Content and language integrated learning: Which language? How is it integrated? What for?

Abstract

The aim of this paper is twofold. On the one hand, it deals with the terminological and pedagogical vagueness of Content and Language Integrated Learning. On the other hand, it assesses this teaching approach from a plurilingual perspective. With respect to the first aim, we will explain the difference between CLIL and CEIL, as the former embraces the latter. Regarding the second aim, we will discuss one of the issues recurrent in most debates concerning plurilingual education, namely, the feasibility of acquiring the target language at no cost to subject learning or to first language development. The inclusion of a number of pedagogies based on genre, language awareness or translanguaging will be presented as paramount to achieve all the didactic potential of quality CLIL.