Faster and Further Morphosyntactic Development of CLIL vs. EFL Basque-Spanish Bilinguals Learning English in High-School

Authors

  • Amparo Lázaro Public University of Navarre
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/ijes.12.1.125621
Keywords: morphosyntactic development, CLIL, EFL, school context

Abstract

A general advantage in proficiency has been repeatedly reported for learners receiving Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) when compared to learners who only receive English lessons. However, fine-grained studies addressing the aspects which make up this general advantage are still scarce. Within this context, this paper concentrates on the morphosyntactic development of two groups of (Basque-Spanish) adolescents learning English in high-school over a two-year period. One group (n= 15) received CLIL instruction and English classes while the other group (n=11) only received English classes. The results indicate a clear advantage for the CLIL group, which seems to be at a further developmental stage. Nonetheless, both groups improve over the two years and, unlike previous claims in schools, no signs of fossilization are found although inaccuracies in inflection still exist. In light of these results, the value of increasing exposure in the form of CLIL lessons in high-school is discussed.

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Author Biography

Amparo Lázaro, Public University of Navarre

Amparo Lázaro Ibarrola received her Ph.D. in English Philology in 2002 with a dissertation framed within generative theory on the acquisition of EFL syntax by bilingual speakers of Spanish and Basque. At present she is Associate Professor at the Public University of Navarra (Spain) in the Department of Philology and Education, where she teaches in the EFL Teacher Training Programme. She is specialized in the field of Applied Linguistics and Education and her research focuses on the processes of second language learning (English). In her research, she makes an effort to connect theoretically grounded studies to teaching practices and pedagogical implications.
Published
15-05-2012
How to Cite
Lázaro, A. (2012). Faster and Further Morphosyntactic Development of CLIL vs. EFL Basque-Spanish Bilinguals Learning English in High-School. International Journal of English Studies, 12(1), 79–96. https://doi.org/10.6018/ijes.12.1.125621
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Articles