Translation is not Enough - the Need for Pedagogical Adaptation in CLIL Textbook Development

Abstract

© 2017, Universidad de Granada. All rights reserved. Built on the Canadian immersion model, Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) has been an immensely popular approach to education in Europe. Despite the fact that this approach has been adopted in many systems of education, there is an acute shortage of textbooks supporting full integration of objectives related to both content and language. In some contexts, publishers offer translated versions of regular textbooks written in learners’ first language (L1), in which no adjustment is made to meet the requirements of the new mode of instruction. On the basis of the 4Cs (content, communication, cognition and culture) Framework of CLIL, the aim of this article is to indicate why translated CLIL textbooks fail to support learners in acquiring the subject matter in a foreign language. Additionally, to assist textbook designers, teachers and textbook evaluators, a few practical principles of high-quality CLIL learning materials will be provided.