Content-base instruction and immersion models

1. Content-base instruction and immersion models For second and foreign language teaching

2. objectives • Define the word content in relation to language learning. • Identify the factors that define the different content-based models. • Recognize the theories behind content-based instruction. • Recognize the five different models of content-based instruction. • Identify the features of each model. • Recognize the different strategies of content-based teachers and content-based instructors.

3. What is content? Traditionally Content is defined as…. the communicative purposes for which speakers use the second/foreign language. There are some approaches that have different notions of what is content. e.g. -The Grammar-translation method -The Audiolingual method -The Communicative Approach -Natural Approach (refer to text book p. 303) The Recent definition for Content is… The Use of subject matter for Second/foreign language teaching purposes. • Look up the meaning of subject matter. (p.303)

4. -Content based instruction can be found in Foreign and second language settings. -Content based instruction can be implemented at the elementary level or secondary and post secondary level. Factors that define different content-based instruction models: (refer to p.303)

5. Rationale Theoretical foundation of Content based instruction: • Krashen’s comprehensible input (p.304) i+1 What is comprehensible input? • Studies from Canadian Immersion programs (p.304) • What are the findings of these studies? • Sociocultural Approaches (Vygotsky notions) (p.304) • What are Vygotsky’s notions? • Cognitive psychology (Anderson’s theory)(p.304) • Mention Anderson's theory?

6. Models of Content-based instruction Models of Content-based instruction can be distinguished by different means: • Setting • Instructional level • The degree of emphasis on language and content (refer to p.304)

7. Models of Content-based instruction • There are five models of content-based instruction • Immersion Model • Content-Enriched Foreign language in the Elementary school • Theme-based Model • Sheltered Model • Adjunct Model

8. Content-based models

9. Immersion Model • It was established in Canada and now can be found all over North America. • In the total Immersion Model, students receive the majority of their schooling through the Second/Foreign language. • By the end of the elementary school, the students become functional bilingual. • Second/foreign language is generally used for most of the academic instruction beginning in kindergarten or grade 1. • Most Immersion programs share the same objectives. (p.306) • What are these objectives?

10. Content-Enriched Foreign language in the Elementary School • During the 1950s and 1960s, foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) programs were widespread across the US. • “Traveling teachers” meet with students for 20 to 30 minutes, several times per week for foreign language instruction. • These classes focus on formal study of the foreign language. • These programs were criticized for their failure in producing functional users of the foreign language.

11. Content-Enriched Foreign language in the Elementary School • “content-enriched” FLES offers and updated approach to traditional FLES, in which subjects from the standard school curriculum are selected for introduction or reinforcement in the FLES class. • Teachers find points of coincidence with the standard school curriculum which can be paired with the objectives of the foreign language curriculum. • Give an example from the text that explains content-enriched FLES? (refer to p.306) • What are the advantages that content-enriched FLES have for language learning?

12. Theme-based model • The theme-based model is a type of content-based instruction in which selected topics or themes provide the content from which teachers extract language learning activities. • This model is widely implemented in language institutions at the college or university level. • The teacher’s goal is to select topics suitable for academic English skills. • Find an example in the text on a topic that is taught through the theme-based model? (p.307)

13. Theme-based model • Content is incorporated into the theme-base model through different means. • What are these means? (refer to p.307) • In 1997, the first systematic framework for theme-based instruction was offered. It was called the Six T’s Approach. • What are these six T’s? (p.307)

14. Sheltered model • Sheltered courses currently exist in a variety of secondary and postsecondary settings. • Sheltered models mean the separation of second/foreign language students from native speakers of the target language for the purpose of content instruction. • Refer to the examples of the sheltered model on p.307.

15. Adjunct model • The adjunct model is a content-based approach in which students are concurrently enrolled in a language class and a content course. • A key feature of the adjunct models the coordination of objectives and assignments between language and content instructors. • The language class becomes content based in the sense that the students’ needs in the content class dictate the activities of the language class. • For examples, refer to p. 308-309

16. Strategies for content-based instruction • Strategies for language teachers • The focus of language learning is the mastery of the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). • In addition, language learning in content-based instruction is for academic success. • For example, students must develop strategies for note taking, summarizing reading material, and developing study guides. • There are many strategies to teach the four skills. (you will cover it in curr 423)

17. Strategies for content instructors • The instructor is primarily concerned with delivering subject matter with the language skills needed to succeed. • To do this the teacher must utilize a variety of techniques: • There are four general categories for these techniques. • Refer to p.313 for these instructional techniques.