Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 45:3 (2021) ► pp.309–330
Languages for learning
The role of CLIL teachers
Published online: 28 February 2022
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.21025.min
https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.21025.min
Abstract
More than 25 years have passed since CLIL was first introduced in schools all over Europe with objectives, methods and organizational structures that often also vary from one country to another. Time has passed, and still without a precise framework of reference, CLIL shows its great potential as well as its drawbacks. Using data from research conducted in Italy with four CLIL teachers who teach physics through a foreign language, this article aims to highlight the possibility that CLIL can serve to make every teacher, regardless of the subject, aware of the role that language can play in learning. The data collected, which refer to the Italian education system, emphasize the central role of the subject teacher in CLIL implementation. They also draw attention to the need for important changes in the CLIL agenda for the coming years.
Riassunto
Sono passati più di 25 anni da quando il CLIL è entrato nelle scuole di tutta Europa con obiettivi, modalità di realizzazione, strutture diverse da un Paese all’altro. A distanza di tempo e in assenza di un preciso quadro di riferimento, il CLIL mostra oggi limiti evidenti accanto a enormi potenzialità non completamente realizzate. Usando i dati di una ricerca condotta in Italia con quattro docenti CLIL di fisica, l’articolo vuole mettere in luce la possibilità che il CLIL possa servire per far comprendere a ogni docente, indipendentemente dalla disciplina che insegna, il ruolo che la lingua può svolgere nell’apprendimento. I dati raccolti e riferiti al contesto italiano di cui si illustrano le caratteristiche mettono in evidenza la centralità del ruolo del docente di disciplina detta non linguistica, un ruolo talmente importante da meritare vera attenzione nella definizione dei prossimi passi di quella che viene chiamata “CLIL agenda” per i prossimi anni.
Resumo
Pli ol 25 jaroj pasis depost la enkonduko de ELIL (Enhave kaj Lingve Integrita Lernado) en lernejojn tra tuta Eŭropo, kun celoj, metodoj kaj organizaj strukturoj kiuj ankaŭ ofte varias de lando al lando. Tra la paso de la tempo, kaj ankoraŭ sen preciza referenca kadro, ELIL montras sian grandan potencialon kaj samtempe siajn limigojn. Utiligante donitaĵojn el esploroj faritaj en Italio de kvar instruistoj de ELIL kiuj instruas fizikon per fremda lingvo, la artikolo celas lumigi la eblecon, ke ELIL povu servi por konsciigi ĉiun instruiston, sendepende de la instrutemo, pri la rolo kiun la lingvo povas ludi en lernado. La kolektitaj donitaĵoj, kiuj rilatas al la itala eduka sistemo, emfazas la centran rolon de la unuopa instrutema instruisto en realigo de ELIL. Ili ankaŭ atentigas pri la bezono de gravaj ŝanĝoj en la tagordo de ELIL en estontaj jaroj.
Article outline
- Introduction
- CLIL in Europe
- CLIL in Italy
- The beginnings
- The school reform laws of 2003 and 2015
- The CLIL teacher
- The temporary norms
- Official data on CLIL provision in Italy
- The research
- Theoretical framework
- Objectives and research questions
- Data and method
- The lessons
- The interviews
- Results
- Concluding remarks
- Notes
References
References (17)
Beacco, J.-C., Fleming, M., Goullier, F., Thürmann, E., & Vollmer, H. (2016). The Language Dimension in All Subjects. A Handbook for Curriculum Development and Teacher Training. Education Department Education Policy Division Language Policy DG II – Directorate General of Democracy Council of Europe.
Bolitho, R., Rossner, R. (2020). Language education in a changing world: challenges and opportunities. Multilingual Matters.
Cenoz, J., Genesee, F., & Gorter, D. (2014). Critical analysis of CLIL: taking stock and looking forward. Applied Linguistics, 35(3), 243–262.
Council of Europe (2014). Recommendation CM/Rec(2014)5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the importance of competences in the language(s) of schooling for equity and quality in education and for educational success.
Coyle, D. (2019). Content and Language Integrated Learning. Changing contexts, Evolving competences: 25 years of inspiring innovation in language education. Graz: ECML, Council of Europe, 72–80.
European Commission (2018). Rethinking language education in schools. Strasbourg, France: European Commission.
Gajo, L. (2007). Linguistic Knowledge and Subject Knowledge: How does bilingualism contribute to subject development? The International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 10(5), 563–581.
Hélot, C., Cavalli, M. (2016). Bilingual Education in Europe: Dominant Languages. In O. Garcia, A. Lin, S. May (eds). Bilingual and Multilingual Education. Encyclopedia of Language and Education (3rd ed.). Springer, Cham.
Llinares, A., Dalton-Puffer, C. (2015). The role of different tasks in CLIL students’ use of evaluative language. System, 541, 69–79.
Llinares, A., Evnitskaya, N. (2020). Classroom Interaction in CLIL Programs: Offering Opportunities or Fostering Inequalities? TESOL Quarterly.
Martin, J. R., Maton, K. (2017). Systemic functional linguistics and Legitimation Code Theory on education: Rethinking field and knowledge. Onomazein, SFL: 12–45.
Maton, K. (2013). Knowledge and knowers: Towards a realist sociology of education. London & New York: Routledge.
Maton, K., Howard, S. K. (2018). Taking autonomy tours: A key to integrative knowledge-building, LCT Centre Occasional Paper 11: 1–35.
Meyer, O., Coyle, D., Halbach, A., Ting, T., & Schuck, K. (2015). A Pluriliteracies Approach to Content and Language Integrated Learning: Mapping Learner Progressions in Knowledge Construction and Meaning-Making. Language, Culture, and Curriculum, 28(1), 41–57.
Meyer, O., Coyle, D., Schuck, K. (2018). Learnscaping – creating next-gen learning environments for pluriliteracies growth. Elsner, D. & Buendgens-Kostens, J. (eds.): CALL in multilingual contexts. Multilingual Matters.
Morton, T. (2018). Reconceptualizing and describing teachers’ knowledge of language for content and language integrated learning (CLIL). International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 21(3), 275–28.
Nikula, T., Dalton-Puffer, C., & Llinares, A. (2013). CLIL classroom discourse: Research from Europe. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 1(1), 70–100.
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
Carlucci, Alessandro
2025. Theoretical and methodological issues in language contact and change. In The Progressive Revisited [Studies in Language Companion Series, 236], ► pp. 255 ff.
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 27 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.
