Could content-based instruction help students learn English?

1. Could content-based instruction help students learn English? Kathleen Wade-Corrales Universidad del Norte

2. Is it necessary learn English? • Are students motivated to learn English? • Do you have enough time to teach English? • In practice, do the other school subjects help in learning English and vice-versa? (interdisciplinary projects)

3. So, what do we do?

4. “[It] is most beautiful learning English with this material.”—KR

5. Agenda • What is CBI? • Why use CBI? • How can I use CBI?

6. What is CBI?

7. Definition of CBI “The concurrent study of language and subject matter, with the form and sequence of language presentation dictated by content material…” Brinton, Snow, & Wesche (1989)

8. Definition of CBI “The concurrent study of language and subject matter , with the form and sequence of language presentation dictated by content material…” Brinton, Snow, & Wesche (1989)

9. Students do not focus on learning about English -- they learn through English.

10. Features of CBI • Curriculum is based on content • Science • Social Studies • Literature (language arts)

11. Features of CBI 2. Dual objective: content & language mastery Content Language

12. Features of CBI 3. Use of authentic language, texts & tasks

13. Features of CBI • 4. Meets students needs • 5. Language teaching focuses on communicating meaning—not structure

14. Models of CBI • Sheltered • Adjunct • Theme-based • Language-Content-Task (LCT) • Skills-based

15. Sheltered Model

16. Theme-based Model

17. Role of Teachers • Knowledgeable about language • “Knowledgeable” about the target content area Educators must teach language in a way that is different from the method they would use for general English courses

18. What did I learn? What do I think?

19. Why use CBI?

20. What can using CBI do for my students? • Language gains • Gains in subject-matter knowledge • Increase in learner motivation • Improvement in students’ self-confidence • Higher self-assessment of own skills • Positive influence on attitude towards language

21. Why does CBI help learning? • Motivates • Raises self-confidence / lower anxiety • Matches students’ interests and needs with interesting and meaningful content • Provides real “input” and opportunities for “output” • Facilitates content-language interaction • Activates prior knowledge

22. And the standards? • Standards discuss using topics from other content areas in reading from grade 6-7: • “Comprendo textos literarios, académicos y de interés general, escritos con un lenguaje sencillo” (p. 22) • In writing and speaking from grade 8-11: • “Produzco textos sencillos…sobre temas personales y relacionados con otras asignaturas” (p. 25/27). • Hago exposiciones…sobre algún tema académico de mi interés” (p 25). • Hago presentaciones orales sobre temas…relacionados con el currículo escolar” (p. 27)

23. And the standards? (cont.) • “Relacionar los contenidos temáticos de inglés con los de otras áreas” (p. 32). • “Al leer y revisar en grupo los estándares de inglés, confirmamos que…teníamos toda la autonomía para elegir nuestros propios temas de acuerdo con el contexto…” (p.33)

24. What did I learn? What do I think?

25. How can I use CBI?

26. Is it necessary learn English? --YES • Are students motivated to learn English? –No, but CBI can help • Do you have enough time to teach English? – No, but working with content from other subjects can help/ interdisciplinary projects

27. Integrating language & content Language curriculum + Content-obligatory language Content-compatible language Learners needs + Content area curriculum Adapted from Snow, Met & Genesse (1989)

28. Implications • Collaboration with other teachers • Interdisciplinary projects • Different way of organizing structures • No longer “traditional order” (from simple to complex) – present tense & conditionals together??? • Curriculum must be well planned

29. Why would CBI be effective in Barranquilla? • Highly efficient  both lang. & content • Helps meet the needs of the students & goals of “Colombia Bilingüe” • Students find it more interesting, relevant, and challenging • Teachers find it interesting to teach • English Standards suggest it. ?

30. Is CBI a possibility for your school? How can you implement CBI into your program?

31. Contact Information kwade@uninorte.edu.co

32. Thank you!

33. Bibliography • Brinton, D., Snow, M.A., Wesche, M.B. (1989). Content-based Second Language Instruction. Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle. • Formar en lenguas extranjeras: Ingles. (2006). Ministerio de Educación Nacional. • Short, D.J. (1994). Expanding Middle School Horizons: Integrating Language, Culture, and Social Studies TESOL Quarterly, 28(3). • Snow, M.A., Met, M. & Genesee, F. (1989). A conceptual Framework for the Integration of language and content in second/foreign language instruction. TESOL Quarterly, 23 (2).

34. Content-obligatory Language = language required to develop, master & communicate about a content • Structural aspects (structures, vocabulary, rhetorical devices) • Functional aspects (study skills/language functions)

35. Content-compatible Language = ask: What other language skills are compatible with the concept? Social studies Science • Discovery of the Americas—past tense; conditional “If Columbus were from France…” • Science experiments—cause/effect—because; if…then clauses