UNIT 7: DESIGNING A CLIL UNIT

OUTCOMES

1. Analyze all the elements of a CLIL teaching unit, paying special attention to the tools, frameworks
and models that can help us to plan and design the tasks and the materials for our own teaching
unit.
2. Create a CLIL unit applying the knowledge acquired in this course, with the help of the models and
templates studied in this unit.
3. Assess our own CLIL Unit and those of our colleagues.
4. Share the created units and materials with our colleagues.
PLANNING THE UNIT

INTRODUCTION

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a term relating to any educational situation where subject
content is delivered to some degree via the medium of a foreign,second, or third language.
According to Do Coyle, Philip Hood and David Marsh, "Successful CLIL practice is likely to require teachers to
engage in alternative ways of planning for effective learning (...) Connecting theoretical ideas to changing
practice requires time, patience and professional support (...)there is neither one preferred CLIL model, nor one
CLIL methodology. The CLIL approach is flexible in order to take account of a wide range of contexts
(...)However, for CLIL to be effective, certain fundamental principles must be recognized as essential- it is not the
case that any kind of teaching or learning in another language is CLIL.

As in every other field of teaching, planning for CLIL classes is a pre-condition to successful teaching.
There are some different approaches to planning CLIL units and materials, such as the SIOP model outlined by
Echevarria, Enright and McCloskeys model called "Integrating English"; Do Coyle's "4Cs Framework"* model,
etc.

The way we plan CLIL depends on the educational level, the context and the legal framework among others. In
the same way, we can find a big variety of models and templates that we can use to plan CLIL units.

The approach that we are going to use to plan our CLIL unit is mainly based on the "4Cs framework" but has
also taken into account some ideas of the "Integrating English" and "the SIOP" model.

The templates that we are going to use for planning a CLIL unit and a CLIL lesson are the ones published on the
website of Conselleria d'Educacio, Servei d'ensenyament en Llenges. Anyway you will also find some other
templates and unit examples at the resources section.

* You can find a link to Do Coyle's "4Cs Framework" in the resource section.
Curricular Key Elements
The first step in planning our
CLIL unit is to decide:

A) The subject area that we

are going to teach in the
target language (English):
Art&craft; PE; Maths;
Science; Geography, etc.

B)Grade level: 1st Primary,

3rd ESO; Pre-school 4 years
old; etc.

Later on we will correctly

identify our CLIL unit by
giving it a name and
indicating the number of
lessons or sessions that it
will require.

It is very important to pay attention to some key elements in our unit plan:

-Teaching Objectives
-Final Task
-Key competences
-Assessment Criteria
-Materials and resources

As we pointed out in the introduction, the process of planning a CLIL unit, can be done from different
perspectives, but most of them start the process by identifying the contents and skills integrated in a final task.

This FINAL TASK has to be relevant, embedded in social practice, interesting and motivating.

Although the elements mentioned above appear first in our template, they can be written after deciding on the
activities and exercises that will lead students to the final task.

OBJECTIVES: Specific of the subject ,cultural,cognitive and linguistic.(Usually linked to the curricula outcomes)

ASSESSMENT: The assessment (initial, formative and final) should include the subject contents, linguistic
competence, cognitive skills and cultural content. ( We can review the section referred to assessment before
completing this part)

KEY COMPETENCES: We have to indicate the key competences worked thorough the unit.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES: They should accomodate different learning styles and and activate different
language skills so they have to be diverse. (We can review the section reffered to materials to include some
ideas)
The four Cs Framework

Before completing this

template we can
brainstorm activities that
lead to the final activity
and select those that best
fit the learning objectives.

According to Do Coyle,
the steps will be

1) Consider the
CONTENT

Include contents
from different
subjects that form
part of an existing syllabus. Organize learning through cross-curricular tasks.
Select the contents which best fit our CLIL setting (meaningful and real)
Give priority to the content which best develop our global goal.
Think about scaffolding for the content: Vocabulary presentation through multisensory media,video,
songs, flashcards, kinaesthetic activities, non-verbal resources etc.

2) Connect contents with COGNITION

Given an outline of the content, the next step is to analyse and select the thinking skills, problem solving and
creativity which connect with the content. This process ensures that the cognitive level of the CLIL unit relates to
the learners' own levels of development.

Encourage the use of HOTs (High thinking Order skills) as well as LOTs (Low thinking Order skills).You
can use a Bloom /Gadner template or a Bloom Taxonomy's list of verbs. (see example of this template in
the resource section)
Plan activities for developing thinking skills such as those in "Thinker's keys" by Tony Ryan (see this
document in the resource section)
Present students with challenging activities and opportunities to verbalize strategies.
Use Graphic Organizers and teach students how to use them too.

3) Think about COMMUNICATION

Identifying the language needed to learn in a CLIL classroom demands systematic analysis at the
planning stage. We have to plan not only the content- obligatory language such as key words and
phrases that the students will need to participate in the learning of the content, but also in the content-
compatible language, which allows learners to operate more fully in the content subject, such as writing
 a summary, explaining an experiment,etc.
Identify the language needed to learn the subject content (key vocabulary, specific language) and the
language needed for interaction and classroom management. Content-obligatory, content-compatible
language and language through learning.
Think about scaffolding for the language and interaction: Classroom displays with key expressions
and language for each unit; labelled diagrams showing procedures; speaking substitution tables for
verbalizations and expositions; adapted texts (text with images, diagrams, drawings, highlighted words,
etc).
Once you have planned the activities, think how to make them MORE communicative.

4)Integrating CULTURE & COMMUNITY

Integrating cultural oportunities in the CLIL classroom is not an option, it is a necessity. Intercultural experiences
can be developed through different perspectives: within the ethos of the classroom, through conections with the
wider world, with other classes, the local community,etc.

Plan activities in pairs and groups to develop intercultural understanding and global citizenship.
Foster collaborative work and parents involvement.
Community: Make connections with the local community and/or other schools (regional, national or global)
if possible.
Make reference to culture when and where possible: Their own culture and other cultures including the
target language culture
The Lesson structure

There are numerous lesson plan formats for CLIL, variations among them can often be reduced to different
terminology and presentation styles. Regardless of format, every effective lesson plan should be built towards
the achievement of the learning objectives and connect to the final task.

We usually start creating a lesson plan with the "end" in mind, we determine what outcomes our students will
produce and how we are going to assess those outcomes.

Conselleria template for a CLIL lesson has the following structure:

- Learning Objectives (following the 4Cs approach). We

have to identify the learning objectives regarding content,
communication, cognition and culture.

-Activities:

a)Opening activity (introduction /revision)Setting up

outcomes. What are we going to learn? Why is it important?
How are we going to learn?

b) Warm up activities to introduce the topic, to motivate

students, to engage students and catch their interest.

c)Main activities: considering different learning styles/ input

and then output/ pair work, group work and individual work.
Use multiple opportunities for practice.

-Reinforcement and extension: scaffolding for language, content and thinking skills from easy to hard. Check
for understanding. Provide opportunity for extension, using the knowledge/skills in creative ways.

- Assessment/ reflection: Self and peer assessment. Formative assessment of student understanding .

- Materials and resources for the lesson: worksheets, websites, real objects, language displays... Remember
about the importance of selecting quality materials.
Example of CLIL Unit: Supermarket

A) Supermarket unit and lesson using Conselleria's templates.

Unit_Template_Supermarket

Lesson_Template_Supermarket

B) Other templates used in this unit.

Unit supermarket using a Task based learning template (Key competences approach)

Math Task_ Supermarket role play

Math task-curricular concretion

Bloom_ Gardner template for cognition

Bloom_Gardner_for_unit_supermarket

Unit programme according to the Order 45/2011 8th June:

Unit_programme_supermarket
Resources

These are the resources for this unit:

A) The CLIL Tool Kit: Transforming theory into practice. "CLIL" by Do Coyle, Philip Hood and David
Marsh (2010)

You have a link to the whole chapter 4 of this book at:

http://www.unifg.it/sites/default/files/allegatiparagrafo/20-01-2014/coyle_hood_marsh_clil_toolkit_pp_48-73.pdf

B) Templates and tools for your unit.

Conselleria templates:

http://www.ceice.gva.es/va/web/ensenanzas-en-lenguas/aprendizaje-integrado-de-contenidos-y-lengua-
extranjera-aicle

Cognition:

Thinkers_Keys_ Tony_Ryan.pdf

Bloom_Gardner_template.odt

Tasks and activities:

Task based template.odt

Curricular concretion.odt

C) Other examples of CLIL Units:

Conselleria_Template_example_1.pdf

Conselleria_template_example_2.pdf