What are the CLIL teacher´s competences?

Many authors agree that the most important aspect to CLIL implementation regardless of the context is a competent teacher. There is a shortage of well qualified CLIL teachers around the world (MEHISTO; MARSH; FRIGOLS, 2008). Ball, Kelly and Klegg (2015, p.268) point out that most of the teachers practicing CLIL ”are unlikely to have received any initial CLIL-focused training whatsoever, but rather have taken up practice after they have been teachers for some years”. 

One of the most relevant initiatives in the area of establishing a framework for CLIL teacher competences has been undertaken by a body of CLIL experts. They are Pat Bertaux, Carmel Mary Coonan, María Jesús Frigols-Martín, Peeter Mehisto associated with CNN (CLIL Cascade Network). The outcome of their work, “The Teacher Competences Grid”, was published in 2010. The grid consists of a skills set, meant to be a tool for professional development for future and currently in-service CLIL teachers. The authors stress that the grid offers a point of reference for discussions pertaining to CLIL teaching and teacher development. It can definitely be used by a CLIL teacher as a self-assessment tool, particularly suitable for identifying professional development needs. The grid is organized into two sections: the first one is about underpinning CLIL; it is mainly focused on the competences that are essential to establish a CLIL program. The second section is related to setting CLIL in motion and it focuses on the competences that are important to CLIL implementation. 

Another initiative was carried out by David Marsh, Peeter Mehisto, Dieter Wolff and María Jesús Frigols Martín in 2010. They proposed an European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education: a framework for the professional development of CLIL teachers.

In this framework, target competences are organized into eight sections. Some of which are clearly CLIL focused, others are more general pedagogical competences and some are rather general, but with a certain amount of “CLIL flavor”. The competences presented are: CLIL Fundamentals, Content and Language Awareness, Methodology and Assessment, and Learning Resources and Environment, Personal reflection, Classroom management, and Research and evaluation.

Do you know these frameworks? Take a look at them and reflect on your own competences:

The Teacher Competences Grid (BERTOUX et al., 2010).

European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education: a framework for the professional development of CLIL teachers (MARSH et al., 2010).

References

BALL, P.; KELLY, K.;KLEGG, J. Putting CLIL into Practice. OUP, 2015.

BERTAUX, P.; COONAN, C. M.;FRIGOLOS-MARTIN, M. J.; MEHISTO, P. CLIL Competence Grid. CLIL Cascade Network, 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.ccn-clil.eu/.

MARSH, D.; MEHISTO, P.; WOLFF, D.; FRIGOLS, M. J.  European Framework for CLIL Teacher Education. ECML, 2010.

MEHISTO, P.; MARSH, D.; FRIGOLS, M. J. Uncovering CLIL. Macmillan, 2008.