Just 22% of Flemish schools offer their pupils the opportunity to study one or more of their subjects in a language other than Dutch. The figures come from a new study on language integrated learning by researchers from Brussels’ Dutch-Medium Free University (VUB). Schools with a large number of vulnerable pupils on their books in particular are less inclined to teach subjects in other languages. The researchers say that the reluctance to, for example, teach history in French or geography in English means that youngsters' chances on the labour market are reduced. “Because a knowledge of languages is an important advantage on the labour market”.
Only just over 1 in 5 Flemish schools offer subjects taught in languages other than Dutch
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CLIL or content and language integrated learning is a form of multi-lingual education in which non-language subjects are taught in a language other than the main language of instruction, which in Flanders is Dutch. This means that pupils are, for example taught accountancy in French or geography in English. According to the VUB study, only just over 1 in 5 Flemish schools offer CLIL.
The study also shows that schools with large numbers of pupils from socially disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to offer subjects taught in languages other than Dutch, than schools with pupils that are predominantly from better off backgrounds. VUB’s Professor Jill Surmont told VRT Radio 1’s morning news and current affairs programme ‘De Ochtend’ that it is anyone’s guess why this is the case.
Extra teachers required
Those involved in the study have several theories as to why relatively few schools offer CLIL.
"We think that this is above all because schools are facing a lot of challenges. Additional efforts are required in order to be able to offer CLIL”
This is because in order to allowed to offer classes taught in other languages schools must also provide the same course in taught Dutch. This means that they need more teachers than would otherwise be the case. Given the shortage of teachers that exists in many parts of our region this an obstacle for schools that might otherwise have considered offering CLIL.
A focus on Dutch for vulnerable pupils
There is also a perception that multilingual education can have a negative effect. Critics argue that vulnerable children often have a mother tongue other than Dutch and that it is beneficial for them if the focus is primarily on Dutch. However, the researchers disagree.
“From the results we have obtained from ongoing research in Flanders so far and also internationally, we see that knowledge of the main language of instruction (in this case Dutch) does not suffer at all. In some cases, it even improves” Professor Surmont explains.
"CLIL now appears to be something extra that is given to academically strong pupils, whereas it was intended for everyone”.
"When the EU launched CLIL in the 1990s it was seen as a way of making young people trilingual by the age of 18, it was explicitly not an elitist project. However, the current figures show the quite the opposite is the case today, CLIL is mainly reserved for those who are already doing well at school”.
Labour market
The VUB study suggests that pupils who are already struggling will have fewer opportunities later on if their language skills are below par.
"We know that language skills are a very important factor on the labour market. Moreover, the level of attainment in foreign languages that is expected from pupils in vocational education is very low".
"Of course, it makes sense that they focus on practical subjects, but CLIL offers a very good means for them to acquire language skills. You don't have to compromise on the number of hours teaching practical subjects, but you teach one or more subjects in a different language. It's a win-win situation”, Professor Surmont said.