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Content and Language Integrated Learning: Innovative Activities
Key Words
CLIL - EFL - Theme Based Instruction - Cognitive Theories - Trendy Methods in EFL - Skills Integration - Learning Strategies - Ciclo Orientado in secondary schools Introduction
English has become a language with utmost relevance in international communication, and has been chosen as the main foreign language taught in schools across the country.
Undoubtedly, progress in the realm of the sciences, arts and education is based on international cooperation and cultural exchanges, situations that clearly demand individuals' active participation in a multicultural and plurilingual world.
Moreover, it has been proved that foreign languages posses a great importance in the world of work and academic studies, due to the need to access specialized bibliography which can mostly be found written in English. (Educ.ar: 2007)
Theoretical Framework
Increased attention has been devoted to Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in the last decade. The role of content has become relevant within Second Language Teaching and Learning. According to Met (1999: 14), success in the integration of language and content has been based on theoretical assumptions and the development of effective English Language Teaching (ELT) programmes, not only immersion programmes, but also programmes in which the language is taught as a school subject.
CLIL agrees with Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and with various learning approaches. According to CLT, learners should get involved in tasks with meaningful and authentic objectives. Therefore, students who learn content in second or foreign languages (L2, FL) use the language in given contexts; they do not learn the language as an objective in itself but as a means to accomplish real-life tasks. CLIL also agrees with Constructivist Theory. Constructivism sees learning as a process in which the learner actively builds new ideas and concepts based on previous knowledge and through his/her own experience, in collaboration with other learners and the teacher. This process gives the learner opportunities to work, clarify and order his/her ideas and elaborate what he/she has learned. In this
sense, when CLIL is applied in FLT, the learner acquires knowledge provided the contents are interrelated significantly and not presented in isolation, and that they are present in the learner's mind through previous experiences. Hence, language is a means to discussing interdisciplinary issues using the language in a significant context.
Grabe and Stoller (1997) in Snow and Brinton (1997) refer to proposals within Cognitive Learning Theory, which suggests a double emphasis on language and content in which the learner's attention is concentrated on the language in a way that promotes associative, cognitive and autonomous learning processes. The same authors go on to argue that Content Based Teaching can improve learning because of the relationships that can be established between content and the knowledge learners have about discourse and language. Consequently, this position is consistent with Constructivism which gives great importance to context, integration and coherence in learning. (Met op. cit.: 15).
Content based language teaching models
The development of Content Based Teaching has led to a variety of models of programmes, some of them with different objectives and approaches. According to Met (ibid: 15-17), the variation between the models could be distributed along a continuum. Although all the programmes integrate Language Learning and Contents, there is considerable variation as to the importance given to content and linguistic objectives.
Programme
Total Immersion
Partial Immersion
Subject Based Course
Subject Based Course plus
Language Classes
Language Classes based on Thematic
Units
Language Classes with frequent use of content to practice
the language Content Oriented -> -> -> Language Oriented
The application of the programmes shown in the table above depends on institutional policies and timetable demands in relation to FLT.
Thus, as authors of this workshop we acknowledge the importance of CLIL but with the time limitation imposed by the institution in which we teach. We try to balance both sides of the programmes shown in the table, and, consequently, we adopt a more moderate model called Theme-based approach. Stryker and Leaver (1997: 4) explain that theme-based approaches have existed for a long time in FLT in the form of supplementary activities that interrupt the systematic study of grammar with activities on different topics. The choice of topics or themes, thus, intends to break free from traditional practices, departing from commonly used linguistically focused items, towards real life themes oriented to transmitting original and engaging contents for students.
Through our experience, we have proved to ourselves how beneficial it is to provide “theme-oriented” activities to enable our students to use the language as a vehicle for content learning, and, at the same time, to offer them rich linguistic opportunities in a context different from that in the course textbook.
The criteria followed for the selection of contents starts with decisions as regards linguistic objectives which include the presentation of: vocabulary, grammar and linguistic functions, and goes on to the introduction of interesting theme-oriented activities which are adapted to students' linguistic competence, age, interests and knowledge of the world.
Criteria for content selection
?A central objective when selecting these contents and activities has been to increase students' motivation and interest in the topics proposed, thus providing a means for linguistic improvement through them. Tomlinson (1998: 7) postulates that successful materials should cast an impact on the learners so that they incorporate new contents and are able to process them. Learners are expected to:
?Feel positively motivated and willing to participate cooperatively going through communicative, cognitive, affective and learning processes.
?Deal with original topics and activities.
?Enjoy a collection of varied activities and original presentations.
?Learn to reflect about their world and its current issues. But, most importantly, it is expected that, by using these materials, students will come
across a variety of cultural contents that offer them good opportunities for self-reflection and learning.
Team teaching
?Harmer (2001: 282) asserts that there are many reasons why videos can add a special, extra dimension to the learning experience. Among them we can mention:
?Students do not only hear language, they see it too.
Therefore, we have strived to provide teachers and learners with materials that offer them meaningful experiences to use the language communicatively and at the same time reflect on this experience (Tomlinson ibid: 4).
Hence, the use of films in our classes can lead to article reading, organising debates, singing songs, studying the historical and political background to stories, role-playing, film review reading and writing, discussing literature topics and international current affairs, among others. The purpose of this workshop was precisely to show how, from a film, a variety of content-based activities in the areas of music and the arts, medicine, ethics, psychology and literature can be derived.
Adding to the idea of interdisciplinary work previously introduced, we would like to refer briefly to team teaching, also referred to as co-teaching and collaborative teaching. Johnson and Lobb (1961: 59) define team teaching as “a group of two or more persons assigned to the same students at the same time for instructional purposes in a particular subject or combination of subjects.”
Coonan (2003) from the University of Ca' Foscari, Venice, points out that the team teaching technique is a good solution when content is taught through a foreign language because both the content teacher and the language teacher are physically present during the class and introduce the topics to the learners.
Although this can be a good practice, we would like to introduce a more moderate approach to team teaching that can be applied in our institution as well as in other institutions in our town. We propose a type of teamwork that would involve the participation of teachers from the different curriculum areas, i.e. we strive to join in content and language integrated curriculum planning that would be applied to different classes following the pre-established FL timetable.
Why use video in the classroom
?Videos offer unique opportunities for students to have a look at situations far beyond their classrooms.
?Most students show an increase in their level of interest when they have a chance to see language in use as well as hear it, and when this is coupled with interesting tasks.
Skills integration and learning strategies
Stemplesky (2003: 365) states that films are closely associated with leisure and entertainment. Due to this fact teachers need to lead students to develop viewing skills which they can apply not only to language learning, but to their film and television viewing experiences outside the classroom.
Film watchers do not normally concentrate on paralinguistic features, gestures, non-verbal signals, intonation, cultural details, etc., which give valuable meaning clues and help them to see beyond what they are listening to and watching and thus interpret the text contained in the film more deeply.
It is the teacher's job to get students to focus their eyes, ears, and minds on the video in ways that will increase both comprehension and recall, and add to the satisfaction they gain from viewing. Adding up to the entertaining aspect, students will also recognize how this medium can be used for learning.
Brinton, Snow and Wesche (2003: 26) ascertain that in theme-based courses, contents can be better exploited and its use maximized for teaching by concentrating on the four skill areas. These programmes offer excellent opportunities to practise skills in combination, since topics offer coherence and continuity across skill areas, thus favouring integration.
Going beyond the old classification of skills into receptive and productive skills, the integration of skills introduces combinations such as reading and taking notes or participating in oral debates that include speaking and listening. It has become widely acknowledged that we cannot separate skills when acting normally in everyday life situations. Cunningsworth (1984: 20) explains that most communicative language interactions involve the use of more than one skill interactively, and therefore our concern is that our materials should emphasise the practice and integration of skills in models of real communication.
We also intend to enhance our application of CLIL by promoting strategic learning. Cohen (1998: 4-8) defines language learning and language use strategies
as processes consciously selected by learners, in order to improve the learning process or use of a second or foreign language, or both. Learning strategies have the potential of being used effectively, and teachers and instructors should work so as to help students develop these strategies and their use in the most positive way.
Oxford (1990: 1-8) enlarges on the previous definition by stating that strategies are important in language learning because they provide learners with tools for active, self-directed involvement, which become essential so that learners can accomplish their objectives. Furthermore, the application of appropriate strategies may collaborate in proficiency improvement and in supporting greater self-confidence. By extension, learning strategies are specific actions taken by learners to improve learning, making it easier, faster, more enjoyable, self- directed, effective and more transferable to new situations.
To conclude, we would like to add that we have devised materials that they can be used in different ways, in their original form and/or adapted to different teaching-learning situations. We would also like to make it clear that teachers who might be interested in applying these materials should adapt them by providing their new and original ideas, facing the challenge proposed and committing themselves to taking as much profit from them as possible in order to help their students' language improvement.
Brinton, D. M.; M. A. Snow & M. B. Wesche (2003): Content-Based Second Language Instruction.
Michigan Classics Edition. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Cohen, A. (1998): Strategies in Learning and Using a Second Language. London: Longman.
Coonan, C. M. (2003): “Some issues in implementing CLIL”. In European Language Council Bulletin 9, April 2003, at http://web.fu-berlin.de/elc/bulletin/9/en/coonan.html Retrieved in July 2007.
Cunningsworth, A. (1984): Evaluating and Selecting: English as a Foreign Language Teaching Materials.
London: Heinemann Educational Publishers.
Educ.ar (Argentinian State Educational Website) http://www.educ.ar/educar/: (2007): “Foreign Language Teaching”, at
http://www.educ.ar/educar/docentes/l_extranjera/egb1/final.jsp?url=CBC_EGB117314/105.HTML&
area=13&nivel=2&id=119723&tipo=178 Retrieved on 19/06/2007.
Conclusion
References
Grabe, W. & F. L. Stoller (1997): “Content-based instruction: research foundations”. In M. A. Snow & D.
M. Brinton (Eds.) (1997): The content-based classroom. White Plains, NY: Longman, pp. 5-21.
Harmer, J. (2001): The Practice of English Language Teaching. Third Edition. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited.
Johnson, R. H. & M. D. Lobb (1961): “Teachers' Beliefs about Co-teaching”. In Remedial and Special Education. NASSP Bulletin, Volume 45, Number 261, at CLIL-AXIS (2008). “Content & Language Integrated Learning”, at www.clil-axis.net/team_teach_intro.htm Retrieved in July 2007.
Met, M. (1999): “Impulsando el desarrollo de la segunda lengua mediante la enseñanza de contenidos”.
In Infancia y Aprendizaje 22: 2, pp 13-26.
Oxford, R. (1990): Language Learning Strategies: What every teacher should know. Heinle & Heinle Publishers, Boston, Massachusets, USA.
Stemplesky, S. (2003): “Video in the ELT Classroom: The Role of the Teacher”. In J. C. Richards & W. A.
Renandya (Eds.) (2002): Methodology in Language Teaching-An Anthology of Current Practice.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Stryker, S. B. & B. L. Leaver (Eds.) (1997): Content-Based Instruction in Foreign Language Education:
Models and Methods. Washington DC: Georgetown University Press.
Tomlinson, B. (Ed.) (1998): Materials Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.