Specialist Certificate in Content and Language Integrated Learning

Course details

This course is aimed at secondary and higher education teachers/lecturers who are expected to deliver content lessons in English, either currently or in the future. Course participants will learn the concept of CLIL and focus on specific areas of language development for classroom management and instruction. Teaching techniques which are transferable to a variety of subjects across the curriculum will be introduced and demonstrated. The course will also show course participants how published and authentic materials can be adapted for CLIL lessons. In addition, there will be practical sessions on delivering CLIL microteaching in order for participants to put their newly acquired theoretical and methodological ideas and techniques to practical use.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• show a critical awareness of the theoretical domains of language education and learning which contribute to an understanding of CLIL
• evaluate the skills required by teachers involved in CLIL
• explore in practical ways the materials and methodology appropriate to CLIL
• identify and explore key issues in course and task design integrating content and language
• identify the modes of delivery and types of classroom interaction most appropriate to CLIL.

Course Components

The Study of Content and Language Integrated Learning

This component aims to enhance course participants' awareness of the principles and best practices in CLIL as well as to familiarise them with appropriate strategies to help second language learners of English acquire the language. It will include the development of lesson plans for teaching content in English and for helping students to improve their English through content. Participants will be required to demonstrate that they have understood: (i) the principles underlying effective teaching practice; (ii) the theoretical domains of language education and learning which contribute to an understanding of CLIL; (iii) ways of creating a language-rich class environment to support content learning and extend critical thinking skills; and (iv) ways of enhancing learners' content-based knowledge through various questioning techniques.

Content Area Text-Types (Written and Spoken) &  Materials Design

This component aims to enhance course participants' language awareness of content area text-types for acedemic purposes, both in written and spoken form. It will include analysis of different types of academic texts e.g., information, descriptive, argumentative, and comparison/contrast. It will also include strategies to help participants to develop, select and adapt materials by paying attention to these text-types in order to improve their students' language skills. The component will also include lesson planning, microteaching, evaluative feedback and reflection.

Delivery Methods

The course will include lectures, task-based workshops, micro-teaching, professional discussions of prescribed readings and evaluative analysis. There will also be opportunities for participants to have inpidual and/or group consultations with teaching staff.

Course Assessment

To complete the course successfully, a candidate must:

• satisfy class attendance requirements;
• attain a satisfactory standard in required course work;
• complete an assignment.

Course Award

The course will lead to the award of a Specialist Certificate in Content and Language Integrated Learning.

Entry Requirements

The course accepts a wide range of qualifications for entry into the program. The entry requirements for admission to the program are:

• an approved bachelors degree in a relevant field with at least two years of teaching experience; or
• have qualifications or experience that the faculty considers to be equivalent to, or a satisfactory substitute for the above; and
• IELTS (academic) with at least 6.5 on reading and listening and at least 6.0 on writing and speaking; OR
• Paper-based TOEFL score of at least 550 or an internet-based score of 213