Content Based Instruction

Content-Based Instruction (CBI) is a significant approach in language education (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, 1989). CBI is designed to provide second-language learners instruction in content and language.

Historically, the word content has changed its meaning in language teaching. Content used to refer to the methods of grammar-translation, audio-lingual methodology and vocabulary or sound patterns in dialog form. Recently, content is interpreted as the use of subject matter as a vehicle for second or foreign language teaching/learning.

Student learn about the subject using the target language trying to learn, not their native language, as a tool to develop knowledge and so they develop their language skills in the target language. It is considered a more natural way to develop language skill.

There are many ways to approach creating a CBI lesson. This is one possible way :

a.     Preparation

v Choose a subject interest to student

v Find three or four suitable sources that deal with different aspects of the subject. These could be websites, reference books, audio or video of lecturers or even real people.

b.     During the lesson

v Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a small research task and source of information to use to help them fulfill the task.

v Then once they have done their research they from new groups with student that used other information sources and share and compare their information.

v There should then be some product as the end result of this sharing of information which could take the form of a group report or presentation of some kind.

There are advantage from this method :

v 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.

v Students can also develop a much wider knowledge of the world through CBI which can feedback into improving and supporting their general educational needs.

v Teachers helps student to develop valuable study skills such as note taking, summarizing and extracting key information of texts.

v Taking information from different sources, re-evaluating and restructuring that information can help students to develop very valuable thinking skills that can then be transferred to other subjects.

v The inclusion of a group work element within the framework given above can also help students to develop their collaborative skills, which can have great social value.