Choosing the Content-Based Approach
by Omar G. P.
Subject: Teaching English as a Foreign Language: Methodology I
In this essay, I will talk about the reasons why I prefer the Content-Based Approach or Content-Based Instruction (CBI) over other approaches in language teaching.
As I understand the CBA, the basic proposal is that acquiring content knowledge is not what comes ‘after’ learning the language, but instead, a way to actually learn the language. Similar to the Communicative Language Learning, this approach also deals with the usefulness of language, but in this case, it’s not merely focused on metalinguistic functions, nor in purely personal matters. Language is seen as a medium of communication to express information and knowledge, either from social, experiential, vocational, or recreational nature. Maybe what best distinguishes this approach from all the others is that the objective has to do directly with the content, not with the language, which is thus meant to be acquired inductively.
For me, there is no doubt that the Content-Based Approach is one of the best in language learning. I think that, somehow, since we are children we all learn our mother language mainly through a type of ‘content approach’, and we get to learn the language successfully that way. In my personal experience, I am sure that this type of learning was the one which more allowed me to improve my English, and even today, I consider that it’s still the way in which I have better learned English.
I think there are many advantages in this approach: it can be applied with equal emphasis on the four skills of language, the professor can make use of authentic materials, and, as I see it, the content-based approach can be applied successfully at any level, from kindergarten, to high school teenagers, and as well to the most advanced levels. Contents can be chosen taking into account cognitive factors and the stages in life where students are.
I must admit, however, that there may be a considerable downside. In brief terms, there is this possibility that the contents proposed by the teacher might be totally dislikeable or uninteresting to some students. I have had L2 lessons where the contents or topics presented were about things I really dislike, which made that my learning experience became harder in those moments. In such cases, the students might struggle inside, not only against possible linguistic difficulties, but also against emotional bounds or personal distastes related to certain contents.
In conclusion, I think that the CBI is a very good option as a teaching method, but any professor should take into account two more things when using the CBI. One of them is that the contents should have some kind of relation or meaningfulness to the students. The second, and the one I consider most important, is that, when possible, SSs should be allowed to decide democratically which contents they would like to address. The teacher may suggest and propose, but SSs free will should have a degree of involvement regarding the selection of contents.
As I understand the CBA, the basic proposal is that acquiring content knowledge is not what comes ‘after’ learning the language, but instead, a way to actually learn the language. Similar to the Communicative Language Learning, this approach also deals with the usefulness of language, but in this case, it’s not merely focused on metalinguistic functions, nor in purely personal matters. Language is seen as a medium of communication to express information and knowledge, either from social, experiential, vocational, or recreational nature. Maybe what best distinguishes this approach from all the others is that the objective has to do directly with the content, not with the language, which is thus meant to be acquired inductively.
For me, there is no doubt that the Content-Based Approach is one of the best in language learning. I think that, somehow, since we are children we all learn our mother language mainly through a type of ‘content approach’, and we get to learn the language successfully that way. In my personal experience, I am sure that this type of learning was the one which more allowed me to improve my English, and even today, I consider that it’s still the way in which I have better learned English.
I think there are many advantages in this approach: it can be applied with equal emphasis on the four skills of language, the professor can make use of authentic materials, and, as I see it, the content-based approach can be applied successfully at any level, from kindergarten, to high school teenagers, and as well to the most advanced levels. Contents can be chosen taking into account cognitive factors and the stages in life where students are.
I must admit, however, that there may be a considerable downside. In brief terms, there is this possibility that the contents proposed by the teacher might be totally dislikeable or uninteresting to some students. I have had L2 lessons where the contents or topics presented were about things I really dislike, which made that my learning experience became harder in those moments. In such cases, the students might struggle inside, not only against possible linguistic difficulties, but also against emotional bounds or personal distastes related to certain contents.
In conclusion, I think that the CBI is a very good option as a teaching method, but any professor should take into account two more things when using the CBI. One of them is that the contents should have some kind of relation or meaningfulness to the students. The second, and the one I consider most important, is that, when possible, SSs should be allowed to decide democratically which contents they would like to address. The teacher may suggest and propose, but SSs free will should have a degree of involvement regarding the selection of contents.
References:
- British Council BBC. Content-based instruction. August 13 2003. Teaching English https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/content-based-instruction
- Mulamba Patrick Omoto. Content-Based Instruction. May 2013. Kenya. Maasai Mara University. International Journal of Business and SocialScience. Vol. 4 No. 5. http://ijbssnet.com/journals/Vol_4_No_5_May_2013/27.pdf
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