Insight on the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) Approach

Source: CLIL4STEAM

My initial understanding of the Content and Language Integrated Learning approach, or CLIL for short, is teachers use a foreign language, for example, English, in teaching students all the subjects in the curriculum. However, I have come to know that this may be a more proper explanation for schools that use the English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) approach. I have always been interested in these two approaches, which motivated me to study this topic for one of my final projects. My research, which is titled Exploring Supports and Technology Available for Indonesian Urban Students in Learning English, was granted the opportunity to be presented and published through an international conference. The participants of said research are students who experienced non-EMI schools, EMI schools, and both. The objective is to find the impact that their formal education has on their English proficiency.

On October 16, 2023, we had the pleasure of having a session about this topic for our Current Issues in Foreign Language Teaching course. The speaker for this topic is Mr. Michael, who is a lecturer at BINUS Senayan, the branch of BINUS University that uses EMI –and currently working on incorporating CLIL more– for classes and has many foreigners. He can be considered a "CLIL expert" as he chose this topic for his thesis. He spent months searching for a school that was willing to implement this approach because he realized that these Indonesian schools all use the EMI approach instead of CLIL. According to him, CLIL goes beyond teaching in a foreign language. CLIL may also be ideal for some educators as it is student-centered. Student-centered learning considers students first and foremost in a classroom, meaning they will determine their growth and pace, while the teacher facilitates that process to ensure students become lifelong learners and independent problem-solvers. 

The main difference between CLIL and EMI is with CLIL, the language teachers and the content teachers closely work with one another in preparing their syllabus, whereas they work independently for EMI. The learning objectives in these classes can be similar. For example, both teachers can aim for students to create one paper for the final grade of these courses. The language teacher will teach the formatting, grammar features, and rules to make an academic paper, while the content teacher will teach the students about the topics they should write about. It is also expected that the content teacher introduces the keywords or technical terms before the topics to the students so that the time allocated for each session may be more effective, meaning they do not need to look up the terms during the session and potentially miss some of the information. In other words, teachers ensure a comprehensible input for students.

There are several principles in implementing CLIL, commonly known as the 4Cs. The first one is content, which relates to the development of new knowledge, skills, and understanding. The next one is communication, which relates to the language used during interactions and the progression of students’ proficiency, both in using and learning the language. In CLIL, the content matters just as much as the language, so teachers should equally emphasize both to create maximum results that are beneficial for the students. The third principle is cognition, which entails incorporating questions that require higher-order thinking (HOTS) and understanding to create engagement and allow students to accept challenges and reflect on them. So, through CLIL, students are challenged to think critically and creatively to solve problems. However, it should still be doable for them so that it scaffolds their learning process instead of hindering it. The last one is culture. CLIL aims to create individuals who have self-awareness and social awareness. Additionally, they should also develop an intercultural understanding and be aware of social injustice. The goal of this is so that they can see different cultures and appreciate them.

Mr. Michael also shared his experience of teaching university students at BINUS Senayan using the CLIL approach. The two reasons for implementing this approach from the teacher’s point of view are to invite students to be active learners and promote their cognitive development through engagement. These two reasons pose challenges for educators as it is sometimes easier said than done, especially in the Indonesian educational context. Indonesian students are used to being passive during lessons. They only listen to the teacher and take notes if they have to. The problem is not everyone does this either. Some students may act however they want and fear nothing, which comes off as rude. Thus, trying to change something that has already become the norm can be difficult, but this does not mean it is impossible. Hearing Mr. Michael’s story made me want to continuously research and find ways to tackle this problem that actually works. His tips are to use effective teacher talk, allow students more time to think and speak, and use many open-ended questions to promote discussions.

In conclusion, this session about the CLIL approach allowed me to understand more about its benefits, and I can see why it is considered ideal for some educators. I believe that the best way to learn a language is through exposure, and implementing this approach can grant learners that experience. They can learn the language on a deeper level and use it to communicate naturally. On top of that, students also grow their awareness of various topics and issues in the world. With all that considered, students who studied at schools using the CLIL approach may have a more meaningful learning experience. They may also become better human beings as they are independent problem-solvers, critical thinkers, self-aware, and socially aware. In light of this knowledge, I want to continue developing my knowledge and skills so that I can one day teach at a school that implements this approach. I also want to continuously reflect on my teaching sessions and never stop learning to become a better educator for my students. By doing so, I can teach them these morals by being an example. It will also allow me to improve myself alongside them.