DOI 10.1515/applirev-2013-0014 Applied Linguistics Review 2013; 4(2): 317 – 342 Amos Paran Content and Language Integrated Learning: Panacea or Policy Borrowing Myth? Abstract: This paper examines the spread of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) through a number of lenses. It argues that the supporters and promoters of CLIL position it as a near-panacea and attribute to it a large number of benefts, not all of which are supported by research. Looking at the issues aris- ing from recent attempts to defne CLIL, the paper proposes a distinction between weak and strong CLIL. The paper points to the lacunae in the research into CLIL, and suggests that these gaps are the result of educational policies that privilege a second language over other curricular subjects. Looking at the contexts where CLIL seems to succeed, as well as places where such teaching has been acknowl- edged to fail, it emerges that success is ofen connected to a high level of student selection on a number of criteria, as well as a high level of investment in teachers and teaching, and that CLIL ofen privileges those students who are already high achievers both in language and content. The paper then looks at the way in which the spread of CLIL policies can be understood through theories of policy borrow- ing and educational transfer. Keywords: CLIL, Bilingual Education, Policy Borrowing, Educational Transfer, Language Education Amos Paran: Institute of Education University of London. E-mail: a.paran@ioe.ac.uk 1 Introduction Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is a growing trend in foreign language education which in the last 20 years has been slowly but steadily gain- ing ground as well as local political support (e.g. in Finland, Nikula 2007) and support from the European Commision (Jäppinen 2005). There has also been an upsurge in CLIL materials over the past 5–10 years, manifest in the existence of coursebooks, teachers’ handbooks, and websites dedicated to CLIL materials, as well as teacher training qualifcations (e.g. Cambridge ESOL: TKT CLIL) and teacher training materials geared towards it (e.g. Bentley 2010). In some cases, authors (or their publishers) add the label ‘CLIL’ to the book cover (e.g. Cleary 2008) or add CLIL sections to the book (e.g. Hill and Rouse 2012). CLIL has been Brought to you by | National Chung Hsing University Authenticated | 140.120.135.222 Download Date | 3/27/14 12:42 PM