ACTIVITY 7.2. (CLIL)

Activity 7.2. (CLIL) 

1- What is the aim of (CLIL) in relation to the teaching of L2/FL? 

The main aims of CLIL are the following: 

- Acquire knowledge using target language 

- Acquire necessary skill in the target language 

- Acquire necessary skills in the mother tongue 

- Understand and value both cultures 

- Develop cognitive and social skills

2- Should CLIL become a substitute for general language teaching, and be used as the sole method for teaching L2/FL as its the trend in “Vocational Training”? 

No, the best option is to use several methodologies and approaches. Each methodology or approach has advantages and disadvantages so using them according to our objectives and expectations is the most recommended. The teacher is the person who has to decide which methodology is demanded each time.

 3- Should there be some coordination between the teaching of FL in general and CLIL courses? 

Yes, it will be useful, recommended and interesting. Nowadays, every English teacher should master CLIL perfectly because this methodology is effective. 

L7 - Activity 7.1. (CLIL)

In your opinion,

1- What is “Content and Language Integrated Learning” (CLIL)?   

CLIL is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language with the objective of promoting both content and language mastery to pre-defined levels. 

In class we have watched the following video, which illustrate really well the reality of CLIL:

Here is a very illustrating video in which we can see how David Marsh explains CLIL and his own experience on when this approach worked and where it didn't.

And what about CLIL in Finland? Again, here is what David Marsh tells us:

2- Is there any difference between immersion and CLIL teaching? If so, what are the main differences?
 
There are some differences between immersion programs (click in the this link and get more information about specific programs) and CLIL teaching. In this article you will a very good and accurate comparison between both methodologies. For example:

• Language of instruction:
• In immersion, the language is often present in the students' context (their home, society or both), whereas CLIL it is about foreign languages.

•  Teachers:
• In a immersion programme, the teacher is normally native speaker, whereas in CLIL this is not necessary (they can be asked to have a high level in the language though)

•  Teaching materials:
• The teaching materials which are used in immersion approaches are based in native speakers. However, materials used by CLIL normally use abbreviate materials.

•  Language aim:
• In immersion programs, the main objective is to obtain a certain degree of proficiency in the language and students can't use their mother tongue, whereas CLIL is aimed at achieving a functional proficiency and the students may use their L1 if needed.

DIVERSITY IN CLASS

Teaching diversity

As teachers, we want to create a world free from discrimination. We want to promote an atmosphere full of love and respect. In addition, we want to foster acceptance and fight against exclusion and rejection. It is our duty to teach students how to respect and value the others without taking into account the colour of the skin, physical abilities, mental abilities or the language they speak. What can we do from our position? 

We propose the following procedures to apply diversity in the classroom: 

• First, as we have said before, we must promote critical thinking, specially about discrimination and prejudice. Related to that, if they achieve that level of independence, they will be free citizens.
• Secondly, we must model the behaviors and attitudes we want them to develop. To reinforce those behaviors and attitudes, we can include diversity in our programs.
• Thirdly, we must penalise discriminatory remarks and comments. Furthermore, we must create opportunities to make them interact and meet people who are different from them.
• Finally, we must involve families in the process of raising awareness because education depends on many factors.

As a conclusion, according to our perspective, if students have a good understanding about their essence, they will be able to show their value. Besides, they will be able to build a world of respect, tolerance and humanity.

For further information, watch these videos: 

Strategies for Teaching Culturally Diverse Students 

Teens talk about diversity

Cultural Diversity Examples: Avoid Stereotypes while communicating

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion by What you need to know

Promoting Equality and Diversity in the Classroom

L3 - ENGLISH VARITIES

English, as a worlwide language, has many varities which give the language a considerable richness. It happens the same with Spanish, French, etc. We decided for this activity to present one of these varities: the English in Ireland.

We thought that a very interesting way to present it was to create a Draw my life video. What's this? It is a video in which you draw images that represent your discourse, accompanied by a voice track which explains in loud voice what is being written at that moment.

Here is our task. We really hope you like it!

ENGLISH LEARNING AND COMMONSENSE

In this blog entry we are going to share all our opinions about "commonsense", sharing our personal experiences from the oppresion to emancipation regarding the English Language Learning:


Antonio:

"Motivation is the first step to enjoy something, and this motivation is undoubtedly necessary for becoming emancipated learners. It is not a question of being against what we have, it is about improving it."

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 


Andrea:

"I encourage my students to express their own opinions in order to develop critical thinking. I want them to awake and have their own perspectives. Moreover, I motivate them to travel abroad and meet new people."

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

Juan Carlos:

"At that moment, Spain in the mid 90’s, the perception of EFL was different. It wasn’t the trend that is nowadays, it wasn’t an indispensable education field for the future of the students, it wasn’t something compulsory to our parents; we were there learning English because we wanted and we enjoyed it. Without knowing it we lived outside of the educational commonsense."

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

Cristina:

"English imperialism had won an important battle. My parents, always thinking about what’s best for me, felt that it was so important for the next generation to learn English in order to succeed in life, that they needed to send a a frightened and rebellious teen totally against her will to learn English abroad at 14 years of age. I remember hating English and English people and everything that concerned English up to the point that I decided I was going to make my parents pay for it. Nowadays as an English teacher, and more mature adult, I can’t do anything but to understand that this was an amazing opportunity they were giving me and I wasted it."

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

Yvonne:

"Personal interests will be an incentive or an obstacle to learn and, understanding the student’s background will help teachers to connect the material of the curriculum to the student’s reality. This will allow students to be more engaged; more motivated and have an active role inside the classroom. Moreover, this will allow them emancipate and be autonomous learners. In the end, they will learn because they will really want to learn."

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

ENGLISH LEARNING AND CRITICAL THINKING

There are our impressions of what is critical thinking and why is so important for us, not only as a future teachers but also as student in continous trainning.

Yvonne:

"Imagine if we were not able to think for ourselves or some regulations would not allow us. This may sound absurd but it is much like what is happening with the education of our nation’s children. We are creating a society in which thinking is not welcomed. Take for instance television, most of the programs that are broadcasted, and you will realize the standards that rule our today’s society and the truth is that this is not making us progress. Second, how can we expect our students to be critical if we do not teach them how to achieve it? Most of the times, our education does not allow our students to be creative and just tell them what and how to do things. We are like robots."

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

Cristina:

"Being that we live in a world that is continuously evolving; there is new progress on every field of knowledge and we have more and more information and new and faster tools to get it everyday. Why wouldn’t we want our students to know how to think critically? How to be inquisitive and reasonable in the selection of criteria and information? When we think about these questions, it is important to state that the present generation of students will become the society of the future; so, why wouldn’t we give them the necessary tools to live and succeed on the future world?"

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

Antonio:

"Students are supposed to learn (sometimes memorize) a table of contents in order to pass one exam after the other. Let’s be honest: who in this country (apart from those who know the answer as specialists) remembers the name of the Spanish kings and queens since 1492? Or an extremely ‘useful’ quadratic equation? What about the different rhetorical figures we can draw out from a poem?"

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

Juan Carlos:

"Of course, the contents and subjects are important, but if professors don’t teach with the purpose of create critical thinkers ready to question the world and assemble their own opinion, empty students will be created. Another brick in the wall of our useless occidental education system.”

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

Andrea:

"As a conclusion, I would like to speak about some benefits of critical thinking. First, students become more independent and self-sufficient . Secondly, it shows them how to filter out relevant and irrelevant information. Thirdly, it teaches not to judge other perspectives. It enables to see beyond. This is crucial to work in teams and become a good leader. Eventually, it makes them better communicators because they know how to support their theory or point of view with proper arguments."

Would you like to read the whole story? click here: 😊 

L5 - ACTIVITY 5.4

L5 - Activity 5.4

You have organised an exchange with a school in another country. During their visit, the students attend each other's school and stay at each other's homes. 

1-Describe the general terms of the arrangement.

Country: Spain and Ireland

Age: 16 years old 

Academic level of students: 4th of ESO (Spain) 4th year of high school (Ireland)

Length of the stay: 2 weeks

Who is visiting who this time: Irish students come to Spain 

School Context: 

• Spanish school: Catholic grant aided school situated in the city of valencia with students that come from medium/high economic class families.
• Irish school: Private catholic school situated in the small city of kilkenny Ireland with students that come from medium/high economic class families.

2- How would you prepare your students prior to the visit, bearing in mind the above set of conditions.

We would divide the arrangements for the visits in 3 phases that would last a month:

• Phase 1: Getting to know each other (10 days)
• Phase 2: Planning  (10 days)
• Phase 3: Getting ready (10 days)

Phase 1

Description: On this phase students will be paired up with a student from the foreigner country and will try to get to know their partner and exchange information about their likes and dislikes, hobbies, personality, etc.

Objectives:

• To develop their digital and linguistic competence in English.
• To practice their social and writing skills.
• To start learning about other cultures.

Activities:

• They will create an email account and exchange it with their partner through the teachers.
• Students will learn the structure, vocabulary and grammar  needed to send an email in english to the foreign student.
• After practicing in the classroom the students will have to write three emails with three different objectives: 

1. Presenting and describing yourself

2. Personalized answer to the partner's answer 

3. Talking about your city and making suggestions about the activities that will take place during the actual visit by the Irish students.

Phase 2

Description: On the second phase, students will keep the email communication with the foreigner students but the main task will be to give them some communication tips and tools to help them communicate with their assigned visitor. 

On the other hand they will gather all the information about their Irish partner and discuss in class which kind of activities would be interesting for the visitors. Being that the visit will last 2 weeks they could also plan a trip for the first weekend and a goodbye party for the last one before the Irish students leave

Objectives:

· Develop planning and organization skills.

· To give students the chance to work on a project and develop their sense of responsibility.

· To increase the students communicative skills. 

Activities:

1. Teach the target language in the english classroom and have them practice or refresh the use of useful language tips by role playing, drill activities, listenings and practicing with their classmates in class.

2. Filling the already created and used through the year "useful vocabulary and grammar notebook" with new grammar and sections with vocabulary the teacher and them believe that will be useful when communicating with the Irish visitor.

3. Organize and present to the classroom in small teams a planning with a couple of activities, the trip and the party that the team believes will be enjoyable for the visitors, taking into account all the information they have gathered from the Irish students. The best ideas will be written into a leaflet that will be sent to the Irish students.

Phase 3

Description: On this last phase, students will be arranging everything for the visit, different tasks will be assigned depending on the activities that were agreed in the last activity of the previous phase and will take place during the 2 weeks with the Irish visitors. E.g gathering the money for the trip, creating welcoming decorations, deciding the last details for the goodbye party, sending the last pre-visit emails for their partners with instructions on what to pack on their luggages or how will they meet once they get to Spain, etc

Objectives:

· To give the students the chance to work as a team.

· To teach students to value the others work and efforts.

· To Develop planning and organization skills.

· To give students the chance to work on a project and develop their sense of responsibility.

· To increase the students communicative skills. 

Activities:

The activities as mentioned on the description will depend on what the students had planed on the previous phase.