Supporting Thinking Skills in CLIL Courses

Supporting thinking skills in CLIL courses

上智大学言語教育研究センター准教授逸見シャンタール（ＥｄＤ　ＴＥＦＬ）chantalhemmi@gmail.com

Outline 1 • What is CLIL?

2• Practical application of a CLIL approach

3 • Supporting thinking skills through integration of content and language

4• Demo lesson

5• Student research project

6• Heavy CLIL • Students’ reflections

7 • Conclusions and implications

The most popular definition

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language. (Coyle, Hood and Marsh 2010:1)

The 4 Cs of CLIL

CLIL

Cognition

Communication

Content

Community

Uncovering CLIL Mehisto. Marsh, Frigols (2008) Macmillan Books for Teachers

CLIL in Europe

Hard CLIL and Soft CLIL?

O Hard CLIL is a form of subject teaching in L2 which highlights academic achievement within the subject and treats language development as important, but as a bonus.

O Soft CLIL may be offered for a short period-perhaps half a year- and it will only occupy a portion of the hours available to the subject: perhaps one in three.

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015). Putting CLIL into Practice. Oxford: OUP.

CLIL is wrongly used to refer to local forms of L2 subject teaching.

O There are long-established forms of L2 medium education and new introductions for example, English Medium science and maths adapted to the local context.

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015). Putting CLIL into Practice. Oxford: OUP

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015:10)

Different types of education in diverse educational settings

Education in a second language

Immersion education

Minority education

Bilingual education

English-medium education in developing countries

Recent English medium science

and maths programmes

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015). Putting CLIL into Practice. Oxford: OUP

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015:6-10)

How is CLIL different?O CLIL tends to be taught in a particular

school in one or a limited number of subjects; it rarely involves large proportions of the curriculum.

O CLIL learners have a basic minimum level of L2 ability when they enter a programme, which is considered adequate for them to flourish in it.

O CLIL is dependent on good levels of CALP on the part of learners.

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015:10)

How is CLIL different?O CLIL is normally offered in secondary

schools, though many primary schools do offer effective CLIL courses.

O In European CLIL, learning a subject in L2 can have high social value for parents and can achieve high levels of language and subject knowledge.

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015). Putting CLIL into Practice. Oxford: OUP

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015:10)

Literacy and cognitive skillsO It is widely accepted and well

supported by research (Cummins, 2000) that learners with good L1 literacy skills and academic language proficiency are better equipped to learn in L2.

O A ‘common underlying proficiency’ consisting of CALP skills-once learnt in one language , can transfer to a second.

Ball, Kelly and Clegg (2015:13)

Ball,B. Kelly, K. and Clegg, J. (2015). Putting CLIL into Practice. Oxford: OUP.Cummins, J. (2000). Language, power and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.

http://eslrw.ucalgary.ca/files/eslrw/Learner_profiles.pdf

Cognition

HOTS(Higher Order Thinking Skills)

LOTS(Lower Order Thinking Skills)

Community (Culture)

WorldRegionCountryTown/citySchoolClassroom

http://www.slideshare.net/engnet/abcs-of-clil

http://www.slideshare.net/engnet/abcs-of-clil

Demonstrationfor an EAP

lessonLight-CLIL

DiscussionGraffiti can sometimes add an interesting touch to the scenery in cities but some peopleare against it because they think that the loud colours and images spoil the environment. Discuss whether you agree or disagree with the statement below, giving reasons for your opinion.

‘Graffiti should be banned in all public places.’

Demonstrationfor a CLIL

lessonHeavy-CLIL

Sharing your stories

O Think of a childhood memory and share your story about how it has shaped who you are.

O Make a note of your partner’s story and report it to another partner after you have finished

sharing your stories.

What I found interesting about my partner’s story was that…

O She remembered the experience so well O There is a vivid image of …O She remembered how…

What is your definition of identity?

Write down your own definition in pairs.

What is identity? Definitions

Identity answers the question, ‘Who am I?’ (Sarbin and Scheibe, 1983; Weigart et al, 1986).

‘Identities are defined with respect to the interaction of multiple convergent trajectories’ (Wenger, 1998:154).

‘A community of selves’ (Mair, 1997)

‘Identities and beliefs are co-constructed, negotiated and transformed on an ongoing basis by means of language.’ (Duff &Uchida, 1997:452)

Part 1.3Who cares? Memories of a Childhood in CareFred Fever

16 pages

1.     How old was the writer when he was adopted? 2.     What were the first parents like?3.     What was Patrick like?4.     What did David do?

Let’s check the homework.

1.     How old was the writer when he was adopted? Three months old 2.     What were the first parents like? Jenny was warm and friendly and loving. 3.     What was Patrick like? Patrick was humiliating, punishing and violent.4.     What did David do? He sexually abused him; He threatened him with castration.

What happened in the rest of the story? (True or false?)

1. In 1974, Fred was fostered by Betty and Bernard Simmonds.

2. Fred made many friends in Barrow Grove.3. Fred was not interested in his school work

at all.4. Fred got bad grades from school.5. Fred was happy to go to a children’s home.

The nature of autobiographies

In your view, what is the nature of autobiographies?

O It is a true story. O There are real descriptions.

O However, is it alright to trust the stories?O Is it a good tool for research?

Personal reflections: What I did in the CLIL classes (Not necessarily whatshould be done in a CLIL class in a prescribed way)

CLIL classes Language-focussed classes

1. Starting the lesson

Sharing session Teacher just listens to find a ‘tag’ from which to scaffold new information

WarmerAn activity focussing on the topic, often with an aim to study linguistic difficulties/student learning needs. (Often diagnostic)

2. Shape of the lesson

Less-controlled-controlled-less controlled (TB)Often the background reading was set for homework so students came with prior knowledge to the classroom

PPP: Controlled-Less controlled-Less controlledTTT: Little control-Control-Little control-ControlTB: Controlled-Less controlled-Controlled

3. Correction on the language

Done in the following session to avoid distraction from the content and to avoid embarrassment

Often done on the spot because of requests from students to do so.Sometimes group correction/peer correction using codes

4. Materials Very visualAuthentic materials

VisualTextbook and authentic materials

5. Vocabulary Taught in context Pre-taught before the main activity

Personal reflectionsCLIL classes Language-focussed classes

6. Approach Task-based with an end-productCompletely integratedContent : language (50:50)

Communicative approach Information gapSometimes task-basedProcess approachSkills-focussed and achievement orientated

7. Role of teacher

FacilitatorManagerSuggestion maker for informed choices

ManagerGiver of advice on accuracy and fluencyTime-management controllerAdvocator of efficacyCounselor (0ne-on-one)

8. Thinking skills Core factor Always an important factor but the main factor was about the achievement of language accuracy and fluency

9. Study skills Very important factor Very important especially in the EAP courses I taught

10. Assessment Portfolios, exam, essay, presentation

Continuous assessment

What is critical thinking?

What is critical thinking?

An active, persistent and careful consideration of a belief

Supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds which support it

(Dewey, 1909)Dewey, J. (1998) How We Think. Dover Publications.

ReflectionOAccording to Schön (1987) a

reflective practitioner thinks a he/she does things (reflection in action) and reflects on the actions taken (reflection on action).

Schön, D. (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner. Jossey-Bass Publishers: London.

Critical thinking skills-a disposition?

OEnnis (1987) focused on the ability to reflect skeptically and to think in a reasoned way as one’s capability or disposition.

Ennis, R. (1987) A taxonomy of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. In J.Baron and R. Sternberg (eds.). Teaching Thinking Skills: Theory and practice. New York: W.H.Freeman.

Critical thinking: a set of skills

OCottrell (2011:1) supports the view that critical thinking can be taught as a set of skills.

OShe advocates that it is a cognitive activity that uses processes such as focussing attention, categorisation, selection and judgment.

Cottrell, S.(2011) Critical Thinking Skills, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

What are the benefits of focussing on critical thinking?

OWe can help students to be able to think and present their opinions with reasons.

OWe can help students to listen critically to others and agree/disagree with reasons.

OWe can help students in the selection of materials they read.

What are the benefits of focussing on critical thinking?

OWe can guide them to take control of their learning and become more autonomous in what and how they learn.

Research questionsO What kind of reflection is shown in the

students’ reflective papers?O How did student thinking develop through the

course?

5. The study

Data collectionO First six weeks of term before the students

launched on a project related to identity and diversity

O Reflective papers were sent to me by e-mail

Sample paper

Data analysisO I used a grounded theory approach to analyse

the data (Glaser & Strauss, 1968), so that the findings remain close to the actual data and as far as possible retain the ‘voices’ of the participants. I aimed to identify the commonalities in the kinds of thinking that took place, but at the same time, I wished to understand the stories that individuals told about their learning and thinking.

O I analysed the data in this way so as to identify commonalities amongst what the students’ had expressed in their papers.

What kind of reflection is shown in the students’ reflective papers?

O Personalising conceptsO Exploring definitions

(personalising the definitions)O Making comparisonsO Analysing contentO Thinking about languageO Learning through collaborationO Thinking about cultureO Thinking about emotionsO Forming a hypothesisO Theorising personallyO Thinking about suggestions

Thinking about content and language

The data from the reflective papers showed that the students had thought about both the new content learnt on the course, as well as the English language itself.

Thinking about content

Three categories emerged from the data; analysing content, personalising concepts, and making personal theories.

Personalising conceptsIt is illuminating that students had personalised concepts by referring back to their own past experiences.O Eriko said,‘ I have read some biographies before, but I

didn’t think about what is the power of that what is the difference between biographies and other writings.’

She is comparing biographies and other kinds of writing to understand what kind of impact they have on the readers. She compares the autobiography we read, which had real data on how Fred was abused in an orphanage. This text was used in class to analyse how Fred’s identity was formed. It is interesting that Eriko is trying to personalise a new concept about the power of autobiographies by comparing them to other books she has read.

Analysing content(Making comparisons)

When Eriko read an auto-biography of a British person who had lived in orphanages, ’Who cares? Memories of a Childhood in Care’ (Fever, 1995), there was a reference to his grades from school. Eriko wrote:O ‘I do not know whether it is a big difference or not but on the

left side one which is written on 19th February in 1976, the teacher refers Fred as ‘Alfred’ though on the right side, the teacher write ‘Fred’. I know those two words refer to the same person but I wondered what has happened during five month.’

The above text shows that Eriko is comparing the way the teacher referred to the author differently and Eriko guesses that something must have happened in the relationship between the teacher and Alfred. She is questioning herself by saying, ‘ I wondered what has happening during five month’. She does not make explicit what her guesses are but she formed a question to analyse the differences in which Alfred was addressed.

Exploring definitionsO When I was a junior high school student I always changed

my attitude with whom I talk and I felt difficulty in defining myself because I didn’t have my consistent character and didn’t know who I was. It was hard for me to live school life not knowing what my character was. However, one day I noticed that to try to define my character is just my ‘identity’. That is, to think about ‘identity’ is exactly identity. (Saki 1-2)

O I was very interested in the matter of identity, and I rediscovered the importance of the events in each personal lives, by listening the lectures of professor and also the opinions of the classmates. They reminded me of a traumatic episode, which changed my life. I am fascinated by the fact that our identity stands on the layers of tiny fatal occurance. (Naho 1-5)

Making personal theories

Students wrote out their own definitions in order to make personal theories about identity. For example, Saki said:O ‘Identity was a difficult thing to explain and I have not found the

definition of identity yet…In the last class, having listened to other’s opinion that identity is what makes our core, I have a definition of identity, that is, a consistent tendency that one always have.’

I was intrigued by the concept of ‘a consistent tendency that one always [has]’, as I think that Saki is thinking about the fact that one’s identity can change, depending on the people one is interacting with, and that identity is socially constructed. However, she is thinking there must be a ‘core’ person who determines who they are. She uses the word, ‘tendency’ to explain that although there is a ‘core person’ within a person, they may change. ‘Tendency’ is translated as ‘keikou’ in Japanese, and what she means here is that one may tend to behave differently depending on the circumstances of the social situation and who one’s interlocutor is. By making such a personal theory about identity, Saki is internalising the content she learnt in the lesson.

Making personal theories

O I think identity is made up with how person spend his or her life so the biographies tell the readers about the writer’s identity more deeply and efficiently than the novels they wrote. However, actually the writer might try to be a hero or heroine of tragedy throughout their writings so I agree with the opinions that ‘feelings may not be reliable’ and subjectivity would change the truth. (Eriko1-2)

Thinking about language

O Content is more important than pronunciation. I think many people in British Council thought Sadako Ogata’s speech is professional, gentle, and easy to hear, and right speed. The more I hear her speech I like Sadako Ogata’s speech more. In Japanese there are many people (including me) who think that their pronunciation is not so good. But now, I change my mind. Even I can become a good English speaker if I care about the contents and have the will to share my opinion to everyone. (Aya 2-1)

Learning through collaboration

O Before I took this class, I had thought that my words were reliable and I could talk my experiences truthfully because they were what I actually experienced and believed that both what I experienced to a thing and what others experienced were the same. However, I found that there was a difference of the way of understanding to a same thing between others and I. (Saki 1-5)

Thinking about cultureO What I found interesting was that just

speaking English makes me feel I am touching foreign culture. Of course English is not Japanese culture, so it is quite natural for me, Japanese, to feel so. But through using English to communicate with other students, this might be my over-reacting but, what I think is not the same when I speak Japanese, I guess that is because speaking English is not common to me. So my brain is working more than speaking Japanese, I like this feelings. (Keisuke)

Thinking about emotions

O Autobiography is interesting. It was the first time for me to read autobiography; therefore Fred Fever’s sad childhood day’s records really touched me. I heave read a biography of my favourite author J.R.R.Tolkien and it was entirely different. The reason why Fred Fever’s autobiography touched me is its word had a ‘power’; alternatively, it included his emotion.

O As I read this article, I could experience his happiness, fear, anger and all sorts of feelings which he experienced. (Natsumi 1-1)

Forming a hypothesisand making a suggestion

O I wondered if the voters are included other English native speakers who is like from USA, Australia or Canada, the results may different from this one.

O I think if this type of research would be done, the results might be more influenced by the preferences of the selectors. (Eriko 2-2)

How did the students’ thinking develop through the course?O They started to apply their own thinking initially to

personalise new concepts that were presented in class.

O They did this by comparing things they knew, referring back to their own experiences.

O They made their own definitions and understood that they were allowed to make mistakes.

O They learnt to make a hypothesis and made some assumptions with reasons.

O They started to theorise and make suggestions about problems that needed to be sorted.

O The developed their confidence in making critical comments about what the teacher had said.

Development of student thinking

Analysing content

Making compariso

ns

Thinking about

content

Thinking about

language

Learning through

collaboration

Thinking about

cultureThinking

about emotions

Forming a hypothesis

Making personal theories

Thinking about

suggestions

Conclusions and Implications

1. In the light CLIL course, students needed a lot of support in ‘the language for learning’ (Coyle, Hood and Marsh,2010:60’)

2. In the heavy CLIL course, students used their reflective papers to monitor their own understanding of content and concepts related to identity.

3. In future, I need to devise a more triangulated way in which to analyse students’ development of thinking skills.