Characterizing CLIL teaching: new insights from a lower secondary classroom

As a bilingual teaching method, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is growing in popularity in Europe and research has primarily focused on (language) learning outcomes. Few studies have identified what characterizes teaching in the CLIL classroom in terms of content and language integration. Studying how CLIL is practiced is vital to understanding how it works and how students can benefit from it. In this study, we filmed and observed CLIL lessons in science and mathematics in a 9th grade, Norwegian CLIL class offering subjects in English. The present study uses The Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observation (PLATO) to analyze video-recordings of CLIL lessons in science and mathematics, emphasizing a within-CLIL focus, and compared this with the English language teaching in the same class, as a baseline. Our findings indicate content-driven and intellectually challenging CLIL teaching with clear instructional explanations and systematic language support. English was used as frequently in the CLIL teaching as in the English teaching. Content and language were clearly integrated in the observed CLIL lessons, underscoring that the CLIL teachers successfully conveyed their subject in the target language.

Automated summary

CLIL is a popular bilingual teaching method in Europe, with studies showing that it features content-driven, intellectually challenging teaching with systematic language support, effectively integrating content and language.