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Article published In:
Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education
Vol. 12:1 (2024) ► pp.75–100

SIOF

Towards a research-based pedagogical tool for language sensitive teaching in secondary CLIL and immersion settings

| University of Galway
| University of Galway
| University of Galway

The language learning outcomes of students in CLIL settings outstrip those of their peers who study the language in stand-alone classes. Research also indicates that in some cases the language development of CLIL students lacks grammatical accuracy, appropriate syntax, and lexical specificity. To combat this, CLIL teachers need to interweave the teaching of content and language. This can be a complex task as the vast majority of CLIL teachers do not have specific CLIL training. The issue is particularly complex at secondary level where teachers are content specialists. This article presents the research and theoretical underpinnings of SIOF, a pedagogical tool that focuses on scaffolding, input, output and feedback practices in the classroom. This tool has been developed to guide teachers in their efforts to place a more explicit focus on language. The authors discuss how SIOF can lead to what they term a Language Sensitive Learning Environment and the development of both language proficiency and subject knowledge.

Keywords: immersion, CLIL, language learning, language acquisition, language teaching
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical perspectives and foundations of SIOF
  • 3.SIOF
    • 3.1Scaffolding and student self-regulation
      • 3.1.1Scaffolding
      • 3.1.2Student self-regulation and classroom norms
    • 3.2Input
    • 3.3Output
    • 3.4Feedback
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • Selected glossary
  • References
Published online: 24 August 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.22024.mac
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