Teaching Content in EFL Classrooms

Heath RoseSchool of Linguistic, Speech & Communication Sciences,Trinity College, The University of Dublin,Ireland

WORK HISTORY

16 years of language teaching-10 at universities in Australia, Japan

& Europe-8 teaching content in EFL settings

RESEARCH HISTORY

PhD in Education(Second language teaching and

Learning)

(Global Englishes)

The global context of English medium instruction

The bilingual and multilingual student

The curriculum of content-driven programs in EFL settings

Understanding the future usage of language by our students

Workshop outline

Opening questions…

• In what department do you teach (or study)?• If you are engaged in the teaching of content

through English:– Why do students choose to learn this content through

English?– Why did the department decide to offer courses taught

in English?• If you are engaged in language teaching:

– What ways can you/do you incorporate content into the curriculum?

THE GLOBAL CONTEXT OF ENGLISH MEDIUM INSTRUCTION

Part 1

Key terms

• Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)• Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT)• Content-based language teaching (CBLT)• Content and Language Integrated Learning

(CLIL)• English Medium Instruction (EMI)

What is CLIL?

CLIL: Content and Language Integrated Learning

• ‘CLIL is an approach in which a foreign language is used as a tool in the learning of a non-language subject in which both language and the subject have a joint role.’ (Marsh in Coyle, 2006).

• CLIL is teaching content with language sensitivity.

Global Context

• “English medium instruction has become commonplace in many institutes of higher education where English is not the native language” (Wilkinson, 2013: 3)– Economic, social, political & educational drivers

• Half of the world’s international students are learning through English (Ball & Lindsay, 2013)

• Internationalisation and English Medium Instruction are intertwined (Kirkpatrick, 2011)

European Context

• In 2007, there were 2400 programs taught in English at 400 mainland European universities and colleges.

• This is a 340% increase in just 5 years– (In 2002 only 700 such programs)(Source: Wachter & Waiworm, 2008)

• This trend in happening worldwide (Doiz et al., 2013)

The Japanese context

• Economic and political drivers are playing a vital role in recent years, and will continue to have a huge impact on English content programs in the future in Japanese higher education.

• However, the initial movement toward content was more driven by educational needs, rather than political or economic drivers.– Need for education of an international population– Need for further development of high-proficiency students

in universities known for language specialization.

Changing approaches to education

High School Universities(General)

Universities(Specialists)

20-30 years ago

Now

Future

Grammar Centered

Grammar Centered

CLT CBLT

CLT CBLT ?EMI (CLIL)

CLT CBLT EMI (CLIL)

Domestic firms require English proficiency (TOEIC)Globalization is causing greater use of English as Lingua Franca in business and societyInternational firms require use of English in some capacity (e.g. Maersk)Domestic firms are pushing to use English as a Lingua Franca (e.g. Uniqlo, Rakuten)Universities are attempting to tap into the international student market

This movement is just the beginning in Japan

STUDENTS ENGAGED IN EMI IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT

Part 2

Defining Bilingualism

Monolingual Balanced bilingual

Dominant bilingual

Subtractive bilingual

Semilingual0

25

50

75

100Language 1 Language 2

Q1 What is the background of the students in your typical classroom?

Balanced bilingual(L1 ≈ L2)

Dominant bilingual(Highly proficient)

Dominant bilingual(Less proficient)

Mono-lingual

Subtractive bilingual

Balanced Bilingual /

monolingual NES

Dominant Bilingual

Nati

ve-E

nglis

h

Highly proficient Bilingual

Less proficient Bilingual

Native English as a yardstick

What does this mean for the classroom?

• Many teachers see the multilingual mixed-language-ability classroom as a balancing act between between higher & lower proficiency students.

• If you focus on language, higher proficiency students gets bored. If you teach at a high level, the lower proficiency students are at a disadvantage.

• A move toward content shifts focus away from language.– In the language classroom shift to academic skills

Ways to minimize language differences in a content classroom

1. Do not use Native English as a yardstick2. Teach with language sensitivity / support3. Shift the focus of assessment on knowledge

of content rather than language ability.4. For lower proficiency classes, follow a

standard text, or compilation of readings.5. Adapt teaching methods to incorporate more

student-centered approaches

1. Don’t use the Native English as a yardstick for comparison

If your students are not native English speakers, do not expect them to perform like one in terms of language ability. They

ARE in your class, and NE should not be the yardstick for their performance.

I teach like I would back home. If the students can’t handle my class, it’s their problem. They shouldn’t be in the class.

Content teacher

This point of view is quite antiquated, and not in line with current trends of how

English is used as an international language

2. Teach with language sensitivity

Being sensitive to language used in the classroom and in lectures DOES NOT mean

you have to “dumb-down” the content. Being sensitive to language can merely

involve adapting your vocabulary choices, clarity of speech and organization of ideas.

I don’t want to “dumb-down” content.

Content teacher

Airey (2011)

• Airey did her doctoral research on student and teacher attitudes in a Swedish university where students learned through English.

• Students thought there was no difference in their ability to learn content in their L1 and L2.

• However, her study discovered important differences in learning and understanding of key concepts in the L2.

3. Shift the focus on assessment of knowledge of content rather than language use.

• Use a grading rubric rather than assigning an arbitrary score to written assignments and presentations. This way you minimize your evaluation of language as part of the final score.

• Don’t grade content papers for grammar (or don’t make this the focus of your feedback)

• Content, support for ideas, and successful communication of this content should be the focus of assessment, rather than grammar.

If you are a content lecturer, it is the students’ demonstration of and application of content

that should be of primary interest.

How can I justify giving an “A” to a paper full of grammatical errors?

Teacher

If you are a language teacher, it is the communicative effectiveness of the

assignment which should be valued over grammatical accuracy. Over-correcting

grammar detracts from a communicative focus.

Should students be treated differently?

• In mixed ability classroom, assessment is a point of contention for many engaged in CLIL.

• Ball & Linsay (2013) note that many teachers are torn between the unfairness to lower-proficiency students when students are treated the same, and the unfairness to higher proficiency students if a distinction in assessment is made.

• Ultimately, this decision is a matter of classroom policy (BUT lower proficiency students CAN outperform even the NES)

4. Follow a standard text, or compilation of readings

• Following a standard text allows students to take advantage of their different strengths and weaknesses. – If a student has had difficulty following a lecture,

they can find the information in the text.– Following a standard text can give your course

structure, which can improve understanding of course content.

– Ask students to read before the lecture (Airey, 2011)

5. Adapt approaches to teaching

• Try to employ more student-centered approaches to your classes.

• Studies in education show that students learn more through discussion and discovery than through lectures alone.– This is also true in NE environments– In NNES environments, different approaches can elicit more

participation from students (e.g. engage in group discussions, before class discussion or student Q & A)

• Airey (2011) found EMI courses to have less interaction in lectures and students were more hesitant to ask and answer questions).

What the literature says…• “Students may find that listening to lectures does not

enhance their own productive competencies (writing and speaking) in the subjects of study. For this reason a student-centered approach has been argued as important for helping both academic staff and students” (Wilkinson, 2013: 15)

• Swain argues for increased language production for students.

• “A learner is unconvinced that he/she has assimilated a concept until he/she has ‘expressed it’.” (Ball & Lindsay, 2013)

THE CURRICULUM OF CONTENT-DRIVEN PROGRAMS IN EFL SETTINGS

Part 3

Typical course structures of bilingual education programs

Skills-based courses (e.g. English for Academic purposes) Content-based courses

Content-based courses

Y1 Y4

Language Support

Courses taught in L1

Content-based courses

Skills-based

courses

Importance of skill training in a content-driven curriculum

• CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) is MORE vital than general language ability when undertaking content classes in a foreign language (Doiz, Lasagabaster, & Sierra, 2013)

• Thus, academic skills courses are essential for NNES [and NES for that matter] before engaging in the learning of content in a foreign language.

Academic English is NOT the same as Native English

Academic language is no one’s mother tongue, and especially not so to international students if it is the alien version called academic English. (Klitgard, 2011: 186)

Overseas EAP:Experience using EIL

Introductory EAP:Training to use EIL for study

purposes

Advanced EAP:First business projects in English

First content courseswith language support (ESP)

Overseas exchange programs further

use of EIL

Using English for academic study of business content

Career-focused courses and internships using EIL

Question 2

• How is the program organized in the department where you teach?

Draw a simple diagram on your handout …

Learning outcomes

Outcomes should be created from student needs.

Curriculum design is a backward process it starts at analyzing students’ FUTURE needs.

Q3 Your Learning Outcomes

• On the handout, think of learning outcomes for a course that you teach.

• Write two outcomes that you expect students to have already achieved BEFORE they take your course.

• Write two outcomes that students should have achieved AFTER completion of your course.

Improving coordination between courses within a program

• Outcomes need to be established for each course

• Outcomes need to be consistent for all courses sharing the same subject name.

• Outcomes for previous courses MUST match up with expectations of later courses if not, the curriculum is failing to meet student needs.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR STUDENTS’ FUTURE ENGLISH USAGE

Part 4

Task 3

The changing sociolinguistic landscape of English

750 million - EFL speakers375 million - ESL speakers (Beare, 2010).

Over 1 billion English learners worldwide (McKay, 2012, p. 28).

1/5 1/4 1/3

(CRYSTAL, 2008:5)

NativeNon-

native

Despite movements toward English as an International Language (Not NL)

The ELT industry continues to view the English language as a static, monolithic entity and Native English (NE), or ‘native-like’ proficiency is the desired goal. Matsuda and Friedrich (2012) point out, “the linguistic, cultural and functional diversity associated with English today challenges some of the fundamental assumptions of English language teaching (ELT) and requires that we revisit our pedagogical practices, especially in classrooms where English is taught as an international language” (p. 17).

What is needed in the future of ELT—especially in content-based courses

• Respect for multilingualism – Students’ first language is a resource, not a hindrance

• Value of “non-standard” varieties of English– Eradicate stereotypes about “standard” English– Exposure to a variety of English in classes– Hiring of non-native English speaking teachers

• Emphasis on communication strategies and intelligibility over adherence to “native English norms”

Listening Journal Discussions

Thank you

Heath RoseSchool of Linguistic, Speech & Communication Sciences,Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Irelandheath.rose@tcd.ie