Key points when designing CLIL

materials
[1.1] How to study this unit?
[1.2] Elements of a CLIL unit
[1.3] The design of a CLIL unit
[1.4] Examples

1 UNIT
 Key points when designing CLIL

The eighty elements of a CLIL unit The design of a CLIL unit Do not forget to adapt your
contents through:
Scheme

a) reception scaffolding
Objectives and criteria for the

UNIT 1 – Scheme
b) transformation scaffolding
assessment of the subject and Choose the unit or the part of the c) production scaffolding
which determine what we want to unit that is going to be studied with
get the students to be able to do. CLIL methodology

The specific contents of the subject

Complete the template in whatever
order is most convenient
The language necessary to study
the unit, that is, the vocabulary,
structures and discourse types that

2
the students will need to master. Find the resources that will be used

The context and cultural elements

that can be associated with the
unit.
Prepare the task/s or activity/ies
focussing on the content
The cognitive processes that should
be encouraged in the unit.

The final task and activities that Choose the tools that will be used
the students should carry out in the
learning process of the specific
unit.
The methodology (timing,
grouping of students, resources
used, basic competences to be
developed, etc.).

© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

Classroom Material: Design, Creation and Development

Assessment and evaluation criteria.

 Classroom Material: Design, Creation and Development

Key Ideas

1.1. How to study this unit?

In order to study this unit you must read: Mehisto, P. (2012). Criteria for producing CLIL
learning material. Encuentro 21, 15-33. Retrieved from:
[Link]

You will find contents in different formats. Some of it is written and a great deal is shown
as links that you should follow in order to gather more information. Please, take your
time to read through all the webpages provided.

In this unit you will learn:

The essential elements of a CLIL unit.
How to design it.
What scaffolding means.
Some examples of units developed by real teachers in real contexts.

1.2. Elements of a CLIL unit

CLIL has been a recurrent topic in other subjects, and as you already know, the simplest
explanation of what CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) means is
provided by its name: it is a combination of content and language where the purpose is
to teach content, and the second language is the vehicle to do so. That is why it is not
something that happens in the English classroom. In fact, the language classroom partly
becomes a support for the other subjects, a provider of the necessary structures and
vocabulary that will help the students to achieve the course objectives.

There are many definitions of CLIL where its main features are highlighted, some of the
most widely accepted are:

“CLIL refers to situations where subjects, or parts of subjects, are taught

through a foreign language with dual-focussed aims, namely the learning of
content, and the simultaneous learning of a foreign language” (Marsh, 1994).

“This approach involves learning subjects such as history, geography or others,

through an additional language. It can be very successful in enhancing the

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learning of languages and other subjects, and developing in the youngsters a

positive attitude towards themselves as language learners” (Marsh, 2000).

“Content from subjects is used in language learning classes. The language

teacher, working together with teachers of other subjects, incorporates the
vocabulary, terminology and texts from those other subjects into his or her
classes. Students learn the language and discourse patterns they need to
understand and use the content” (Mehisto et al., 2008).

“[…] in certain contexts and under specific conditions, CLIL can and does raise
learner linguistic competence and confidence; raise teacher and learner
expectations; develop risk-taking and problem-solving skills in the learner;
increase vocabulary learning skills and grammatical awareness; motivate and
encourage student interdependence; take students beyond ‘reductive’ foreign
language topics; improve L1 literacy; encourage linguistic spontaneity (talk) if
students are enabled to learn through the language rather than in the language;
develop study skills, concentration (learning how to learn through the foreign
language is fundamental to CLIL); generate positive attitudes and address
gender issues in motivation; and put cultural awareness back on the agenda”
(Coyle, 2007).

“Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a dual-focused

educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning
and teaching of both content and language. That is, in the teaching and learning
process, there is a focus not only on content, and not only on language. Each is
interwoven, even if the emphasis is greater on one or the other at a given time”
(Coyle et al., 2010).

Do Coyle (2010) also explains that a good CLIL module follows the so-called 4Cs
Framework, thus combining elements of:

Content: construction of knowledge, and development of skills and understanding

related to specific elements of a defined curriculum.
Communication: using language to learn whilst learning to use language. Learning
language in context through interaction.
Cognition: developing thinking skills and processes which link concept formation
(abstract and concrete), understanding and language.
Culture: exposure to alternative perspectives and shared understandings, which
deepen awareness of otherness and self. Culture is at the core and intercultural
understanding pushes the boundaries of identity.

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Source: [Link]

We will revisit them later on along the subject and we will look at different tools and
strategies that will allow us to effectively teach content, language, cognition and culture
to our students. Let’s now focus on the main elements of a CLIL module, which are as
follows:

Objectives and criteria for the assessment of the subject and which determine
what we want our students to be able to do.
The specific contents of the subject.
The language necessary, or communication, to study the unit, that is, the
vocabulary, structures and discourse types that the students will need to master, i.e.
language “of, for, and through” learning
The context and cultural elements that can be associated with the unit.
The cognitive processes that should be encouraged in the unit.
The final task and activities that the students should carry out in the learning process
of the specific unit.
The methodology (timing, grouping of students, resources used, scaffolding, basic
competences to be developed, etc.).
Assessment and evaluation criteria.

You can find templates that follow the criteria previously mentioned next. They are all
useful and well designed and your experience will determine the one that you prefer.
Bear in mind that CLIL does not have a single valid model and it offers teachers the
chance to carry out different plans and strategies.

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We have decided to pick examples from some well-established projects in Spain:

This link provides an example

with information about how
[Link]
to use the template,
/file/view/template_1.doc
elaborated by Isabel Pérez
Torres.
[Link]
This template was developed
t/clilsi/sites/grupsderecerca.
by experienced teachers
[Link]/files/CLIL_SI_
working in a collaborative
TEMPLATE_2010_ENGLIS
team called CLIL-SI.
[Link]
The following template is
more visual, although it could
[Link]
be more difficult to use, at
/folder/[Link]?id=435830
least until you have some
more experience.

1.3. The design of a CLIL unit

Designing a CLIL unit is not a quick process. There are many aspects that must be taken
into account in order to create a successful framework that will help the students to reach
the objectives, cater for multiple intelligences and offer reinforcement when necessary
(or extra activities). The article by Peeter Mehisto which was mentioned at the beginning
of the unit (Criteria for producing CLIL learning material) will undoubtedly be of great
help for you to better understand these concepts.

The process of designing a CLIL unit involves several steps:

Choose the unit or the part of the unit that is going to be studied with CLIL
methodology.
Complete the template in whatever order is most convenient.
Find the resources that will be used.
Prepare the task/s or activity/ies focussing on the content.
Choose the tools that will be used.

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 Classroom Material: Design, Creation and Development

This webpage is full of useful

materials, from articles about
CLIL to Treasure hunts.
Everything has been designed
[Link]
by experienced teachers and
/clil/clicl_m_4.htm
is offered to help others. The
link will take directly to
specific instructions about
how to design a CLIL unit
The link offers a template to
design a complete sequence [Link]
and planning of units. It will [Link]/file/view/m
help you to gather all the
details of the structure in odelo_plan_secuencias.pdf
several subjects at once

And remember that you need to scaffold the contents as it is key to this approach to
teaching. It originates in the research carried out by Vygotsky (1978). As he explains, the
strategies and capacity to solve problems can be divided in three categories:

Those that the learner can do independently

Those that the learner can do with help of others (teachers or more experienced peers,
for instance)
Those that the learner cannot perform even with assistance

The second step is the most interesting one from a constructivist point of view and it is
what Vygotsky called Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) and it refers to the
distance between the real level of development of the student and his/her capacity to
solve problems independently, and the potential level in which the student can solve
problems when assisted by the teacher or a more knowledgeable peer. This is what is
known as scaffolding, the assistance that is required for the learner to reach the level of
competence required to carry out a task or solve a problem independently. The following
figure will help you to understand the concept from the point of view of a pupil.

Source: [Link]
[Link]

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 Classroom Material: Design, Creation and Development

This scaffolding can be offered in the form of strategies, activities or structures that the
teacher uses to help the learner to construct his/her own knowledge. It is never just an
answer provided in case of doubts, it is a support to reach an objective.

Following Dodge (2001), it is possible to describe three types of scaffolding, all of them
are going to be studied in detail in this subject:

Reception scaffolding, which is used when the students first interact with new
content to help them to understand and learn it. It can be a figure, a table, a glossary
with comments, etc.
Transformation scaffolding, which is used to help the students to compare, value
or decide. Typical examples are tables of data or characteristics, figures, etc.
Production scaffolding, which is used to help the students with the products that
they must develop. They are usually templates, schemas, frameworks, etc.

This is a common strategy for area teachers who would know how to ease the work of the
students so as to learn the new content. The same applies to the language teacher. A CLIL
teacher must learn the strategies that will make the L2 easier in order to make the
contents more accessible. That is the reason why the collaboration between all the
teachers involved is so important

1.4. Examples

You will be able to find many examples of units created by teachers freely available on
the web. CLIL practitioners tend to be very generous with their work and willing to share
any that they consider useful. One of the main reasons behind that is that CLIL is a time
consuming approach nowadays since there is a lack of specific materials and CLIL
teacher are well aware of that are willing to share their effort to benefit other colleagues
and students.

As it has just been stated, it is difficult to find textbooks that can fulfil the needs of a
teacher to follow the established curriculum, and it takes time and dedication to adapt or
write from scratch what you will need in the classroom. It is, therefore, very useful to
know where to find resources and it is a good idea to join the groups of teachers already
working together.

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This seems to be a characteristic of this approach: a strong vocational component that

pervades all the extra dedication that goes into preparing the lessons.

You can find some examples below. Please, read and study them in detail as they will be
necessary to take part in the forum of the unit. No more details will be provided here, it
is important that you reach your own conclusions about them:

This link will take you to the [Link]

web page of an “instituto” and
an extensive library of [Link]/1%C2%BA+de
resources for several subjects +ESO
for 1 ESO.
[Link]
This is a very useful document /moodle/[Link]/140
to be revised as an example of
good practice. It is designed 04/mod_page/content/4/Ba
as multiple stages and nco_de_Materiales/Sec_1/m
resources to teach Geology.
[Link]
This document shows the
work of Arrieta, Costan & [Link]
Palomeras (2010). They
explain step by step all the sites/default/files/global%2
stages and classes involved in 0warming_objectives.pdf
the teaching of Global
Warming unit for 1 ESO.

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Specially Recommended

Do not forget to read…

The CLIL Tool Kit: Transforming theory into practice

Coyle, D., Hood, P. & Marsh D. (2010). The CLIL Tool Kit: Transforming theory into
practice. In Authors, CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning (pp. 48-73).
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from: [Link]

Coyle, Hood and Marsh will answer many of your questions about one of the foundations
of this approach to teaching and learning.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]
2014/coyle_hood_marsh_clil_toolkit_pp_48-[Link]

CLIL Principles. Introduction

Rodríguez, J. (2013). Unit 3. CLIL Principles. Retrieved from: [Link]

This article offers a different approach to the same topic. Please, make sure that you read
as much as possible on the subject to get a very clear idea about what is expected of you
as an instructor. This will easy your future work, help you with this Masters and make
clearer what is intended in this particular subject.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]

UNIT 1 – Specially Recommended 10 © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

 Classroom Material: Design, Creation and Development

CLIL lesson planning Primary

Generalitat Valenciana (2013). CLIL lesson planning Primary. Retrieved from:

[Link]

This document is brief and interesting and will give you ideas about planning CLIL units:.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]

UNIT 1 – Specially Recommended 11 © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

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+ Information

In Depth

Improving the effectiveness of language learning: CLIL and computer

assisted language learning

Beadle, S., & Scott, D. (2014). Improving the effectiveness of language learning: CLIL
and computer assisted language learning. London: ICF Consulting Limited.

This is a document by the European Commission about how to improve the effectiveness
when teaching languages through the use of CLIL and new technologies.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]

European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education

Marsh, D., Mehisto, P., Wolff, D., & Frigols, M.J. (2011). European Framework for CLIL
Teacher Education. Graz: European Centre for Modern Languages of the Council of
Europe.

This is a very thorough document developed to help teachers to familiarise with CLIL
teaching and learning. It is written by David Marsh, Peeter Mehisto and Dieter Wolff,
María Jesús Frigols Martín.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]
2014/european_framework_for_clil_teacher_education.pdf

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Clues to design CLIL materials

This is a very interesting PowerPoint about the principles of the design of CLIL by Isabel
Pérez.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]

Webgraphy

MethodologyJOM

This is an interesting blog that summarises many of the key features of this approach.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]

UNIT 1 – + Information 13 © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

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Science, Maths & CLIL

This link contains a very short that explains CLIL Guidelines for Science and Maths in
the COMENIUS program.

Access to the document through the virtual campus or the following website address:
[Link]

Bibliography

Coyle, D. (2007). Content and Language Integrated Learning: Towards a Connected

Research Agenda for CLIL Pedagogies. In The International Journal of Bilingualism
10(5), 543-562.

Coyle, D., Hood, P., and Marsh, D. (2010). CLIL: Content and Language Integrated
Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dodge, B. (2001). FOCUS: Five rules for writing a great WebQuest. In Learning &
Leading with Technology 28(8), 6-9.

Marsh, D. (1994). Bilingual Education & Content and Language Integrated Learning.
International Association for Cross-cultural Communication, Language Teaching in the
Member States of the European Union (Lingua). Paris: University of Sorbonne.

Marsh, D. (2000). Using languages to learn and learning to use languages. Finland:
University of Jyväskylä.

Mehisto, P., Marsh, D., & Frigols, M. (2008). Uncovering CLIL: Content and Language
Integrated Learning in Bilingual and Multilingual Education. Oxford: Macmillan.

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Vigotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological

processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press

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Test

1. CLIL mainly focusses on…

A. Content.
B. Language.
C. None of the answers is correct.
D. Answers A and B are correct.

2. Content in the 4Cs refers to…

A. The development of skills related to the curriculum.
B. The content of the subject.
C. The construction of knowledge.
D. Answers A and B are correct.

3. Communication in the 4Cs refers to…

A. Using the l2 in the classroom to learn content.
B. Learning the l2 through speaking in the classroom.
C. Interaction with teacher and peers.
D Answers A, B and C are correct.

4. Cognition in the 4Cs refers to…

A. The development of concept formation.
B. The deep understanding of the content.
C. The deep understanding of the language.
D. Answers B and C are correct.

5. Culture in the 4Cs refers to…

A. The understanding of national culture.
B. The understanding of the L2 culture.
C. Answers A and B are correct.
D. None of the answers is correct.

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 Classroom Material: Design, Creation and Development

6. Scaffolding is a technique…
A. Used mainly in CLIL.
B. Used mainly in L2 teaching.
C. Used mainly in content teaching.
D. Used frequently by teachers.

7. ZPD refers to…

A. The space between what students can do independently and what they can do
with scaffolding.
B. The space between what students can do independently and what they cannot
do.
C. What students can do independently.
D. What students can do with scaffolding.

8. Reception scaffolding refers to…

A. Scaffolding at the time of providing characteristics of new content.
B. Scaffolding at the time of initial contact with content.
C. Scaffolding at the time of evaluation.
D. Scaffolding at the time of performance.

9. Transformation scaffolding refers to…

A. Scaffolding at the time of providing characteristics of new content.
B. Scaffolding at the time of initial contact with content.
C. Scaffolding at the time of evaluation.
D. Scaffolding at the time of performance.

10. Production scaffolding refers to…

A. Scaffolding at the time of providing characteristics of new content.
B. Scaffolding at the time of initial contact with content.
C. Scaffolding at the time of evaluation.
D. Scaffolding at the time of performance.

UNIT 1 – Test 17 © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)