CLIL to make pupils click for languages

What’s on offer?

This series of free workshops organised by the Aston Centre for Applied Linguistics is delivered by school practitioners of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). It includes two online and hands-on workshops on the CLIL approach in primary and lower secondary schools, followed by practical demonstrations and Q&A on campus at Aston University.

What’s it about?

These practical sessions present the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach – the teaching of contents through the medium of another language. Teaching subjects to middle childhood children through the medium of other languages uses rich and plentiful input, shown to be suited to that stage of development.

Noelia Rivas, Specialist Leader in Education and French teacher and Languages Co-ordinator at Orchard House School, will present practical ideas for introducing CLIL into the classroom. In two online seminars (Sat. 4th and 11th November, 10-11.30 a.m.), Noelia will talk about materials and lesson plans that she has personally tried and tested in the classroom that combine the teaching of a language with history, geography, art and science.

On Monday 13th November (4.30-6.00p.m. on Aston campus) CLIL practitioners Raquel Tola-Rego from Hackney Education and Judith Woodfield, retired headteacher of Bordesley Green Girls Schools and secondary geography teacher, will offer CLIL teaching of “Art through Spanish” and “Geography through French”. The event is open to school leaders, (trainee) teachers and students of  languages and members of the public considering the language teaching profession.

Who’s leading the event?

Dr Emmanuelle Labeau, Director of the Aston Centre for Applied Linguistics (ACAL) and convenor of Learning through Languages UK, a consortium of universities, cultural associations, researchers and practitioners promoting the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach.

Open to

These workshops are aimed at school leaders and (trainee) teachers involved in the delivery of languages, both in mainstream and supplementary schools. It is also open to students and members of the public considering a career in language teaching.

Of particular interest to

School leaders in charge of the statutory delivery of languages, (trainee) teachers delivering that provision, students and members of the public interested in language teaching.

Event Booking details

Workshop 1: Saturday 4th November (online, 10-11.30):  Introduction What is CLIL, benefits of CLIL, use of target language, with many examples including art, history, sciences, geography

Workshop 2: Saturday 11th November (online, 10-11.30): Planning a CLIL lesson/unit How to get started, top tips, example of a lesson plan and overview of the lessons within a unit, examples of activities, examples of pupils work, useful resources... 

Workshop 3: Monday 13th November (in person, 4.30-6.00p.m): CLIL in action Model CLIL classes with Raquel Tola-Rego (Art through Spanish at primary level) and Judith Woodfield (Geography through French at KS3) followed by Q&A session.

Scheduling information

Workshop 1: Saturday 4th November (10am-11.30am, online) - CLIL to make pupils click for languages: CLIL definition and benefits
Workshop 2: Saturday 11th November (10am-11.30am, online) - CLIL to make pupils click for languages: Planning a CLIL lesson/unit
Workshop 3: Monday 13th November (4.30pm-6pm, in person) - CLIL to make pupils click for languages: CLIL in action