Content and Language Integrated Learning
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has become the umbrella term describing
both learning another (content) subject such as physics or geography through the medium of a
foreign language and learning a foreign language by studying a content-based subject.
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?
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.
The advantages of CLIL
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:
Subject specific Academic Other language
above the knee(s)
miniskirt credited
credited to
hemline designer
inspired by
knee-level cited
cited as
fashion designer invented
disagreement as to
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).