Conceptualizing CLIL for Chinese Higher Education: An Interdisciplinary English Teaching Approach

Abstract

Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has gained global prominence as a dual-focused pedagogical approach that teaches subject content through an additional language. However, in Chinese higher education, CLIL remains relatively nascent and conceptually underdeveloped despite growing interest. This study addresses this gap by proposing a CLIL approach tailored to Chinese universities, emphasizing interdisciplinary integration of subject content and English language learning. Drawing on a comprehensive review of CLIL literature and Chinese educational practices, this study develops a conceptual framework for implementing CLIL in tertiary English education. The proposed framework outlines key components for effective integration: dual-focused learning objectives (disciplinary knowledge and language proficiency), collaboration between language and content instructors, and pedagogical strategies for content-rich language use. This interdisciplinary model demonstrates how aligning English teaching with diverse academic content can simultaneously enhance students’ language skills and subject understanding. The study concludes that this context-sensitive CLIL framework can enrich curriculum design and teaching practices in Chinese higher education. It offers practical implications for educators and policymakers, suggesting that integrating content and language instruction can improve learning outcomes and better prepare students for an interdisciplinary, global academic environment.

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