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THROUGH A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
P A R T O N E
General
issues
1.1 Definition and aims
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a general expression
used to refer to any teaching of a non-language subject through the
medium of a second or foreign language (L2). CLIL suggests an
equilibrium between content and language learning. The non-language
content is developed through the L2 and the L2 is developed through the
non-language content.
In 1995 the European Commission adopted a document on education
called “The White Paper. Teaching and learning. Towards the learning
society”. It declares that proficiency in three community languages is a prior
objective, and suggests teaching content in a foreign language as a way to
contribute to the achievement of this plurilinguistic objective.
• CLIL can be seen as an educational approach which supports linguistic
diversity, and a powerful tool that can have a strong impact on langua-
ge learning in the future.
• CLIL is an innovative approach to learning, a dynamic and motiva-
ting force with holistic features. It constitutes an attempt to overco-
me the restraints of traditional school curricula, i.e. the teaching of
individual subjects, and represents a shift towards curricular integra-
tion.