Students\u27 perspectives on required English courses taught via a communicative approach and a CLIL approach

This paper looks at two required English courses at the University of Shimane: Freshman English Communication and Sophomore English Communication. It compares students\u27 perceptions of two courses, the first taught in 2015 and designed according to a Communicative Approach, and the second, taught in 2016, designed according to a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach. The paper begins by comparing the two approaches, then describes the differences between the two courses, and analyzes students\u27 responses to the courses. It was found that students on the CLIL course learned content in addition to English communication skills; emphasized more higher order thinking skills(HOTS): used various methods of communication to connect with classmates; and many students gained confidence in speaking English. Finally, implications for language courses at the tertiary level are discussed, with the recommendation that more content be included in required courses for higher proficiency students. In conclusion, this study shows that a CLIL approach at the University of Shimane can combine skill-getting with knowledge-getting, allowing students to enjoy learning appropriate new content while still developing their language skills