"We have seen that the results of the way in which we have been teaching the English language to date are not the desired ones". David Lasagabaster (Vitoria-Gasteiz, 1967) knows what he is talking about, being a Doctor in English Philology and lecturer at the Department of English and German Languages of the Arts Faculty at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). He has published several works on plurilinguism and plurilingual education, besides having studied experiments abroad. He was also Vice-Rector of International Relations (2005-2009) during the first years of the current UPV/EHU Plurilinguism Plan.
In order to confront this lacuna, over the past decade the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) experiment has been put into practice in a number of schools and other educational centres in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country. It involves, instead of studying the foreign languages themselves and exclusively as a subject, learning a number of common subjects (like History, Geography and Music) through those languages. This is precisely what they do in a number of European countries considered as models in plurilingual matters, such as, for example, the Netherlands or Finland. Mr Lasagabaster emphasised that, in our region, we are "quite green" as regards this methodology, but he is optimistic: "We do not have a great deal of data as yet, but everything points to the same conclusion. From the point of view of learning by the students (jointly as regards languages and content), the experience is much more motivating using this methodology and has quite a positive effect with reference to the linguistic capacity in the foreign language. And, when we talk about foreign languages, we are basically talking about English".
High level of involvement
Not only is linguistic capacity developed but, moreover, it would appear that learning History or Geography through English does not negatively affect the acquisition of the content by the student. This is borne out by data from the Netherlands and Finland, as well as by the first comparative surveys between the new methodology and the common one undertaken in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country (CAV-EAE). As Dr Lasagabaster explained, "with the research carried out to date no difference in students' performance has been observed from one methodology to the other. And in those cases in which some difference could be detected, it was in favour of those educated using CLIL. What is the reason for this? Well, being quite novel experiments, there was a strong commitment from everybody – management, teachers, parents …".
In fact, as regards the teaching staff, Dr Lasagabaster says that their attitude has been "incredibly positive, because they have taken it as a challenge. They have realised that this is the future – we have to be plurilingual. Today Europe has committed to plurilingualism and we cannot just close our eyes and prop up an antiquated model". We cannot cut ourselves off".
While having this positive outlook, Dr Lasagabaster admits that the number of teachers receiving dedicated training today for CLIL is not sufficient if what we want is to generalise this methodology throughout the CAV-EAE: "Historically, foreign languages were not given great important in our region, neither in the Spanish State nor in the Basque Country, and these things cannot be changed from one day to the next". He is, however, optimistic: "Efforts have to be redoubled and, in this sense, we are hardened experts; we have the example of what has been achieved in favour of the Basque language".
5 % in foreign languages at the UPV/EHU
The UPV/EHU has also made its contribution; witness to this is its Plurilinguism Plan, launched in the 2005-06 academic year. "Almost all the faculties are currently offering subjects integrated into the plan. More or less 5 % of credits in total are offered - mostly in English and some French. There are definite steps forward being taken", explained Dr Lasagabaster. The effects of the plan are more visible in those studies and faculties that have historically had a closer relationship with foreign languages, such as the Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences in Sarriko (Bilbao) or the Architecture School in Ibaeta (San Sebastian) and, little by little, it is spreading.
Moreover, as the plan gathers strength, students are expressing greater confidence in it. As the UPV/EHU lecturer states: "Students realise that it is no big thing in the end, that it is something quite viable and achievable and that in this way linguistic capacity is improved while, at the same time, acquiring content knowledge". Suffice to say that the generation currently studying through CLIL and future undergraduates "will not think it at all strange to study through English or French and the UPV/EHU must respond to this need. The UPV/EHU is quite clear that plurilinguism has to be fomented and significant steps have been taken to this end."