Abstract:

One of the main factors affected by the Bologna process is related with internationalization of Universities in terms of teaching. The need of internationalization constitutes an opportunity, as well as a challenge, to change the teaching programs and to promote the inclusion of activities in a bilingual context, in which English is incorporated as a lingua franca in Higher Education. The University of Cádiz and in particular, the Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences is doing an effort to insert activities in English in the teaching programs of the degrees of Marine Science and Environmental Science.

In order to guarantee the success of the implementation of English activities with students, professors from the Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences have participated in a specific training program named “English for Marine and Environmental Sciences” during the course 2013/2014. This program has been developed and carried out in cooperation with the Higher Center for Modern Languages (HCML) of the University of Cádiz (UCA). Training was based on the application of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), combining lectures with innovative activities during the lessons that allowed interaction within students and with the professor. This way, development of transversal skills as discussion, criticism, and pro-activity among other are also incorporated to the activity in the room.

During training sessions, professors prepared a CLIL based lecture for other participants as if they were students, developing all the activities planned under the supervision of a CLIL teacher from the HCML. Afterwards, the lecture and the proposed activities were analyzed by the group and the teacher from the HCLM offered an alternative presentation about the same topic, providing a wider spectrum of tools that could be used by professors with their students. The scientific aspects treated during the CLIL training covered a wide spectrum of topics related with Marine and Environmental Sciences, due to the participation of professors from Genetics, Applied Physics, Biology, Analytical Chemistry, Toxicology, Ecology, and Botany. Some examples of the lectures offered by professors were “Environmental Impact of Renewable Energy”, “Simple Pendulus”, or “Genomics: From Human to Fisheries”.

As a consequence of the training program, participant professors improved their level of English and started including different activities in English during their lectures in the degree studies. For instance, in the case of Environmental Sciences, a seminar in English was included in the subject Instrumental Technique of Environmental Analysis, as well as different materials in English language were elaborated by professors. In the case of Marine Sciences, participants elaborated teaching materials in English that were available in the virtual campus of UCA for students.

The response of participant professors was highly positive, and some of the treated topics have already been taught using English in the degree programs, with high level of acceptance from students. Taking into account the need of implementing the use of English for internationalization of teaching programs and the good acceptance of the training CLIL program, professors of the Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences of the UCA continue developing bilingual activities to enhance the quality of their teaching and the attractiveness of the Center for foreign students.

Keywords:

CLIL, Marine and Environmental Sciences, training, bilingual, internationalization.