First steps in applying CLIL:learning Geography through English and

English through Geography

Content and LanguageIntegrated Learning

“Travelling through our Solar System”

by Suzana Drampaand my 27 6th- grade students of the

25th Primary School

What is CLIL?

• Teaching language while students are learning other subjects

• Integration of subject-matter learning and language learning as well as of the 4 skills

• Giving priority to cognitive progression rather than grammatical or lexical

• Using English in real-life situations where the focus is the content(Geography) and English is the medium for expressing ideas and information

• English used for the learning and teaching of both content and language itself

• Not another method of language learning but an integrated model which involves the learner to use and develop language of learning, language for learning and language through learning (language in the centre of the curriculum)

• It is rather a Holistic approach to language learning

Why did I try to apply CLIL in my classroom?• I like Geography and it is most of my students’ first or

second favourite subject

• We ,teachers ,are often bored ,too,of teaching the same book and following the same procedures so I tried to challenge my teaching approach and raise my students’ motivation at the same time

• Although it would be time-consuming for me to prepare the materials needed, it would be time-saving for my students who would have more exposure to language overall

A few things to consider before starting• Do I need background knowledge in Geography?• Is the language level of my students appropriate?• Fluency is more important than accuracy so errors are accepted

as part of the language and content learning process• I should focus on : contextual tasks meaningful communication and natural situations• I should use : a variety of teaching methods different forms of learning (4 skills, vocabulary, group/pair work

etc.) and a range of interesting activities/tasks• We cannot focus on Grammar but would it be completely

wrong to stress some Grammatical phenomena?• How would new difficult vocabulary be acquired by my

students?• Can I use predetermined language/task syllabus in CLIL?

Syllabus Planning• Level : 6th grade primary learners (4 years of English)• Objectives: 1. to teach a Geography unit – Our Solar System 2. to motivate students giving a different perspective to language learning 3. to develop and practise new vocabulary and meaningful language in natural context 4. to decrease fear of making mistakes by concentrating on content• Language : planets and relevant vocabulary adjectives / ordinals

• Grammar reference: comparatives / superlatives

• Forms of learning: searching for information in the internet, speaking, listening, reading, writing, games, group/pair work, vocabulary activities, role-play,

• Materials needed : Interactive board with Internet connection Photocopies of planets Cartons Adjective cards Flashcards with planets and their names Power Point Worksheets with vocabulary activities Final quiz and questionnaire

• Time needed:About five school periods• Teaching Sequence : Brainstorming-Asking general questions/eliciting answers Searching for information in the Internet(wikipedia,

youtube) (003) Group formation-each group finds information about one

planet and brings it in class to present to classmates(4 sentences in English maximum)

Playing flashcards games :matching planets to their names, putting them in order of distance from the sun

or size (002) (005) (006) Handicraft-making collages with pictures from our solar

system

Vocabulary acquisition - Adjectives(listing adjectives connected to the topic/ adjective maze/domino cards game/ telequiz with opposite adjectives (Grammar exercise)

Presenting Power Point projection about our solar system containing their information (memory game asking questions)

Hand out leaflets for each planet to different groups. They have to guess the planets, fill the gaps with ordinals and positive, comparative or superlative adjectives, listen to the texts and fill the gaps, watch the video a second time to correct their mistakes.

Learning about planets???????? (011)(013)

• Vocabulary acquisition First steps: Guessing from context/ Checking the

meaning in dictionaries More practice: Crosswords / unscrambling

words/using lexical families(odd word out)/writing acrostic poems

• Fun recycling activity :Organizing a telequiz with questions about planets(00F)

• Role-plays (010)• Final quiz and Feedback questionnaire

• Teacher reflections : It was different and fun It integrated speaking, listening, reading , writing and

vocabulary practice It responded to Visual (flashcards/video) Auditory (discussion/role-plays/ filling gaps) Kinaesthetic (Matching/ Telequiz / role-plays) students and to multiple intelligences (linguistic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal)

• Student reactions : There was motivation, participation even by

students who were either indifferent or had low self-esteem before, language awareness, healthy competition in games and certainly less noise.

They liked some activities but found others not so interesting.

90% answered that they liked learning about our solar system in English, they would like to try it again with another unit, they remembered most of the information they had “collected” and they preferred this kind of “homework” instead of just memorizing.

Advantages• Students experienced a different perspective of

language learning and felt more confident and successful. Saw English under a new light!• Their linguistic and communicative competence

raised as well as their motivation, participation and concentration

• They created skills and abilities for life-long learning• Vocabulary was learnt in context focusing on the

transmitted message• They were encouraged to transfer their practise in

English to sources other than the course book

Problem areas• All materials have to be prepared by teacher and

students• Use of Greek (not discouraged) • Difficult level of language(mixed-level classes)• Still limited attention span by some students who

have difficulty in comprehension and communication in English• Production of oral and written discourse depended

on their lexical level• Time-consuming for teacher regarding preparation

and planning

Have all students actually learnt about our solar system what they would have learnt

in their mother language?

What are they going to remember in the future?

Is CLIL a method of teaching a subject or just another method of teaching English?

Did it worth the effort?

It certainly did!

Thank you for your attention