CAMBRIDGE ON CLIL

What is CLIL?

CLIL describes an evolving approach to teaching and learning where subjects are taught and studied through the medium of a non-native language. In CLIL, learning a curricular subject in a second, third or sometimes fourth language involves drawing on effective pedagogical practice from a range of different educational contexts.
There are many advantages to the CLIL approach: it develops learners’ skills and understanding, enhances their cognitive processes and communication skills and encourages intercultural understanding.
The global need for language learning, particularly for English, means the potential for CLIL is enormous. For teachers of other curriculum subjects, being able to add language teaching to their existing skills could be the key to greater career opportunities. For language teachers, an understanding of how to teach a broader range of curricular subjects is a challenge for the 21st century.

What does TKT: Content and Language Integrated Learning test?

TKT: Content and Language Integrated Learning tests knowledge about content teaching in a target language and the learning, thinking and language skills which are developed across different curriculum subjects. It tests knowledge of how to plan lessons as well as knowledge of activities and resources used to support a CLIL approach. It also tests knowledge of lesson delivery and how assessment is carried out in CLIL contexts.
TKT: Content and Language Integrated Learning does not test subject specific knowledge but tests awareness of the skills that are taught across all subjects.

The exam format

TKT: Content and Language Integrated Learning is an optional module of TKT and follows that exam’s format. It consists of a single paper lasting 1 hour and 20 minutes and containing 80 questions. There are two parts to the test:

Areas of knowledge

1 Knowledge of CLIL and Principles of CLIL (25 questions)

• aims of and rationale for CLIL
• language across the curriculum
• communication skills across the curriculum
• cognitive skills across the curriculum
• learning skills across the curriculum

2 Planning, Teaching and Assessing
Lesson Preparation (25  questions)

• planning a lesson and a series of lessons
• language demands of subject content and accompanying tasks
• resources, including multi-media and visual organisers
• materials selection and adaptation
• activity types

Lesson Delivery (20 questions)

• classroom language
• scaffolding content and language learning
• methods to help students develop learning strategies
• consolidating learning and differentiation

Assessment (10 questions)

• focus: content; content and language; cognitive, learning and communication skills
• types of assessment
• support strategies

Who is it for?

TKT: Content and Language Integrated Learning is suitable for pre or in-service teachers and for international candidates teaching across all sectors of education: primary, secondary and tertiary. It will be of particular interest to:

• content teachers who need to teach their subjects in English, or who want to add language teaching to their portfolio of skills
• English language teachers who are required to teach curricular subjects in a second, third or further additional languages
• classroom assistants working in CLIL contexts
• English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers who have non-native speaker students in their classes.