Learning History and English through Drama and the CLIL Approach

• Main Author: Elena del Pozo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centro Universitario Cardenal Cisneros 2016-01-01
• Series: Pulso: Revista de Educación
• Online Access: https://revistas.cardenalcisneros.es/index.php/PULSO/article/view/219

This research investigates if studying historical content through an innovative approach may show better results than traditional methods in terms of learning history. In this case study, the researcher tried to convey the differences in learning about the Industrial Revolution using a traditionally textbook- based methodology versus a Content and Language Integrated Learning (hereafter CLIL) approach that included drama and music. The target students assessed are two Y4 ESO groups of Spanish students in a public bilingual setting who learnt the topic through English language during the first term of the course. The students were assessed using a true/false test to determine the effect ofpre and post implementation tests. All data was collected and analysed following a quantitative methodology. The researcher’s null hypothesis was that there would not be difference between the two methodologies. The results of the study reject the null hypothesis and suggest that, for some topics, teaching history using drama and music could be even more effective than a textbook-based methodology. This study is part of a further research already in progress in this field for a reliable statistical analysis.