An Action Research Into Task-based CLIL Applied to Education Majors: From Chinese Students’ Perspective

Abstract

An action research (AR) was implemented to see if the proposed Task-based CLIL model is effective in achieving the dual goals of content and language learning among Chinese education majors. A questionnaire and a focus group interview were conducted to collect data from the students to see how they perceived the model with their own experience of it. According to the collected data, students stated that they had improved themselves in both English proficiency and subject content knowledge in addition to communication skills. They also stated that tasks offered them more language use opportunities to interact with peers discussing the disparities around task processes and outcomes in class. However, some problems were also identified, such as task organization, cultural conflicts and the choice of the right task. Reflecting on these problems, the teacher revised the teaching method, in which tasks are organized around the teacher’s lectures and arranged according to their specific functions. This study can shed light on how CLIL can be successfully implemented in Chinese collegiate settings, which are different from those studies in non-Chinese contexts.