Teaching English through Biology or Biology through English?

As there is constant need for creative teaching and collaboration in our school, the Biology and the English teacher of the Experimental General Lyceum of Heraklion have decided to implement CLIL in their classes wishing to combine English and Biology. But what is CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning)?

According to Marsh ¹ “CLIL refers to situations where subjects, or parts of subjects, are taught through a foreign language with dual-focused aims, namely the learning of content, and the simultaneous learning of a foreign language". 

CLIL contributes to both language teaching and to the learning of content enabling learners to feel more confident. Moreover, it enables students to realize the necessity of language learning in relation to fields of study they are compelled to fully comprehend or wish to pursue in the future. Students are acquainted with real content and authentic materials especially designed to aid understanding of both content and terminology.

In our case, students of the second grade of Experimental General Lyceum of Heraklion were exposed to a video explaining  ‘when exactly we are considered dead’ using Biology terms and offered a unique opportunity to practice listening, speaking and note-taking skills. The worksheet was carefully designed to offer ample practice of the above mentioned skills and motivated the students to participate in the learning process more actively.

by Maria Pitsaki, English Teacher

& Haris Dimitrakopoulos, Biology Teacher

Experimental General Lyceum of Heraklion

¹ 2002, Content and Language Integrated Learning: The European Dimension – Actions, Trends and Foresight Potential