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Harnessing the situated nature of CLIL for teacher education through a comparative study

ORCiD logo with link | University of Jyväskylä
ORCiD logo with link | University of Melbourne
ORCiD logo with link | Sheffield Hallam University
Published online: 18 April 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.24017.moa
Abstract
The dual focused approach of Content and language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has been adopted across a range of linguistic and geographical regions adding to the complexity and variety of CLIL. The presence of CLIL across different educational communities provides an important opportunity to develop CLIL as a sustainable approach to education if the situated knowledge of CLIL can be harnessed. The comparative study reported here places three cases side-by-side to illustrate how informed discussion can be generated across different educational settings. The particular focus of this study is CLIL teacher education in Finland, England, and Australia. The contribution draws attention to the role of the wider environment in the implementation and development of CLIL, and the value of new insights afforded through a situated approach to theorising CLIL.
Article outline
  • 1.Introducing CLIL
  • 2.Towards a situated understanding of CLIL
  • 3.Comparative case analysis as method
  • 4.Findings
    • 4.1The macro-, meso-, and micro-levels of the Finnish case
    • 4.2The micro, meso, and macro-levels of the English case
    • 4.3The micro, meso, and macro-levels of the Australian case
    • 4.4Insights from across the three cases
  • 5.Discussion
    • 5.1Partnerships for CLIL
    • 5.2The importance of purpose
    • 5.3Pedagogical insight regarding CLIL
    • 5.4Theoretical contribution
    • 5.5Concluding remarks
  • Note
  • References
References (92)
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