Integrated Foreign Language and Content Learning (CLIL) has increased in recent decades in schools around the world. The methodology is based on the learning foreign languages through the teaching of common subjects.

This tool has been reviewed in the study conducted by Soto-Corominas, Roquet and Segura of the Department of Applied Linguistics at our University titled “The effects of CLIL and sources of individual differences on receptive and productive EFL skills at the onset of primary school.”

The study reveals that CLIL implementation in primary education has limitations and overlooks other sources of individual differences. In the study, Roquet examines the effects of the CLIL approach on English learning, as well as the effects of extracurricular exposure to language through the media and other sources of individual differences.

In turn, it shows us that the CLIL approach was not associated with additional advantages for students who followed the approach. However, specific characteristics of the participants’ linguistic and family environment predicted further improvements during the academic year. Students who participated in additional extracurricular activities in English and those with mothers with higher education levels achieved better results by the end of first grade.

The first quartile article, published in the Oxford Academic journal Applied Linguistics, was conducted with 176 first grade elementary students from 14 different schools.