Getting used to content and language integrated learning: what can classroom interaction reveal?

Abstract

Bilingual programmes in which an L2 is used as the medium of instruction are becoming popular in different parts of the world, and content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is one variant of such programmes. Recent research on CLIL has gradually shifted from product-oriented (i.e. evaluating the effectiveness of CLIL in terms of language and content learning outcomes) to more process-oriented by exploring classroom interaction in detail to gain insight into effective pedagogy and teacher education. This paper compares two different settings of CLIL classrooms in Hong Kong (where CLIL is referred to as ‘English Medium Instruction’). In one setting, the Grade 10 teachers and students (aged 15) had experienced CLIL for the first three years of secondary education; in the second one, the Grade 10 teachers and students had just started to experience the CLIL approach. In our comprehensive analysis of 15 observed lessons, we found that the teacher–student interaction where CLIL had just started was more monologic: the teacher dominated the lesson talk, students had difficulties expressing their meaning in L2, question-and-answer sequences were constrained – a finding which would cause concern if replicated more generally. Our interpretation is that it takes time for both teachers and students to get used to integrated content and language learning, teachers need to develop skills to engage students in extended verbal exchanges, and students need to reach operational levels of L2 proficiency. The findings of this study yield significant implications for the successful implementation of CLIL in other contexts.

Keywords:

• classroom interaction
• classroom discourse
• content and language integrated learning
• English medium instruction
• Hong Kong

Notes

1. In this paper, we adopt the broad definition of second language, i.e. language(s) other than a person's native/first language.

2. The EMI education in Hong Kong has been regarded as late immersion (Johnson and Swain 1994). Recently, some researchers have critically examined the definitions and characteristics of various models of bilingual education. For instance, Lasagabaster and Sierra (2010) attempted to differentiate between immersion and CLIL. According to such differentiation, we would argue that the EMI education in Hong Kong possesses characteristics of both immersion and CLIL. On the other hand, Cenoz, Genesee and Gorter (2014) believed that CLIL is best conceptualised as an umbrella term covering a range of programme types. In this sense, EMI education should also be regarded as a form of CLIL.

3. Starting from the year 2010/2011, under the fine-tuning MoI policy, Chinese-medium schools are given more flexibility in adopting Chinese or English as the MoI in junior forms, provided that they fulfil certain criteria.

4. The data reported in this paper form part of a larger study (Lo and Macaro 2012).

5. The number was not exact, because the first author simply asked the teachers about the total number of students in the classes and did not count the actual number of students present in lessons.

6. The turn distribution was estimated by turn analysis (as used by Macaro and Mutton 2002), which calculates the total and mean lengths of teacher and student turns.

7. The percentages shown in this paper, unless otherwise specified, represent the percentage of time out of the interaction time (i.e. total lesson time minus non-interaction time).

8. We decided that only those acts occupying at least 2% of the interaction time would be presented. This is because given a normal 40-minute lesson, an act that occupies less than 2% means that it occupies less than 48 seconds, which should be regarded as negligible.