Doing CLIL with primary learners. From principles to practice

The aim of this chapter is to discuss potential benefits and challenges of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) for primary learners and to contribute to identify some best practices for its successful implementation in the primary classroom. Starting by considering some of the reasons why this learning approach is particular suited for 21st-century young pupils, this chapter will discuss various techniques aimed at integrating content, cognition, communication, and culture by drawing on both the literature and the authors’ own teacher training experience. In doing so, the importance of using multimodality to create activities around play, discovery, multi-sensoriality, and movement will be discussed together with the need for teachers to foster pupils’ multiliteracies and metacognitive skills development in and beyond the classroom.