Content-focused language teaching approaches such as Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) continue to gain both recognition and credibility. In this workshop, participants will be introduced to both the theory and practice of such approaches, with special emphasis on the affective learning domain. After looking at the various benefits and challenges of a content-focuses approach, the presenter will introduce an example of a theme-based CBI program that is currently being used in a tertiary-level English program for management course students in Japan. The aim here is to highlight for participants each step in the instructional design process as well as some of the various considerations at both the macro (curriculum) and micro (task) levels. Participants will then be challenged to consider the motivational merits of implementing a content-focused approach in their own teaching contexts, and be presented with a list of suggested readings for further exploration.

1. http://tinyurl.com/bjones-cbi-handout
CONTENT-FOCUSED LANGUAGE
INSTRUCTION
BRENT A. JONES
KONAN UNIVERSITY,
HIRAO SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

3. KONAN CUBE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM

4. GOALS & AIMS (PRE-2009)
• internationally-minded citizens
• integrate English, liberal arts and other courses
• communicative competence and confidence
• creativity and a sense of curiosity
• practical skills
• global literacy
• critical thinking
• studying in English
• reading/writing/presentation

5. REQUIRED ENGLISH COURSES
Semester One Semester Two Semester Three
Global Challenges
(twice a week)
American Studies
(twice a week)
European Studies
Speech & Discussion
(twice a week)
Discussion & Debate
(twice a week)
Japan Studies
CUBE English I CUBE English II Business Communication
TOEIC Preparation

7. ELECTIVES (SEMESTERS 4 - 8)
Regional Studies
Asian Neighbors, Cultural
Look at Spain
Studies in Literature
The Graphic Novel, Sports in
Literature
Business Skills II
Advanced Business, The Auto
Industry
Media Studies
News & the Media, Web 2.0,
Film Studies
Liberal Arts Knowledge
History of European Thought,
Socratic Dialogs
Communication Skills I
Language & Culture of Spain,
Cross-Cultural Communication
Cross Disciplinary Sustainable Living

8. CBI & CLIL . . . AND MANY, MANY
MORE
• content-based language instruction
• content and language integrated learning
• content-focused language learning
• enhanced language learning
• teaching language through content
• immersion

9. WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
USE OF SUBJECT MATTER AS A
VEHICLE (OR FRAMEWORK) FOR
LANGUAGE TEACHING/LEARNING

10. BENEFITS (OR PURPOSE)
• Learning “authentic” language
• Exposure to lots of language
• Language learning as a bi-product of academic
endeavours
• Useful language embedded in relevant, meaningful
contexts
• Increased intrinsic motivation

11. Students will not be motivated to
learn unless they regard the
material they are taught as worth
learning.
Dörnyei, 2001

13. CREATING SLES
• Learning Goals
• Feedback & Assessment
• Learning & Teaching Activities
SLEs = Significant Learning Experiences

14. KONAN CUBE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM

16. MODULES
• Society & Culture
• Business & The Economy
• The Environment
• Government & Politics

17. SOCIETY &
CULTURE

19. SHADOWING

23. DICTATION & DICTOGLOSS

24. BUSINESS & THE ECONOMY

26. CONVERGENT & DIVERGENT TASKS

28. THE ENVIRONMENT

30. GENRE WRITING & THE
READING/WRITING CONNECTION

31. GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

33. PEER-ASSESSED INTERVIEWS

37. SCAFFOLDING

41. KONAN CUBE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM

43. TYPES OF CBI
• Adjunct Model
• Sheltered Model
• Theme-based Model

44. Alternative models of CLIL
Soft CLIL Type of CLIL Time Context
Language-led
one class
per week
Some subject topics
taught during a language
course
Subject-led
(modular)
15 classes
per term
Schools or teachers
choose parts of the
subject syllabus to teach
in target language
Hard CLIL
Subject-led
(partial
immersion
approx. 50%
of
curriculum
Half of subject curriculum
taught in target language.

45. MORE ACRONYMS?
• Problem-Based Learning (PBL)
• Project-Based Learning (PBL)
• Task-Based Learning (TBL)

46. LESSONS LEARNED
• Involve students in the choice of topics and activities.
• Avoid the Double Whammy.
• Keep the focus on language for thinking and school
learning.
• Offer scaffolding when and where it is needed.

47. CONSIDERATIONS
• Group Learning Trajectory / Individual Learning Path

48. BACKWARD DESIGN & FORWARD
ASSESSMENT
• Backward Design
• What’s important now and years after the course?
• What should students do in the course to succeed?
• Forward Assessment
• Imagine students in a situation where they would use the
knowledge and/or skills.
• Focus the learning on realistic, meaningful tasks.

49. A HOLISTIC VIEW OF ACTIVE LEARNING
Experiences
- Doing, Observing
- Actual, simulated
- “Rich learning
experiences
Info and Ideas
- Primary/secondary
- Accessing them in class,
out-of-class, online
Fink, 2003
Reflecting
- On what one is learning
and how one is learning
- Alone and with others

50. KEY CONCEPTS - REVIEW
• Learning Outcomes (include student voice)
• Emphasis on High Frequency Vocabulary
• Lots of Comprehensible Input
• Reading-Writing Connection (Genre)
• “Can Do” Statements
• Relevance
• Focus on Content (with practice j all 4 skills)
• Blended Learning (Flipped Classroom)
• Scaffolding (just in time, just enough)

51. GOOD COURSES ARE COURSES
THAT . . .
• challenge students to significant kinds of learning
• use active forms of learning
• have teachers who care about the subject, their
students, and teaching and learning
• have teachers who interact well with students
• have a good system for feedback, assessment and
grading
L. Dee Fink

52. WWW.BRENTJONES.COM

53. Cognitive Load
Theory

55. POSITIVES
• Achieving program goals
• High and appropriate expectations
• Student satisfaction
• Year by year improvements
• Gaining recognition as innovative
• Increased use of English O-Zone

56. CHALLENGES
• Monitoring student progress
• Wide ability/motivation/expectation gaps
• Quality control
• Stuck in outdated model
• Low “buy in” (students, faculty, staff)

57. FRAMEWORK FOR IMPROVEMENTS
• Accreditation process (external accountability)
• How to better serve students (internal)
• 21st century skills
• Relevance
• Societal needs
• Catch their imagination (inspiration)

58. ACTFL
Proficiency
Guidelines
CEFR “Can Do” Statements / iBT
range / TOEIC range
One-Step Minimum per YEAR

59. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Cognitive objectives:
• What do you want your graduates to know?
• Affective objectives:
• What do you want your graduates to think or care about?
• Behavioral objectives:
• What do you want your graduates to be able to do?

60. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Mastery objectives are typically concerned with the minimum performance essentials – those learning
tasks/skills that must be mastered before moving on to the next level of instruction.
• Developmental objectives are concerned with more complex learning outcomes – those learning tasks
on which students can be expected to demonstrate varying degrees of progress.

62. GLOBAL CHALLENGES
• Schema Building
• Reading/Writing Connection
• Stories (non-fiction)
• Case Studies
• Problem-Based Learning
• Critical Thinking
• Self Awareness
• Cause/Effect/Links
• Vocabulary Building
• Research Skills
• Discussion/Presentation

63. SPEECH & DISCUSSION
• Physical Message
• Body/Voice
• Visual Message
• Story Message
• Confidence Building
• Logical Thinking
• Transitions
• Speech Writing
• Types of Speech/Discussion
• Supporting Ideas
• Extemporaneous/Impromptu Speaking

64. CUBE ENGLISH I & II
• Multimodal input
• Training the ear
• Vocabulary building
• Ambiguity tolerance
• Foundation for TOEIC
• Listening shower
• Authentic material
• Graded tasks
• Blended learning
• Schema building
• Self access/autonomy
• Strategies & sub-skills

65. AMERICAN STUDIES
• Schema Building
• Blended Learning
• Modules
• History/Geography
• Society/Culture
• Government/Politics
• Research Project
• American Fair
• Reading/Writing Connection
• Learning Portfolio
• Genre Writing

66. CUBE ENGLISH PROGRAM
EPISODE TWO – CONTENT BASED INSTRUCTION