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Workshop on English-medium instruction. Mark Andrew James Associate prof., Dept. of English, Arizona State University Visiting prof., Dept. of Applied Foreign Languages, Shih Chien University June 27, 2012. How can instructors teach content in English to non-native speakers of English?.
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Workshop on English-medium instruction Mark Andrew James Associate prof., Dept. of English, Arizona State University Visiting prof., Dept. of Applied Foreign Languages, Shih Chien University June 27, 2012
How can instructors teach content in English to non-native speakers of English?
How can instructors teach content in English to non-native speakers of English? Plenty of research on this topic: • “content and language integrated learning” (CLIL); • http://ec.europa.eu/languages/language-teaching/content-and-language-integrated-learning_en.htm • “content-based instruction” (CBI); • “ESL students in mainstream classrooms”. This workshop synthesizes ideas from: • www.eslinfusion.oise.utoronto.ca • www.bced.gov.bc.ca/esl/policy/classroom.pdf
How can instructors teach content in English to non-native speakers of English? In this situation, an instructor has two main goals: • helping students to understand the language; • helping students to understand the content. ... plus there is one important factor: Are instructors able to use the first language in the classroom?
... understand the language 1. Make your speaking easy to understand. • avoid speaking too quickly (because students won’t understand) or speaking too slowly (because students will feel degraded). • avoid using complicated sentence structures ... • The A, which is used for B purpose, was created by C process, and has D part that causes E problem except when condition F is met. (28 words) • Clearer alternative: The A is used for B purpose. A was created by C, and has D part. The D part causes E problem. But, this problem does not occur when F condition is met. (34 words) (cont.) Do:
... understand the language • be direct ... • Would you mind taking out your books please? • Clearer alternative: Please take out your books. • limit humor and idioms ... • Drop me a line if you’d like to bounce some ideas off me. • Clearer alternative: Contact me if you would like to discuss ideas.
... understand the language 2. Provide extra support for important information. • encourage students to audio-record classes. • use body language. • write instructions on the board. • write new words (plus the definition) on the board when they are used ... • focus on discipline-specific words that are frequent (e.g., photosynthesis in biology), or words that have a technical meaning that is different from their common meaning (e.g., mass in physics).
... understand the language 3. Check that students understand important information. • ask students to rephrase instructions back to you.
... understand the content • Have students work in groups. • so they can hear about the content from each other as well as from the instructor. • so they can speak about the content, which helps them to process it in a relatively deep way. ... for example ...
Examples of group work activities For part of a class, have students work in small groups to solve problems like the following: • interpret information: e.g., look at a table of data and prepare a brief explanation. • apply information: e.g., explain how a solution in one situation might be applied in a different situation. • synthesize information: e.g., look at two different sources of information on the same topic, and identify the three main similarities. • evaluate information: e.g., look at three options for a situation and choose the one that will be most effective.
... understand the content • Provide as much scaffolding as possible. • so students have a visual scaffold for the content they are hearing/speaking about. • for example, objects, charts, maps, pictures, gestures, and graphic organizers. ... for example ...
... example of a simple graphic organizer (describing categories of information) http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Science category, “CC Biomes Matrix”
... example of a simple graphic organizer (describing a variety of procedures) http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Math category, “Solving systems of equations”
... example of a complex graphic organizer (showing a detailed comparison) http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Science category, “Hominid2”
... example of a complex graphic organizer (showing multiple relationships) http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Science category, “Plate tectonics impact on life”
... math http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Math category, “Exponentials and logarithms”
... science http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Science category, “Iceflo”
... history http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Social studies category, “R Prg Civ”
... political science http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Social studies category, “USTax”
... example of a blank graphic organizer. http://www.graphicorganizers.com/Gallery/science-organizers-smart-sheets.html Social studies category, “RLibCon”
... example of a blank graphic organizer. http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/timeline.pdf
Sources • for more information on graphic organizers, see: http://aim.cast.org/learn/historyarchive/backgroundpapers/graphic_organizers
Discussion • Any questions? • (If not, consider this: In your courses, how might you incorporate [a] group work and [b] graphic organizers?)
