Content based syllabus combines language and content learning by focusing on teaching subject matter in the target language rather than separately teaching the language itself. It exposes students to the target language environment through subjects like in language immersion programs. While research shows this helps students learn faster, teachers must ensure student comprehension and account for differences in student age. Content based syllabus is applicable for both children and adults but does not guarantee communication skills without extensive interactive activities.

1. Content based
syllabus
Savera Khushik
BS(English) Linguistics
University of Sindh Thatta campus

2. Content based syllabus
According to Reilly:
A language teaching syllabus, involves the integration of subject (what to
talk about) and linguistic matter (how to talk about); that is the actual
matter that makes up teaching.
Content based syllabus is an effective syllabus that combines language
and content learning together.

3. Content based syllabus
• Content based syllabus is a kind of syllabus in which teachers are
asked to focus on content or information of the language, less or
indirect effort is used to teach the language itself separately from the
content.

4. Approach of content based syllabus:
• Language immersion program:
• Language immersion program is an approach of content based syllabus in
which the focus is on exposing students to a highly contextualized second
language environment by using the subject matter as the content of language
learning.
• As Krashen suggests:
• “A second language is most successfully acquired when the conditions are
similar to those present in first language acquisition.”
• That is when the focus of instruction is on “MEANING” rather than on
“FORM”.

5. Approach of content based syllabus
• The research about immersion program was first carried out in Canada
to check either this program will make better improvements or not.
• In that research program bilingual teachers were selected to teach the
students.
• The students were taught two times first in their native language and
second in target language.
• The result demonstrated that students had learned the language in
better way, means through this program students cognitive abilities
were developed faster.

6. Two problems with immersion
program:
• This program is a kind of solution to teach the non-English speakers.
• But where there are pros, there are cons too.
• So one of the problem with this program is that, the teachers just focus
on content that is provided to them without knowing the
comprehension ability of the students. So it is necessary for the
teachers to assist the students so that a better content and language
acquisition do occur.

7. Two problems with immersion program:
• The second problem with the immersion program was the student’s
age, because younger children can acquire new languages naturally
than older children, because as we grow up we lose the capacity of
acquiring the new languages.
• Later this problem was also solved means some changes were
brought in this program for older children, and the program that is used
for older children is known as late immersion.

8. Positive characteristics:
• It allows leaners to subject matter and language simultaneously.
• Language is learned through the use of context, rather than the use of
rules.
• A perfect match between what needs to be learn and what is provided.
• Students get motivation through this syllabus, means they are not
asked to focus what they are being taught, they willingly acquire the
language, because they have been provided by an environment similar
to their first language.

9. Negative characteristics:
• Content based syllabus did not address two key questions:
• What content? And how much content?
• The supporters of content based syllabus say, “don’t teach a second a
language, teach content in second language”.
• If teachers are not to teach about the grammar of the language, but are
to teach content about something, what is “about something” that
teachers are supposed to teach.

10. Content based syllabus is applicable for both
primary and secondary school setting, it is
beneficial for adults too.
Immigrants, refugees, and guest workers can be
taught life skills and social information in the
language of the society they will be living in,
getting content and language at the same time.
However content based syllabus does not
guarantee successful communication ability,
unless interesting and extensive activities are
included as part of teaching language.
Applications: