CLIL Extended
Start date: Jul 1, 2014,
End date: Jun 30, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
Gymnasium Spaichingen has been successfully offering CLIL classes in a bilingual ‘stream’ since the year 2000. The subjects offered bilingually have been continually expanded to the point where today, some senior level subjects and the final year state exam (Deutsches Abitur) are able to be completed bilingually. A two year multilateral Comenius school partnership (2011-2013) proved invaluable in reinforcing and reaffirming this approach.
The bilingual stream has to this point, been open to those students who applied for it when beginning at the school (approximately 50%). This approach has been revised, and from the start of the 2013/2014 school year, Gymnasium Spaichingen has been offering some CLIL focussed classes to all junior students.
From year 7 onward, this revised CLIL approach will extend and deepen, with further subjects being taught bilingually and several CLIL islands’ being offered in those non bilingual classes where German is the language of instruction.
The teachers involved in “CLIL Extended” will be able to use Erasmus+ to develop themselves in the CLIL area and to begin networking with other European CLIL oriented schools. The objectives of this project go beyond the benefits of international cooperation and include increasing the quality of teaching in the CLIL subjects as well as enhancing the existing skillsets in the target language, English, for all involved teaching staff.
“CLIL Extended” will be coordinated by a team of 3 teachers and supported by the school leadership team as well as the entire staff body. Ten mobilities are anticipated, and all teachers who travel will promote and disseminate their experiences and newfound knowledge both within the home school environment (formal and informal inservice trainings) and beyond, in the form of professional interchange with neighbouring educational institutions. In order to include as many subject areas as possible, teachers from a variety of disciplines have been selected to travel.
The mobilities include participation at European teacher development courses, at the international “Science on Stage festival” as well as visits and job shadowing at two new partner schools in Spain and the Netherlands. Preparation and evaluation of the mobilities will be done by the coordinating team members, who will also act as mentor personnel for the ‘mobility’ professionals.
The expected outcomes of the project are the expansion of the school’s bilingual pedagogical vision, improved intercultural competence and language proficiency and an increased motivation to promote a new and dynamic teaching and learning atmosphere.
“CLIL Extended” will not only improve daily lessons but also enrich the school community within and without, due to the newly formed European alliances and relationships.