Background

CLIL was first implemented in Cyprus within the framework of a pilot programme funded by the European Commission during 2006-2010. The original pilot project involved 5 pre-primary and 5 primary schools in its first year (2006-2007) and it expanded to 5 pre-primary and 10 primary schools for the following years (2007-2010). The pilot project was coordinated by the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute and the University of Cyprus.

An evaluation of the pilot project was carried out by the University of Bristol and resulted in positive findings. This led to the extension of CLIL implementation in Cyprus and the inclusion of CLIL in the Cyprus national curriculum in 2011.

Currently more than 50 primary schools and more than 100 pre-primary schools are implementing CLIL in Cyprus. The long term aim is for all pupils to have the opportunity to learn through CLIL. This, however, is an aim gradually realised since teachers need to undergo specific training before they can implement CLIL.