This article examines the long-term effect
of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) on former pupils’ lives. The
data are in-depth interviews with 26 adults who took part in CLIL education in
primary and lower secondary school in the 1990s. The data were analyzed using thematic
and narrative analysis. The results showed that CLIL had been a very positive experience
for the participants, particularly from a psychological perspective. That is,
most participants felt that CLIL had had a positive effect on their attitudes
towards English and even increased their general motivation to learn. In
general, most participants considered that CLIL had partly constructed or
supported their life courses, for instance related to their study paths or career
choices. The study implies that early and relatively small-scale CLIL education
can have a long-standing impact on pupils’ lives.