CEFR, CLIL, LOA, and TBLT - synergising goals, methods and assessment to optimise active student learning

Abstract

Internationalisation has brought a diversity of language teaching approaches to Japan, where they have been adopted or adapted to varying degrees across a wide range of contexts, from elementary to tertiary education. Among those approaches, CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), TBLT (Task-based Language Teaching), and LOA (learning-oriented assessment) have been chosen as the cornerstones of a curriculum model currently under development at a College of International Relations at a large-scale private university in western Japan that provides both Japanese and English-medium instruction. The rationale for choosing this set of principles and practices is that it is transparent, scalable, coherent and practical. Referring to the above named principles, the chapter will address the following questions from a theoretical and practical perspective: how and why to create a localised framework for CLIL, how to increase articulation across and within programs, how to link curricular goals, methodology, and assessment, how to support the teaching faculty in the implementation of the new framework and how to ensure that students can become active learners.