Frequently asked questions about CLIL

How do you differentiate learning for different levels in a class?

When teaching a subject in English you have to deal with learners of different levels.  Some learners are good at language and good at the subject.  You may even have native speakers in your class.  Some learners are good at language but not so good at the subject and vice versa.  Some learners struggle with both the language and the subject.

There are 3 ways you can differentiate learning.  You can differentiate the objective, the task and the support.

If you differentiate the objective you expect less able learners to understand or use a smaller range of concepts.  This is not usually possible in the context where I teach, Italian state Primary Schools.  However, it could be negotiated with the class teacher in order to provide achievable objectives for all the students.  In my experience, the class teacher and I agree that the less able students can explain the concepts in their L1, and we praise them for understanding the concept and the use of one or two key words in English. On the other hand, we encourage the more able students to make sentences in English and use linking and sequencing words.

If you differentiate the task you expect the less able students to complete a smaller number of exercises.  An effective way to do this is to write a worksheet where the easier questions are the odd numbers (1,3,5,7,9) so the students feel they have completed the worksheet even though you have asked them to only answer the odd numbers.  You can stimulate the more able students by giving them a more challenging task if they finish the main task quickly.  For example, you can ask them to write 3 questions for the other students, or research the topic further and present their findings to the class.

Some students need more support in order to complete the task.  This can be content support, for example a labelled picture or diagram, or language support.  A nice idea is to have laminated cards of high frequency words, which cause problems, for example "because" and "again".  You can also give the students speech or thought bubbles with sentence starters or gap-fill sentences, so the students know that you expect them to use that form when speaking, or that they have thinking time to prepare some sentences.

Research has shown that improving literacy in students' L1 improves their literacy in L2 so you can use dual texts, especially for students whose L1 is different to the rest of the class.  When studying the coast with a Year 3 Primary School class I enrolled the help of the support teacher to prepare a presentation of the coast in Italian, English, Spanish and French - all the L1 languages of the class.  The whole class found it a very rewarding and interesting experience.

What different types of visual organisers can you use to support content?

• Diagrams such as cycles for processes like the water cycle, soil cycle, rock cycle or to represent levels such as flora and fauna at different altitudes, different layers in soil.
• Mind maps to represent different types of similar things, for example mountain formation, activities in the mountains, etc.
• Venn diagrams to show similarities and differences, such as classifying animals that live in the sea
• Fish bones to show time lines, sequencing events or showing cause and effect

Does CLIL "dumb down" the subject?  Do students learn less if they learn the subject in English?

Class teachers and parents are frequently concerned about this aspect of CLIL. In my experience students learn more through CLIL, because the methodology addresses all learning styles, and it is essential to check that the students have learned the concept when teaching the subject in English.  It is not enough to simply ask "Is that clear?" and accept a "yes" from the class, so quite often students clarify misconceptions through CLIL.  For example, when checking previous knowledge in a Year 4 Primary School class, I asked students to write down 3 fish.  One student wrote "dolphin, penguin, jellyfish" shocking the Science teacher, who believed that all the students knew what a fish was.  In another class, it took 3 lessons to convince a student that a bat was not a bird.

When teaching a subject through English it is not possible to simplify the concept.  You can simplify the language, but where there is good collaboration between the CLIL teacher and the class teacher, you can ensure that the students learn complex language in L1 if necessary.  For example, when teaching hills in Year 3 Geography, the students had the term "case colloniche" in their Italian text books.  The English term is "farmhouses" but it does not fully explain the Italian concept, so I asked the class teacher to intervene and explain "case colloniche" in Italian.

It is also useful to have clear language objectives for the subject, and good collaboration with the English teacher.  For example, if the students need to use comparatives in the subject you are teaching, you can ask the English language teacher to teach them that language.  And vice versa.  If the English language teacher is teaching the form "have got", you can use this form in your subject to reinforce and practise that language. 

Can you use L1 in CLIL?

There are different points of view abiut the use of L1 in CLIL.  I recommend following two golden rules:

1.  Find out how use of L1 is viewed in the context where you teach and follow the guidelines you are given.
2. Make sure there is a valid reason for using L1 each time you are using it.

How can you encourage students to participate actively in CLIL lessons?

 Groupwork is an effective way to encourage active participation.  The ideal number for groups is 3 to ensure all members of the group participate.  Give each member of the group a clear role, for example:

• getting materials and time-keeping; monitoring behaviour
• taking notes; writing; drawing
• giving feedback; presenting

Make sure the students know the task objective.  Give clear and simple instructions - one sentence at a time, orally and written.  Give adequate support, for example sentence starters and gap-fill sentences.  Give the students a lot of praise for their participation, not only for good content knowledge, but also for good use of English or effectiveness in their group roles.  Focus on communication rather than accuracy.

How long does it take for the students to speak English? 

 Parents often have very high expectations of CLIL projects, especially when they are paying for them.  It is important to remember that there is a "silent" period when learning a language.  The students will understand more than they can speak for the first few years.  It can take about 7 years to become fluent in a language, and it can depend on a lot of factors.  One of the most important factors is a stress-free, positive environment.  So you need to be patient with your students and give them the time they need.

Do you have any questions about CLIL? Write your comments below.