Students’ Perceptions on the Use of Project-Based Learning in CLIL: Learning Outputs and Psycho-Affective Considerations

The Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach has become one of the most frequent teaching options used as a pivotal element of bilingual programs. Over the last two decades, a lot has been written about its characteristics, its potential, and the methodological approaches that should be used to encourage such programs. Since the main objective of CLIL is to improve the use of the foreign language as a vehicle for communication by students when accessing and manipulating content matter, it seems evident that methodological strategies should be promoted to provide the opportunity to maximize the use of the language within the classroom. In this respect, project-based learning (PBL) is depicted, in principle, as an ideal proposal for CLIL, since its implementation will entail an increase in language management. Especially concerning the content, this will result in an improvement in students’ ability to perform more comfortably in school and, presumably, more effectively. Nevertheless, there might not be such a straightforward cause-effect relationship and, therefore, it is necessary to dig deeper into the real impact of using PBL. This study is aimed at analyzing its influence from the students’ point of view, to drill down on their feelings and behavior towards PBL and how they tackle and solve the arising challenges. Results have shown interesting information about their views on the benefits of working by projects but also some concerns regarding the use of this teaching and learning model.

Enseñanza de vocabulario en inglés a estudiantes de educación superior técnico profesional. Lengua de señas chilena como estrategia multimodal

Los adultos chilenos poseen bajo dominio del idioma inglés respecto a sus pares de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económico (OCDE). Para mejorar estos resultados, es necesario diversificar las metodologías de enseñanza de dicha lengua, especialmente en la Educación Superior Técnico Profesional (ESTP). El objetivo del estudio fue determinar el efecto de una estrategia didáctica multimodal para la enseñanza de vocabulario oral aislado en inglés, usando lengua de señas chilena (LSCh) y alfabeto manual. Se utilizó una metodología cuantitativa y un diseño cuasi experimental con pre y postest. Se conformaron dos grupos de 30 participantes cada uno, con edades entre 16 y 44 años, a quienes se evaluó el vocabulario productivo oral. El grupo experimental recibió la estrategia didáctica diseñada y el grupo control recibió enseñanza tradicional. Los análisis realizados concluyen que la estrategia implementada en el grupo experimental produjo un efecto positivo en la producción oral de vocabulario, comparado con el grupo control.

From Integrating to Learning: Insights from Spanish L2 Multiple Documents Selection in Reading Tasks

Previous literature has focused on investigating the use of sources in the classroom and how much they contribute to building a coherent mental representation of the texts. These studies explain how integration from multiple document sources occurs; however, their results are limited to the first language and do not inform about the types of these sources or how they are used. In this sense, the objective of this case study is to identify the types of sources used in four courses of a student exchange program in a Chilean University. The data was collected through focus groups with sixty students and in-depth interviews with four professors to determine in what sense the type of document selected could contribute to the learning process. A content analysis was carried out using Nvivo 12 to report on the pedagogical implications of using these sources in a Spanish L2 teaching setting.

A Case Study of Three Finnish Pre-Service Teachers’ Emotions and Understanding of CLIL During an Online Practicum

The novel exigencies of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift towards online learning environments and teleconference platforms, which have also affected teaching practicums. The impact of this approach on teacher preparation is yet unknown and may render pre-service teachers (PSTs) more vulnerable to the challenges of early professional learning through practice, especially when implementing a methodology they have been insufficiently introduced to. Following three students of primary teacher education who opted for a practicum in a CLIL class at a Finnish teacher training school, this case study examines how the online practicum affected these PSTs’ emotions and understanding of CLIL. The case study is based on the analytical categories of teacher identity and emotion and draws on essay, diary, and interview data. The thematic analysis of the data suggests that the online practicum met participants’ expectations for building confidence and was perceived as an overall instructive experience, which was improved by the quality of mentorship and peer support they received. However, feelings of frustration or dissatisfaction accompanied moments of conflict with incoming expectations, principally related to using English in CLIL. The analysis further suggests that the online practicum strengthened participants’ earlier conception of CLIL as a language-oriented teaching tool. Regardless of whether online CLIL practicums remain a future option, acquiring disciplinary and language knowledge alike are important aspects in teacher preparation for CLIL, which could be an optional part of teacher education programs for PSTs who are aware of or sensitive to language as a tool for learning.

Tailored vs. Standard Curriculum and General English Achievement: A Study of Teachers’ Views

This study was conducted in two phases. The first one is the preliminary phase aimed at tailoring the standard curriculum based on learners’ needs analysis. The second one is the main phase, intended to evaluate the tailored curriculum based on teachers’ views. The participants in the preliminary phase of the study (tailoring the curriculum) were 346 non-native male and female undergraduate students who received the same Pre-Requisite General English course at their first semester in university. They were studying different majors, including Accounting, Architecture, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. The participants in the main phase (evaluation of the tailored curriculum by teachers) were 10 non-native male (7) and female (3) teachers who taught the Pre-Requisite General English course through the tailored curriculum. The findings of the study supported the hypothesis that the teachers have a positive attitude toward using the tailored curriculum in teaching the Pre-Requisite General English course. It seems that the implementation of this tailored program, which is based on learner-needs-analysis, can enhance the effectiveness of the English for General Purposes (EGP) course, compared to the standard one.

Less is more

Pedagogical practices that are effective in content courses are often effective in CLIL courses too, yet one such practice – content compression – is generally neglected. Content compression is the purposeful reduction of the content to be taught; however, the CLIL literature often warns against the reduction and simplification of content for fear that it might harm students’ understanding of the subject content. This paper explains the ostensibly paradoxical result that content compression improves students’ understanding of content and shows why it is well suited to CLIL, if applied correctly. It presents content compression principles and techniques that are appropriate to content production and teaching practice in the CLIL classroom and shows how it was used to enhance language acquisition by students in a CLIL business course at a Colombian university over a period of three semesters. This experience suggested that content compression, in combination with other pedagogical practices, not only increased students’ linguistic confidence, but also enhanced their perceived learning in both content and language.

Investigating Impact of Analysis Matrix Summarization Technique on Iranian University Students’ Reading Comprehension Enhancement

The present study was an attempt to investigate the effect of the analysis matrix, a type of graphic organizer, as a language improvement supportive attempt on fostering reading comprehension in an EFL academic context. The main question this study tried to answer was whether using this technique might enhance reading comprehension abilities among Iranian non-English majors. To achieve this goal, 120 nursing and microbiology majors were randomly selected from a population of the non-English majors enrolled for the Academic English course. They were divided into four groups of 30 and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and two control groups. A pre-test of reading comprehension was administered to all groups. Then, they were taught passages to read for eight sessions with different methods; the experimental groups received a treatment of analysis matrix technique instruction while the control groups were taught with the traditional method, including no summarization instruction. A post-test of reading comprehension was finally administered to all groups. The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to control the effects of the pre-test on the outcomes. The results indicated a statistically significant difference due to pedagogical intervention; the two experimental groups outperformed on the post-test after being treated with analysis matrix technique for eight sessions.

Using Children’s Literature to Teach the 4Cs of CLIL: A Systematic Review of EFL Studies

This systematic review examines whether the use of children’s literature in EFL classrooms supports the 4Cs of CLIL—content, communication, cognition, and culture. Previous research has shown many benefits for using children’s literature in English-dominant classroom settings, but it seems little attention has been given to its use in EFL contexts and no attention in CLIL. This study utilizes a systematic search strategy to collect and synthesize current research on children’s literature use in EFL settings in order to better understand how children’s literature may impact EFL student learning and, specifically, examine whether its use can meet the 4Cs of CLIL. Records from four databases were screened for studies using children’s literature in EFL settings, resulting in the inclusion of 15 articles. The analysis of the articles reveals that current research shows evidence that the use of children’s literature can help facilitate student learning in content, communication, cognition, and culture. However, despite this clear connection to the goals of CLIL, investigations on children’s literature remain absent from CLIL research. We believe this research lends support for the use of children’s literature in the CLIL classroom and calls for more attention, both by practitioners and researchers, toward the use of children’s literature in CLIL classrooms.

English Medium Instruction and the Internationalization of Higher Education in Latin America: A Case Study from a Colombian University

This study discusses the implementation of English medium instruction (EMI) at a Colombian university. First, the paper reviews the rise of EMI in the internationalization of higher education. Second, it illustrates how one university incorporated EMI as part of an internationalization process. Third, it identifies the perceptions that a group of administrators, faculty, and students have regarding the EMI initiative. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis were conducted. Findings suggest that EMI is tied to the structuring of an internationalization office, curricular reforms, and English language learning support. Participants’ perceptions are associated with their imaginaries, identities, experiences, and obligations in relation to the English language. The study concludes that the implementation of EMI within the internationalization of universities is inevitable, yet a sustainable EMI strategy requires contextual awareness and articulation amongst its participants.

Expanding the value of CLIL: Perspectives from primary to higher education

The world continues to evolve, where globalization has been the driving factor behind changes in society, thereby creating challenges that could be seen as opportunities in education. Areas such as collaboration, teamwork along with intercultural awareness and communication are just a few of the areas that are being addressed in the educational arena amongst practitioners. Approaches such as Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), Content Based Instruction (CBI) and English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) have proven to be viable options for bi/multilingual educational environments across the globe. This editorial discusses research from four continents – the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East (The United States of America, Taiwan, Iran, Mexico, Turkey, Colombia, Puerto Rico, and Italy) – reporting on the diversity in integrating content and language in bi/multilingual teaching environments. Key issues such as children’s literature and CLIL, reading comprehension in English as a Foreign Language (EFL), language objectives in lesson plans and assessment in content-based instruction. Furthermore, EMI and the internationalization of higher education, teachers’, and students’ beliefs on the use of Spanish in an advanced English classroom and the implementation of CLIL in the field of pharmacology will also be discussed, where insights into how content and language are integrated at the different educational levels.