How to apply CLIL in your classroom? All you need to know here!

One of the teaching methodologies that has become very popular lately is CLIL, that is due to the growing interest in educating bilingual children. If you still don't know what is CLIL about or how to apply it in your classroom here you will find all the information you need to know.

Why to implement CLIL in your classroom?

CLIL is an useful methodology that works with students of all ages that empower and encourages them to learn, also, it works with any level of fluency, which is amazing. CLIL make learners build their knowledge by using the language and learning from their errors. All things considered, they'll be urged to continue talking and learning in the language, which allows them to have a positive outlook on their capacity to impart consistently.

It's likewise an extraordinary strategy to advance uplifting outlooks towards language gaining from a beginning phase.

Lesson Framework

A CLIL lesson looks at content and language in equal measure, and often follows a four-stage framework.

Processing the text

The best texts are those accompanied by illustrations so that learners can visualise what they are reading. When working in a foreign language, learners need structural markers in texts to help them find their way

through the content. These markers may be linguistic (headings, sub-headings) and/or diagrammatic. Once a 'core knowledge' has been identified, the organisation of the text can be analysed.

Identification and organisation of knowledge

Texts are often represented diagrammatically. These structures are known as 'ideational frameworks' or 'diagrams of thinking', and are used to help learners categorise the ideas and information in a text. Diagram types include tree diagrams for classification, groups, hierarchies, flow diagrams and timelines for sequenced thinking such as instructions and historical information, tabular diagrams describing people and places, and combinations of these. The structure of the text is used to facilitate learning and the creation of activities which focus on both language development and core content knowledge.

Language identification

Learners are expected to be able to reproduce the core of the text in their own words. Since learners will need to use both simple and more complex language, there is no grading of language involved, but it is a good idea for the teacher to highlight useful language in the text and to categorise it according to function. Learners may need the language of comparison and contrast, location or describing a process, but may also need certain discourse markers, adverb phrases or prepositional phrases. Collocations, semi-fixed expressions and set phrases may also be given attention as well as subject-specific and academic vocabulary.

Tasks for students

There is little difference in task-type between a CLIL lesson and a skills-based ELT lesson. A variety of tasks should be provided, taking into account the learning purpose and learner styles and preferences. Receptive skill activities are of the 'read/listen and do' genre. A menu of listening activities might be:

• Listen and label a diagram/picture/map/graph/chart
• Listen and fill in a table
• Listen and make notes on specific information (dates, figures, times)
• Listen and reorder information
• Listen and identify location/speakers/places
• Listen and label the stages of a process/instructions/sequences of a text
• Listen and fill in the gaps in a text

CLIL Lesson Plan Example

CLIL Video Application