The added value of teaching CLIL for ESP and subject teachers

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is an innovative learning environment that deals with the teaching of a subject through a language different from the students’ first language. The integration of content and language requires skilled personnel who are both competent in the subject and in the language of instruction. However, those competences might not be the only ones that are required. The present study aims to describe a CLIL teacher training course that has been implemented twice at the University of Napoli “L’Orientale” proving to be adequate for the secondary school subject teacher. It focuses on the acquisition of “language awareness” which is the added value required from a CLIL teacher. Being aware of the function that language plays in learning/teaching school subjects becomes a crucial element in the set of necessary teaching competences, not only in CLIL learning contexts but also in ordinary subject teaching environments.