Considering the growing interest of researchers and teaching practitioners in content- and language-integrated learning (CLIL) as an effective educational formula both to facilitate second or foreign language (L2) learning and to teach subject areas, this book is a timely publication. Heine discusses various important cognitive issues in relation to conceptual and linguistic processes involved in CLIL. In particular, the book, which is based on Heine’s dissertation, focuses on how cognitive processes in conceptualizing and formulating content-specific information can be affected by the use of L2 in problem-solving activities. Rather than L2 learning per se, as in the predominant language-focused research conducted in this learning context, content learning in a L2-dominated environment and corresponding cognitive processes are at the center of the discussion in this book. On the basis of theoretical perspectives and explanations as well as previous relevant research on language and thought, problem solving, constructivist and sociocognitive conceptualizations, and cognitive models of language-specific processes, Heine proposes a cognitive model of conceptual-linguistic task solving, according to which content-specific conceptual processes and activities can be separated from linguistic-rhetorical ones. The proposed model provides a theoretical construct that enabled the author to investigate the extent to which L2 use in a CLIL setting influenced content-specific cognitive processes.

In Heine’s research, two groups of grade 10 learners carried out a set of six problem-solving tasks that specifically dealt with the tropical rain forest (geography). One group (n = 13) performed the geography tasks in their L2 English (CLIL group), and the other group (n = 7) performed the same tasks in their L1 German (comparison group); two versions of task materials (English and German) were developed and supplied to the learners depending on their group affiliation. To gain access to learners’ cognitive processes, the participating learners were instructed to think aloud while performing the tasks. The CLIL group that performed the tasks in English was also encouraged to think aloud in their L2 English, and the L1 group that carried out the same tasks in German thought aloud in their L1 German. Data were also collected from (a) a follow-up interview with each learner and (b) each learner’s written performance. Findings suggest that learners are likely to engage in a deeper semantic processing (in content learning) more often when L2 is used as a working language than when L1 is used, and that although learners likely experience difficulties decoding information from L2 texts, they tend to utilize compensating strategies such as using contextual clues. Heine concludes that L2-caused linguistic difficulties in CLIL settings likely facilitate content learning by enhancing a deeper semantic processing, and thus L2 use in meaning-focused problem-solving tasks is a useful approach even to content learning.

This book provides brief but useful information on several theoretical explanations with regard to cognitive and linguistic processing models as well as detailed accounts as to the use of research methods such as problem-solving tasks and think-alouds (including the issue of reactivity). Nevertheless, Heine’s research is subject to methodological limitations. First and foremost, the L2 performance data were collected from only 13 CLIL learners, which renders the generalizability of the interpretations questionable. Additionally, potential factors such as their previous content knowledge, L2 proficiency, and cognitive processing capacities were not controlled for; no specific measures were employed to ascertain the homogeneity of the CLIL learners in these respects. Last but not least, going through a deeper semantic processing is, of course, not isomorphic with learning, and thus, more objective and systematic outcome measures—in addition to the rather subjective and interpretive measures used in the study—would have provided more reliable results with regard to the role that L2 use plays in content-specific learning. In sum, although Heine’s dissertation study is an interesting and worthwhile attempt to investigate the benefits of CLIL in terms of content learning, the methodological issues must be kept in mind. Nonetheless, this book clearly offers new insights into the CLIL approach, which may contribute to expanding our research and teaching paradigms in CLIL settings and other immersion programs.