VietTESOL International Convention 2026

This paper discusses the realisation of the primary ideas of the Content and Language Integrated Learning in classroom discourse through qualitative analysis of lesson scripts to observe how the four dimensions of Content, Communication, Cognition, and Culture model are reflected in interactional data across lower secondary grades at a private school in Da Nang. Overall, the analysis shows that all four dimensions were present, yet they were not realised equally and were predetermined by the need to balance between content knowledge and language proficiency of students. Content always came first and systematic elucidations and repetition were used to reduce linguistic burdens and conceptualization. Communication was maintained through controlled interactional patterns that enabled participation, but not lengthy student responses, whilst Cognition was scaffolded through guided questioning where learners could participate in reasoning without producing complex language. Culture, on the other hand, was less directly represented and functioned more as contextual support rather than a learning objective. One highlighted finding is the role of translanguaging and multimodal resources in classroom interaction, particularly when limited English proficiency might otherwise disrupt meaning-making, through facilitating access to content and encouraging participation. Taken together, the study indicates the interdependence of the four dimensions in practice and the importance of flexible pedagogical practices in Content and Language Integrated Learning classes. These findings offer important implications for policymakers and teachers in developing effective scaffolding and classroom interaction.