1 Brigitte Achermann

1
Overview

• Contents
• Background and setting of CLIL in Zurich
• Methodology Content / task-based learning
  interdisciplinary potential
• Materials for lower primary First Choice
• Materials for upper primary Explorers

Brigitte Achermann
2
Historical background

• 1980 Introduction of 2nd national language at
  upper-primary level (5th grade)
• 1980s/1990s English increasingly compulsory at
  secondary level / brought forward to 1st year of
  secondary (age 13)
• 1998 Recommendation of Swiss Conf. of Cantonal
  Ministers for Public Education (EDK) compulsory
  schooling to include 2 national languages plus
  English for all pupils
• 2001 - 2012 Introduction of either English or a
  2nd national language at lower primary across
  Switzerland
• Referendum on 2 foreign languages at primary
  level on 26 November 2006

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Setting for the Production of the materials

• 1999 2003 Piloting of English using a CLIL
  approach in canton Zurich
• 2004 2006 General introduction of English
  across the canton at lower-primary level using
  newly created CLIL material (First Choice)
• 2004 2007 Development of a task and
  content-based course (Explorers) in time for
  first cohorts of pupils reaching upper primary
  after 1 2 years of English in Zurich and of
  other cantons

4
Methodology

• Content and language integrated cross-curricular
  subject areas and topics
• Task-based explorations and outcomes

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Why use a CLIL approach?

• Immediacy topics which activate / expand
  childrens world knowledge create opportunities
  for genuine communication in the here and now as
  opposed to practising communication for later use
• Time efficiency creating synergies across the
  curriculum to make better use of limited
  classroom time available (2 lessons per week in
  grades 2, 3, 5 6, 3 lessons per week in grade
  4)

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Why use a task-based approach?

• Constructivism
• means placing the learner centre-stage as active
  agent of his / her own learning
• is an underlying principle that current subject
  matter teaching and current language learning
  teaching methodology have in common
• Task-based learning
• creates favourable conditions for language
  learning ? communicative purpose first, providing
  learners with genuine reasons for language use
  and study
• provides a useful framework for constructivist
  teaching by emphasising exploration, discovery
  and outcomes

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TBL and CLIL
Focussing on content and language aims
Child-centred learning
Vocabulary
Using songs, games, rhymes
Educationally relevant content
Learning strategies
Task- and topic based teaching and learning
Grammar and Language Reflection
Cooperative learning
Learner Autonomy
Interactive P - P
Language awareness
Communicative
Holistic
Listening
Speaking
Writing
Reading
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What is first choice?
first choice is the new English course for lower
primary (children aged 8 9) and is being used
in different cantons in Switzerland. It consist
of 10 topics

• One world many people
• Colours
• The seasons
• Transport
• Natural forces
• Food
• Where we live
• Animals
• Plants
• Our five amazing senses

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Philosophy of the first choice materials
(according to the author H. Schofield)

• Topic based material
• The Pupils learn something new, interesting and
  exciting.
• The topics are educationally rich and relevant.
• First choice deals with topics pupils are
  interested in.
• First choice creates opportunities for
  communication in the here and now.
• Our five amazing senses
• Plants
• Animals

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Philosophy of the first choice materials

• Density progression in terms of language
• Simple structures ? more complex structures
• Material can be used in a flexible way teachers
  dont have to start at the beginning of the topic
  book and work through all of it.
• Offers opportunities for cross-curricular
  planning

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10 Topics Progression
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Defining tasks
Tasks are activities where the target language
is used by the learner for a communicative goal
in order to achieve an outcome. Any topic can
give rise to a wide variety of tasks. Tasks are
always 'goal-oriented'. All tasks should have an
outcome. Jane Willis, A Framework for
Task-Based Learning
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Task-based learning

• Pre-task
• Introduction to
• topic and task
• Task cycle
• Task Planning Report
• Language focus
• Analysis Practice

Jane Willis, A Framework for Task-Based Learning
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Types of tasks I

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Language awareness
Sharing knowledge interactive P P
Comparing L2 with L1 (mother tongue)
Using songs, games, rhymes. tongue-twisters
Comparing L2 with standard German
Listening to the sound, pronunciation and
melody of languages
Grammar and language reflection
Language awareness
Develop metalinguistic skills
Foster a positive attitude towards language learni
ng
Vocabulary
Encourage risk-taking
Stimulate interest and curiosity about
languages
Stimulate awareness of language diversity
Promote respect for other languages and cultures
Promote equal value of all languages
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Language awarenessin the primary school
classroom

• Brain research confirms that human language
  capability is designed and programmed for
  multilingualism, i.e. the earlier children are
  exposed to other languages the better. (Prof. Dr.
  G. Lüdi)
• The focus should be on stimulating childrens
  interest in what language is and what role it
  plays in peoples lives, not on the acquisition
  nor production of a particular language or
  languages.
• Focus on language awareness should start early,
  when children are about to embark on a new
  academic adventure- learning their first foreign
  language.

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Stories in English

• All primary school teachers are aware of what an
  important role books and stories play in their
  instruction. This is especially true in foreign
  language instruction
• Children experience the foreign language within
  a context
• They learn to make sense out of the story even
  if they dont understand every word a very
  important skill when learning a foreign language
• Stories engage the listeners and readers
  emotions

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What is explorers?
Explorers is the new English course for upper
primary 4th to 6th the grade (children aged 10 -
12) and is being used in different cantons in the
eastern and central parts of Switzerland. For
further information go to www.explorers.ch
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Two frameworks that have helped shape the
Explorers approach ... from subject matter
teaching methodology
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... and from language teaching methodology
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Curricular areas and global themes in Explorers
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Task-based learning

• Global themes gt Module gt Scenarios gt Tasks
• Module global theme context (e.g. Staying
  healthy). 4 core modules per year plus choice
  from one of two elective modules (separate
  booklets)
• Scenario 4 settings / scenes within module,
  interrelated, contain tasks
• Tasks require the pupils to use (specific)
  language to carry out activities leading to
  outcome

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Modul 3
1 That's me
My body, myself Module 3
Explorers Club
2 How your body works
4 Ways of learning
3 Learning to move
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Learning strategies

• Types of strategies in Explorers
• Affective strategies
• Communication strategies
• Cognitive strategies
• Metacognitive strategies
• Social strategies

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Can-do statements