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Introduction
Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is 'a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both content and language' (Coyle, Hood & Marsh, 2010: 1). It represents a model of bilingual education which, broadly speaking, involves some use of two (or more) languages of instruction in connection with teaching courses other than language per se.
According to the latest survey by Eurydice (2012), almost all European Union member countries have implemented some form of CLIL, at primary and general secondary levels, where the learners fit into the definition of 'young learners', viz. those aged below 18 (see Ellis, 2014). English-language research into CLIL for young learners in Europe is burgeoning, as evidenced by two special issues, published respectively in 2007 and 2013, by the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. In contrast, English-language reports on CLIL-related issues in such regions as Latin America (see the biannual online publication Latin American Journal of Content and Language Integrated Learning, founded in 2008) and Asia have only recently started to become accessible (see a special issue of the Asian EFL Journal entitled 'CLIL in Asian Contexts: Emerging Trends', published in December 2013).
Asia has the largest number of English speakers in the world. The sustainability of CLIL in this region, where in most cases English is the 'additional language', may shed light on the development of this potentially 'very effective' ELT approach (Lasagabaster & Sierra, 2010: 374) beyond Europe. In what follows, we examine grassroots support and language policy, two factors impinging upon the implementation of CLIL (cf. Baetens Beardsmore, 2009), in Mainland China and explore issues pertinent to implementing CLIL in this EFL context. While mainly focusing on Mainland China as a case study example, we suggest that analogous processes may be observed in other Asian countries where a foreign language (usually English) serves as an additional language in CLIL.
We focus upon Mainland China for two reasons. Firstly, in connection with the extent of grassroots support for CLIL, two large-scale surveys conducted by the Chinese authorities provide the best available data from government sources, but the relevant empirical evidence from these surveys has not been utilized...