Give Priority to Content—Based Instruction in ESOL teaching

1. Introduction

ESOL educators are always seeking to find effective language teaching methods to help their students achieve better. Among a variety of methods in ESOL teaching， I favor the Content-Based Instruction most for its advantages as follow：

2. Advantages of Content-Based Instruction in ESOL teaching

Content-Based Instruction （CBI） is a dual focused approach to teaching content and language in one setting （Coyle， 2007； Devos， 2016）. Language serves as a medium for content learning， and academic subjects provide natural content for language study in a meaningful and authentic context （Brinton& Snow &Wesche;， 1989； Larsen-Freeman &Anderson;， 2011）. This means that with Content-Based Instruction， our students who are at various stages of English can have many linguistic instruction and supports in a content-based language class， and at the same time their academic learning and cognitive development would not be delayed.

Another special advantage of Content-Based instruction is that it requires students to read， listen to， speak， and write a variety of English （Horwitz， 2013； Omoto & Nyongesa， 2013）. Survey indicates that students can learn a language more effectively when instruction is integrated with content knowledge than they are in language only classroom （Cho & McDonnough， 2009）. Content-based instruction naturally integrates all language skills （Omoto & Nyongesa， 2013）， which ultimately transfer to academic knowledge presented in the target language （ Brinton& Snow& Wesche，1989）. In other words， content-based class integrates listening， speaking， reading， and writing practices to promote the mastery of a full range of language skills for ESOL learners.

Content-Based language teachers often attempt to make the instruction comprehensible through a variety of techniques and strategies， such as building background knowledge and encouraging collaborative learning. CBI advocates that teaching should build on previous knowledge （ Scarcella & Oxford， 1992； Omoto & Nyongesa， 2013）， which helps language learners better understand what they are learning. In addition， Content-Based Instruction classroom teachers often create opportunities for students to readily participate in group activities and to develop knowledge they encounter. So to further students better understanding of language and knowledge， we should make efforts to connect their existing knowledge to their school learning and to promote their cooperative interactions.

3. Conclusion

From this essay， we have seen those essential advantages of Content-Based Instruction as an ideal ESOL method. It emphasizes both the language learning and content learning； it integrate listening， speaking， reading， and writing in meaningful ways； it gives students access to comprehensible learning to achieve the dual learning objectives. Thus， as ESOL educators， to advance a more productive educational future for our diverse students， we should employ the Content-Based Instruction in our teaching.

References：

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[7]Omoto，Mulamba Patrick&Nyongesa;，Wesonga Justus，Content- Based Instruction：A Study of Methods of Teaching and Learning English in Primary Schools in Butula District[J].International Journal of Business and Social Science，2013（Vol.4）.

[8]Scarcella，Robin C.&Oxford;， Rebecca L.The Tapestry of language learning：the individual in the communicative classroom[J].Boston： Heinle&Heinle;，1992.

[9]Stroller，F(xiàn)redrickal.Second and foreign language education. In Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl and Nancy H.Hornberger（ Eds），Encyclopedia of language and education[J].New York： Springer， 2008（vol.4）：59-69.

【作者簡介】彭爭，廣東省廣州市廣州城建職業(yè)學(xué)院。