CLIL in Europe

The first bilingual programme at a grammar school in Germany was introduced already in 1969. The expansion of bilingual teaching made very hesitant progress, however. This was due to the concept that originally focussed on strengthening foreign language learning. The standards were fairly high and the concept adhered to the content specifications of the curriculum. It was a model for particularly talented and motivated pupils.

According to a report by the Conference of the Education Ministers of the German States, 366 schools were offering bilingual courses in a few subjects in 1999 after a careful development phase. In 2006, the figure had already reached 847. Although there has been a rapid increase this still only accounts for 3% of German schools. I believe the figure could be 30%.

Can you explain this rapid development in recent years? The expansion is due to the fact that we took a new approach to the curricula: away from simply listing the content to be covered towards competence-oriented work, away from purely expanding foreign language learning towards an integrated concept, and away from a model aimed solely at particularly talented pupils towards one for all pupils.

That’s why I also like the English term “Content and Language Integrated Learning“ (CLIL). It shows that we are dealing with a concept of integration. The recipe for success is to combine the teaching of languages and non-language subjects. Language is used here as a means of mediation and understanding.

What developments do you forecast in the coming years?

I expect there will be a further increase. There are many initiatives in this field, including those that are clearly supported by the EU. That’s why I foresee a more exponential than a linear development.

What form could the development of CLIL take?

There is one model that I call the Mercedes of bilingual teaching. This model can be found in existing programmes with fixed non-language subjects that are increasingly taught in the target language. They are organized in a special department and there are even additional lessons to support the teaching of non-language subjects, as well as qualifications and certificates.

But apart from this model there are many other ways of starting bilingual teaching – different preliminary stages ranging from a “bicycle” via a “small car”. A teacher can, for example, be a source of inspiration for the whole school by giving a six-week course of biology lessons in English.

It is often difficult to implement the Mercedes model with a higher number of lessons. An alternative is the concept of slightly reducing the number of lessons for foreign language teaching from the end of the fourth year onwards and to support the teaching of non-language subjects in the target language instead. In this symbiotic form of teaching the total number of lessons does not change but the emphasis is shifted towards language application.

What will be the future role of CLIL in vocational schools?

Vocational schools are very interested in combining the language competence of their pupils with their competence in non-language subjects, particularly in the commercial and hotel sectors. And these are also the core sectors in which teaching will increasingly be bilingual at vocational schools.

The schools’ interest does not correspond, however, to the teachers available and their skills. The problem of further development is how to get competent teachers in the schools.

What is the situation like in primary schools?

Developments have been very satisfactory here. A growing number of German states are introducing, or even expanding, foreign language teaching in primary schools. In Baden-Württemberg, 100% of primary school pupils are now being taught foreign languages in the primary classes 1 to 4.

We are not only pursuing a concept of intercultural contact but also results-oriented foreign language teaching with communicative progression. That is the precondition so that secondary schools can join the project. Another important principle is cross-disciplinary learning. But both of these require a highly competent teacher – also in linguistic terms - since otherwise the concept would not get much beyond interactive games and oral drills – and that would be a pity.

Do you think that closer cooperation with other EU countries would be a good idea?

I think it would be an extremely good idea. There is a wide and varied range of experience in Europe. This experience is exchanged, for example, in the EU Working Group on Foreign Languages, with the aim among other things of defining and publicising good practice. In the end, however, it is up to each country itself to decide which of the proposals it will implement.

There is a large degree of willingness throughout Europe to adopt models that also lead to the certification of competences that are recognized by other countries, including their universities. In 2005, the "CertiLingua" concept was launched on the initiative of North Rhine-Westphalia. It certifies language competence involving bilingual teaching at the end of the upper 6th form. Certificates are awarded on condition, for example, that pupils have had at least two years of lessons in a non-language subject in the target language at secondary school, and have a command of two foreign languages to Level B2 of the Common European Framework. The pilot phase has already started and the additional qualifications "CertiLingua job” for vocational schools and "CertiLingua junior” as a certificate at the end of junior secondary school are being prepared.

Eight German states have already joined the project in the pilot phase. The Netherlands, Austria and Finland are also participating, and France and Sweden are very interested. This initiative supports a network of bilingual schools and also makes clearly defined demands on results, which can then contribute to student mobility and to the opening up of universities.

What effects has the expansion of CLIL had on teacher training?

It is a great challenge. There have already been reactions to it in many German states. In North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly at the Department of Teacher Training in Bonn, there is, for example, close cooperation with universities that aim to give teachers professional training in bilingual teaching.

In Baden-Württemberg, the universities of education situated along the River Rhine offer European Teacher degree courses (Europalehramt) for primary, lower secondary and intermediate secondary education. Although these courses make great demands on the teachers and require two additional semesters of study, they do train very competent teachers for the bilingual schools sector. Training and examination regulations for trainee grammar school teachers now also exist in the field of bilingual teaching.

The EU has set up a working group in Brussels with representatives from all member states which is looking into a European profile for language teacher education. We have, for example, reached a consensus on the following specification: “Prospective teachers will learn the methods and strategies necessary to teach a non-language subject in a foreign language”.

What are your hopes for the future?

I would like motivated young teachers, who have perhaps studied abroad and have the appropriate qualifications, to try a wide variety of different approaches. I would like to see an openness on the part of ministries that give schools an opportunity to implement their initiatives also in permanent structures, and I would like support from the networks that can convey good examples to a wide and interested professional community.