Page 61 - Teaching English at Primary Level: From Theory into the Classroom

The Elements of CLIL

guage of learning might involve the names and parts of the shapes (triangle,
square, circle, angle, side, etc.), but also language necessary for describing
them (‘It has ...’) or comparing them.
The language for learning is important for the learners to be able to func-
tion in a learning environment in which the medium of communication
is a foreign language. This involves both classroom language (vocabulary,
phrases, sentence forms used in typical classroom interactions) and the lan-
guage needed by the learners to carry out the activities planned (working in
groups, expressing arguments, writing reports, etc.). For example, in group
work, phrases used for expressing one’s opinion might include I believe, I
agree, Yes, but.
The language through learning is the language which emerges in the pro-
cess of learning and is usually not planned by the teacher. The CLIL class-
room offers a number of opportunities for learners to require and acquire
new concepts and skills, necessary to carry out tasks. This is especially clear
in project work and problem-solving activities in which learners create new
meanings and express their own creative ideas. In such situations, learners
develop strategies to access the new language for themselves (using dictio-
nary skills, searching for and presenting new information, etc.).

Cognition
Cognition refers to the use of an FL for developing all levels of thinking (ab-
stract and concrete), especially higher order cognitive processing necessary
for understanding curriculum concepts. It encompasses the cognitive pro-
cesses involved in understanding and working with content from various
subjects while using an FL as the medium of instruction. It may involve sev-
eral mental processes, such as conceptual understanding, critical thinking,
problem-solving, and others. For example, in a CLIL science lesson on the
topic of photosynthesis, pupils need to cognitively process and integrate in-
formation from various sources, such as videos or diagrams in an FL. They
must understandthekeystepsoftheprocess,theroleofdifferent plant parts,
and the factors affecting photosynthesis. Cognition here includes their abil-
ity to synthesize and comprehend complex scientific ideas.

Culture
Culture in CLIL involves developing pupils’ cultural awareness and sensitivity
towards alternative perspectives, different backgrounds and experiences of
others, particularly in a multicultural or multilingual learning environment. It
comprises recognizing and respecting the diversity of students in the class-

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