METHODOLOGY FOR TEACHING

ENGLISH TO YOUNGSTERS AND

ADULTS

Unit 2
Current and alternative twentieth – century approaches and methods

Topic 1
Current approaches and
methods
 Subthemes

» Subtheme 1: CBI & CLIL

» Subtheme 2: Task based language teaching
 Objective

Students will be able to demonstrate through an activity the

differences and similarities between CBI, CLIL and TBLT
What do you think about this phrase:
Rather than learning to use English, pupils use
English to learn it.
(Howatt, 1984)
 What is Content-based
Instruction?
• Content-Based Instruction is an approach
to language teaching that focuses not on
the language itself, but rather on what is
being taught through the language; that is,
the language becomes the medium
through which something new is learned.
https://bestofbilash.ualberta.ca/content.html
 Design
Instructors must be more
than good language
teachers. They must be
knowledgeable in the
subject matter and able to
elicit that knowledge from
their students.
(Stryker and Leaver
1993:292)
 Opinion question:
Does CBI need content or language
teachers?
 Contemporary models of
Content-Based Instruction
CBI principles can be applied at any level of language
learning:

University level; Theme-based

instruction
Elementary and Secondary level;

Private language institutes.

Adjunct Sheltered
language content
instruction instruction
 Contemporary models of Content-Based
Instruction
Sheltered content instruction :
• Content courses taught in SL for ESL learners;

Appropriate level of difficulty

• Comprehensible content + (language and tasks)

• Accommodate learners’ • Choose adequate course texts;

language capacities • Adjust course requirements;
SIOP (US)

• Examples: Ottawa: Psychology (English and French);

Oregon State: English for business and economics;
Western Illinois: ESP courses in English for business, economics
and computer science.
Contemporary models of Content-Based Instruction
Theme-based language instruction:
Courses at the
• Syllabus organized around themes or topics; University level
• Language syllabus is subordinated;
• Its analysis and practice evolve out of the topics that form the
course framework;
• Materials are generally teacher-generated;
• The treated topic crosses all skills:

- Reading introduces a topic;

- Audio or video material are used for listening comprehension;

- Vocabulary developed through guided discussion;

- Written assignments integrate information from the several sources;
Contemporary models of
Content-Based Instruction
Adjunct language instruction:

• Two linked courses: CONTENT LANGUAGE

• Shared content;

• Mutually coordinated assignments;

• Require coordination to ensure curricula interlocking;

• It may require modification in both courses;

 Strategies using in CBI

Scaffolding techniques:

https://carla.umn.edu/cobaltt/modules/strategies/scaffolding_
techniques.pdf
Strategies using in CBI
Comprehensible input:
Graphic organizers can
also facilitate the final
production stage by
helping students
prepare, for example,
oral/written reports,
written summaries,
letters to authorities
and oral debates.
 Advantages
 Language learning becomes more interesting and motivating.

 CBI offer a wide educational knowledge to learners in the form of

the different topics instructed.

 It helps students develop valuable study skills such as note taking,

summarizing and extracting key information from texts.

 Developing collaborative skills, especially when using group work,

which can have great social value.
 Disadvantages

 CBI implicit language instruction can confuse learners and may give
them the impression that they are not actually learning language.

 Overuse of native language can be a problem in some parts of the

lesson.

 Finding information sources and texts that lower levels can

understand can be difficult.
Practice: What does Content refer?
• Imagine you are teaching the past tense to your students.
Write in the chat box:
Two 'content’ topics that are related to your target
language that you could use to practice this grammar
concept.
i.e. Teaching about a historical event in a History class

Activity 1:
 The role of content in other
curriculum designs
Language across the curriculum (mid-1970s): a proposal for native-language education.

Immersion Education.

Immigrant On-Arrival Programs.

Programs for Students with Limited English Proficiency (SLEP).

Language for Specific Purposes (LSP).

• English for Science and Technology (EST).
• English for Specific Purposes (ESP).
• English for Occupational Purposes (EOP).
• English for Academic Purposes (EAP).
 From THEORY to
PRACTICE
The overall • Construct knowledge and develop
aim of CBI is understandings about a topic and a
threefold. learning task.
• Use language meaningfully and
It is designed purposefully.
to help • Learn about language in the context
of learning through language.
learners:
 Design
In CBI, language learning is typically considered incidental to the learning of
content. Content is important:

1. To activate and develop existing English language skills.

2. To acquire learning skills and strategies that could be applied in future
language development opportunities.
3. To develop general academic skills applicable to university studies in all
subject areas.
4. To broaden students’ understanding of English-speaking people.
Types of learning and teaching activities:

- Language skill improvement;

Design - Vocabulary building;
- Discourse organization;
- Communicative interaction;
- Study skills;
- Synthesis of content materials and grammar.
 Content Based Instruction
Classroom based instruction where the content is
taught in a language that the students are still in the
process of learning (Tedick & Cammarata, 2012)
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Find source
materials
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Find
source
materials
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Establish
content
objectives

What do I want the students be able to do as the result of

the instruction? (related to content)
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

✓Describe one planet of the solar system

Establish ✓Describe the solar system formation
content ✓Explain where the solar system is located
✓Explain characteristics of planets
objectives ✓Give examples of cplanets colors.

What do I want the students be able to do as the

result of the instruction? (related to content)
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Establish
language
objectives

What do I want the students be able to do as the result of

the instruction? (related to language)
 STRUCTURING LESSONS
Our solar system formed about 4.5 billion
Establish years ago from a dense cloud of interstellar
gas and dust. The cloud collapsed, possibly
language due to the shockwave of a nearby exploding
objectives star, called a supernova. When this dust
cloud collapsed, it formed a solar nebula—a
spinning, swirling disk of material.

What do I want the students be able to do as the result of

the instruction? (related to language)
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

✓Define four key vocabulary terms

Establish (adjectives, nouns, prepositions).
✓Use adjectives to describe planets.
language ✓Write a well-structured pragraph.
objectives

What do I want the students be able to do as the result of

the instruction? (related to language)
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Adapt texts
as needed
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Our solar system formed about 4.5 billion

Adapt texts years ago from a dense cloud of interstellar
gas and dust. The cloud collapsed, possibly
as needed due to the shockwave of a nearby exploding
star, called a supernova. When this dust
cloud collapsed, it formed a solar nebula—a
spinning, swirling disk of material.
http://www4.caes.hku.hk/vocabulary/profile.htm
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Adapt texts
http://www4.caes.hku.hk/vocabulary/profile.htm
as needed
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Adapt texts
http://www4.caes.hku.hk/vocabulary/profile.htm
as needed
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Determine key
vocabulary
 STRUCTURING LESSONS
Determine key vocabulary.
What do you think is most important: Grammar or Vocabulary?
 STRUCTURING LESSONS
Determine key vocabulary.
What do you think is most important: Grammar or Vocabulary?
 STRUCTURING LESSONS
Determine key vocabulary.
What do you think is most important: Grammar or Vocabulary?
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Develop tasks
to help
students
understand
the content
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Develop tasks
to help
students
understand
the content
 STRUCTURING LESSONS
Develop tasks to
help students
understand the
content

The importance of
sequence:
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Assess
student
learning
 STRUCTURING LESSONS

Assess
student
learning
 STRUCTURING LESSONS
Assess
student
learning
 STRUCTURING LESSONS
Assess
student
learning
 Learner Roles
• become autonomous;
• support each other in collaborative models of
learning;
• be active interpreters of input;
• “learn by doing”;
• be willing to tolerate uncertainty along the path of learnship;
• be willing to explore alternative learning strategies;

• be willing to seek multiple interpretations of oral and written texts.

 EXTRA RESOURCES

Readings:
https://core.ac.uk/reader/72791406
https://www.pdx.edu/middle-east-studies/sites/www.pdx.edu.middle-east-studies/files/Content_Based_Assessment.pdf

Videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb7Rb15NRCs&list=PLBztiOAPF8Kb0bZeAp29-wFigyR93Yrg8
 References
» Met, M. (1999, January). Content-based instruction: Defining terms, making
decisions NFLC Reports. Washington, DC: The National Foreign Language Center.
» Howatt, A. (1984). A history of English language teaching. Oxford: OUP.
» Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and Principles in
Language teaching 3rd edition. Oxford University Press.
» Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Suggestopedia. En J. C. Richards, & T. S.
Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge University
Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511667305.009
» Stoller, F. L. (2004). Content-based instruction: Perspectives on curriculum
planning. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 24, 261-283
» Stryker, B.S., and Leaver, B.L. (1997). Content-Based Instruction in Foreign
Language Education. Georgetown University Press: Washington DC
48
 In your own words:
What is a task?

▪ What is a task?
▪ Do you think tasks are useful?
 What is a task?
A task is a work plan.

A task involves a primary focus on meaning.

A task involves real-world processes of language use.

A task can involve any of the four language skills.

A task engages cognitive processes.

A task has a clearly defined communicative outcome.

Ellis (2003)
 Task Based Instruction
Facts:

1 2 3
Activities that Activities in which Language that is
involve real language is used for meaningful to the
communication are carrying out learner supports the
essential for meaningful tasks learning process.
language learning. promote learning.
 The 7 principles

Task Active Reproduction

Scaffolding: Recycling: Integration: Reflection:
dependency learning: to creation:

Learners
Within a Recycling should be Learners Learners
Lessons and taught in ways
lesson, one language should be should be
materials Learners learn that make clear
task should maximizes encouraged given
should provide best by the
grow out of, opportunities to move opportunities
supporting actively using relationships
and build for learning between
from to reflect on
frameworks the language
upon, the and activates linguistic form, reproductive what they
within which they are
ones that the ‘organic’ communicative to creative have learned
the learning learning.
have gone learning function and language and how well
takes place.
before. principle. semantic use. they are doing.
meaning.
 Comparing task-based and traditional language teaching
Traditional language teaching
Task-based teaching

Experiential Analytic

Caters to incidental language learning

Caters to intentional language learning
The primary focus is on meaning.
The primary focus is on form.
Learners learn language through learning to communicate.

Emphasizes the ‘on-line’ processing of language.
Classroom discourse is ‘conversational’
The main aim is communicative effectiveness.
Learners learn language and then later learn to
communicate.
Emphasises conscious learning and memorization.
Classroom discourse is ‘didactic’.

The main aim is linguistic accuracy.

 LEARNER ROLES

• Group participant
• Monitor
• Risk- taker and
innovator
 TEACHER ROLES

• Selector and sequencer of tasks

• Preparing learners for tasks
• Consciousness- raising
 TYPES OF TASKS
NUNAN suggests two types of tasks:

Pedagogical tasks
• Jigsaw tasks
Real-world tasks • Information-gap tasks
• Problem-solving tasks
• Decision-making tasks
• Opinion exchange tasks
 Real-world task

1 2 3
Call the airline and Provide personal Check other details,
reconfirm a details such as name, such as terminal, time
reservation you have. flight number and of departure, and
date. time you have to be
at the airport and
seating preference.
• WHAT IS CLIL?
 Introduction:

Can you identify

the topic of the
lessons?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFuCrxRobh0 Until 2’38

 The 4Cs

The 4Cs framework for CLIL (from Coyle, Hood and Marsh 2010)
4Cs Descriptors Reasons Outline
CONTENT CLIL integrates content from It is not only acquiring knowledge, but students
across the curriculum through also create their knowledge and understanding.
high-quality language
interaction.

COMMUNICATION CLIL uses language to learn and Language related to context takes place through
facilitate ideas, opinions, and the language reinterpreting and reconstructing
principles. the content = cognitive process

COGNITION CLIL engages learners through Different cognitive levels and strategies for
higher order thinking and learning.
knowledge processing. • Bloom Taxonomy: HOTS & LOTS
• Task-based and Project Based-Learning

CULTURE CLIL strengthens intercultural Community: learning is collaborative.

understanding and promotes Connection: schools make use of collaboration
global citizenship. networks with schools in other countries.
CLIL MODELS
What do you think about
this picture?
The 3As The language of learning refers to
the analysis of the knowledge that
students need to have to access the
linguistic concepts.

The Language for learning relates to The Language through learning

the metacognition of learning how refers to the way a student can gain
to learn. Students need to be a high level of language and CLIL
scaffolded in order to develop skills. contexts.
Some of the key competences for CLIL teachers:

Developing unit material that

incorporates the 4C’s of CLIL,
Using the target language L2 for and CEFR-
Knowing how to link the local
transmitting the content and
and national standards to CLIL. The Common European
providing clear directions.
Framework of Reference for
Languages.
Why CLIL? For Learners:
Reach proficiency levels
Become more sensitive
Gain more extensive and in all four skills and in
to vocabulary and ideas
varied vocabulary in the ICT skills far beyond
in their L1 as well as in
target language what is expected in ELT
the target language
programmes

Are more cognitively Develop intercultural

active during the understanding and
learning process community values
Johnstone, R. & and R. Mckinstry. (2008) and Van de Craen, P.;
Mondt, K; Allain, L and Gao,Y (2008)
Extra Practice
 EXTRA RESOURCES
Videos:
• David Marsh on CLIL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Czdg8-6mJA&t=38s
• David March, What Is CLIL?: https://youtu.be/4wXRa_iVgqw
• Professor Do Coyle, What are the principles of CLIL: https://youtu.be/fS7VfRLOgnI
• Professor Do Coyle, How do you define CLIL?: https://youtu.be/URNsMhexQpM
 References
» Met, M. (1999, January). Content-based instruction: Defining terms, making
decisions NFLC Reports. Washington, DC: The National Foreign Language Center.
» Howatt, A. (1984). A history of English language teaching. Oxford: OUP.
» Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and Principles in
Language teaching 3rd edition. Oxford University Press.
» Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Suggestopedia. En J. C. Richards, & T. S.
Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge University
Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511667305.009
» Stoller, F. L. (2004). Content-based instruction: Perspectives on curriculum
planning. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 24, 261-283
» Stryker, B.S., and Leaver, B.L. (1997). Content-Based Instruction in Foreign
Language Education. Georgetown University Press: Washington DC
69