OUR WORLD: ENGLISH AND CITIZENSHIP, A CLIL APPROACH

Abstract

The project “Our World: English and Citizenship, a CLIL approach” was developed within the scope of the master's degree in English Teaching for the 1st Cycle of Basic Education at the University of Minho. It had the following objectives: 1 - To understand and analyze children's attitudes and preferences in the subjects of English and Environmental Studies. 2 - To encourage children's participation and learning in the subjects of English, Environmental Studies, and Citizenship through CLIL activities. 3 - To foster autonomy and learning skills. 4 - To evaluate the impact of learning Environmental Studies content through the English language, as well as citizenship values. It was implemented in the 1st Cycle of Basic Education, in a school in the municipality of Barcelos, and developed in four stages: 1) context analysis, which involved collecting data about the school, the class, and the students' perceptions; 2) development of materials, according to the students' preferences; 3) implementation of self-regulation activities; and finally, analysis of the students' results. It is concluded that a CLIL approach, enriched with moments of collaborative work, self-regulation, and themes that promote both children's interest and citizenship, within the framework of an action-research methodology, promotes relevant learning that stimulates children's confidence, motivation, interest, and success in the subject.