Reflecting on Teacher Training: Insights from the CLILNetLE Teaching Training School

Over the past three days, teachers from diverse disciplines have gathered at the CLILNetLE Teacher Training School to exchange ideas, share experiences, and deepen their understanding of integrating language and content in the classroom. As the training ends, we sat down with a few participants to reflect on their observations and insights. Here's a summary of the engaging discussion that unfolded.

The Role of CDFs in Classroom Observations

The participants were asked to reflect on their visits to various classes the previous day, specifically focusing on how Cognitive Discourse Functions (CDFs) were applied in different subjects.

Beatrice, an English teacher from Spain, observed both a history and a literature class. She was impressed by how the history teacher seamlessly integrated CDFs into the lesson. “The teacher asked thought-provoking questions like, ‘What if Columbus had never arrived in America, which of these products would we not have?’ which prompted students to engage deeply and evaluate different perspectives,” Beatrice explained. She noted that the literature class also involved a lot of exploration and reflection, where students were asked to analyze the novel with guidance on specific vocabulary.

In contrast, Victor, a physics and chemistry teacher from Spain, shared his experience observing math and physics classes. “In both classes, I saw the same issue that we face in Spain—while the content is clearly explained, there’s a lack of the CDF explore and report, ”Victor said. In the physics class, more questions were asked by the teacher to stimulate deeper thinking and the use of the CDFs by the teachers.

Language and Content: A Delicate Balance

When asked about the role of language in these classrooms, the participants noticed significant differences in language levels between the school they observed and their own contexts. Beatrice highlighted that the students at the training school had a much higher proficiency in English than what she’s used to in Spain. “In the literature class, the teacher gave students a list of vocabulary to use in their analysis to get them to use more of the CDFs like explore and evaluate.

Victor echoed this observation, noting that the English level was higher than in Spain, which meant that teachers didn’t need to focus on meta-language. “In my own classes, I teach physics and chemistry in English, but there are times when students struggle with the specific terminology. I often have to supplement the lessons with images or videos to make the content clearer. I also try to explain the complex concepts in more than one way but always in English,” Victor shared.

Bridging Content and Language in the Classroom

One of the key takeaways from this discussion was how the integration of content and language is approached differently in each participant’s classroom. Beatrice explained that, although she strives to incorporate English into all lessons, students often underestimate the value and importance of English classes. Students tend to think they already know enough English, especially when they’re learning subjects in English, so as an English teacher she sometimes feels unnecessary. But she has learned from this experience that content and language need to go hand in hand,” she said.

For Victor, the realization was similar. He noted that in physics and chemistry, if students don’t understand how to express themselves in English, they’re not truly grasping the content. He emphasized that the language of science is specific, and without the right terminology, students might miss out on understanding the core concepts.

Using CDFs for Assessment: A New Approach

The conversation then shifted to the use of CDFs in assessment. Both Beatrice and Victor recognized the value of incorporating language skills into their evaluations. Beatrice mentioned that in her school, they are considering adding an English component to exams for content teachers. “For example, assessing students on their ability to use technical terms correctly in English,” she explained. “This isn’t just about grammar; it’s about making sure students can accurately convey content in English.”

Victor agreed, noting that language is an essential part of mastering any subject. “If students don’t know how to discuss physics concepts in English, they’re missing a key part of their education. CDFs could be a useful tool for assessing both content knowledge and language proficiency,” he said.

The Takeaway: A Need for Collaboration

As the interview ended, both Beatrice and Victor expressed their appreciation for the training and the insights they gained over the past three days. “This has been an eye-opening experience,” Beatrice said. “It’s been great to see how English and content can be integrated more effectively. I’m excited to bring some of these ideas back to my classroom.”

Victor, too, shared his thoughts on how this experience would influence his teaching. “I’ve realized that I need to be more intentional about incorporating language into my physics and chemistry classes and using CDFs as a framework can help me with that,” he concluded.

The conversation highlighted the importance of collaboration between content teachers and English language teachers. As educators, we need to work together to ensure that students not only master the content but also have the language skills to express and engage with it meaningfully.

Looking Forward

As the training wraps up, the group is invited to continue their collaboration. The focus will be on how to adapt and apply the insights from the past few days into their own contexts, with particular attention to how CDFs can be used effectively for both teaching and assessment. It's clear that this will be an ongoing conversation—one that will shape the way language and content are integrated in classrooms moving forward.

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