CLIL, Cooperative Learning and Theatre as Active methodologies in learning language

Abstract

This paper presents the study and research hypothesis about relations between some active methodologies and teaching languages. Today multicultural society and the push towards the mobility of students – and more generally of the working population – as a strategy for a more complete European integration, require a greater fluency at least in another language than the native one. Similarly, if the linguistic and cultural diversity of the European
Union is a great resource, it becomes a challenge among challenges, which necessarily involves teaching language L2 starting from childhood. The theories about learning languages stress the fact that they are always learned inside of a given context, which profoundly affects the learner. Implementing contexts based on Cooperative Learning and on CLIL, Content and Language Integrated Learning, becomes therefore a perspective that seeks to respond to the demands of innovation and training to agentivity. It also means re-defining the
role of teachers in conducting classes. CLIL is characterized by the use of the vehicular language in teaching and it has got its own physiognomy and its approach aims to stimulate learning language through activities that orient the interest in learning the content of a nonlanguage subject based on cooperative learning. Using a Theatre setting (drama and theatre) as an alternative, holistic learning environment, means achieving the best conditions of a communicative and innovative way of teaching.