A relatively new and underutilized pedagogical approach to language learning is CLIL, or content and language integrated learning. David Marsh is noted for coining the term in 1994. The fulcrum of CLIL lies on studying a subject (for example, science, history, or literature) and learning a language simultaneously and thereby amalgamating the two subjects. This definition is broad because this subject and language integration can occur in many different ways.
In the context of the Indian English-medium education system, CLIL is a generic term referring to the teaching of a curricular subject through a second language. The basis of CLIL is that the teaching/learning is carried out in a language that is not the mother tongue of the students.
The end objective remains to learn the second language, while the content is extracted through other subjects that the students already study as part of their curriculum. It is a dual-focused approach in which both the content and the language are learned simultaneously.
CLIL classrooms are not typical language classrooms because language is just the medium through which content is “transported”; therefore, this approach produces much more immediate results, and it appeals to self-motivated adult learners who possess a basic knowledge and understanding of the target language and are inclined more toward learning it via vocational streams.
CLIL has a wide-ranging definition because it is an approach tailored to the student’s needs; for example, a geography teacher might use textbooks and materials written in English with a group of students when English is their second language. CLIL is not a way to simplify or translate the given content in order to proffer better explanations or to repeat topics the students already know; rather, it is a way to introduce new themes and a new language together and at the same time.
The CLIL Methodology
The successful implementation of a CLIL program relies on the collaboration between language teachers and content teachers. Each is an expert in their field, so they need to share both their respective ideologies and materials. In a CLIL classroom, successful dissemination of the program occurs when students learn language expression as well as gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic at hand. Let us understand how the collaboration works between a content teacher and a language teacher in a CLIL classroom.
The Content Teacher
Content teachers are not experts in language acquisition or pedagogy, as they are experts only in their respective subjects. Therefore, to teach their subjects, content teachers usually require some amount of training in the target language. Content teachers also depend on the support of the language teachers to diffuse the elements of the language into their subject matter. Thus, both types of teacher have to work in close conjunction with one another in order to make CLIL successful.
The Language Teacher
A language teacher is principally responsible for teaching English (or another language), but in the CLIL program, they also support the content teacher by introducing relevant vocabulary and functional language related to a given subject and by emphasizing critical thinking.
Let us take the example of a history lesson. The content teacher explains the civil disobedience movement through pictures, demonstrations, and using the textbook in English and, if necessary, the students’ first language. In parallel, the English language teacher might teach students the grammatical structures used for explaining the past tense (simple past, past progressive, and past perfect), the language to describe cause and effect (because of, due to, results in), and word forms (empire, emperor). In summation, the student learns both the concept of the civil disobedience movement and to articulate or explain it using appropriate grammar and terminology.
The CLIL Framework
The framework of CLIL is based on the four Cs: content (or the subject matter), cognition (the process of learning and thinking), communication (the process of interacting and using the language), and culture (developing an understanding of the language). So, CLIL teaching is not only a matter of learning how to teach both content and language but also how to integrate them. In this aspect, it is very different from immersion or content-based instruction techniques of language acquisition, as it emphasizes the need to harmonize language and content-based learning rather than prioritizing one over the other.
According to Marsh et al. (2001), students cannot improve their content knowledge and skills without learning the language, because the subjects are discussed, constructed, evaluated, and embedded in the language. And the basic aspect of learning any language or developing fluency in it is to acquire as much vocabulary as you can. Vocabulary can be divided into three parts: basic vocabulary, academic vocabulary, and discipline-specific vocabulary. CLIL involves learning to use language appropriately while using language to learn the subject adequately.
In every CLIL lesson plan given by the University of Cambridge ESOL examinations, it is repeatedly insisted that “every subject has its content-obligatory language, which means a subject-specific vocabulary, grammatical structures, and functional expressions.” For instance, a chapter on plants in third-grade science would have vocabulary such as photosynthesis, stomata, sunlight, and so on that are domain specific for science for that level and would not generally be found in any other subject. Similarly, “Two plus two equals four” is a grammatical structure that is typical first-grade math, and the English stories being read to the students would not typically be written using such structures.
Therefore, each chunk of content associated with CLIL has a specific vocabulary, and the teacher has to relate the newly learned with vocabulary already acquired, which is also the preliminary step in the CLIL approach. CLIL materials can be adapted as per the needs and the language level of the students.
This is a more powerful approach to learning a new language, as it focuses on the authentic use of language rather than learning it through decontextualized content fragments, memorizing grammar rules, or cramming curricular subjects.
Why Does CLIL Work?
CLIL can be easily implemented in classrooms and is successful for students in all age groups. Here is why:
Contextual language learning happens
When a language is one’s second language, it becomes truly difficult to absorb any content without having a proper context. This challenge is easily overcome with CLIL, as every word of every sentence starts making sense and the process of meaning making begins. Students focus on fluency and language-acquisition strategies rather than forced rote learning. If they are presented with vocabulary lists in isolation, they are forced to imagine real-world applications, and the process of cognitive association slows down. CLIL presents to them a natural and immediate use of the words or structures they are learning. Studies show that a person’s memory is improved, because learning a second language works to develop different areas of the mind while strengthening the brain’s ability to focus. Thus, CLIL works well in sharpening the memories of students.
Learning is tied to the real world
CLIL ensures that students can hear and grasp the language as it is actually spoken and written. It becomes challenging to grasp a new language without relating it to a real-world experience. CLIL bridges this gap effectively, as it does not require formal grammar lessons; rather, it focuses on the authentic use of the target language entrenched in the subject matter at hand. This promotes critical-thinking skills in students too, as their brains work double to make meaning of the language as well as the content. Also, CLIL content equips students to become global citizens, as it introduces a wider cultural context and helps them develop multilingual interests and attitudes.
Motivation becomes the driving force
Generally, students who learn via CLIL are intrinsically motivated because they enjoy the topic being taught. Also, since the subject matter and the new language are taught hand in hand, students are willing to focus more and be inspired to learn. This ensures a more in-depth type of learning, as the student is driven to learn both skills simultaneously. With a CLIL lesson, a student is constantly solving problems: they are realizing which words they understand and which they don’t. They also constantly make connections between what is going on in their brain and what is right in front of them.
How to Get Started with CLIL
Activities for CLIL need not be resource heavy or require extensive pre-preparation. Here are some examples of easy activities that you can adapt in your CLIL classrooms:
Subject: History | Activity: Role-Play Debate
Students are assigned roles as key figures. They research the causes of the French Revolution from their characters’ perspectives and must engage in a debate. During the debate, students must explain historical concepts (e.g., social inequality, economic crisis) in their own words and defend their characters’ positions using communicative strategies.
Subject: Geography | Activity: Peer Presentation
In pairs, students research a specific aspect of climate change (e.g., greenhouse gases, sea-level rise, impact on biodiversity). One student prepares an explanation of the concept using visual aids (graphs, maps), while the other asks questions to help clarify and expand the explanation. Afterward, the roles reverse.
Subject: Science | Activity: Reading Comprehension with Authentic Texts
Provide students with an excerpt from a scientific article or research paper about photosynthesis. The text includes both complex language and scientific concepts. Students first skim the text to identify key terms and phrases, then read for detailed comprehension. They summarize the main points in a group, discussing any unfamiliar vocabulary or concepts.
Subject: Political Science | Activity: Classroom Government Simulation
In this activity, students learn about rules and responsibilities by creating their own “classroom government.” They work in small groups to design rules that help the class function smoothly, similar to how governments make laws. First, the teacher introduces basic concepts: rules (things we must follow) and responsibilities (things we need to do for others). Then, students discuss what rules should be made for their classroom (e.g., raising hands, being respectful). Afterward, they vote on their favorite rules, just like in a democracy. Each group must then choose a leader (e.g., president, teacher’s assistant) who will help make decisions, and the class must agree on the leader through a simple election.
Customized materials also provide flexibility in addressing students’ varying levels of language proficiency and prior knowledge, which can be challenging with existing and available off-the-shelf resources. By designing materials that integrate relevant, real-world examples and context-specific content, teachers can foster deeper understanding and improve both language acquisition and subject comprehension, making learning in the CLIL classroom more meaningful and effective.
Successful CLIL Models Across the Globe
The objectives of CLIL are varied, but among the most relevant ones are to improve the educational system, to establish the necessary conditions that will allow students to achieve the appropriate level of academic performance in curricular subjects, to develop intercultural understanding, and to hone their social and thinking skills. Moreover, CLIL prepares students for the globalized world by increasing their motivation to learn foreign languages and cementing their intercultural competence.
As an approach, CLIL has been very successful in countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, China, Malaysia, and Thailand in promoting content learning and language acquisition. In India too, CLIL is gaining currency slowly and steadily but needs some more research, willingness to adopt it, and flexible implementation. Some initiatives have been taken in this direction. For instance, CLIL@India, a three-year project co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, began in 2016 and was completed in 2019. It was a consortium of seven universities in India and Europe dedicated to developing a new model of bilingual education by introducing CLIL as an innovative pedagogical practice in the Indian education system to preserve the nation’s multilingualism.
References
Marsh, D., Maljers, A., and Hartiala, A. (2001): Profiling European CLIL Classrooms: European Commission (Handbook).
www.onestopenglish.com/clil/what-is-clil/501038.article
www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/clil-lesson-framework
https://nytlicensing.com/latest/education/content-and-language-integrated-learning
Sanjhee Gianchandani is an English language curriculum designer and editor. She has worked as an English language assessment specialist for Trinity College London, been leading examiner and marker cohorts for Qualifications and Assessments International, UK, and developed educational materials for the K–8 segment.