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Article published In: Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education
Vol. 8:1 (2020) ► pp.53–79

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Effects of focus on form on primary CLIL students’ foreign language performance in task-based oral interaction

 | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
 | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Published online: 31 March 2020
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.17028.alf
Abstract
In content and language integrated learning (CLIL) programmes, attention to language can be easily overlooked behind the assumption that language learning will take place incidentally. This study aimed at analysing the effects of a balanced integration of content and language on fifth graders’ foreign language (FL) oral performance. Two groups of participants had been doing CLIL in the form of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) subject as of first grade, and yet observations revealed an important lack of focus on form in these lessons. CLIL materials and lessons that provided enough attention to language were designed and implemented for three months only in one of the groups. Students were assessed on their FL fluency and complexity before and after the treatment. Results revealed higher gains in speech rate and number of minimal contributions and a significantly lower L1 reliance in the case of the treatment group.
Resum
Els programes AICLE (aprenentatge integrat de continguts i llengua estrangera) sovint desatenen aspectes lingüístics assumint que l’aprenentatge de la llengua tindrà lloc de manera espontània i incidental. Aquest estudi ha analitzat els efectes d’una integració equilibrada entre llengua i contingut en la producció oral en anglès com a llengua estrangera de nens i nenes de cinquè de primària. Els dos grups de participants havien estat cursant AICLE en sessions d’informàtica des de primer de primària i una sèrie d’observacions de les sessions van mostrar una falta notòria d’atenció a aspectes lingüístics. Es van dissenyar materials AICLE i sessions d’informàtica que promovien l’atenció i l’ús de la llengua i es van implementar durant tres mesos en un dels grups. La fluïdesa i la complexitat de la producció oral dels participants es va avaluar abans i després de la intervenció i els resultats van mostrar guanys considerables en la velocitat de la parla, un nombre menor de respostes curtes i menys ús de la primera llengua en el grup on es va realitzar la intervenció.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The balance between content and language in CLIL
  • 3.CLIL teachers and the nature of the CLIL subject
  • 4.Methods
    • 4.1The study
    • 4.2Participants
    • 4.3Design of the intervention
    • 4.4Information-gap tasks
    • 4.5Procedure
    • 4.6Data analysis
  • 5.Results
  • 6.Discussion
  • 7.Conclusions
  • Notes
  • References
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