Guidelines for Successful Implementation
1. Initial Steps
At the very initial stages, when you decide to implement CLIL, you should find out more about CLIL and the CLIL models that are being implemented in Cyprus. You should do that by contacting the CLIL Centre or a CLIL advisor.Getting in touch with the CLIL Centre will help you access the support, training and guidance you need for the beginning stages of CLIL implementation. By registering with the CLIL Centre, you will join the network of teachers who implement CLIL in Cyprus; enabling you to access materials, experiences, ideas and overall support.
At this stage, you can also start thinking about which school subject you would like to implement CLIL in (or which model you will use, if you work in pre-primary). CLIL will work better if you choose a school subject you like, you feel comfortable with and you are knowledgeable about. You should then get up to speed with the subject, i.e. familiarise yourself with the teaching methodology and teaching materials related to that school subject. Most importantly, you should get up to date with the curriculum related to the school subject as it is important to follow the guidelines of the curriculum (and for primary education, the relevant success and adequacy indicators) when planning your CLIL lessons.
a) CLIL training
Training is important, especially for teachers novice to CLIL teaching, as CLIL involves a different way of working and teaching to what most teachers are used to.
It is, therefore, necessary to undergo in-service training before implementing CLIL. A number of CLIL-related courses are offered every year, usually through cooperation with the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute. These courses are of general nature (either for primary or pre-primary education), or specific to teaching a particular subject through CLIL.
If serious reasons/obstacles prevent you from attending formal training, you can inform the CLIL Centre, whose advisors will then suggest other solutions. Another form of training and support can, for example, be also provided by the CLIL Centre through mentoring and other activities such as school-based presentations, lesson observations, team teaching, etc. These activities are usually offered to further support and mentor teachers who have attended the formal courses offered but can also be used as a start until you are able to attend a formal course.
b) Informing the stakeholders
School Administration and School Teaching Staff
At the school level, it is essential for the headteacher to understand what CLIL is, what model of implementation you will be using and in which school subject you will implement it. The CLIL Centre can offer informative material or can be invited to talk to the school administration about CLIL and be available to answer any questions they may have.
It is also useful to inform the school staff about CLIL and that it will be implemented in your school. This can perhaps be done at a staff meeting where a CLIL Centre representative may explain to your colleagues what CLIL involves and what it means for the school.
Parents
Having the support and cooperation of parents is always essential in promoting school success, whether this relates to pupil results and/or the implementation of educational programmes and innovative approaches. It is, therefore, important that parents are informed at the beginning of CLIL implementation about CLIL and how it is implemented in the school and in their children’s class, in particular. This can initially be done though a flyer that the pupils can take home. Flyers, or samples of informative leaflets, can be obtained from the CLIL Centre.
If your school decides to print their own informative leaflets, then make sure that the CLIL Centre’s contact details are included so as to create a communication channel between parents and the Centre allowing for any additional queries to be swiftly and appropriately addressed. Parents should feel free to contact the school (the headteacher and/or the CLIL teacher) or the CLIL Centre about any possible questions they may have.
Introducing / Presenting CLIL to the pupils
It is important that pupils understand what CLIL is and how it will be implemented in their lessons. Pupils need a justification as to why their way of learning will change and why they will be using English in their lessons; a justification which should differ according to pupils’ age and maturity level.
Introducing CLIL to very young pupils can be as simple as introducing a puppet who has arrived from a foreign country and can only communicate through English. For older pupils it can involve a discussion about the value of learning a foreign language and the significant role foreign languages play in our lives.
2. Creating a safe and supportive learning environment
a) Listen to your pupilsListening to pupils’ concerns, thoughts, feelings, insecurities or suggestions is the key to a successful CLIL implementation. You, as a CLIL teacher, need to be sensitive to your pupils’ thoughts and feelings and help them feel safe to express themselves. Your pupils’ thoughts and feelings can guide you in adapting your teaching so that all pupils can participate in CLIL lessons feeling safe and confident. Your pupils’ voices can be heard through a variety of simple techniques that you can easily incorporate in your teaching. For example, pupils can anonymously write whatever they feel or think about their lessons on a piece of paper and put it in a box at the end of the lesson, or can use post-it notes and stick them on a wall or window on their way out of the classroom. You can also allow a few minutes at the end of a lesson for discussion with the pupils. Whatever techniques you use, the thoughts and feelings of the pupils should guide you as to how to best implement CLIL, in order to support and assist pupils in this new learning experience.
b) The role of the school language in CLIL classes
Throughout CLIL implementation, Greek (the school language) has always a role to play in the CLIL classroom. Initially, English (the CLIL language) is gradually introduced and slowly its use is increased. At the beginning a teacher may choose just one activity to carry out in English and then gradually increase the percentage of the lesson that is conducted in English. At the initial stages, the teacher should also focus on gradually building the English language needed for everyday classroom communication (classroom language) as well as specific language needed for the particular school subject (academic language and subject language) which is being taught through CLIL. Classroom language refers to the language used to conduct every day activities and classroom management routines during a lesson (e.g. Are you ready? Let’s start!, Open your books, Let’s work in groups now, Put your thinking caps on, etc.). Academic language refers to vocabulary (e.g. transparent, semi-transparent, longitude, latitude) or language structures that are needed in order to work with a subject (e.g. Can you make a hypothesis? What is your opinion about …? Let’s compare and contrast. Shall we classify these objects?, etc.). Throughout their CLIL classes, and especially at the initial stages, pupils should always feel safe and comfortable in the classroom. They should feel free to respond in Greek or use Greek whenever they want to.
3. Establishing high quality CLIL implementation
a) Supporting pupils cognitivelyAs a CLIL teacher you teach Content and Language. In order to succeed in achieving both types of goals, you need to provide your pupils with the necessary support and scaffolding. When teaching content, it’s good to make sure that you keep the cognitive level of the content to the appropriate level for pupils, without oversimplifying it or making it too complex for them. You should also allow for cognitive challenges that require higher order thinking skills. A technique for presenting new content to pupils is to “break down” the content in smaller chunks/steps and provide support at each ‘step’ by using images, sound, hands-on activities, group work, etc.
b) Supporting pupils linguistically
Pupils should also be supported linguistically, either for comprehension purposes (listening, reading) or for production purposes (speaking, writing). As a CLIL teacher, you need to think beforehand where in the lesson your pupils might encounter linguistic difficulties. Potential difficulties might lie, for example, during a discussion, when reading a difficult text or carrying out a complex task. When preparing for your lesson, you need to predict where your pupils will need support, and then decide how you will support them. There are various types of linguistic support you can offer (e.g. using word banks, language frames, pre- teaching key vocabulary).
c) Use of the school language in the lesson
CLIL classes are bilingual classes and the school language (Greek) can always have some presence in the lesson. The teacher decides whether Greek should be used in the lesson, according to the needs of the pupils and the learning tasks which they are asked to complete. Pupils should always be supported in using English in the lesson. However, they should not be forced into using English if they don’t feel ready to do so. Furthermore, there should always be an option for a ‘time out’ which allows for the class to stop using the CLIL language (English) for a while and use the school language. This option may be initiated by the teacher or the pupils and can be used when a difficult explanation may be needed or if pupils need to perform an activity for which they do not have the necessary linguistic competence. In such cases the lesson’s quality as regards the Content is not compromised because of the foreign language. Instead, the lesson incorporates the school language so that the relevant Success and Adequacy Indicators may be achieved. ‘Time out’ instances may be less and less necessary as pupils become more confident in the CLIL language. Nevertheless, the option for a ‘time out’ is always available to the teacher and pupils.
d) Educational materials and activities
CLIL classes include a variety of materials to assist with presentation, consolidation and assessment of the new content and language. Pictures, videos, word cards, language frames, songs, stories, digital materials (e.g. PowerPoint presentations, interactive games/activities) can significantly help pupils during lessons. Various types of activities should also be used, in order to offer varied engagement with the content and so as to help all types of learners as well as pupils with different levels of abilities. A variety of activities can also help offer scaffolding and ensure that all pupils engage actively in many different, meaningful and differentiated activities within their cognitive level.
e) Assessment
The type of assessment and the language used for assessment in CLIL can vary. If the pupils feel uncomfortable being assessed in English, the teacher can choose to use Greek, especially for a formal or summative assessment. As regards formative assessment, the teacher can use frequent comprehension checks during the lesson, so that he/she makes sure that pupils are following the lesson and don’t have any problems. Comprehension checks could be in the form of questions, a short game or a simple activity. In general, the teacher can decide whether assessment should take place in Greek or English according to the pupils’ abilities in the foreign language. Often pupils can be offered a choice of language as regards their response to assessment activities.
4. Keeping in touch with the CLIL Centre and with your CLIL buddies teacher network
Keeping in touch with the CLIL centre can be very useful for a teacher and a school implementing CLIL. CLIL advisors can provide help whenever a teacher needs to clarify issues that arise during his/her implementation of CLIL or if s/he just needs someone to talk to and share/discuss CLIL experiences. CLIL advisors can also recommend a network of teachers who are implementing CLIL in which the particular teacher can participate. Regular communication with teachers that teach the same subject or are implementing the same model (in the case of pre-primary education) is also very helpful, as it gives teachers the opportunity to share ideas and materials, or just talk to someone who is in the same situation as them. It is also suggested that teachers form smaller support groups and cooperate with other teachers (CLIL buddies) who teach the same school subject or implement the same CLIL model (in the case of pre-primary). A CLIL buddy group can provide a teacher with support on many levels (professionally and emotionally). Contact with the CLIL Centre can also reward your school and your pupils for their CLIL accomplishments and also offer you opportunities to showcase your results through participation in its rewards and recognition scheme (link to the right area on the website) or participation in various events organised by the Centre (conferences, educational visits, etc.). Implementing CLIL can be a rewarding, stimulating and refreshing experience for both the teacher and the pupils. With systematic implementation CLIL can prove to be a driving power for creating motivated, eager to learn, enthusiastic pupils that love innovation, learning and languages.
