Abstract:

Recent increase in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is due to new developments in second language acquisition theories. This methodology refers to teaching of non-linguistic subjects through a foreign language, and it also puts forward balance between language learning and content. The second language is developed through the non-language content while the non-language content is developed through the second language. This method has been used for many years in adult, professional, and university education programmes for foreign students. However, its interest has highly increased over the last few years and has recently started to be applied in foreign language classrooms in secondary schools in many countries. Some research shows that teachers are finding out that their students have become very motivated learning English through other academic subjects.
In this project, we have chosen a mathematical topic, algebra of complex numbers, to be taught and studied in English in order to implement this current methodology in the Spanish Upper Secondary Education classroom, in our case, 1st year Baccalaureate. The language of mathematics entails its own specific vocabulary and semantic features, syntax, and discourse characteristics. Moreover, mathematics is a field of study where non-verbal communication such as graphic and visual materials are usually employed. Nevertheless, we must also point out that the mathematical lexicon has common features in a wide range of languages. All this can make mathematics, rather than other subjects, easier to be taught in English in spite of this discipline’s inherent difficulty. Taking into account all these factors, our implementation accordingly involves the three languages (English, Spanish and that of mathematics) and the four necessary skills for second language learning and acquisition, and sets off a wide variety of cognitive processes by using English to understand and learn mathematics. These are the main reasons for our topic choice.
We present a specific plan of CLIL to implement the teaching-learning of the arithmetic, algebra and geometry of Complex Numbers which has been developed by a team of two teachers, a content specialist in Mathematics and an English as a second language specialist. This plan is to be put into practice during one month of the school year. We analyse the bases and previous requirements to accomplish our intentional goals: the teachers’ coordination, coherence and linguistic self-confidence, the students’ attitude and competence, etc. We study the advantages and drawbacks that may appear in the design and accomplishment of this proposal by setting forth the methodological tools and activities that are going to be carried out while fostering both individual and cooperative learning. Likewise, we display the resources to be used in the classroom (our own elaborated materials, interactive materials, multimedia, etc.) as well as our evaluation scheme and we make an analysis of the conclusions we have assessed. The most remarkable one being that the students will improve both their oral (listening, speaking) and written (reading, writing) skills as well as reach greater self-confidence. On the other hand, with this innovative methodology, students will be able to see a practical application of what and how they are actually learning while adding to and smoothing the path of learning a foreign language.

Keywords:

content and language integrated learning, innovation, implementation.