UAM-CLIL research group

Thomas Somers

Pre-doctoral researcher

Department of English Studies
Faculty of Philosophy and Arts
Universidad Autónoma de Madrid

thomas.somers@uam.es

Books

Journal articles

  • Somers, T. & Llinares, A. (2018). Students’ motivation for Content and Language Integrated Learning and the role of programme intensity. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
  • Somers, T. (2018). Multilingualism for Europeans, monolingualism for immigrants? Towards policy-based inclusion of immigrant minority language students in Content and Language Integrated Learning. European Journal of Language Policy 10, 2.
  • Somers, T. (2017). Content and Language Integrated Learning and the inclusion of immigrant minority language students: A research review. Special issue of The International Review of Education 63, 495-520.
  • Struys, E., Consuegra, E., Somers, T., Surmont, J. & van den Noort, M. (2016). CLIL in het hoger onderwijs: van taaltests naar geïntegreerd taal- en vakleren. [CLIL in higher education: towards integrated content and language learning.] Pedagogische Studiën 93, 259-268.
  • Surmont, J., E. Struys, T. Somers (2015). Creating a framework for a large-scale implementation of Content and Language Integrated Learning: The first steps. European Journal of Language Policy 7, 1, 29-41.
  • Somers, T. & Surmont, J. (2012). CLIL and immersion: how clear-cut are they? ELT Journal 66, 1, 113 – 116.
Book chapters

  • Somers, T., De Mesmaeker, E., Lochtman, K. & Van de Craen, P. (2014). Multilingualism as a resource for learning and teaching. In: Morys, N., C. Kirsch, I. de Saint-Georges & G. Gretsch (eds.), Lernen und Lehren in multilingualen Kontexten: Zum Umgang mit sprachlich-kultureller Diversität im Klassenraum / Teaching and learning in multilingual contexts: Dealing with Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in the Classroom. (“Sprache, Mehrsprachigkeit und sozialer Wandel” Series). Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. pp. 85-100.
  • Surmont, J., Van de Craen, P., Struys, E. & Somers, T. (2014). Evaluating a CLIL students: Where to find the CLIL advantage. In: Breeze, R., C. Llamas Saíz, C. Martínez Pasamar & C. Taberno Sala (eds.), Integration of theory and practice in CLIL. Amsterdam – New York: Rodopi. pp. 55-72.
Conference papers

  • Somers, T. (2018). ‘Content and Language Integrated Learning. A new direction for the present and future of Welsh language teaching?’ The Welsh Language in English-medium Education Symposium. Gregynog Hall, Newtown, Wales, UK. 29.06.2018. [invited keynote speaker]
  • Somers, T. (2018). ‘The sign’s the thing wherein to catch our grasp of anything: Towards a unified theory of content and language integration’. III Jornadas UAM-SCIC de Jóvenes Investigadores en Filosofía y Ciencias del Lenguaje. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 31.05.2018.
  • Somers, T. (2018). ‘Integrating approaches/methods in content and language integration’. AESLA 2018. Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain. 21.04.2018.
  • Somers, T. (2017). ‘Ecological validity in researching CLIL classroom discourse and language learning’. UPCEL II. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 22.09.2017.
  • Somers, T. & Llinares, A. (2017). ‘CLIL students’ motivation towards learning academic subjects in English’. 18th AILA World Congress of Applied Linguistics. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 23-28.07.2017.
  • Somers, T. (2017). ‘CLIL and SLA: strange bedfellows’. II Jornadas UAM-CSIC de Jóvenes Investigadores en Filosofía y Ciencias del Lenguaje. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 02.06.2017.
  • Somers, T. (2017). ‘Student voices in CLIL: a study of imagined identities in the transition from primary to secondary education’. XXXV Congreso Internacional AESLA. Universidad de Jaén, Jaén, Spain. 04.05.2017. (with Elisa Hidalgo).
  • Somers, T. (2016). ‘Reconceptualizing the structures underlying academic language learning in CLIL classrooms. Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. 21.10.2016.
  • Somers, T. (2016). ‘The development of academic language proficiency in the CLIL classroom.’ International Conference on Bilingualism in Education. Bangor University, Bangor, UK. 10.06.2016.
  • Somers, T. (2016). ‘Do immigrant minority students succeed in CLIL? A research overview.’ International Conference on Bilingualism in Education. Bangor University, Bangor, UK. 11.06.2016.
  • Somers, T., Fernández, M., Hidalgo, E., Llinares, A. (2016). ‘Streaming into low-and high-immersion tracks in bilingual secondary schools in Madrid: students’ perspectives.’ International Conference on Bilingualism in Education. Bangor University, Bangor, UK. 12.06.2016.
  • Somers, T. & Llinares, A. (2014). ‘The transition from primary to secondary in bilingual education: students’ motivation towards learning subjects through English.’ XXXIV Congreso Internacional AESLA. Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain. 15.04.2016.
  • Somers, T. (2015). ‘Developing Academic Language Proficiency in the CLIL Classroom – a Usage-Based Perspective.’ XXXIII Congreso Internacional AESLA. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 17.04.2015.
  • Somers, T. (2015). ‘Immigrant minority students’ success in CLIL: pedagogical and policy perspectives.’ INCLUDE International Conference “Addressing Social Inclusion through Language Learning”. INCLUDE Network, Pamplona. 22.01.2015.
  • Somers, T. (2014). ‘The culture of discourse in CLIL classrooms.’ International Conference on Sociocultural Competence & Language Learning In Multilingual Settings. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. 18-19.09.2014.
  • Somers, T., Llinares, A. & Morton, T. (2014). ‘The development of academic language proficiency in the CLIL classroom.’ Sociolinguistics Symposium 20. University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland. 17.06.2014.
  • Somers, T. (2014). ‘A content approach to CLIL.’ AILA CLIL ReN Symposium. “Beyond CLIL: The impact of CLIL on non-CLIL teaching and learning”. Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla. 05.04.2014.
  • Somers, T. & Evnitskaya, N. (2014). ‘CLIL opens doors, but who opens the doors to CLIL?’ XXXII Congreso Internacional AESLA ‐ Lingüística aplicada: Industrias de la lengua y cambio social. Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla. 03.04.2014.
  • Somers, T. (2013). ‘Perspectives on multilingualism and education among parents from different language backgrounds in Brussels: transcending the language conflict.’ Políticas Lingüísticas en democracias multilingües: ¿es evitable el conflicto? Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla. 13.12.2013.
  • Somers, T. (2013). ‘Dealing with New Multilingualism in CLIL: Immigrant Minority Students in Majority Multilingual Education.’ Applied Linguistics Perspectives on Content and Language Integrated Learning (ALP-CLIL). Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid. 06.06.2013.
  • Somers, T., Struys, E., Surmont, J. & Van De Craen, P. (2013). ‘CLIL as a pathway to additive language learning across language backgrounds.’ CLIL2013 – Modernizing Educational Practice. Perspectives in Content and Language Integrated Learning. University of Silesia, Ustron (Poland). 04.04.2013.
  • Somers, T., Struys, E., Surmont, J. & Van De Craen, P. (2013). ‘Attitudes towards multilingualism and multilingual education among parents from different language backgrounds in Brussels.’ International Conference on Urban Multilingualism & Education. Ghent University, Ghent. 08.03.2013.
  • Surmont Jill, Somers, T., Struys, E. & Van De Craen, P. (2013). ‘CLIL: Where language learning and mathematics come together.’ International Conference on Urban Multilingualism & Education. Ghent University, Ghent. 08.03.2013.
  • Struys Esli, Somers, T., Surmont, J. & Van De Craen, P. (2013). ‘Multilingual children’s brains process cognitive conflict differently than monolinguals: an fMRI study.’ International Conference on Urban Multilingualism & Education. Ghent University, Ghent. 08.03.2013.
  • Veron Kristiaan, Somers, T., Struys, E., Surmont, J. & Van De Craen, P. (2013). ‘Learning to write in CLIL-education: which language should come first?’ International Conference on Urban Multilingualism & Education. Ghent University, Ghent. 08.03.2013.
  • Van De Craen Pierre, Somers, T., Struys, E., Surmont, J. & Kristiaan, V. (2013). ‘Language and Content Integrated Learning, educational change and learning.’ International Conference on Urban Multilingualism & Education. Ghent University, Ghent, 08.03.2013.
  • Somers, T., Van Biesen, L., Struys, E. & Mohades, G. (2012). ‘A neural basis for the effect of bilingual language control on cognitive control.’ International Conference of Experimental Linguistics ExLing 2012. University of Athens, Athene. 29.08.2012.
  • Somers, T., De Mesmaecker, E., Lochtman, K., Van de Craen, P. ‘Valorizing language learning opportunities through heterogeneity.’ Multilingualism – chance and challenge. Fourth international conference on challenges and opportunities of multilingualism in the fields of school and teacher training. University of Luxembourg, Luxemburg. 21.06.2012.
  • Struys, E., Mohades, G. & Somers, T. (2012). ‘Reassessing the role of sociolinguistic variables in neuroimaging studies of multilingualism.’ Sociolinguistics Symposium 19. Freie Universität Berlin, Berlijn. 21-24.08.2012.
  • Somers, T., Magis, E. & Van de Craen, P. ‘Brussels: a portrait of the multilingual capital of Europe.’ Sociolinguistics Symposium 19. Freie Universität Berlin, Berlijn. 21-24.08.2012.
  • Struys, E., Mohades, G. & Somers, T. & Kepinska, O. (2012). ‘Cognitive processing in multilinguals explained by individual variability in language switching ability.’ International Conference on Bilingualism and Comparative Linguistics. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin. 15.05.2012.
  • Somers, T. & Struys, E. (2012). ‘Taal tot de derde macht.’ Diversiteit is de norm. Symposium in het kader van het VELOV & VELON congres 2012. Universiteit Antwerpen, Antwerpen. 07.02.2012.
  • Lochtman, K. & Somers, T. (2011). ‘From Brussels with CLIL.’ Langscape meeting at the Langscape CLIL Conference 2011: CLIL: Complementing or Compromising Foreign Language Teaching? Effects and Perspectives of Education Policy Plans. Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt a.M. 18.02.2011.
  • Somers, T. (2011). ‘Immersie en CLIL: meer verschillen dan overeenkomsten?’ WOT Journal Club. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel. 14.05.2011.
  • Somers, T. (2011). ‘Meer taligheid in de les: de monoculturele code doorbreken.’ Studiedag NOvELLe: Oriëntatie op divers talent in de lerarenopleiding. UHasselt, Hasselt. 18.05.2011.
  • Van de Craen, P. & Somers, T. (2011). ‘Hoe gaat ons brein om met taal?’ Herfstkamp. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel. 03.11.2011.