Because your classroom is diverse.

One of the biggest challenges of doctoral education is that international students bring a multitude of learning styles, as well as various linguistic and cultural backgrounds - calling for appropriate didactic preparation to teach in multilingual and multicultural learning spaces.

Because your role in education has changed.

The role of the academic teacher has shifted to be even more transformative than ever before, there is now a clear need to provide teachers like you with innovative tools and guidelines. These tools and guidelines enable the design and delivery of quality teaching and learning, supporting internationalisation of higher education, which is defined as :

The intentional process of integrating an international, intercultural or global dimension into the purpose, functions and delivery of post-secondary education, in order to enhance the quality of education and research for all students and staff, and to make a meaningful contribution to society. (de Wit. et al, 2015: 29)

and aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 target 7 (SDG 4.7), which defines quality education as:

Education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship, and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development

Evidence-based scholarship of teaching and learning for the international classroom shows that innovative approaches, centred on student learning, are key to enact quality education as described by SDG 4. The CLIL approach provides you with a solution to support the sustainable education of your students. 

Because language has never been more important.

The diverse nature of a multilingual and multicultural learning spaces complexify teaching and learning for both students and teachers. Variations in English language proficiency represent a major challenge and the differences in cultural backgrounds further complicate the learning environment for both students and teachers. 

In this course, the key task is to give you tools which will strengthen your confidence in teaching through English and enhance your skills to teach effectively in a multilingual and multicultural learning space. This is why we will introduce you to the pedagogical approach known as CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning): “learning content through an additional language, thus teaching the subject alongside the language” (Marsh & Maljers, 1994)​. It is a pedagogical approach that makes you consider the relationship of language and culture with learning, by looking at your intended learning outcomes, your teaching and learning activities and your assessment/feedback practices.

This course will help you achieve these goals in the shortest time possible.