La Rioja - CLIL-Bilingual course

CLIL - Bilingual course

Implementing CLIL: Ideas and resources for primary and secondary teachers in bilingual programmes
Abril y mayo de 2010 Edificios Quintiliano y de Filologías Universidad de La Rioja, Logroño (España)
www.unirioja.es

I was a little apprehensive about accepting the invitation to speak at the University of La Rioja in Logrono. It would mean a trip of 14 hours just to cross Europe, middle of the night drive, flight, 2 hours in Madrid, second flight to Bilbao and a bus journey into town, 3 hours wait at the bus station, a two hour bus journey to Logrono…

I'm glad I accepted.

Coordinators:
Andrés Canga Alonso
Almudena Fernández Fontecha
Melania Terrazas Gallego

Departamento de Filologías Modernas 
Universidad de la Rioja

Logrono bus station, at last!

I’d like firstly to thank the dynamic and commited young team who coordinated my visit. Almudena, Melania and Andres are all teachers at the UR department of applied linguistics and with a strong interest in CLIL for language development.

They tell me that there has been ongoing events and initiatives in the University and in La Rioja schools for CLIL (the figure 70 schools working on CLIL in La Rioja was mentioned but that this is unlikely to be the complete total). This is the first conference event dedicated to CLIL (link to prog). It was a privilege to be asked to give the opening sessions of the series of events they have planned in their programme.

Needless to say, first thing on my mind was food and sleep. But as it was I wandered out into Logrono and located the Tapas street in the old town (that was my inner compass I think).



The Ebro River via Logrono

The next day I was met by Andres and Almudena who explained a little to me about their work while we drove to the University campus. Almuneda and Melania have carried out research into vocabulary knowledge with CLIL and non-CLIL groups. I seem to remember Almuneda mention that the results didn’t show any oustanding advantage in the CLIL group, but will wait to receive the research paper she promised to send me and will write more about it in the future.

 The two talks I was asked to prepare were introductions to CLIL issues and so I chose two areas I’m particularly interested in which were Session 1: ‘Identifying language for content learning’ (PPT here) and Session 2: ‘Task design for CLIL’ (PPT here). The team reported that they had had 60 plus registrations for the sessions.

Andres and Almudena

I’m always a little anxious about delivering talks in an auditorium and to such a large group. I think of myself as a people person and there is a challenge to the contact in such a context. As it was, the group was around 50 and we had planned a couple of ideas which would break the distance between the podium and the audience.

Getting the room ready

My first talk is one I’ve delivered in a number of contexts which discusses three areas of language in any learning context: 1) subject specific language, 2) general academic language and 3) peripheral classroom language. I added new examples to my talk and contextualised the principles in a specific science context in order to show how important it is to pay attention to all of the language of the subject, not just noun phrases, for example.

There was a short break where I met Marian a teacher working in a bilingual programme supporting the work of the history department teaching through the medium of English. I promised to send some links to Marian with a history focus. Immediately, the sycd plays jump to mind. I also met Steve who asked me to share some examples of projects and practice in different countries explaining that the group are likely not to have much experience of CLIL outside their own schools and towns.

When we started back, I stressed my email address and invited people to write to me if they have questions and don’t manage to speak to me over coffee or at the end of the event. I brought up a handout I have but which didn’t plan to use at this event which covers links to regional bilingual CLIL events around the world (link to handout). I spoke about a couple of the examples in the list, and repeated my invitation to get in touch.

This second session was entirely task focused. I presented a collection of tasks which I believe put the principles from session 1 into practice (that is they present previously identified specific language and then have that language embedded within the tasks).
Some of the tasks were as follows (write to me if you would like examples of any of these):

n     Guided reading
q    Sorting
q    Scaffolding (charts)
n     Supported Writing
q    Substitution tables (sentence writing)
q    Frames (text writing)
n     Guided listening
q    Scaffolding (diagrams)
n     Supported speaking
q    Information gaps (Loops and Searches)
q    Presentation work (PPTs)

One of the means I use to get immediate feedback on my workshops and talks is to invite the audience to give me their name and email on a blank sheet of paper which I send around. I promise to write an email to everyone so that they are all then in touch with each other and they also have a link to this blog to take a look at what I write about them and the visit.

You were a lovely group, thank you for the welcome, the interaction in a difficult ‘classroom’, and the enthusiasm for my ideas.

One of the means I use to get immediate feedback on my workshops and talks is to invite the audience to give me their name and email on a blank sheet of paper which I send around. I promise to write an email to everyone so that they are all then in touch with each other and they also have a link to this blog to take a look at what I write about them and the visit.

You were a lovely group, thank you for the welcome, the interaction in a difficult ‘classroom’, and the enthusiasm for my ideas.

reading and sorting

I also use it as an opportunity to send out anything that crops up like the handout of networks and events around the world, and also to begin to add colleagues to the factworld group so that they are in touch with over 3300 other teachers interested in CLIL over the globe.

information searching

It was a very short visit, 4 hours of talks, in and out, but I admit to having a soft spot for Spain and working with colleagues there. Actually have many colleagues become friends in various parts of Spain and I know that I’ll be back to La Rioja. Almuneda and the team and I are already plotting how I might return and I spoke to a couple of colleagues about the possibility of visiting their schools when this happens.

Stroll pre-session

entrance to old town

Like other projects I’ve worked on in Spain (Asturias, Basque Country) there are characteristics which I feel are ingredients for the success that is clear. There is a combination of top-down and bottom-up initiatives and energy in equal measure for example, which is very healthy and sustainable.

Thanks once again to the colleagues for the welcome, the wonderful food and wine.

I made quite a few promises to the group and some individuals. Do nudge me if I forget!

main square

Will try to get back to La Rioja soon ...