3.

Content-based
Instruction
Elective-Integrative Teaching Strategies
CONTENT-BASED INSTRUCTION (CBI)
• Integration of content learning
language teaching aims.
• It is centered on the academic needs
and interest of learners, and crosses the
barrier between the language and
subject matter courses (Zulueta, 2006).
•The focus of a CBI lesson is on the
topic or subject matter. During
the lesson, students 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 topical news story or
film.
•They learn about this subject using the
language they are trying to learn,
rather than their native language, as a
tool for developing knowledge and so
they develop their linguistic ability in
the target language. This is thought to
be a more natural way of developing
language ability and one that
corresponds more to the way we
originally learn our first language.
•Content-based instruction
emphasizes a connection to real-life,
real-world skills (Curtain, 1995); in
content-based classes, students
have more opportunities to use the
content knowledge and expertise
they bring to class (they activate
their prior knowledge, which leads to
increased learning of language and
content material).
• CBI is an approach to language
instruction that integrates the
presentation of topics or tasks from
subject matter classes (e.g., math, social
studies) (Crandall & Tucker, 1990, p. 187).
Specific example: English and Science
•A lesson in English designed to
“develop the ability to locate and
synthesize information” may use
content in science (essay or article)
such as “The Ecological System” which
is topic on the first year of science
(BEC) under “Living Things and Their
Environment.”
•What does a content-
based instruction lesson
look like?
• Preparation
o Choose a subject of interest to students.
o Find three or four suitable sources that
deal with different aspects of the subject.
These could be websites, reference
books, audio or video of lectures or even
real people.
• During the lesson
o Divide the class into small groups and assign each
group a small research task and a source of
information to use to help them fulfil the task.
o Then once they have done their research they form
new groups with students that used other
information sources and share and compare their
information.
o 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.
What are the advantages of content-based
instruction?
• It can make learning a language more
interesting and motivating. Students can
use the language to fulfil 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.
• CBI is very popular among EAP (English for
Academic Purposes) teachers as it helps
students to develop valuable study skills such
as note taking, summarising and extracting
key information from texts.
• 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.
• 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.
What are the potential problems?
• Because CBI isn't explicitly focused on language
learning, some students may feel confused or may
even feel that they aren't improving their
language skills. Deal with this by including some
form of language focused follow-up exercises to
help draw attention to linguistic features within the
materials and consolidate any difficult vocabulary
or grammar points.
• Particularly in monolingual classes, the overuse of
the students' native language during parts of the
lesson can be a problem. Because the lesson isn't
explicitly focused on language practice students
find it much easier and quicker to use their mother
tongue. Try sharing your rationale with students
and explain the benefits of using the target
language rather than their mother tongue.
• It can be hard to find information sources and texts
that lower levels can understand. Also, the sharing of
information in the target language may cause great
difficulties. A possible way around this at lower levels is
either to use texts in the students' native language and
then get them to use the target language for the
sharing of information and end product, or to have
texts in the target language, but allow the students to
present the end product in their native language.
These options should reduce the level of challenge.
• Some students may copy directly from the source
texts they use to get their information. Avoid this
by designing tasks that demand students
evaluate the information in some way, to draw
conclusions or actually to put it to some practical
use. Having information sources that have
conflicting information can also be helpful as
students have to decide which information they
agree with or most believe.
4. GENERIC COMPETENCY MODEL
Generic Competency Model
enables students to develop
"competencies." These
competencies are acquired
through connecting one
subject from the other.
•Personal development, social
competence and
work/special skills are the
most common competencies
being integrated in two or
more subjects (Losabia, 2010).
Example:
•Objective in Makabayan (Social
Study), "Identify material and non-
material culture and to affirm their
importance through preparing an
exhibit about the culture of the
Philippines", can be integrated in the
three competencies stated.
• For personal skills, students can develop their
love and appreciation of their own culture.
For social competence, the students can
work in groups especially in preparing their
culminating performance which is an exhibit.
Lastly, for the work/special skills,
the student can utilize
their creative and artistic skills to make their
exhibit appealing. Their work attitudes can
also be reflected especially given a deadline
and/or a criterion.
Example:
1.Understand that digital technology has speeded
up the printing of original designs and made it
accessible to many, as emphasized in t-shirts and
poster designs (A6PL-IIIb)
2.Improvise simple rhythmic/melodic
accompaniments to selected music from the
Lowlands of Luzon (MU7LU-Ic-f-5)
3.Explain how species diversity increases the
probability of adaptation and survival of organisms
in changing environments (S10LTIIIh-41)
Other forms of integrative strategy:
1. Lecture-Discussion
•It uses the “Three Pronged Strategy”
which includes careful organization of
the course material, student interaction
in lecture, and discussion section
activities.
2. Demonstration-Lecture Method
• After showing an actual thing that represents the
subject matter, the teacher may now proceed to
his lecture in order to provide students with an in-
depth understanding of the procedure or process
presented. It uses films, tapes, slides and
televisions and after that, the discussion will
follow.
3. Film showing-Discussion
4. Reporting-Discussion
After a student makes a report, the class can
actively engage in an interesting discussion of the
various ideas that the student shared with his
classmates.
• The teacher at this point can enliven the session by
asking some questions and can enrich it, too, by
adding relevant and clarifying ideas.
5. Inductive-Deductive Technique
•Teaching from the most specific to most
complex subject matter and then
letting the students derive their own
specific understanding about the topic.
Teaching Strategies
Teaching strategies refer to the methods, techniques,
procedures and processes that a teacher uses during
instruction. It is generally recognized that teaching
strategies are multidimensional and their effectiveness
depends on the context in which they are applied.
There is no single strategy that can guarantee better
student outcomes, however, research has highlighted
a number of practices that enable learning among
students (Hattie, 2009; Marzano et al., 2001; Wayne
and Young, 2003).
• The effect of these strategies is influenced
by how the teacher adapts and applies the
right strategy to deal with the target group
and help students learn the desired course
content and achieve the intended learning
outcomes. The intended learning outcomes
should guide which approach best suits the
achievement of those outcomes.
Discussion & Debate
• Engaging students in discussion and debate
encourages students to create their own understanding of
the content and connect it to their experiences. Learning
is improved when students are encouraged to form
opinions and develop their own ideas about the content.
By including discussion and debate-style activities in your
classes, you are encouraging students to think about the
connect more deeply and gain broader insight through
the shared ideas and different perspectives of others.
 The effectiveness of an in-class discussion or debate relies
heavily upon the level of planning undertaken before class.
Students may feel uncomfortable disagreeing publicly, so try begin
with generic discussions to allow students to build confidence.
Discuss different roles and encourage students to take on
moderator role. When planning your discussions, consider:
• What content do you want students to focus on?
• What questions can you ask to inspire a rigorous conversation or
debate?
• Will students need time to prepare in advance?
• Will students need guidance with how to ask probing questions?
In-class discussion examples:
• A mid-point summary or reflection could be
provided by a student, for 1 minute, part
way through a discussion. This student
could then pose a question to continue the
discussion or move it in another direction.
•Find a short reading or article that
offers a controversial perspective.
Ask students to read prior to class
or quickly at the commencement
of the activity. Prepare some
questions to help open the
conversation.
• Provide a case-study or scenario for students to
read. Create roles or characters that each look
at the scenario from a different perspective.
Have students form small groups and assign each
group a character. Have students respond to the
whole class, showing the scenario from the
position of their character. As a class, discuss the
different points-of-view and see if the class can
find a resolution. Consider assigning some
students the role of discussion mediators, who
propose compromises and help the class to
identify key points and common ground.
In-class debate examples:
• Class debates often work best in small teams.
• One team arguing for and another team
arguing against the issue. The remaining students
will be the non-debating audience.
• Allow the teams time to work together prior to
the debate, so that they can determine
arguments for or against a given topic.
• Each member of the team is given the opportunity to
present one argument on behalf of their team.
• Arguments should be timed, approximately 3-5 minutes
per person.
• Allow time for rebuttals and responses, approximately 1
per person.
• Include the class in creating a clear set of rules, timings
and guidelines for the debate. Non-debating students
should work together to create guidelines for how the
debate will be judged, evaluated and how feedback will
be provided
Role Play
• Role play is a form of experiential learning (Russell &
Shepherd, 2010). Students take on assigned roles and act
out those roles through a scripted play. The role play can
be carried out one-to-one (individual role play) or as a
group role play with each member in the group taking on
a role/character. Roles and rules for a role play are clearly
defined in the script. Role plays can provide very powerful
learning experiences for students by immersing them in
simulated real world situations in which students act out a
particular role/character in a safe environment.
Student Presentations
• Student presentations can be very valuable learning
experiences, but giving oral presentations in class can also
be stressful for students. Not only are they worried about
getting up in front of a group to speak, but also many of
them haven’t had much instruction in what constitutes an
effective presentation. Lecturers and tutors can help
students prepare for their presentations and improve their
oral presentation skills by providing resources about
preparing an oral presentation for an academic audience,
choosing and organizing content, practicing delivery, and
including and using technology and visual aids.
• Assessing oral presentations can also
present a challenge to instructors. One
effective tool is a grading grid that you
use while listening to students’
presentations. You might divide this grid
according to the grading criteria you’ve
established, leaving space for questions
and comments, and then give a copy of
it to students along with a short
description of the strengths of their
presentations as well as areas for
improvement.
Think Pair Share include under Active
Learning
Think Pair Share activity is a strategy that
takes only 3 minutes in lectures or
tutorials, even online, in any discipline. A
Think Pair Share activity enhances
student learning by facilitating students’
thinking about an issue then facilitating
students’ interaction with one peer to
explain their ideas and listening to their
peer’s ideas.
It can follow (or be followed) by a minute of writing by
simply adding one minute of writing before or after
the Think Pair Share. By writing their thoughts, students
must clarify their thoughts. Writing others’ comments
helps students to listen.
The intention is to:
1. get students to think independently about some
problem; then
2. verbalize what they have learned about that
problem to another person.
How to do a Think Pair Share
The facilitator first explains how to do the activity. Explain
the timing. Revise listening skills. Try 60 seconds with a
particular noise – say a loud knock on the desk – to
indicate the end of each step.
* The facilitator poses a question, problem, issue or idea
(that does not simply have one answer).
* This can be up on the board or a PowerPoint slide so
everyone is clear as to the problem to be discussed.
* She/he introduces the Think Pair Share activity as the
method for discussing answers to the question.
1. Think: Students then silently think, write
notes, draw, and/or calculate to answer or
solve the issue.
2. Pair: Students turn to a neighbor or move
around the room and select their Pair.
3. Share: One student explains their ideas
while the other student listens attentively
without speaking. When the facilitator gives
the time signal, the students swap roles.
Labs
• Laboratory work is particularly important in
science and technology disciplines, not least
because labs provide an environment in which
learning is placed in context. Laboratory classes
should always have a clearly defined goal and
the literature provides a firmly established range
of goals to choose from as follows:
• Learning scientific information and concepts;
• Participating in the construction of scientific knowledge,
understanding the interplay of theory and methodology;
• Understanding the processes of scientific enquiry and
appreciating and emulating the role of scientists and
engineers in enquiry:
* Observing and measuring
* Seeing a problem and seeking ways to solve it
* Interpreting data and formulating generalizations
* Building, testing and revising a theoretical model;
• Developing imagination and creativity;
• Learning manipulative and technical skills and the use
of equipment;
• Developing relevant professional values, attitudes,
and interests;
• Developing an orientation to the social, historical, and
philosophical aspects of science and engineering;
• Appreciating the application of knowledge and
methods;
• Developing literature skills;
• Learning how to communicate verbally and
orally;
• Learning to work co-operatively with
colleagues, developing teamwork; and
• Developing scientific attitudes and positive
attitudes to science and stimulating interest,
enjoyment and excitement in science.
Experiential Learning
Centered on the concept that meaningful
knowledge is created through concrete experiences,
hands-on learning opportunities for students are at the
core of an experiential course. Events are followed by
reflection to develop applicable knowledge and
theories for future action.
• The type of experiences provided depend on the
subject area and course requirements, but can
include practicum programs, laboratory experiments,
role-playing simulations, and problem-solving activities.
 Typically, experiential
learning processes are
cyclical in nature and follow
a pattern of an experience,
followed by reflection on the
experience, and then a new
experience with integration
of insights and learning from
the last experience.
• Experiential learning works
well in disciplines with an
applied or hands-on
practical focus.
Peer Learning
• Peer learning is the process of students learning with
and from each other. This is usually facilitated through
teaching and learning activities such as student–led
workshops, study groups, peer-to-peer learning
partnerships, and group work. Some benefits include,
development of student collaboration and
communication skills, enhancement of student
confidence and the ability to take control of their own
learning (Ramsden, 1992; Biggs, 2003).
Peer Learning
• Students feel more comfortable
working with their peers, so may
interact and engage in reflection
and explore ideas more deeply than
in a teacher led environment.
Problem Based Learning
• Problem based learning (PBL) is a teaching
strategy during which students are trying solve a
problem or a set problem unfamiliar to them. PBL is
underpinned by a constructivist approach, as such
it promotes active learning. Activities are carried
out with groups of students, typically in a tutorial or
seminar setting. PBL fosters self-directed learning,
effective problem solving, communication and
collaboration skills.
• Students tend to
work in groups to
problem solve
with the lecturer
or tutor taking a
backstage role
during the
activity, their
involvement is
usually limited to
guiding and
monitoring the
process.
Reflective Learning
• Reflective learning typically involves
looking back at something, a past
experience or idea and critically analyzing
the event. By looking at successful and
unsuccessful aspects of an experience,
reflection will help students learn from their
past experiences and turn surface learning
into deep learning.
Reflective Learning
• Apart from helping students to develop
greater self-awareness, reflective learning
helps students identify gaps in their learning
and areas for improvement. Boud et al.
(1985) suggest that structured reflection is
the key to learning from experience, and
that reflection as such can be a very
challenging part of the learning process.
• Gibbs' model of
reflection (1988)
Reference:

ECU Learning Intranet. (n.d.) Curriculum design. Retrieved from