TKT: CLIL

It is the Content and Language Integrated Learning specialist module of the Teaching Knowledge Test, a series of modular qualifications from Cambridge English. It suits new and experienced teachers of primary, secondary and adult learners who teach, or plan to teach, subject content through English and want an internationally recognised certificate for their knowledge.

Every TKT module, including CLIL, is an 80-minute multiple-choice test. You can take it on paper with a question paper and pen, or digitally on a computer. Cambridge English states that it is the same qualification either way, so your preparation does not need to change with the format you choose.

No. You can take any number of modules in any order or combination, over any time period, and you receive a certificate for each module you complete. Many teachers take a core module first for background, but CLIL can be sat on its own or alongside a core module.

Cambridge English lists an English level of B1 or above among the audiences for TKT. The qualification is placed at Foundation to Developing stages on the Cambridge English Teaching Framework, so it is pitched at an entry-to-developing level of teaching knowledge rather than an advanced one.

You must take it at one of the authorised TKT centres, which are available around the world. Digital tests can be booked closer to the test date and offer faster results than paper-based ones. Contact a local centre to check dates, availability and what you need to bring.

The main Cambridge English TKT page does not publish the number of items per module, the pass mark or the grading bands; those details sit with the separate results information. Check the official TKT results pages before you set yourself a target score or plan around a particular mark.

The TKT page sets no limit on how many modules you take or how often, stating only that you can take as many as you want over any time period. Retake dates, arrangements and any fees are handled by the authorised centre where you register, so ask them directly before you book.

Work through the six areas the module covers: CLIL principles, lesson planning, managing the learning environment, teaching strategies, preparing materials, and assessing learners. Then practise multiple-choice items under the 80-minute limit. Reading widely about subject teaching through English builds the vocabulary you will meet in the options.

Many lose marks on the language of the content classroom rather than on general English: subject-specific vocabulary, scaffolding, and matching cognitive challenge to language support. Because the paper is timed multiple choice, practise reading scenarios quickly and eliminating options instead of over-analysing individual items.

The TKT pages describe a certificate for each module completed but do not state an expiry date, so there is no published validity period to plan around. If an employer asks for evidence of recent training, confirm their requirement and check with your test centre.