Introduction

Welcome to the third unit of the Engaging with CLIL – curriculum, unit and lesson planning module.

So far you’ve looked at syllabus design, organising content into teaching units in sequence and writing
learning objectives. In this unit you’ll move into the more detailed planning for day-by-day lessons and
the language demands for teacher and learners.

By the end of this third unit of the module, you’ll be able to:

select the components of a CLIL lesson plan

design a plan to enable your learners to meet the language demands of the lesson.

This unit takes about one hour.

Planning a lesson 1

Phil says that these key components are found in every lesson plan: consideration of previous
knowledge, stages, timing, outcomes and modes of interaction. Select four more considerations he
discussed for a CLIL lesson.

00:0000:00

pre-, during and post-reading and listening activities

Correctlanguage support strategies

Correctbalance of input and output

Correctkey CALP

Correctteacher and student language (BICS and CALP)

teacher talking time

reflection on learning

Planning a lesson 2

Before you move on to the components of successful CLIL lessons, how familiar are you with the terms
BICS and CALP? Choose the correct words to complete these sentences.

Basic interpersonal communication skills or BICS describes

, contextualised, social language used in a variety of situations.

Cognitive academic language proficiency or CALP is more

, low-frequency language characteristic to subjects.

Learners need subject-specific

and very different types of language for different subject areas such as geography, biology or maths.

While some

apply across subjects, teachers will notice different subject types lend themselves to some functions
more than others.

listening skills include making notes on things you need for an activity.

listening skills include listening to extended texts and taking notes to grasp the central argument.

Components for a lesson plan 1

With a good lesson plan everything is more connected – the language, different stages, activities and
interaction.

There are also components for all lessons such as:

assumed knowledge of the learners

group profile – the number of learners in the class, age, characteristics, special needs, etc.

the room or space available for your lesson

the timing of the lesson.

These are the components that make a lesson unique for a group of learners. This gives a rationale for
decisions you make when planning and when you teach the same objectives with another group next
term; these ideas identify what will need to change for that group.

Components for a lesson plan 2

These features are important when planning any lesson. How often do you take each one into
consideration?

The timing of the lesson

I always take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

CorrectI sometimes take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

I never take this into consideration and don't plan for it.

Components for a lesson plan 2

These features are important when planning any lesson. How often do you take each one into
consideration?

The room or space available for your lesson

I always take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

CorrectI sometimes take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

I never take this into consideration and don't plan for it.
Components for a lesson plan 3

You also have to ensure your lesson fits your curriculum needs. These features are important when
planning your lesson to fit your curriculum.

How often do you take each one into consideration?

Stages of the lesson, such as the introduction, main input and activities, and round-up

I always take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

I sometimes take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

CorrectI never take this into consideration and don't plan for it.

Components for a lesson plan 4

There are also components that are common in all lessons but have significant meaning for CLIL – as Phil
Ball explained earlier, to support learners and ensure language is not a barrier.

Use of ICT, teaching aids, etc. to present, check and scaffold understanding

Variety and balance of activities, both active and passive

Differentiation of objectives, activities and assessment, to cater for different learners’ levels

Different modes of interaction, including plenary, group, pair and individual

Setting and reviewing homework

Reflection after lesson on what went well and why, and what you could improve and how.

Some questions you can ask yourself are: What language do learners work in or present in? Are groups
fairly distributed with language and knowledge needs?

Components for a lesson plan 5

These features are particularly important in a CLIL lesson plan, because they help ensure that you have
considered the additional support strategies your learners need. How often do you take each one into
consideration?

1 item remaining

Reflection after lesson on what went well and why, and what you could improve and how

I always take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

I sometimes take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

I never take this into consideration and don't plan for it.

Components for a lesson plan 6

For CLIL to be effective, teachers need to analyse the language demands of lessons and provide
language support to help learners meet them.

Lesson plan components that help you consider the additional language support strategies your learners
need include:

language demands of the lesson and key subject vocabulary

the language the teacher needs, including questions

the language the learners need

language support strategies for each stage (scaffolding).

Continued language development usually occurs only if subject teachers promote it, in particular by
encouraging noticing, that is, drawing learners' conscious attention to language.

Components for a lesson plan 7

These features are particularly important in a CLIL lesson plan, because they help ensure that
you have considered the additional language support strategies your learners need. How often
do you take each one into consideration?

Language support strategies for each stage (scaffolding)

CorrectI always take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

I sometimes take this into consideration and plan accordingly.

I never take this into consideration and don't plan for it.