Negotiating political positions: subject-specific oral language use in CLIL classrooms

• Published in: International journal of bilingual education and bilingualism Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 287 - 302
• Main Authors: Hüttner, Julia, Smit, Ute
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 03.04.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Advanced Students; Argumentation; Case Studies; Classroom Communication; CLIL; Content and language integrated learning; Course Content; Discourse Analysis; Economics Education; Educational Practices; English (Second Language); Foreign Countries; German; Language Proficiency; Language usage; Learner Engagement; Negotiation; oppositional talk; Persuasive Discourse; Political Attitudes; Political Science; Politics; Qualitative Research; Role Playing; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Second language teachers; Secondary School Students; Secondary School Teachers; social sciences at school; Spoken language; Students; subject-specific language; Teacher Student Relationship; Teaching Methods; upper secondary education; Video Technology; Austria (Vienna)
• ISSN: 1367-0050; 1747-7522
• DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2017.1386616

While research on CLIL suggests positive impacts on lexical proficiency and on spoken language, the crucial question of the effect of CLIL on advanced learners, both in terms of subject-specific language (SSL) proficiency and content knowledge, has received less attention. We argue that the ability to negotiate a factual position appropriately is a key element of SSL, relating to both content and to foreign language ability. As a theoretical framework for understanding these negotiations of generally opposing standpoints, we use argumentation theory. The study was conducted in upper-secondary CLIL classes on European economics and politics in Austria. From the data set of 16 hours of video-recording, comprising teacher-whole class interactions, group work, and role plays, episodes of argumentation were extracted and analysed. Two types of argumentation patterns emerge, with one focused on the joint construction and learning of new SSL and content knowledge, and the other on the enactment of such knowledge in interaction. Students' engagement in these argumentations gives clear evidence of their SSL proficiency in prepared and unprepared oral production. As the type of classroom event has an effect on the specific argumentation patterns, the need for exposing students to a diversity of educational practice is underlined.