New Open Access publication: Dr. Aline Bieri – Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in a Swiss context

Hermann Paul Award winner Aline Bieri just published her PhD-thesis on “Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in a Swiss context: the linguistic challenges and implications of teaching biology in English (CLIL) and German (non-CLIL) analyzed through the lens of translanguaging and technicality” Open Access with our NIHIN book series. Congratulations!

Abstract:

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a dual-focused educational approach in which academic subjects, such as biology or history, are taught in a second or foreign language to enhance both subject knowledge and language proficiency. Recent research emphasizes the importance of integrating content and language in the CLIL classroom and explores how this integration shapes effective pedagogy. This book presents an in-depth case study examining the language use of students and teachers in CLIL (English) and non-CLIL (German) biology lessons at a Swiss upper-secondary school. Using the self-compiled EG_BIO corpus, which consists of 31 video-recorded lessons, the study analyzes and compares the use of multilingual and multimodal resources (translanguaging) and the role of technical terms (technicality) in these classrooms. By proposing a model for the quantitative analysis of translanguaging and developing a framework to identify and analyze technical terms, this book offers a comprehensive view of how language operates in CLIL and non-CLIL contexts. It further explores the interplay between translanguaging and technicality, shedding light on how different linguistic and non-linguistic resources are used to negotiate complex scientific terminology. The book thus provides valuable insights into a potentially effective CLIL pedagogy for biology and contributes to understanding the integration of language and content in CLIL and non-CLIL science education.