Which instructional programme (EFL or CLIL) results in better oral communicative competence? Updated empirical evidence from a monolingual context

Abstract

Abstract This cross-sectional study examines the impact of CLIL programmes on Primary and Secondary Education learners’ oral abilities in the monolingual community of Extremadura (Spain). The evolution of the bilingual (CLIL) and non-bilingual (EFL) strands from Primary Education to Compulsory Secondary Education to Baccalaureate is traced through the administration of post- and delayed post-tests. Results indicate that the experimental group (CLIL) obtains better results in both oral abilities than the control group (EFL), with such differences being much more noticeable with time and experience, especially speaking. Contrary to what might be thought, the extramural exposure intensity factor does not operate with the expected impact on CLIL learners’ developing oral competence in terms of statistical significance.