Scaffolding Tools
Effective scaffolding uses multiple strategies to support student learning, facilitating the transition from guided
support to complete autonomy.
Visual Organizers Sentence Structures Model Texts
Diagrams, charts, and timelines to Templates like "The result was..." or "I Examples of written or oral
clarify complex ideas. think that... because..." expression to follow as reference.
Word Banks Pre-task Activities
Subject-specific vocabulary with Practice of keywords, phrases, or
supporting glossaries. pronunciation before the content.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Real Development Level Scaffolding
Skills or knowledge the student can use The support provided to help the student work in their ZPD:
independently.
Task modeling
Potential Development Level Guiding questions
What the student can do with guidance and Constructive feedback
support. Visual aids
Initial sentence structures
Zone of Proximal
Development
Challenging but achievable tasks
with adequate support.
Comfort Zone
Tasks are too easy; no learning
occurs.
Frustration Zone
Tasks are too difficult even with
help; leads to frustration.
Scaffolding Techniques in CLIL
Linguistic Scaffolding Content Scaffolding
Sentence structures Diagrams and timelines
Word banks Flowcharts
Model texts Practical demonstrations
Graphic organizers Real objects (realia)
Interaction Scaffolding Cognitive Scaffolding
Structured pair work Guiding questions
Group task roles Step-by-step instructions
Guided discussions Think-alouds
Bloom's Taxonomy in CLIL
Bloom's Taxonomy provides a framework for designing tasks that develop thinking skills from the basic to the most
complex levels.
Remember
Understand
Apply
Analyze
Evaluate
Create
0 40 80 120
Remember
Retrieve information - Match vocabulary with images
Understand
Explain ideas - Summarize a process in one's own words
Apply
Use knowledge - Conduct an experiment on water filtration
Analyze
Break down into parts - Identify causes and effects of climate change
Evaluate
Make judgments - Compare two environmental solutions
Create
Produce something new - Design a poster on renewable energy
The CLIL Pyramid
The CLIL Pyramid ensures that lessons are content-rich, cognitively challenging, culturally meaningful, and
linguistically supported.
2. Media Selection
1. Topic Selection
Selection of meaningful, multimodal, and authentic
Planning is the foundation of the CLIL Pyramid. Topic input. Media should address different learning styles
selection determines the direction of each lesson and multiple intelligences. CLIL environments should
and guides material creation. Subject content is the be rich in variety: texts, visuals, videos, and diagrams.
fundamental starting point.
4. CLIL Workout
3. Task Design
At the top of the pyramid is the CLIL Workout,
Tasks must match students' developmental stage and focused on student production. The final product
linguistic proficiency. Learning should connect with (presentation, project, report, model) determines the
prior knowledge and real-life experiences. Good CLIL necessary output scaffolding. Teachers monitor
tasks integrate higher-order thinking with meaningful performance and help develop awareness of the
communication. learning process.
Types of Materials and Tasks
CLIL materials are categorized by their cognitive function, ranging from memory tasks to opinion activities that
require advanced critical thinking.
Memory Procedural
Tasks focused on retrieving information. Activities Tasks that involve following steps, procedures, or
that require recalling or reproducing content without algorithms. Students apply known methods in
transformation. Exercises based on recognition and predictable and structured ways.
repetition.
Comprehension Opinion
Tasks that require interpreting, explaining, Tasks that require forming, expressing, and
comparing, or justifying content. They involve defending an opinion based on content. They
meaning-making and deep conceptual activate higher-order thinking and require advanced
understanding. academic language.
Material Formats Content Sources
Exercises and worksheets Academic texts and documents
Presentations and posters Educational videos
Activities on digital platforms Specialized magazines
Videos and podcasts Images and maps
Applications and forms Thematic podcasts
Projects and brochures CLIL textbooks
CLIL Assessment
CLIL assessment balances content and language, prioritizing conceptual understanding while supporting linguistic
development.
Selected Response Dual Criteria
True/False, matching, multiple choice, short answer Evaluate content and language separately with
specific rubrics
1 2 3
Process Evaluation
Checklists, logs, self-assessment, portfolios, essays
Priority: Content First Flexible Language Use Strategic Support
Content is the priority. Language Students should respond in Provide sentence starters, word
is a tool to help students English. Small grammatical errors lists, images, graphic organizers,
understand ideas and practice are acceptable if the meaning is and visual prompts to reduce
linguistic skills. clear. The focus is on ideas, not linguistic difficulty.
perfect English.
Parity Approach: 50% content - 50% language. Progressive Approach: Gradual use of English as proficiency
increases.
4 50% 100%
Levels of Learning Ideal Balance Full Integration
From recalling simple information to Balance between content Content, communication, cognition,
applying higher-order thinking assessment and linguistic and culture working together
competence