Article published in:
10th Anniversary Celebration
Edited by Pádraig Ó Duibhir and Laurent Cammarata
[Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education 10:2] 2022
► pp. 182–206

CLIL in the 21st Century

Retrospective and prospective challenges and opportunities

| University of Vienna
| University of Vienna
| Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

This article traces the historical phases in the conceptualisation of and research on Content-and-language-Integrated Learning in Europe since the 1990s. Following upon early programmatic statements, the first wave of CLIL research concentrated on language learning outcomes. In a second wave, the focus was on descriptions of practice and studies of participant perspectives. More recently, studies have focused on the unique character of CLIL as an educational approach in its own right, not simply as a context of foreign language teaching. The crucial content-language interface is being addressed in research focusing on language and literacy in content curricula and classroom practices. A new CLIL research focus is the development of pedagogical practice through theory-based interventions. In line with the UN sustainable development goal of Quality Education, we identify equity and team work as future challenges and argue that CLIL could be a catalyst for a more collaborative and multidisciplinary approach in education.

Keywords: CLIL research foci, CLIL as approach, CLIL as learning context, language outcomes, content outcomes, stakeholder perspectives, subject literacies, inter-disciplinarity, design-based research
Article outline
  • 1.Preface
  • 2.The multiple faces of CLIL
    • 2.1Complex and varied ecologies
    • 2.2The need for conceptual clarity
  • 3.In retrospect: CLIL as context and approach
  • 4.In prospect: Challenges and opportunities for the future
    • 4.1CLIL as a catalyst for interdisciplinary and collaborative research and pedagogy
    • 4.2Aligning CLIL with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in Europe and the world
      • 4.2.1In line with SDG targets 4.6. “Universal literacy and numeracy” and 4.7. “Education for sustainable development and global citizenship”
      • 4.2.2In line with SDG target 4.4. “Enhancing the acquisition of relevant skills for financial success”
      • 4.2.3In line with SDG target 4.5. “Eliminate all discrimination in education”
  • 5.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 24 June 2022
https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.21021.dal
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