Key points when designing CLIL material

Isabel Pérez Torres

What to take into account when

designing CLIL materials

CLIL is NOT working the same content but translated into

English

CLIL MATERIALS FROM ANDALUSIA - SPAIN

1- The language is used to learn content and to

communicate something consider

linguistic and content objetives

Collaboration between L2 and content

experts

Select subject

and linguistic contents

KEY 1

How to select the subject content

• Concrete versus abstract content• That allows students to practice

communicative skills• Of interest for the students and their world• Cross-curricular • Language and discourse models not too far

from the students’ language competence

2. The subject determines the specific language

we use use the L2 but from the content

p.o.v (not dealing with grammar, etc.)

•Specific language•Academic language•Classroom language

Vocabulary and language

structures (in context)

Language Functions

(e.g. explaining) Discourse types

(e.g. narration, descriptión, etc.)

KEY 2

Vocabulary

• Use it in context and pay attention to collocations

• Type of activities:

Word clouds, flashcards, identifying images, matching concepts and definitions, synonyms and antonyms, etc.

• Use graphic support whenever possible• Reuse vocabulary throughout the unit

Use of linguistic frames

Functions / discourse types

Describe

Narrate

Define

Classify

Compare

Argue

Explain

Give Instructions

Give examples

Sequence

Deduce

Induce

Persuade

Conclude

Summarise

State

Dialogue

Debate

3. Integrate the 5 skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking and interacting

BalanceReception and production

activities and tasks

KEY 3

Use linguistic “crutches”

Some activities to integrate linguistic skills

• Reading skills: organisers (maps, timelines, diagrams, etc.) missing words, rewrite, etc.

• Listening skills: give opportunities to practise listening in pairs and groups. Use clues and images, complete maps, gaps, timelines, etc.

• Writing skills: more or less guided,

Use of images, rebuilt texts, – In pairs, in goups– Different formats: posters, presentations, etc.

• Oral and interacting skills: use scaffolding

Facilite models of the linguistic functions and structures. Record podcasts, oral presentations, etc.

Some activities to integrate linguistic skills

4. Task based approach

KEY 4

Reception and production activities and tasks

From simple to more complex

tasks• Pre-task• Task • Post-task

Task based approach3 phases

Pre-task: (lot of scaffolding) brainstorming, vocabulary activities, structures frames, etc.

Task: based on the subject content. Students use the language that appears in the pre-task.

Post-task: critical reflection, use of the language in a more relaxed way. We can focus more on the linguistic or non linguistic objective

• Reception Tasks: recopilate or contrast information about a topic. Analyse or understand a topic, etc.

• Production Tasks: to design an object or product. Design a guide or another document based on some information. Assess a situation; formulate a hypothesis or a solution; do a presentation, an interview, a report, etc.

Some examples of tasks