Using Authentic Locally Based Projects to Foster Active Citizenship While Developing Content Knowledge and Language Proficiency in the CLIL Classroom

This chapter explores how using authentic localised topics in a CLIL course promotes active citizenship while developing content knowledge, language proficiency, and academic skills. This qualitative study was conducted at a university in Colombia with 93 participants from an International Relations English programme. The data was collected from student reflections across four academic periods and was analysed using qualitative content analysis. The results show students have deepened their knowledge of the content themes, expanded their language proficiency, and enhanced their academic competences. Data also indicates that the participants demonstrate characteristics of active citizenship such as using their voice to draw attention to injustice and expressing a desire to contribute to change. This project shows how authentic local issues can be used in CLIL classrooms to not only boost content knowledge and language proficiency but also challenge students to assess their role in the world as potential agents of change.