| Abstract: |
Background/Introduction: I am an upper secondary teacher of English and German. Over the last ten years I have been working as a language teacher at Kungsholmens Gymnasium, Stockholm. Since August 2008 I am working as a teacher trainer/junior lecturer at The Department of Education in Languages and Language Development. One of the courses I'm in charge of is called Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). The CLIL course at our department is a 15-credit (ECTS)-course for university students enrolled in different teacher programmes. The students learn to plan, carry out and evaluate classroom activities and projects in their subject, taking into account the specific needs of pupils who are studying content in a second language. Thesis : Having taught my first CLIL course at the university this term, I realize that CLIL courses for teacher students and already professional teachers of different subjects serve the purpose of being effective meeting points in the form of "miniature schools" at hand. The many different competences are there to meet, to let shine in all their subject-specific beauty and to blend in in the form of tasks and assignments with a dual focus. Indeed, these meetings between future teachers from different walks of the world of education are eye-openers. Among many, future teachers of English, Biology and Music extend their horizons and deepen their knowledge. They start to think in new ways about their own subject and they are getting tools and practice to work in projects, big or small, across the curriculum at their future or present schools. A CLIL course offers teachers time and credits to actutally study relevant literature for cross-curricular projects. It gives teachers and future teachers of different subjects the opportunity to approach this literature from different angles and to discuss this literature with fellow students and colleagues of other subjects than their own. In these discussions, the course participants will sometimes realize the perhaps different understanding of the same concept they might have, which may cause uncomfortable as well as profound feelings. And, once and for all, during the CLIL course the students get to plan, carry out and evaluate different individual and colaborative projects, using peer-review work in the process. They get to try out their ideas in the role of a teacher, within the student group and at different schools. From my experience as an upper secondary school teacher, I know that there are many ideas around for cross-curricular projects, sometimes among teacher students, more often among professionals at schools, but there is seldom time, therefore almost never the opportunity to try out these projects. In this CLIL course such activities are the focus of study. Conclusion : In an excellent way CLIL courses function as creative platforms for cross-curricular projects. Studying and discussing relevant literature with teachers of different subjects is intriguing. The opportunities to listen to one another and learn from oneanother as subject-specific experts are there. The challenges and joyful experiences of preparing and trying out classroom activites and projects collaboratively and are immense and rewarding. In addition to presenting CLIL courses as a means of preparing for cross-curricular projects, my PowerPoint presentation will definitely also include examples of teaching materials prepared by my students. |
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