PROFILING EUROPEAN CLIL CLASSROOMS

CULTIX
Develop Intercultural Communication Skills
The development of intercultural knowledge and understanding is closely linked to the
essential issue of communication skills. These skills are about how we use language in
intercultural situations. One reason why this is a popular focus in CLIL relates to
individual learning styles and strategies. Put simply, some people learn effectively, or
otherwise can develop an appetite for language learning, if given broader opportunities
to ‘learn by doing’.
Key CLIL Features
➔
Often realized in short courses, particularly in preparation for trans-national projects,
student mobility (virtual through ICT and physical), and exchange programmes
➔ Generally involving interactional (e.g. group work) methods, and not transactional
(e.g. teacher monologue), which provide a forum for experiential learning
➔ Often involves language teaching if teachers have resources available
➔ Often directly linked to workplace communication skills with older learners
Examples
•
•
Border region schools which share teaching resources for courses related to
language or non-language issues of common interest
Language learning module in which focus is on activating previously learnt target
language knowledge into hands-on skill
Intercultural communication skills cannot be developed by throwing information
at people - they have to grow within the person through experiential learning
and reflection (VocTalk)
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