PROFILING EUROPEAN CLIL CLASSROOMS

LANTIX
Develop Oral Communication Skills
This is a very common aim within CLIL where one part of overall language competence
is given special importance. It is often based on the problem of having knowledge of
a language, but not being able to actually use the language in real-life situations.
Communication channels from face-to-face to e-mail have become increasingly
important in Europe as mobility, both virtual and physical, has increased. Much
communication, particularly in written form through information and communication
technology modes, requires the ability to use oral language effectively.
Key CLIL Features
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Providing opportunities for students to speak demands less ‘linguistic’ skill on the
part of a teacher and this suits certain non-language specialists
Can be particularly suitable for starting CLIL with the development of reading &
writing skills following afterwards
High exposure CLIL for younger learners should involve teachers who offer good
models of the target language
The practising of oral skills can be done in a ‘utilitarian’ way – that is to provide
opportunities to use the language ‘as a tool’. In such cases, even if desirable it is
not necessary for a teacher to have native-like competence in the target language
When CLIL is used for this focus it is essential that the learners themselves have
opportunities to communicate in the target language in the classroom. This means
that methods have to be used which lead to a high degree of interaction within the
class
Examples
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Where young learners are exposed to the target language through short ‘language
showers’ by which listening, speaking, or even singing in the target language is
introduced in very short sessions over a longer period of time. One objective is to
introduce the sounds of the language at an early age
A course that deliberately focuses on oral development in the first phase, which might
be followed by focus on reading and writing skills
It builds the ability to learn other languages; to move beyond bilingualism, to
develop more languages. This capacity is more developed in the students who’ve
studied in two languages (InterTalk)
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