MY FAVOURITE TEACHING METHODOLOGY

As an English teacher at Primary School, CLIL is my favourite methodology to teach. It stands for Content and Language Integrated Learning and refers to teaching subjects such as science, history and geography to students through a foreign language.

The term CLIL was coined by David Marsh, University of Jyväskylä, Finland (1994): "CLIL refers to situations where subjects, or parts of subjects, are taught through a foreign language with dual-focused aims, namely the learning of content and the simultaneous learning of a foreign language."

How does CLIL work?

• The basis of CLIL is that content subjects are taught and learnt in a language which is not the mother tongue of the learners.
• Knowledge of the language becomes the means of learning content.
• Language is integrated into the broad curriculum. 
• Learning is improved through increased motivation and the study of natural language seen in context. When learners are interested in a topic they are motivated to acquire language to communicate.
• CLIL is based on language acquisition rather than enforced learning.
• Language is seen in real-life situations in which students can acquire the language. This is natural language development which builds on other forms of learning.
• CLIL is long-term learning. Students become academically proficient in English after 5-7 years in a good bilingual programme.
• Fluency is more important than accuracy and errors are a natural part of language learning. Learners develop fluency in English by using English to communicate for a variety of purposes.
• Reading is the essential skill.

CLIL in practice

On the First Year, I work together with the Maths teacher, dealing with shapes, sizes, and numbers. Also, I work with the Arts teacher, dealing with primary colours and their mixes so as to form new colours. 

On the Second Year, I work with short stories to continue with their "Library" space.

On the Third Year, we deal with Science regarding animals' life cycles, and trees, photosynthesis and their changes through the seasons.

On the Fourth Year, we work on Social Studies dealing with Festivals around World (and world map) and on the "Library" space, reading my favourite writer, Roald Dahl (The Giraffe, The Pelly and Me; and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).

On the Fifth Year, we work on Science dealing with our Body (parts' and organs' functions) and with Endangered Animals (investigations and oral exams).

On the Sixth Year, we work with History (great inventions of the world) and Space (planets, stars and constallations).