Sanna Malkki in cooperation with David Marsh

Content teachers Language teachers working life tutors?
Jointly preparing students for Successful working life 25+

Language teaching and learning, as delivered through widely differing educational systems of the European Union member states, clearly needs additional support in one form of another. Learning a language and subject simultaneously, provides an extra means to reach the Commission’s objective that all European citizens should have competence in two European languages on top their mother tongue (MT+2) (White Paper on Education & Training, European Commission 1995)

This project invites you to look at an approach which could be developed in your institution which is called CLIL. It can be very successful in enhancing the learning of languages by integrating language teaching in the teaching of other subjects, and especially in integrating these dual-focused learning experiences in real working life situations. This triple-focused approach develops in the students a positive ‘can do’ attitude towards themselves as language learners and multilingual professionals.

Since this project aims at bringing vocational educators, language teachers and work placement tutors together, the questions are addressed according to these 3 interest groups. Some answers also guide the reader to use the website links related to this specific issue and thus provides both further information and the overall picture on what this whole CLIL-AXIS has to offer.

What distinguishes this project from the other CLIL projects is the strong emphasis on working life. In every phase of planning and implementing CLIL, we focus on the demands set by working life because, in the end of the day, that’s what we train out students for. To become pluri-lingual and pluri-cultural professionals in the ever more integrating world.