Page 5 - CLIL MAGAZINE JESSICA TOBON GARCIA

How to Overcome
Challenges in CLIL

Teacher Actions: Use online dictionaries with audio
features, grammar reference books, and plan questions
that involve high-order thinking skills.
Collaboration between Subject and Language
Teachers: Plan curricular topics together to mutually
benefit from their areas of expertise.
CLIL Lesson Planning: Include more components in CLIL
lesson planning than in a standard subject or language
lesson, such as learning outcomes, subject content, and
activities that promote collaboration.
Review about the article
Reading the article "Teaching Science through English – A CLIL Approach" made me reflect on the

way we learn and teach. I find the idea of learning science through a second language very
interesting and challenging at the same time. I like how the CLIL approach not only focuses on
academic content, but also integrates language learning, which can be very beneficial in our
globalized world.
One thing that stood out to me is the importance of activating prior knowledge before starting a
lesson. This reminds me of sometimes when in chemistry or biology class, teachers start with simple
questions that make us think about what we already know. It's a good way to connect new
knowledge with something familiar.
I also appreciate that the article addresses the challenges for both teachers and students.
Sometimes, as students, we don't realize the difficulties our teachers face, especially when they
have to teach in a language that is not their mother tongue. Knowing that there are strategies and
tools available to help them is comforting.
On the other hand, I realized that learning through CLIL could be more demanding in terms of time
and effort. But I think the benefit of improving our second language skills while learning science is a
worthwhile added value.
Overall, the article made me value the work behind lesson planning more and motivated me to be
more patient and collaborative in my classes. It also made me think that learning a second
language in this way can make learning more dynamic and interesting.