Interac(on

and CLIL: where

research meets prac(ce
Ana Llinares
Universidad Autnoma de Madrid

RELC Conference
16-18 March 2015

What do we mean by interac1on in CLIL?

The way in which oral discourse is

organised in the CLIL/bilingual classroom to
enhance successful content and language
integrated learning.

Why focus on interac1on in CLIL?

Two key
language-focus
areas in CLIL
research
Leung (2005)
Llinares, Morton &
Whittaker (2012)

The demands and affordances of

language learning in the context of
curriculum subject learning.
The ways languages are
actually used in classroom
interaction and activities.

how teachers and students use their
languages in teaching and learning ac7vi7es so
that we have a be:er understanding of what
goes on in bilingual educa7on classrooms in
dierent world loca7ons. (Leung 2005: 250)

Classroom interaction in CLIL involves

the demands of extracting information from teacher talk
both procedural and subject-related ideational content.
the lexical and syntactic demands of producing both
everyday and more abstract subject-related language.
the pragmatic knowledge and skills required to take part in
different types of interaction: with the teacher, with peers.

adapted from Cameron, Moon & Bygate 1996

Roles of language in CLIL: a snapshot

Llinares, Morton & WhiMaker (2012) The Roles of Language in CLIL. Cambridge: CUP
Subject
literacies

Genre

Register

ASSESSMENT

Instruc(onal and
regula(ve
registers

Communica(on
systems

Scaolding and
interac(on
paGerns

ASSESSMENT

Classroom
interac1on

Language development

Expressing idea(onal
meanings (content-
related knowledge)

Expressing
interpersonal meanings
(aMtudes, evalua(on)

Expressing textual
meanings (moving
between spoken and
wriGen modes)

Which features of interac1on are relevant to

promote content and language integrated learning ?
(Llinares, Morton & WhiMaker, 2012; Mor1mer & ScoM, 2003)

qWhat content is being communicated and what for? (focus)

qHow is content communicated? (approach)
qWhat interac1on paMerns are used to communicate content?
(ac-on)
Learner par(cipa(on
The role of the teacher
The type of task

CONTENT

What is being talked about (gene(c varia(on; factors of development in dierent

countries; Romanesque churches)

PURPOSE

What is being done with the content (engage students interest in a new topic; go over
homework; apply knowledge in new context etc.)

NEGOTIATION OF MEANING

How the content is being talked about (+/- interac(ve; only one version of the truth
accepted or many ideas encouraged)

INTERACTION PATTERNS

Recurring paGerns of talk (e.g. IRF - teacher ini(ates, student responds, teacher follows
up)

SPECIFIC ACTIONS

(ask dierent types of ques(ons; get students to elaborate; recast or correct; evaluate
students contribu(ons; amplify for whole class etc.)
Adapted from Mortimer & Scott, 2003
for the COMENIUS project CLIL across Contexts

A combined theore1cal model for the understanding of

content and language integra1on

Llinares, A. (2015) Integra1on in CLIL: a proposal to inform research and successful

pedagogy. Language, Culture and the Curriculum

CONTENT

What is being talked about (gene(c varia(on; factors of development in dierent

countries; Romanesque churches)

PURPOSE (What for?)

What is being done with the content (engage students interest in a new topic; go over
homework; apply knowledge in new context etc.)

COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

How the content is being talked about (+/- interac(ve; only one version of the truth
accepted or many ideas encouraged)

INTERACTION PATTERNS

Recurring paGerns of talk (e.g. IRF - teacher ini(ates, student responds, teacher
follows up)

SPECIFIC ACTIONS

(ask dierent types of ques(ons; get students to elaborate; recast or correct; evaluate
students contribu(ons; amplify for whole class etc.)
Adapted from Mortimer & Scott, 2003
for the COMENIUS project CLIL across Contexts

I.

PURPOSE: Planning linguis1c objec1ves in

rela1on to the content (focus)
1. What kind of content am I going to focus on? Is it
everyday content or is it academic?
BICS

CALP (Cummins 1979, 2000)

2. What is my main objective?

Collect the students ideas about the topic?
Check whether the students have learnt a certain
concept?
Apply knowledge to a new situation?
3. What kind of language do students need to have access
to that content?

CLASSROOM INTERACTION:
FOCUS: REGISTERS
pedagogic discourse is realized primarily in
a first order or regulative register, to do
with the overall pedagogic directions taken,
their goals, pacing and sequencing, and a
second order or instructional register to
do with the content and its specialized
skills at issue.
Christie (2002: 25)

I. The instruc1onal and regula1ve registers

(Chris1e 2002)
Instruc1onal Register

Content knowledge and skills being

focused on and how
(ver(cal or horizontal knowledge)

I. Instruc1onal register

Colloquial/horizontal (BICS) or Academic/ver1cal (CALP) discourse?

q Non academic language encourages students participation

and negotiation of meaning.
qThe transition into CALP needs to be sequential. For
example, in history, at lower secondary, language can focus on
chronological narrations. At upper secondary, language can be
more abstract, containing explanations and argumentation.
qThe challenge in CLIL is the sequenced movement into more
academic abstract language (CALP) maintaining
communicative situations that encourage everyday language
(BICS).

I. The instruc1onal and regula1ve registers

(Chris1e 2002)
Regula1ve Register
Managing and organizing the
classroom as a social space

EXTRACT 2: Technology class (grade 7)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

T:

S:
T:

in the meanwhile, you will use these coping saws.

((takes coping saw from wall and holds it up))
saws, you say s (.) a (.) w. ((spelling))
((does beat gesture with finger on spelling saw))
this is to saw serrar o la sierra
((Sp. to saw or the saw))
((does sawing movement at serrar and points to saw
at la sierra))
the tool is called (.) saw as well
see saw saw >do you see< see saw seen.
((points to his eye at see saw seen))
yes
saw es vio es ((Sp. is saw is))
as well serrar ((Sp. to saw))
you can use these tools as well (.)
((holds up coping saw at these))
you must((returns coping saw to wall mount))
this is very simple I will finish in a minute.
((picks up clamp for saw))
you must tighten, hold the piece of wood here
(0.3)
((fixes clamp to one groups table))
and then you saw it. okay?

I. Regula1ve register

q Wider range of language functions (exchange of goods and
services).
q Can incorporate a language focus

qCLIL students participation in regulative register may be a

challenge (needs to be carefully and patiently nurtured).

I. Students par1cipa1on in regula1ve registers (Chris1e 2002)

Regula1ve Register
(group work)
1:
2:
3:
4:
5:
6:
7:

S1:
S2:
S1:
S2:
S1:

Boys, look I think the ins say we do threebut can we do one

Okay claro ((Sp. of course))
Because three is verya lot
We make one but not three or four
Okay Antonio. Do you like my opinion? My idea? Carlos ((the teacher))
gave us a boxPlease Antonio speak in English!
S2: But David, look! We only do oneonly one!

CONTENT

What is being talked about (gene(c varia(on; factors of development in dierent

countries; Romanesque churches)

PURPOSE

What is being done with the content (engage students interest in a new topic; go over
homework; apply knowledge in new context etc.)

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (How?)

How the content is being talked about (+/- interac(ve; only one version of the truth
accepted or many ideas encouraged)

INTERACTION PATTERNS

Recurring paGerns of talk (e.g. IRF - teacher ini(ates, student responds, teacher
follows up)

SPECIFIC ACTIONS

(ask dierent types of ques(ons; get students to elaborate; recast or correct; evaluate
students contribu(ons; amplify for whole class etc.)
Adapted from Mortimer & Scott, 2003
for the COMENIUS project CLIL across Contexts

II. How is content communicated (Approach)

INTERACTIVE

NON-INTERACTIVE

DIALOGIC

Teacher and students

consider a range of ideas

Teacher reviews dierent

points of view

AUTHORITATIVE

Teacher presents a specic Teacher leads a

point of view
ques(on/answer
(the ocial scien(c story) rou(ne to establish
one point of view
Mortimer & Scott, 2003

Non-interac(ve/Authorita(ve

T: So, listen, this is the way it is. Ill write

something on the board for you, okay?

Okay, proteins are over. Have you studied at
all?
SS: (yes)
T: Okay, listen, you all know this? You know
this, dont you? Okay, now okay, a
compound A, thats going to turn into a
compound B, okay? Chemical reac(on,
catalysed by an enzyme one, right? Enzyme
one, okay? Enzymes are proteins, are they
not? Yes. So, there must be one gene, gene
one, that codes for this enzyme one. Do you
agree?
SS: Yes.
T: Yes. Now, okay, now. Compound B turns
into compound C. This chemical reac(on
must be catalysed by enzyme two, which in
turn would be coded for by gene two. Do you
agree? Yeah? Well, thats the way it is.

Interac(ve/Dialogic

T: What do you think a mutant is? Have

you ever seen a mutant anywhere?
S: In lms
T: In lms? Can you give me an example of
a mutant? What is a mutant?
S: In plants
T: In plants? Do you have any mutant
plants at home? A mutant. It sounds like
something that happens in lms.
S: A Doberman
T: But actually it doesnt, it happens in
nature.
S: The Doberman
T: The Doberman. Is that a mutant? A
doberman? It looks weird, yes, but its
not a mutant, actually.
S: Its a mixture.
T: Its a mixture, yes. Of what?
S: Of races of dogs. Of dogs races.
T: Dierent breeds you say. Razas (Sp.
Breeds.) Yeah, theyve been mixing
dierent dogs throughout (me.

Dialogic teaching in CLIL

q Students par(cipate in interac(on with longer turns and
more complex language.
q They learn communica(on strategies (when to intervene,
how to express ideas more clearly, etc) to have access to
academic content and be recognized as legi(mate
members of a community of prac(ce (the CLIL classroom).
q They learn dierent perspec(ves on a topic (to nego(ate
through the foreign language, to show agreement and
disagreement, etc).
q There is linguis(c redundancy as not only dierent ideas are
discussed but also the same ideas expressed in dierent
ways.

CONTENT

What is being talked about (gene(c varia(on; factors of development in dierent

countries; Romanesque churches)

PURPOSE

What is being done with the content (engage students interest in a new topic; go over
homework; apply knowledge in new context etc.)

NEGOTIATION OF MEANING

How the content is being talked about (+/- interac(ve; only one version of the truth
accepted or many ideas encouraged)

INTERACTION PATTERNS

Recurring paGerns of talk (e.g. IRF - teacher ini(ates, student responds, teacher
follows up)

SPECIFIC ACTIONS

(ask dierent types of ques(ons; get students to elaborate; recast or correct; evaluate
students contribu(ons; amplify for whole class etc.)
Adapted from Mortimer & Scott, 2003
for the COMENIUS project CLIL across Contexts

III. Interac1on paMerns (Ac7on)

1. The IRF paGern (Ini(a(on-Response-
Feedback)
2. CLIL teacher talk: types of ques(ons, types
of feedback

3. Type of task
4. Type of context

1. The IRF paGern

Limita1ons?

-It does not encourage students
to ini(ate turns and do other-
repair (van Lier, 1988).

-It doesnt oer enough space
for students to par(cipate with
longer turns and express their
own ideas (Nikula, 2007).

However, IRF is neither good nor bad per se.

It depends on the task,
types of questions, types of feedback
and roles of participants.

2. Teacher feedback
Feedback includes
questions for reason and
metacognitive questions
(Dalton-Puffer, 2007)

T Where did rst civiliza(ons appear?

S1 That eh Egypt, along the Nile.
T OK. Yes. Along the Nile Why along rivers? Think
about that. OK? So, develop that idea.
S2 Eh that they placed in the banks of the river
because they were the only fer1le lands.

2.Teacher ques(ons

Ques(ons for facts, reasons, opinions, metacogni(ve

ques(ons
(Dalton-Puer, 2007; Llinares & Pascual, 2014)

T: So now we are successful because there is the

European union. Do you think the European Union
is posi(ve ?
Metacognitive
S1 Yes.
question
T Why?
S1 Because the European Union is very good for
everything. For example, now or travelling we have
to do less things and aboutmmm.. buying
products because it is much beMer and the money,
you have the same coin and is very easy

3. Type of task: Group work

S3: How did you make re?

1:
2: S1:
3:
4:
5:
6: S:
7: S1:
8: S:
9: S:
10: S1:
11: S:
12: S1:
13:
14:

Eh the teacher put something like ah was eh similar to the it

was called esparto. I dont know how to tell in English. And they
put something in-inside the esparto and then they blow- no rst
they made eh some
sparks
eh eh eh ((sudden rise at end))
Students cognitive and
sparks
linguistic engagement
sparks
no how do you say chispas?
sparks
sparks start with two stones silex and another stone and they
put it into the esparto so then they blow there and the re
appear

3. Type of task: Group work

The students ini(ate their own
turns

They ask dierent types of

ques(ons (even rhetorical)
They correct and help their
classmates (teacher role)
Opportuni(es for language
through learning (Coyle, 2010).
They rely on linguis(c resources as
new ideas come up

However, the students

often use the L1

3. Type of task: Project work

3. Type of task: Project work

Clarification
request
S1 One ques(on. You said that you have to come to the green
area or to the skate park?
Rhetorical
question
S2 You have to come to the skateboarding park. Its
obvious!

resources
S1 Yes, but you want that Appraisal
the people
eh.. the foreign people
came to C to see our vegeta1on? In C vegeta1on!?
Clause complexes
S2 And you like to be twenty metres square.. you like to.. to
build a.. skate park in twenty metres eh.. of square that is..
that in this green area keep all the animals and vegeta(on.

S1 eh.. eh I think I think is a very expensive project because L
said is ve thousand euros. I think is really really Metacognitive
expensive
question
to.. do a skateboarding park of this price
S2 Eh.. what do you mean with that? That is very expensive?

4. Type of context

1: T: ac(on and reac(on, and they are always under dierent bodies
2: S2: is another cue- is there like I put where the e is I put equal, or is it
3: energy
4: T: you mean this one?
5: S2: yeah
6: T: yeah I think energy is not correct
7: S2: I put equal there
8: S4: I dont know what I I, cos I rst had some, a
9: dierent one but then I realized it I had direc(on but then I
10: gured that it would- couldnt it couldnt be the reac(on


CONCLUSIONS: What to communicate and
what for? (I)
q Be aware of the difference between regulative and
instructional registers.
q Create situations in which students participate in the
regulative register.
q From BICS to CALP (from everyday language to more
academic language).


CONCLUSIONS: How to communicate? (II)
q Authoritative/non-interactive communication might be adequate
for factual content learning but is poor for other non-factual
approaches to content learning and for language development.
q Dialogic/interactive communication gives the students the
opportunity of expressing their views on a topic and develop
language through learning (Coyle, 2012).
q In order to be able to participate, CLIL students need:
linguistic resources to talk about academic content
linguistic resources to talk about personal experiences
pragmatic resources to interact with other people
interactional resources to control turns

qIn CLIL, these resources must be acquired in the classroom.

CONCLUSIONS: What interac1onal paMerns? (III)

qIRF can limit students par(cipa(on or enhance it if
teachers use a wide variety of ques(on types elici(ng
reasons, opinions, and not only facts.
teachers invite students to elaborate on their responses

qIt is necessary to create dierent types of tasks

where students perform dierent interac(ve roles:
ask ques(ons, do other-repairs, etc and learn from
other educa(onal contexts.

A wider variety of resources in the L2

Different ways of learning content

Thank you