Can engaging university students in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) increase their achievement in Biology and English language? The current study explored the effectiveness of team teaching enhanced CLIL on student achievement. Framed in interdisciplinary/cross-curricular teaching, we examined the effect of CLIL strategy on student achievement in a quasi-experimental study with a sample of Biology education students (N = 25) assigned to control and experimental groups. The topic taught through CLIL was the digestive system, and this subject knowledge was used to test the students’ achievement in Biology. Along with t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test a non-parametric ANCOVA was carried out to reveal group differences. We found that engaging in CLIL significantly improved student achievement both in Biology subject knowledge and English language. We highlight the critical role of CLIL in teaching content and language for science subjects such as Biology at university level.
Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is still a growing area of research. In this study, we investigated the effect of a one-semester CLIL intervention combined with English language instruction on university students' general English skills the associations between institutional and individual factors and views on CLIL. A total of 105 students from two academic programs (biology-chemistry, and physic-informatics) at a private university in Kazakhstan participated in the study. Quantitative data were collected through two different instruments. MANOVA and correlation analyses were carried out to analyze the data. A large effect of CLIL combined with language instruction was observed on language gains. Additionally, the study identified two factors that are significantly associated with student recognition of higher language and disciplinary knowledge learning, more positive attitudes to and higher satisfaction with CLIL: being a non-first-year student and having CLIL experience in pre-university education. In light of the results obtained, our findings reinforce the case for integrating language instruction that includes general, academic, and subject-specific goals in English-medium programs and courses in higher education.
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