What Characterizes a Norwegian CLIL Classroom, Its Teaching Methodologies and Its Students?

Abstract

My Ph.D. project is inspired by research which indicates that Norwegians are not at the level of English that they need to be at. English language researchers in Norway argue that Norwegians need to be bilingual in Norwegian and English, and in today's society it is becoming increasingly more vital to master academic and business English. Unfortunately, many Norwegians do not. To me, the natural answer is to turn to bilingual programs, since they emphasize the type of language competence that Norwegian children will need in the future. In Europe, the solution has been the bilingual approach, “CLIL” (Content and Language Integrated Learning). This approach comprises teaching a non-language subject (e.g. history or science) in English. This has led to a boost in English proficiency in many European countries. The problem with CLIL is that the approach is context-based. Some countries (such as Spain, Germany or Finland) have had positive results, while in the Nordic context (particularly Sweden), the CLIL approach has not had much of an effect. The handful of studies conducted on CLIL in Norway has suggested that it has potential in Norway. I wish to examine how CLIL is taught in Norway, how the students react to this approach and how their English develops over the course a year in a CLIL class. My main research question is:

What characterizes a Norwegian CLIL classroom, its teaching methodologies and its students?

In general, CLIL research can be divided into three areas: teaching methods, content outcomes and language learning outcomes. My project will touch upon teaching methods and language learning outcomes. Classroom research consists of three main agents: the researcher, the teacher and the students. This study will examine the CLIL classroom through the perspectives of these three agents. The main research question is split into three themes that intend to each answer a part of the main research question. The themes are as follows:

RQ1: What characterizes CLIL teaching in Norwegian upper and lower secondary schools?

RQ1a: What teaching methodologies are observable in the classrooms?

RQ1b: Which similarities and differences are observable in three CLIL classrooms? Do these classrooms have a common denominator that embodies the “CLIL” approach?

RQ2: How do CLIL teachers perceive their own teaching?

RQ2a: How do the observed teachers describe their CLIL instruction?

RQ2b: What are the CLIL teachers’ thoughts on their teaching approach, and how do they relate this to their own beliefs of second language learning (SLL)?

RQ3: What characterizes a CLIL student?

RQ3a: How do the observed students characterize their CLIL instruction, and what are their attitudes toward (learning) English?

RQ3b: What characterizes the students’ written development in English across a school year?

The methods I will use to answer these research questions are classroom observation, teacher interviews, student questionnaires and student texts in English.