Abstract:

This study aims to examine the theoretical framework underpinning the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) blended model implemented at the University of Urbino, Italy, as part of an internationalization project.

A blended instructional framework has been designed to implement the CLIL approach across disciplines. The acquisition of subject-specific content in English is scaffolded through a wide array of instructional strategies targeted to foster high levels of knowledge in both domain-specific and language areas. To reach these objectives, face-to-face and online course-tailored activities are devised to make input comprehensible (Krashen 1985) and to foster output production (Swain 2000) along with negotiation of meaning (Long 1996) in the target language, namely English. In particular, new technologies and corpora are used to devise an English input-rich learning environment. Within a CLIL theoretical framework, technology-enhanced, highly interactive learning activities are designed to promote students’ active role in content and language learning processes.

Course-tailored, corpus-informed activities represent an added value of the framework devised. Corpus-driven data are especially used to implement contextualized, content-specific language awareness in keeping with Lyster’s counterbalanced instructional framework (2007). Furthermore, online customized digital spaces and learning resources are made available to help learners develop self-directed learning, which is pivotal in CLIL learning environments.