Análisis del enfoque CLIL en las materias Social Science y Science en 1º y 2º de Primaria en la Comunidad Autónoma de la Región de Murcia

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to analyse the development of CLIL educational approach, Content and Language Integrated Learning, also called AICLE in Spanish, Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lenguas Extranjeras, as one of the most important innovations in teaching carried out in Primary Education for the last two decades in the Region of Murcia in Spain. This study examines some essential aspects when implementing educational innovations like this, such as the kind of CLIL module chosen, the type of resources used or the level of acceptance shown by the educational community. Based on the foregoing, this research focuses in particular on two subjects, namely Social Science and Science in the first and second levels of primary education under two different educational curricula. To accomplish this, educational curricula, didactic programmes and text books of Science and Social Science have been analysed in detail. Moreover, Spanish teachers of these subjects have been asked to express their opinions on CLIL implementation. A mixed methodology was used, combining techniques for obtaining both quantitative and qualitative information. From this mixed approach, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2014-2015 school year in the Region of Murcia which provided a rich source of information on this issue. Results show that, in general, official documents and text books revised meet certain requirements established under CLIL approach altough none of them complies with all CLIL guidelines. Moreover, CLIL teachers are satisfied with pupils' results under this approach although they ask for more resources and better organization to improve the quality of these programmes and their implementation. All this information can give eduational administrators an opportunity to add new initiatives in response to stakeholders' requests. Furthermore, this research can reflect some similarities in comparison to other analogous educational contexts, where one or several NLS, -Non-Linguistic Subjects-, are taught through a foreign language, what may promote a comparative study among different learning contexts under this approach as well as a more meaningful analysis of the new trends in foreign language teaching.