Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

In their book Beyond CLIL: Pluriliteracies teaching for deeper learning, Do Coyle (University of Edinburgh, UK) and Oliver Meyer (Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz, Germany) propose a new 'pluriliteracies' approach which refines and develops current thinking in CLIL and show how to put that understanding into practice. This resource will be valuable to both academics and education practitioners.

The book is based on the work of the ECML on “A pluriliteracies approach to teaching for learning”, among others.

• Coyle D. & Meyer O. (2021), Beyond CLIL: Pluriliteracies teaching for deeper learning, Cambride University Press: description and key features

You can further explore the work of the ECML in this field here:

• ECML thematic collection on “Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)”
• ECML training and consultancy offer for member states (2020-2023) “CLIL and beyond: pluriliteracies for deeper learning”

How do we define CLIL and plurilingual education? Which kind of projects have we been involved in - on CLIL and plurilingual education across educational levels? How will we organise this new three-year ECML project?

At this web-based expert meeting we (1) got to know each other and discussed our understanding of the field and our context, (2) agreed on project organisation and design, and (3) defined the next steps.

Building on previous ECML projects, our project will develop recommendations to implement CLIL in languages other than English (LOTE) across educational levels (primary, secondary, tertiary), both in the language classroom and other subjects. Furthermore, the project will promote pluralistic approaches to languages in CLIL (CLsIL).

In this first year, our project will among others

• systematically review what has been done in previous CLIL/CLsIL projects;
• collect recommendations, models and teaching materials from different contexts;
• synthesise existing resources and develop a first draft of recommendations to implement CLIL in LOTE across educational levels; 
• initiate a collaboration with associated partners and the ECML national contact points.

In 2021, the project will invite other experts to a network meeting, and in 2022, we will organise a workshop for representatives of the member countries of the ECML. One of the main goals of our project is to illustrate the recommendations through practice examples from various contexts.

Please get in touch, if you are interested to share your knowledge and experiences, or if you would like to participate in our events!

Author: Petra Daryai-Hansen

More information

• Project website (available in English, French and German): www.ecml.at/CLILLOTEtransitions
• Project team

The Network of Experts working on the Social Dimension of Education and Training (NESET), one of the seven official knowledge providers of European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), has recently published a new analytical report, titled ‘The future of language education in Europe: case studies of innovative practices’.

The main purpose of this report is to explore emerging innovative approaches and strategies of language teaching in Europe supporting learners’ plurilingualism, inspire educators and policy makers to innovate and implement forward-looking policies and practices in language education, and contribute to the implementation of the EU Council Recommendation on a comprehensive approach to the teaching and learning of languages (adopted in May 2019).

The publication also refers to the work of the Council of Europe’s European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) and highlights 8 projects and tools promoting plurilingual pedagogies (see pp. 4, 36, 37, 40, 61, 88, 114, 118, 128):

• Language in subjects - Developing language awareness in subject classes (ww.ecml.at/languageinsubjects)
• A roadmap for schools to support the language(s) of schooling (www.ecml.at/roadmapforschools)
• ICT-rev - Inventory of ICT tools and open educational resources (https://ict-rev.ecml.at/)
• CONBAT+ - Plurilingualism and pluriculturalism in content-based teaching: A training kit (https://conbat.ecml.at/)
• CARAP - FREPA: A Framework of reference for pluralistic approaches to languages and cultures - Competences and resources (https://carap.ecml.at/)
• Maledive - Teaching the language of schooling in the context of diversity - Study materials for teacher development (https://maledive.ecml.at/)
• MARILLE - Promoting plurilingualism - Majority language in multilingual settings (https://marille.ecml.at/)
• CLIL-CD - European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education (https://clil-cd.ecml.at)

You can access the full report (English) and executive summaries (English, French and German) on the website nesetweb.eu.