Content based instruction

Content Based Instruction
The content based instruction is an approach in second language acquisition. It is designed to provide to second language learners instruction in content and language almost at the same time. CBL is build in the principles of communicative Language Teaching. Classrooms need to be filled with real and meaningful communication where information is exchanged.Historically, the word content has changed its meaning trough the language teaching. Contend used to define the methods of grammar translation, audio lingual methodology, and vocabulary or sound pattern in dialog form. Recently, content based instruction is interpreted as the use of subject matter as a vehicle for second or foreign language teaching or learning.
Content based instruction is a teaching thatemphasizes learning about something rather than learning about language. Although content based instruction is not new, there has been increased interest in over the least ten years, particularly in the United States and Canada where it is important to teach the language of the country and general content as fast as possible, in summary to provide bilingual education to children of parents whocome from other countries. This interest has now spread to EFL classrooms around the world where teachers are discovering that their students like the task based instruction and are excited to learn English in that way.
Student Role:
* Become autonomous
* Support each other
* Active interpersonal input
* Willing to tolerate uncertainty
* Willing to explore alternative learningstrategies and sources of content
* And have a learn by doing attitude.
Teacher role:
* A good language teacher
* Knowledge in the subject matter
* Be able to draw out that knowledge from students.
CBI sees language as a combination of several skills used together. Grammar is seen as a component of other skills. Language is used for specific purposes such as, vocational, social orrecreational. In order to make the content comprehensible. Teachers´ need to make adjustments and simplifications for students. CBI makes an assumption that learners learn best when they are given language in a meaningful, contextualized form with the primary focus on acquiring information.
The focus of a Content Based Instruction lesson is in the topic or subject matter. During the lessonstudents are focused on learning about something. This could be anything that interests them from a serious science subject to their favorite pop star or even a tropical news story or a movie. CBI emphasizes that people learn a second language most successfully when the information they are acquiring is perceived as interesting useful and leading to a desired goal and also Language learning is moremotivating then students are focusing on something other than language, such ideas, issues and opinions. They learn about a subject using the language they are trying to learn, rather than their native language, as a tool for the developing knowledge and so they develop at the same time their linguistic ability and one that corresponds more to the way we originally learn our first language.
Contentbased instruction is based on two principles: 1. People learn a L2 when they use the language to acquire information, this relates to motivation. 2. It better reflects learner’s needs for learning a second language, Many ESL/EFL programs focus on preparing students for academic studies or for mainstreaming.
In the next chart it is analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the Content BasedInstruction .
Advantages | Disadvantages |
* It can make learning a language more interesting and motivating. Students can use the language to fulfill a real purpose, which can make students both more independent and confident. * Students can also develop a much wider knowledge of the world through CBI which can feed back into improving and supporting their general educational needs. *...