Impact of genre-based pedagogy on students’ academic literacy development in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

Abstract

In Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) programmes, students learn content subjects through a second/foreign language, and they encounter difficulties when trying to master the academic language involved. Grounded on systemic functional linguistics, genre-based pedagogy emphasises contextualised language use, thereby serving as a potential pedagogical framework for CLIL teachers to incorporate language scaffolding in content subject lessons. This study aims to investigate how genre-based pedagogy can be implemented to facilitate students’ learning of content knowledge and academic literacy. One Integrated Humanities teacher implemented genre-based pedagogy with her Grade 8 students in an English-medium school in Hong Kong. Comparing the essays before and after the intervention, the students produced better argumentative essays in terms of logical development of ideas and use of academic language, which could be attributed to how the teacher incorporated language scaffolding in the lessons. These findings demonstrate the potential of genre-based pedagogy and illuminate effective CLIL pedagogy.