CLIL AND STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION: EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF CLIL IN LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION

This research explores the relationship between CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology and students’ motivation and emotions in lower secondary school (11-13 years old). The aim of the study is to verify whether teaching a non-linguistic discipline in English, such as Geography, promotes motivation towards both the discipline and the foreign language (FL ), or, on the contrary, activates the affective filter, thus limiting learning. The research was conducted during the internship at a lower secondary school in the Veneto region, in Italy. The sample included three classes: a first-year class, a second-year class, and a third-year class of the lower secondary school, in order to observe how and whether motivation changes and how emotions affect students’ learning during CLIL lessons. Data were collected through a student questionnaire and through classroom observations conducted by the researcher. The obtained data were analysed using a mixed-methods approach and interpreted to identify motivation and emotions related to CLIL, with a view to highlight the factors that can contribute to the success or the failure of the approach. The results showed that the CLIL methodology increases students’ motivation towards the English language and, to a lesser extent, towards the non-linguistic subject. Emotions play a fundamental role in this process by supporting learning. However, this methodology can also generate anxiety, insecurity or fear of making mistakes, which can hinder learning. In conclusion, the findings of this study were expected to offer insights into the motivational and emotional dynamics involved during CLIL lessons of lower secondary school. By comparing data, the research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how students’ experiences influence their responses to CLIL.