Developing subject knowledge co-construction and specific language use in a technology-enhanced CLIL programme: effectiveness and productive patterns

ABSTRACT

This study investigated Chinese bilingual learners’ subject knowledge co-construction and business English language use in a Technology-enhanced Content and Language Integrated Learning (TECLIL) programe. Four intact classes of Year One University business-major students were exposed to two different learning environments – a TECLIL project-based learning environment using Knowledge Forum (KF), and a CLIL project-based learning environment. Data included student oral business presentations, written business reports, subject knowledge test results, student KF server log information, and online interaction records. The results indicated that the TECLIL project-based learning classes outperformed the comparison classes on both subject concept learning and business English language use. The quantitative analysis found that students’ KF participation was associated with their content understanding and language development. Micro-level discourse analysis of students’ online discussion notes further revealed bilingual students’ productive discourse patterns in the TECLIL environment. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Technology-enhanced CLIL
• subject knowledge co-construction
• language use
• bilingual learners
• productive patterns

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Project of Discipline Innovation and Advancement-Foreign Language Education Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University (Grant number: 2020SYLZDXM011).

Notes on contributors

Ke Zhao

Ke Zhao is a professor in the School of Foreign Studies, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. She holds a PhD in English Language Education. Her research interests focus on learning innovation, language education, and language policy. She has published in SSCI journals including the International Journal of Computer-supported Collaborative Learning, SYSTEM, Teaching in Higher Education, English Today, and Current Issues in Language Planning.

Jiming Zhou

Jiming Zhou is a lecturer at Fudan University, China. She holds a PhD in English Language Education. Her current research interests include assessment and learning, educational innovation, and students’ school-university transition. Her articles about assessment for learning, assessment changes, and students’ academic literacies development appear in SSCI journals.

Bin Zou

Bin Zou is an associate professor/senior teaching fellow at the English Language Center, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching. His research interests include Applied Linguistics, ELT, EAP, CALL, mobile learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Corpus. He has published a number of papers in journals including SSCI and CSSCI journals as well as book chapters.