Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education - Volume 12, Issue 1, 2024

Abstract

This study explored the academic achievement of students who speak a minority language (ML) at home (i.e., a language other than the official languages of Canada, English and French) and who have special education needs (SEN), in two educational programs that differed in language of instruction: English language of instruction (ELoI), and Early French Immersion (EFI). The proportion of students (n =  131) meeting the provincial standard in reading, writing, and mathematics and the effect of gender, place of birth, socio-economic status, English proficiency level, and program were analyzed. Writing was the strongest domain, followed by reading and mathematics. ML-SEN students were equally likely to meet the provincial standard whether in ELoI or EFI, and there were few significant predictors of achievement. Participating in EFI did not increase students’ risk of academic difficulty. Additional supports may be beneficial to ML-SEN students in ELoI and EFI programs.

Abstract

This article explores pre-service teachers’ L1 use in Thai Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) secondary classrooms through the translanguaging frame, which emphasises the use of the whole linguistic and semiotic repertoire in the classroom to make meaning and construct new knowledge. Teachers may choose to make deliberate use of learners’ linguistic repertoires in classroom activities to enhance understanding and develop learners’ communicative abilities beyond narrowly defined language codes. We investigate how pre-service English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers employed a translanguaging approach to model tasks and provide definitions of key terms. We explore the teachers’ beliefs concerning L1 use, drawing attention to the apparent tension between teachers’ practices and beliefs. The findings indicate that the teachers utilised translanguaging in different modes, including modeling tasks and translating L2 terms, to address students’ comprehension problems. However, the teachers expressed mixed beliefs concerning how and when L1 should be used.

Abstract

The article addresses how heterogenous primary school students in Switzerland use learning opportunities to develop their English-speaking competences offered in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Based on the lesson study approach, two task-based CLIL modules combining the subjects English and art were implemented in different primary classes with a focus on three case pupils in each class who represent high-attaining, average and low-attaining learners of English. Their spoken communication was analysed with an adapted version of the Communication Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT) observation scheme (Allen et al., 1983) and according to the language triptych (Coyle et al., 2010). Surveys were also conducted to investigate learners’ and teachers’ perception of the learning opportunities. The results indicate that the high-attaining and average students used the provided opportunities almost equally for developing their oral English competences. Although the low-attaining learners used the CLIL tasks in a significantly different way, they also achieved the objectives for speaking in English about art.

Abstract

The language learning outcomes of students in CLIL settings outstrip those of their peers who study the language in stand-alone classes. Research also indicates that in some cases the language development of CLIL students lacks grammatical accuracy, appropriate syntax, and lexical specificity. To combat this, CLIL teachers need to interweave the teaching of content and language. This can be a complex task as the vast majority of CLIL teachers do not have specific CLIL training. The issue is particularly complex at secondary level where teachers are content specialists. This article presents the research and theoretical underpinnings of SIOF, a pedagogical tool that focuses on scaffolding, input, output and feedback practices in the classroom. This tool has been developed to guide teachers in their efforts to place a more explicit focus on language. The authors discuss how SIOF can lead to what they term a Language Sensitive Learning Environment and the development of both language proficiency and subject knowledge.

Abstract

Despite being an essential element of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), CLIL assessment has received scarce research attention and remains a relatively underexplored area. Since few review studies have been conducted in the field of CLIL assessment, this article constitutes the first attempt to synthesise both theoretical and empirical studies on CLIL assessment around the globe with a view to yielding implications for the understanding, design, and improvement of assessment in CLIL and providing suggestions for future research agendas. Based on a thematic analysis of 77 pertinent publications selected among 763 search results, this scoping review first identified three prominent research themes in CLIL assessment including assessment issues, assessment practices, and assessment frameworks. Subsequently, the review elaborated each theme and discussed some interesting patterns of the literature in great depth. The review concluded with suggestions on future research directions with a view to advancing the uncharted area of CLIL assessment.

This article reviews The Practice of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) Around the World978-3-031-30612-9€ 166.39

This article reviews Linguistic Landscapes in Language and Teacher Education. Multilingual Teaching and Learning Inside and Beyond the Classroom978-3-031-22869-8GBP 39.99USD 139.43