Try to convince me about CLIL

[JeremyintheCzechRep]

CLIL, Content and Language Integrated Learning, seems all the rage at the moment and the EU is throwing money at it, training physics teachers from Lithuania to teach at least a proportion of their subject in English. Lithuanian Universities (and many others across Europe) now only offer courses in English - which helps to attract international students. I have a few concerns:

1. The standard of physics teaching will go down as the teacher struggles to get over difficult concepts in a language which is foreign to them and their pupils. Yes, in 50 years the new teachers will probably speak better English - but 50 years is a long time in the education of children.

2. A Lithuanian student who may be (potentially) brilliant at physics, may soon not have the possibility to study Physics at university as his or her English may not be good enough and there are no universities offering the course in Lithuanian.

3. If this is introduced across all schools, then what will happen to the status of Lithuanian (and many other small languages) in the future? English would probably be used in business, science, perhaps even TV, with Lithuanian being relegated to a Sunday morning slot where children read poems in the 'old' language.

Yes, the ability to speak English is a very useful skill for many students and it is true that the standard of English teaching in many countries is poor. But is CLIL the answer? I don't think so.

Jeremy
http://www.jeremytaylor.eu

[Kootvela]

I was a poor soul at Physics, brngs back bad memories CLIL is a buzz word now and it takes a LOT from the staff side to make it come into reality. Lithuania has all the potential to start doing so.

[JeremyintheCzechRep]

Many countries have the potential to do so - but why do it? I am not a fan of buzzwords. They come and go and ships and sheep in the night.