Learning beyond the classroom: students’ attitudes towards the integration of CLIL and museum-based pedagogies

Abstract

In the last two decades, several studies have reported on the benefits of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) on students' affective and cognitive gains. These studies, however, have mainly concentrated on the implementation of CLIL within the formal (school) context, with very little research on its impact in non-formal (out-of-school) contexts. Thus, the present article addresses this gap by describing an action research project aimed at understanding secondary school students' attitudes towards the integration of CLIL and museum-based pedagogies. The project involved 284 students (14-16 years old) in northern Italy, who participated in a CLIL museum visit on Animal Classification through English at the Natural History Museum in Venice. A mixed method research design was implemented and data was collected through students' questionnaires and focus groups. Results reveal that students showed very positive attitudes towards taking part in a CLIL museum visit based on the interaction among the following dimensions: engagement with museum objects, use of English beyond the classroom, methodology and students' interests, self-concept and career plans.

Content and Language Integrated Learning: A Duoethnographic Study about CLIL Pre-Service Teacher Education in Argentina and Spain

“…Such benefits, alongside challenges, have been investigated with young learners (e.g. Fazzi and Lasagabaster, 2020; Pérez Cañado, 2018) and higher education students (e.g. Aguilar and Muňoz, 2014; Vega and Moscoso, 2019).…”

Geohistorical, didactic, and linguistic competencies learning through a bilingual (Spanish/English) fieldtrip project with teachers in training

“…them more frequent abroad, 65,66,67 virtually, 68,69 in closed and isolated spaces 70,71 or in non-formal education 72 than in familiar and formal settings.…”

CLIL implemented and scaffolded in an EFL higher education context: Engineering research methodology course

“…CLIL seems to be tremendously effective when applied in many European countries (e.g., Fazzi & Lasagabaster, 2021;Mahan, 2020;Pérez Cañado, 2020). However, in EFL contexts, the impact of CLIL does not seem to be that clear.…”

“…CLIL has been adopted worldwide as a successful teaching approach that promotes more motivated and sustained learning attainment (Marsh, 2000). A wealth of studies adopting CLIL principles have been conducted (e.g., Fan & Lo, 2016;Fazzi & Lasagabaster, 2021;Kalay, 2021;Navarro-Guzman et al, 2021;Mahan, 2020;Pérez Cañado, 2020;Thuy & Nguyen, 2016;Yang, 2015).These previous CLIL empirical studies have congruently demonstrated its positive impacts on encouraging students to concurrently learn the content subjects and the target language across disciplines (e.g., psychology, engineering, physical education, mathematics), at a number of educational establishments (e.g., high schools, vocational colleges, universities), in different levels of the educational paradigm (i.e., young learners, teenagers, and adults), and in a variety of academic contexts and linguistic backgrounds (e.g., Taiwan, Vietnam, and many European countries).…”