Page 8 - ELG1601 May Issue 436

ELEuropean Union
Page 8
Clil – the Italian model
Claudia Civinini talks to the British Council’s Maria Norton about
Clil and bilingual programmes in the Italian school system
ritish Council Italy is
collaborating with the
BMinistry of Education to
support the implementation of
Clil and bilingual programmes
in Italian schools. Maria Norton,
the regional business develop-
ment manager at British Council
Italy, believes that communica-
tion is a key factor.
‘Clil benefits greatly from
a communication strategy that
engages audiences, particularly
school heads, subject and lan-
guage teachers, and parents of
pupils,’ she says. ‘It is important
to communicate widely to bust
myths too.’
Norton explained that ‘the
implementation of the Clil Courtesy British Council
approach in Italy did initially
stipulate a CEFR C1 level of lan-
guage competence. In summer
2014 the government lowered HANDS-ON LEARNING Students perform a science-based routine also observed that pupils who
this to B2, and this was wel-
comed. I believe that a teacher’s
confidence and passion in con- implement Clil? According to
veying their subject can come
across regardless of specific lev- applied to practically any school
els of language competence. A sector – what changes is the level
successful Clil lesson will have
learners engaged in purpose- out in primary school. The Brit- recommended by the Council
ful activity, with exchanges and
interactions carried out in the
vehicular language. In the case
of Clil in Italy, 90 per cent of the
time that language is English.’ focus on developing literacy.’
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May 2016
Behind the news
at Italian schools
taly needs a good school … ministry of education first set the
because education is the only bar for teachers’ language level
consider Clil as transformative, ‘Istructural solution to unem- at C1, but this was lowered to B2
developing skills and compe- ployment,’ says La Buona Scuola, – and teachers with B1 English
tences in learners and teachers a law to reform the Italian school were also allowed to teach using
that outweigh those that would system approved in June 2015. Clil methodology while attend-
be gained from monolingual The government’s recipe to tackle ing a training course. The need
study. Clil has been found to astronomical youth unemployment of teachers and schools for train-
be additive (one language sup- – 40 per cent according to Eurostat ing has been acknowledged and,
porting the other) rather than – includes, among other things, a it seems, La Buona Scuola will
subtractive (one language work- focus on English and Clil. allocate a substantial amount of
ing against the other).’ Clil has appeared in Italian resources to enhancing teachers’
Regarding the IBI/BEI project legislation since 2003, and as of skills. Clil training has also been
(see story on right), Norton told 2012 has been introduced into supported by a series of incentives
the Gazette that ‘through the senior secondary schools curric- – for example, it will constitute
delivery of 25 per cent of the ula. Academic high schools with a point of merit for those teach-
school curriculum in English, a focus on foreign languages, licei ers applying to be transferred to
the pupils were able to reach linguistici, are now required to another school.
A2 level of competence by their teach a non-linguistic subject in a The Gazette talked to a spokes-
final year of primary school. foreign language in the last three person from the British Council
This achievement puts them years of study (15–18-year-old Italy, a foreign language inspector
three years ahead of mainstream students). All other types of high from the ministry of education and
education targets set for foreign schools, except vocational estab- a school teacher to gain a compre-
language competence.’ lishments, need to implement Clil hensive picture of how things are
The project evaluation report in final-year curriculum. going for Clil in the Bel Paese.
Although not yet compulsory, All interviews were conducted in
participated in the programme Clil is on the cards for primary English. It seems Clil is highly
What is the best age range to And how does Clil impact demonstrated greater problem- schools as well. Pilot projects such regarded by all stakeholders, even
on learning? ‘Implementing solving skills, cognitive skills as the Istruzione Bilingue in Italia/ if some critics still argue that this
Norton, ‘Clil methodology can be Clil methodology has been and confidence in self-expression Bilingual Education in Italy (IBI/ innovation will prevent students
seen as a key lever in realising compared to peers who followed a BEI), which allowed six primary from learning crucial content in
a number of the eight key com- monolingual track. Such a remark- schools to deliver 25 per cent of their first language. Research
of literacy assumed when starting petences for lifelong learning as able achievement was possible their curriculum in English (see has not yet been done to measure
thanks to a training programme interview below), helped pave the the outcomes of Italian students’
ish Council provides consultancy of Europe,’ Norton explained. that involved 62 teachers and way for the methodology to be learning of subject content when
for primary schools interested ‘They can be considered interde- ongoing mentoring and support. n used with younger students. taught using Clil methodology,
in developing a bilingual pro- pendent with emphasis in each Teacher training, both linguis- but we eagerly await the results
gramme and there is a significant on critical thinking, creativity Maria can be contacted via tic and methodological, remains a of future studies to, hopefully,
and problem solving. I therefore maria.norton@britishcouncil.org constant topic of discussion. The prove those critics wrong. n
Evaluating all the evidence
Claudia Civinini interviews Gisella Langé, a key figure in the
implementation of high-school Clil programmes across Italy
isella Langé is a foreign universities and 6,000 teachers fore in our school leaving exam Schools will also have funding
languages inspector at are involved in language courses (Esame di Stato), we made Clil to help teachers work together
Gthe Italian Ministry of organised by different institu- assessment mandatory only if and create Clil digital materials.
Education, coordinating and
the Clil subject teacher is a mem-
The evaluation report of the
tions and organisations.
Is the implementation of Clil
supporting Clil programmes in at primary school level still ber of the board. We have been IBI/BEI project (a bilingual
education project for primary
schools across the nation. She
offered the possibility to test
has also coordinated two evalu- going ahead? students’ linguistic competence schools, see above) issued
ation reports on Clil in upper low school levels. Teachers are with a language test from EF, in April 2014 mentions that
It is not easy to have Clil at
and a large sample of students in
secondary schools – one pub-
pupils’ performance in the oral
lished in 2014, the other being not ready yet – primary teachers their third year of upper second- test was ‘a little mechanical’,
released as we go to press – that are generally at B1 level. Never- ary school have taken this test. as if they had simply memo-
theless the ministry is preparing
Results will be out next month.
rised something they could not
monitored the implementation
of the methodology in Italian a plan for languages within the The 2014 evaluation fully understand. There has
schools. She reveals some of the framework of La Buona Scuola report on the introduction of been criticism of the method-
ministry’s plans to get teachers
(a school reform law approved in
ology’s potentially damaging
Clil methodology in upper
ready for Clil, which include a June 2015). The general plan for secondary schools that you co- impact on students’ learning
ordinated showed that 70 per
teacher training will be funded
focus on language training and
of the content. How would you
internationalisation. with €120 million euros for a cent of Italian teachers had respond?
How is the implementation three-year period, and part of never organised exchanges or That’s not true. Evidence
of Clil progressing? this money will be allocated to training activities with for- suggests that content can be con-
eign students. How can a more
languages. Clil methodology will
According to the law, stu-
veyed properly through a foreign
dents in their last year of upper be extended to vocational, lower international mindset be pro- language in contexts where good
secondary school must have a secondary and primary schools. moted in schools? teaching happens. Simplifica-
subject taught in a foreign lan- Teachers in primary schools We are trying our best to tion doesn’t mean banalisation.
guage. Clil is usually taught will be invited to attend volun- facilitate mobility, which will erful changing agent – the
Clil is proving to be a pow-
tary courses in order to reach
by the subject teacher. So far
be an important part of teacher
we haven’t made Clil compul- B2 level. Where teachers are training. Under La Buona Scu- best changing agent in our
ola, training for teachers will be
sory the way it should be, but
already B2, they will be offered
school system. There needs to
we have been trying to make the opportunity to have Clil compulsory – a certain amount be a cultural shift, so no more
teachers aware that they should methodology courses, and this of hours yearly – either in the teacher-led lessons centred on
slowly and gradually ameliorate will include the possibility to country or abroad. Erasmus+ content, but student-centred
their language and methodo- study abroad. will also offer more oppor- activities. Thanks to Clil, Italian
logical competences up to the How do you measure out- tunities as well as the new teachers are trying more modern
point where they can deliver comes for students, both in Pon programme. Our teach- approaches and practices, focus-
their lessons in the foreign lan- terms of language and cur- ers will be able to ameliorate ing on scaffolding instruction,
guage with confidence. We are riculum? their language competences improving classroom manage-
slowly coming to this point. We have been trying to organ- either through local courses ment and increasing their own
Many teachers have already ise some pilot English language and/or going abroad. Strate- foreign language level!
The new monitoring report on
tests in order to measure student
accomplished their learning
gic partnerships in the field of
go paths – to either B2 or C1 level. outcomes, but we have not yet education will open new pros- upper secondary schools coming
At this moment in every region been able to organise a plan for pects for international links out at the end of April 2016 will
of Italy around 2,000 teachers the assessment of our students’ and exchanges. There must be a give us fresh evidence of how
are attending seventy new meth- subject performance. We wanted better use of new technologies Clil teachers are really changing
odological courses organised by Clil to have a good start, there- and teachers need more support. their practice. n