This project evaluates French language education at Utrecht University by assessing the innovative teaching strategies Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). Using various data collection methods, insight was gained into students’ progress in a language course, their perceptions of learning and their motivation to view language learning as an asset for the long-term, not just as a tool to pass exams.

Background information

Teaching a language at university as a part of a bachelor’s degree prepares students for linguistic and literature courses in the target language on the short term, but also for a career where that specific language is an asset. Language courses should equip students with an effective, functional and transferable command of the target language. To achieve this, Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) were integrated into a first-year bachelor’s language acquisition course. Students’ evaluation of the first edition was positive, although some students felt they hadn’t learnt much.

Project description

For this reason, the current project aims to investigate this paradox by investigating it throughout three steps that are carried out before, during and after the edition of the course in 2024-2025.

• Phase 1: Designing and administering a language level evaluation test at the beginning and end of the language course to objectively assess students’ progress.
• Phase 2: Identifying the factors that influence students’ perception of the effectiveness of learning by distributing surveys and conducting focus groups at the beginning and end of the language course.
• Phase 3: Conducting a literature review on motivational factors in language learning and asking students (as a part of phase 2) on what factors drive them to value long-term language skills beyond just passing the course.

Aims

This project has the following aims:

• Enhancing language education by bridging short-term linguistic goals with long-term professional proficiency.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of CLIL and TBLT to foster practical language use beyond academic settings.
• Examining the paradox in which students evaluated the course positively but felt like they had not learned much.

References

• Dalton-Puffer, C., & Smit, U. (Eds). (2007). Empirical Perspectives in CLIL Classroom Discourse. Peter Lang. Sprache im Kontext Vol. 26.
• De Graaff, R., Koopman, G.J., Anikina, Y. & Westhoff, G. (2007) An observation tool for effective L2 pedagogy in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 10(5), 603–624.
• Genç, G., Kuluşaklı, E. & Aydın, S. (2016). Exploring EFL Learners’ Perceived Self-efficacy and Beliefs on English Language Learning. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41(2).
• Littlewood, W. (2004) The task-based approach: Some questions and suggestions. ELT Journal, 58 (4), 319–326.
• Mehrparvar F. & Karimnia A. (2018), Second Language Teaching Effectiveness, from the Perspective of University Students: A Case Study of Departments of Applied Linguistics. Discourse and Communication for Sustainable Education, 9(1), 64-78.
• Paivandi, S. (2011). La relation à l’apprendre à l’université. Recherches sociologiques et anthropologiques, 42(2), 89-113.