Javier Ávila

• PhD
• Associate Professor at University of Córdoba

The connections between music and language are still to be clarified in educational terms; despite the great deal of literature on the common mechanisms underlying their working in learning, memory, and some other related factors, there is not robust research on their combined potential. Educational bilingualism and musical instruction have been sh...

The recent trend towards the internalization of Western European higher education institutions has urged university policy makers to develop academic programmes taught in one or more foreign languages, mainly English, but also other majority languages such as French or German. This shift requires an extensive pedagogic and strategic planning. To fa...

This chapter reviews the literature on materials development for EMI, providing keys for evaluation, adaptation, production, and exploitation of learning materials for English-taught higher education courses. It identifies the key assets in the coordinated application of materials development and EMI research, drawing on the prerequisites for coord...

MONOGRAFÍA DEL NÚMERO 21 DE marcoELE (JULIO-DICIEMBRE DE 2015)

Current rise of international papers on the close link of musical aptitude and linguistic aptitude indicates that musical training may foster foreign language learning. The focus of this study was analyzing instrumental musical training and language learning in 454 Spanish learners of compulsory secondary education. A correlational study compared t...

Task-based learning is a methodological strategy which can be of use in the integrated learning of language and subject matter, and its appropriateness for CLIL has been reported in different contexts (Cendoya & di Bin, 2010; Escobar & Sanchez, 2009; Poisel, 2012; Tardieu & Doltisky, 2012). This study investigates the perceptions that teachers and...

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is generally recognised as a fruitful example of bilingual education. However, success in CLIL may not be straightforward and may require the establishment of coordination between content and language teachers. The aim of this study is to investigate if content and language teachers are able to plan a...

Recent psychological research suggests that much of our of learning includes imagery as part of the cognitive processes. Mental imagery can lead to significant improvement in learning given proper guidance. One of the most important reasons for that cognitive potential is the close relationship between mental imagery and creativity. Research points...

Recent neurobiological research points to a new direction in the study of the human mind. Mental imagery seems to be an essential condition of thought that underlies each and every act of knowledge. In light of this research, some educational approaches are incorporating the use of mental images in the classroom, in order to aid in comprehension an...