The Construction of Cosmopolitan Glocalities in Secondary Classrooms through Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in the Social Sciences

Abstract

Our article argues for content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in the social sciences, as part of a new literacy towards 21^st century challenges at school. At first, we will show how multilingualism is closely juxtaposed with global discourses in a worldwide network of glocalities. Thereafter, for the conceptual framework of the suggested pedagogy, we explain why cosmopolitanism must constitute an integral part thereof, accompanying the genesis of classroom glocalities. The heart of our competence model for CLIL in the social sciences fosters the promotion of global discourse competence with adolescent students. In short, this learning aim is a hybrid of subject and language learning, incorporating the merits of language didactics as well as “21^st century skills”. Finally, in the last step, we will present #climonomics, a simulation of a multilingual EU parliamentary debate about climate change and climate action for secondary students. This example intends to demonstrate how multilingualism through CLIL amplifies the magnitude of global discourses during a simulation yet realistic setting. It should provide ‘food for thought’ for similar initiatives in research and teaching, to encourage the facilitation of cosmopolitan visions in classroom glocalities.