Classroom interaction and language learning in CLIL contexts

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the key aspects of classroom interaction in L2 and CLIL contexts and its effects on students’ academic and language development in such educational settings. It also aims to raise awareness of the role of language and discourse in teaching content and language in CLIL classrooms. More specifically, it discusses how teachers can efficiently enact Classroom Interactional Competence (CIC) which is a range of interactional strategies adjusted to the classroom microcontext and which are essential for the correct development of the teaching-learning process. The article presents how teachers can use classroom interaction to guide students in better understanding of subject-specific content, foster the development of students’ communicative competence in a foreign language and the integrated learning of content and language as well as promote a more active students’ participation in content-rich contexts. Last but not the least, the article discusses the role of the teacher in providing emotional support in the classroom and creating a safe environment where students can develop a positive selfimage through their interactions both with the teacher and the peers.