CLIL paradigm. Equally, as has been reported, the benefits of the
approach are supported by both extensive research on theoretical foundations and the
outcomes reported by numerous designers and implementers of successful
experiences in a multiplicity of settings, institutions and levels of instruction.
Teachers have to plan the appropriate curricula, design the syllabus, and fully develop
new classroom materials which encompass the assumptions of the approach. This
endeavor may involve strenuous hours of laborious effort and may spark mixed
authors, however, encourage teachers to experiment by creating innovative contentbased proposals that better suit the particular needs, concerns and preferences of their
learners population. The effort is utterly worthwhile.
As for Peru, we believe an eclectic approach to language teaching should continue.
For elementary school CLIL can be used to teach subjects such as: Social Studies,
Science, music, computers, etc.
Finally, until the school policies are in favor of moving into more student-centered
syllabi, we will not be able give a big impulse to CLIL.

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Assignment - CLIL

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES
Maza, C. Martha
Content and Language Integrated Learning
http://www.eumed.net/rev/tlatemoani/09/mamc.html
Marsh, D. (2002). Content and Language Integrated Learning: The European
Dimension: Actions, Trends and Foresight Potential. Retrieved on March 10, 2014
from: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/languages/index/html
Stacie Nevadomski Berdan and Marshall S. Berdan (2013): Raising Global
Children
Scriven, M. (1967). The methodology of Evaluation, in: R. Tyler, R. Gagn & M.
Scriven (Eds.), Perspectives of Curriculum Evaluation (AERA Monograph Series on
Curriculum Evaluation, No. 1) (Chicago, Rand McNally)
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Critical language pedagogy: A postmethod
perspective on English language teaching, World Englishes, 22(4)
Agustn, Ll. Maria Pilar. An Overview of Variables Affecting Lexical Transfer in
Writing: A Review Study
http://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/%EE%80%80ijl%EE
%80%81/article/viewFile/445/pdf_2
Marketing Department (Undergraduate), Universidad Esan.

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