Integrating content and language in teacher development: CLIL for academic vocabulary growth in Algeria Mengintegrasikan konten dan bahasa dalam pengembangan guru: CLIL untuk pengembangan kosakata akademik di Algeria
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Abstract
This study investigates the impact of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) on academic vocabulary development and disciplinary understanding among newly recruited teachers at Batna 2 University, Algeria. Conducted within the framework of the national teacher development program, the research examined how integrating English into the teaching of research methodology could enhance both linguistic competence and conceptual learning. A mixed-methods framework integrated quantitative and qualitative approaches, including an Academic Vocabulary Test, a corpus of participants’ written tasks, and reflective questionnaires. Sixty-eight teachers from twenty-three academic departments participated in eight weeks of CLIL-oriented instruction. Quantitative findings revealed notable improvements in receptive and productive academic vocabulary (t(67) = 14.27, p < .001, d = 1.37), alongside marked increases in lexical diversity, sophistication, and density. Thematic analysis indicated greater lexical awareness, cognitive engagement with research concepts, and positive perceptions of English as a medium for disciplinary learning. The results suggest that CLIL-oriented pedagogy promotes deep processing of academic lexis and supports Algeria’s ongoing transition toward English-medium higher education. Embedding content and language objectives within teacher education programs can therefore strengthen linguistic competence and disciplinary literacy in multilingual academic contexts.
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Tobbi, S. (2026). Integrating content and language in teacher development: CLIL for academic vocabulary growth in Algeria. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Pengajarannya, 9(2), 273-288. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v9i2.1571
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References
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Benadda, A., & Bouguenous, A. (2025). Integrating CLIL into Algerian tertiary education: A dual-focused approach on enhancing teaching methodology and refining translation practices. Journal of Languages & Translation, 5(1), 114–124. https://doi.org/10.70204/jlt.v5i1.287
Borshchovetska, V., Harbuza, T., Durdas, A., Nypadymka, A., Radchenko, Y., & Zatserkovnyi, O. (2024). Enhancing professional vocabulary acquisition through cognitive approaches in CLIL curricula. Ricerche Di Pedagogia E Didattica. Journal of Theories and Research in Education, 19(1), 65–84. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1970-2221/18828
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Cabral, M., Velázquez, A., & Piva, M. F. (2024). The development of vocabulary through a CLIL approach in a literature module in an English language teacher education programme. In Y. Ruiz de Zarobe & D. L. Banegas (Eds.), Content and language integrated learning in South America (Vol. 46, pp. 39–58). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52986-3_3
Castellano-Risco, I., Alejo-González, R., & Piquer-Píriz, A. M. (2020).
The development of receptive vocabulary in CLIL vs EFL: Is the learning context the main variable? System, 91, 102263.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102263
Cardona, M. (2009). L’insegnamento e l’apprendimnto del lessico in ambiente clil. il clil e l’approccio lessicale. alcune riflessioni. 2(4), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.15162/1970-1861/188
Carloni, G. (2012). Online CLIL scaffolding at university level: Building learners’ academic language and content-specific vocabulary across disciplines through online learning. In L. Bradley & S. Thouësny (Eds.), EUROCALL 2012 – Proceedings (pp. 42–48). Research-publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2012.000023
Coxhead, A. (2000). A New Academic Word List. TESOL Quarterly, 34(2), 213–238. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587951
Coyle, D. (2007). Content and language integrated learning: Towards a connected research agenda for CLIL pedagogies. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 10(5), 543–562. https://doi.org/10.2167/beb459.0
Coyle, D., Hood, P., & Marsh, D. (2012). CLIL: Content and language integrated learning. Cambridge University Press.
Craik, F. I. M., & Lockhart, R. S. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 671–684. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(72)80001-X
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. SAGE Publications.
Dafouz, E., & Smit, U. (2016). Towards a dynamic conceptual framework for English-medium education in multilingual university settings. Applied Linguistics, 37(3), 397–415. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amu034
Dalton-Puffer, C. (2011). Content-and-Language Integrated Learning: From Practice to Principles? Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 31, 182-204. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0267190511000092
Dalton-Puffer, C. (2023). Content and language integrated learning: A pedagogical interface revisited. Cambridge University Press.
Doiz, A., Costa, F., Lasagabaster, D., & Mariotti, C. (2019). Linguistic demands and language assistance in EMI courses: What is the stance of Italian and Spanish undergraduates? Lingue e Linguaggi, 33, 69–85. https://doi.org/10.1285/i22390359v33p69
Flowerdew, J. (2023). John Flowerdew’s essential bookshelf: English for research publication purposes (ERPP). Language Teaching, 1–11. https://doi:10.1017/S0261444823000071
Dalton-Puffer, C., Hüttner, J., & Llinares, A. (2022). CLIL in the 21st Century: Retrospective and prospective challenges and opportunities. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 10(2), 182–206. https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.21021.dal
Gierlinger, E. M., & Wagner, T. (2016). The More the Merrier - Revisiting CLIL-Based Vocabulary Growth in Secondary Education. Latin American Journal of Content and Language Integrated Learning, 9(1), 37–63. https://doi.org/10.5294/LACLIL.2016.9.1.3
Hu, H., Said, N., & Hashim, H. (2023). Sustaining content and language integrated learning in China: A systematic review. Sustainability, 15(5), 3894. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053894
Hüttner, J, Llinares, A, & Nikula, T. (2025). Conceptualizing bi- and multilingual disciplinary literacies in CLIL: Insights from a European research network. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1540211. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1540211
Hyland, K., & Tse, P. (2007). Is There an “Academic Vocabulary”? TESOL Quarterly, 41(2), 235–253. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00058.x
Iglesias Diéguez, K., & Martínez-Adrián, M. (2017). The influence of CLIL on receptive vocabulary: a preliminary study. Journal of English Studies, 15, 107–134. https://doi.org/10.18172/jes.3210
Kyle, K., & Crossley, S. A. (2015). Automatically assessing lexical sophistication: Indices, tools, findings, and application. TESOL Quarterly, 49(4), 757–786. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.194
Ladjel, K., & Hanifi, A. (2025). Assessing Content and Language Integrated Learning in Algerian higher education. Journal of Languages & Translation, 5(1), 125–136.
Laufer, B., & Hulstijn, J. (2001). Incidental vocabulary acquisition in a second language: The construct of task-induced involvement. Applied Linguistics, 22(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/22.1.1
Laili, T. S., & Mulyati, Y. (2024). Pembelajaran integratif dalam pendidikan bahasa Indonesia: sebuah tinjauan literatur sistematis. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Pengajarannya, 7(4), 603-612. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v7i4.1012
Laufer, B., & Nation, P. (1995). Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production. Applied Linguistics, 16(3), 307–322. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/16.3.307
Li, Q. (2024). Cognitive Linguistics and Vocabulary Acquisition: Enhancing English Learners’ Mental Lexicon. Education Insights., 1(2), 55–63. https://doi.org/10.70088/9qmx7977
Makhlouf, K. (2023). Breaking down barriers: Paving the way for the implementation of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in Algerian higher education institutions. ALTRALANG Journal, 5(3), 319–331.
Melouah, A. (2023). Implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in Teaching English to Technical Students in Algerian higher education. International Journal of Education and Language Studies, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.47832/2791-9323.4-4.3
Morton, T. (2018). Reconceptualizing and describing teachers’ knowledge of language for content and language integrated learning (CLIL). International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 21, 275-286. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2017.1383352
Muzaki, H., Susanto, G., Andajani, K., Widyartono, D., Akhsani, I., & Moorthy, T. K. (2025). Pengembangan media pembelajaran virtual reality (VR) untuk mengenalkan budaya lokal Malang ke pembelajar BIPA. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya, 8(4), 955–968. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v8i4.1324
Nijhawan, S. (2022). Multilingual content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in the social sciences. Ibidem Verlag. https://doi.org/10.24216/9783838217154
Safitri, N., Silawati, A. M. N., Nurjannah, N., & Nuru, S. (2024). Teaching Vocabulary under CLIL Approach in Indonesian Primary Schools: A Literature Review. Journal of Innovation in Educational Research, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.62462/edelweiss.v2i2.19
Sarani, A., & Sahebi, L. F. (2012). The Impact of Task-based Approach on Vocabulary Learning in ESP Courses. English Language Teaching, 5(10), 118–128. https://doi.org/10.5539/ELT.V5N10P118
Schmitt, N., Schmitt, D., & Clapham, C. (2001). Developing and exploring the behaviour of two new versions of the Vocabulary Levels Test. Language Testing, 18(1), 55–88. https://doi.org/10.1177/026553220101800103
Seregély, E. M. (2008). A comparison of lexical learning in CLIL and traditional EFL classrooms [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University of Vienna. https://doi.org/10.25365/thesis.2057
Shykun, A. (2023). Content and language integrated learning: enhancing language acquisition and content understanding. International Science Journal of Education & Linguistics, 2(4), 39–44. https://doi.org/10.46299/j.isjel.20230204.05
Suherman, L. A., Hamka, N., & Akfan, S. S. (2024). Perceiving Duolingo beyond the classroom: Insights from non-English major students in higher education. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya, 7(4), 715–724. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v7i4.1069
Tobbi, S. (2025). Impact of English-medium instruction on Algerian university teachers’ professional identity. Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 13(1), 361–376. https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP250325028T
Vraciu, A., & Marsol, A. (2023). Content-specific vocabulary in CLIL: Exploring L2 learning outcomes in a primary education programme in Catalonia. Language Teaching Research, 30(3), 1082-1100. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688231170073
Yongli, Q. (2024). CLIL research over the past three decades: A bibliometric analysis. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 43(1), 14–29. https://doi.org/10.2989/16073614.2024.2351888
Benadda, A., & Bouguenous, A. (2025). Integrating CLIL into Algerian tertiary education: A dual-focused approach on enhancing teaching methodology and refining translation practices. Journal of Languages & Translation, 5(1), 114–124. https://doi.org/10.70204/jlt.v5i1.287
Borshchovetska, V., Harbuza, T., Durdas, A., Nypadymka, A., Radchenko, Y., & Zatserkovnyi, O. (2024). Enhancing professional vocabulary acquisition through cognitive approaches in CLIL curricula. Ricerche Di Pedagogia E Didattica. Journal of Theories and Research in Education, 19(1), 65–84. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.1970-2221/18828
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Cabral, M., Velázquez, A., & Piva, M. F. (2024). The development of vocabulary through a CLIL approach in a literature module in an English language teacher education programme. In Y. Ruiz de Zarobe & D. L. Banegas (Eds.), Content and language integrated learning in South America (Vol. 46, pp. 39–58). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52986-3_3
Castellano-Risco, I., Alejo-González, R., & Piquer-Píriz, A. M. (2020).
The development of receptive vocabulary in CLIL vs EFL: Is the learning context the main variable? System, 91, 102263.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2020.102263
Cardona, M. (2009). L’insegnamento e l’apprendimnto del lessico in ambiente clil. il clil e l’approccio lessicale. alcune riflessioni. 2(4), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.15162/1970-1861/188
Carloni, G. (2012). Online CLIL scaffolding at university level: Building learners’ academic language and content-specific vocabulary across disciplines through online learning. In L. Bradley & S. Thouësny (Eds.), EUROCALL 2012 – Proceedings (pp. 42–48). Research-publishing.net. https://doi.org/10.14705/rpnet.2012.000023
Coxhead, A. (2000). A New Academic Word List. TESOL Quarterly, 34(2), 213–238. https://doi.org/10.2307/3587951
Coyle, D. (2007). Content and language integrated learning: Towards a connected research agenda for CLIL pedagogies. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 10(5), 543–562. https://doi.org/10.2167/beb459.0
Coyle, D., Hood, P., & Marsh, D. (2012). CLIL: Content and language integrated learning. Cambridge University Press.
Craik, F. I. M., & Lockhart, R. S. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 671–684. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5371(72)80001-X
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. SAGE Publications.
Dafouz, E., & Smit, U. (2016). Towards a dynamic conceptual framework for English-medium education in multilingual university settings. Applied Linguistics, 37(3), 397–415. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amu034
Dalton-Puffer, C. (2011). Content-and-Language Integrated Learning: From Practice to Principles? Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 31, 182-204. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0267190511000092
Dalton-Puffer, C. (2023). Content and language integrated learning: A pedagogical interface revisited. Cambridge University Press.
Doiz, A., Costa, F., Lasagabaster, D., & Mariotti, C. (2019). Linguistic demands and language assistance in EMI courses: What is the stance of Italian and Spanish undergraduates? Lingue e Linguaggi, 33, 69–85. https://doi.org/10.1285/i22390359v33p69
Flowerdew, J. (2023). John Flowerdew’s essential bookshelf: English for research publication purposes (ERPP). Language Teaching, 1–11. https://doi:10.1017/S0261444823000071
Dalton-Puffer, C., Hüttner, J., & Llinares, A. (2022). CLIL in the 21st Century: Retrospective and prospective challenges and opportunities. Journal of Immersion and Content-Based Language Education, 10(2), 182–206. https://doi.org/10.1075/jicb.21021.dal
Gierlinger, E. M., & Wagner, T. (2016). The More the Merrier - Revisiting CLIL-Based Vocabulary Growth in Secondary Education. Latin American Journal of Content and Language Integrated Learning, 9(1), 37–63. https://doi.org/10.5294/LACLIL.2016.9.1.3
Hu, H., Said, N., & Hashim, H. (2023). Sustaining content and language integrated learning in China: A systematic review. Sustainability, 15(5), 3894. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053894
Hüttner, J, Llinares, A, & Nikula, T. (2025). Conceptualizing bi- and multilingual disciplinary literacies in CLIL: Insights from a European research network. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1540211. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1540211
Hyland, K., & Tse, P. (2007). Is There an “Academic Vocabulary”? TESOL Quarterly, 41(2), 235–253. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00058.x
Iglesias Diéguez, K., & Martínez-Adrián, M. (2017). The influence of CLIL on receptive vocabulary: a preliminary study. Journal of English Studies, 15, 107–134. https://doi.org/10.18172/jes.3210
Kyle, K., & Crossley, S. A. (2015). Automatically assessing lexical sophistication: Indices, tools, findings, and application. TESOL Quarterly, 49(4), 757–786. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.194
Ladjel, K., & Hanifi, A. (2025). Assessing Content and Language Integrated Learning in Algerian higher education. Journal of Languages & Translation, 5(1), 125–136.
Laufer, B., & Hulstijn, J. (2001). Incidental vocabulary acquisition in a second language: The construct of task-induced involvement. Applied Linguistics, 22(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/22.1.1
Laili, T. S., & Mulyati, Y. (2024). Pembelajaran integratif dalam pendidikan bahasa Indonesia: sebuah tinjauan literatur sistematis. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Pengajarannya, 7(4), 603-612. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v7i4.1012
Laufer, B., & Nation, P. (1995). Vocabulary size and use: Lexical richness in L2 written production. Applied Linguistics, 16(3), 307–322. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/16.3.307
Li, Q. (2024). Cognitive Linguistics and Vocabulary Acquisition: Enhancing English Learners’ Mental Lexicon. Education Insights., 1(2), 55–63. https://doi.org/10.70088/9qmx7977
Makhlouf, K. (2023). Breaking down barriers: Paving the way for the implementation of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in Algerian higher education institutions. ALTRALANG Journal, 5(3), 319–331.
Melouah, A. (2023). Implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in Teaching English to Technical Students in Algerian higher education. International Journal of Education and Language Studies, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.47832/2791-9323.4-4.3
Morton, T. (2018). Reconceptualizing and describing teachers’ knowledge of language for content and language integrated learning (CLIL). International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 21, 275-286. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2017.1383352
Muzaki, H., Susanto, G., Andajani, K., Widyartono, D., Akhsani, I., & Moorthy, T. K. (2025). Pengembangan media pembelajaran virtual reality (VR) untuk mengenalkan budaya lokal Malang ke pembelajar BIPA. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya, 8(4), 955–968. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v8i4.1324
Nijhawan, S. (2022). Multilingual content and language integrated learning (CLIL) in the social sciences. Ibidem Verlag. https://doi.org/10.24216/9783838217154
Safitri, N., Silawati, A. M. N., Nurjannah, N., & Nuru, S. (2024). Teaching Vocabulary under CLIL Approach in Indonesian Primary Schools: A Literature Review. Journal of Innovation in Educational Research, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.62462/edelweiss.v2i2.19
Sarani, A., & Sahebi, L. F. (2012). The Impact of Task-based Approach on Vocabulary Learning in ESP Courses. English Language Teaching, 5(10), 118–128. https://doi.org/10.5539/ELT.V5N10P118
Schmitt, N., Schmitt, D., & Clapham, C. (2001). Developing and exploring the behaviour of two new versions of the Vocabulary Levels Test. Language Testing, 18(1), 55–88. https://doi.org/10.1177/026553220101800103
Seregély, E. M. (2008). A comparison of lexical learning in CLIL and traditional EFL classrooms [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University of Vienna. https://doi.org/10.25365/thesis.2057
Shykun, A. (2023). Content and language integrated learning: enhancing language acquisition and content understanding. International Science Journal of Education & Linguistics, 2(4), 39–44. https://doi.org/10.46299/j.isjel.20230204.05
Suherman, L. A., Hamka, N., & Akfan, S. S. (2024). Perceiving Duolingo beyond the classroom: Insights from non-English major students in higher education. Diglosia: Jurnal Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, dan Pengajarannya, 7(4), 715–724. https://doi.org/10.30872/diglosia.v7i4.1069
Tobbi, S. (2025). Impact of English-medium instruction on Algerian university teachers’ professional identity. Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 13(1), 361–376. https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP250325028T
Vraciu, A., & Marsol, A. (2023). Content-specific vocabulary in CLIL: Exploring L2 learning outcomes in a primary education programme in Catalonia. Language Teaching Research, 30(3), 1082-1100. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688231170073
Yongli, Q. (2024). CLIL research over the past three decades: A bibliometric analysis. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 43(1), 14–29. https://doi.org/10.2989/16073614.2024.2351888