Language in content instruction - LICI Project

LICI Handbook
20
Word Cards
Figure 3.2 Concept Starter Cultures (created by Helena Parviainen)
Word cards are a traditional way of teaching and learning meaning of words. Usually,
word cards are used for combining word and picture, word and definition or word (in
target language) and word (in first language) (see Primary level video 1(Water Cycle) on
the DVD for an example of the use of word cards in reviewing old information and
teaching new concepts and Tertiary level video 1: news flash). Word cards can be used as
quiz exercises, too. Examples in Steel material: Cold-formed steel structures Lesson 1: C.
Post-tasks: Task 1, versions 1-4; Lesson 2: C. Post-tasks: Task 4 Quiz.
Word Logs and Word Maps
Learning concept words is of key importance in all content learning, but in particular in
CLIL, where target language is involved. One drawback is shortage of pedagogically sound
teaching materials for CLIL, which means that the teacher and the students need to find
and modify teaching materials from textbooks used in target language contexts or from
authentic sources, such as the Net. This circumstance need not be entirely negative, but it
can help the students to create their own field-specific vocabularies and thus have an
opportunity to deeper learning of the core concepts of the field. One way of improving
vocabulary learning in CLIL is to have students keep their individual word logs, for
example in the form of word maps (see Figure 3.3 below). In an “open” version, students
would be able to write down the words they found interesting/ difficult or important and
encourage autonomous and individual vocabulary work. In a more scaffolded version, the
teacher decides at least partly which words s/he thinks students should learn. A template
for a latter type is shown below. (Word map templates as well as cubing applications are
found on the Internet.)