Content-Based Instruction (CBI) compared to Content Classes
By Peggy Marcy, Professor California State University, San Bernardino
Let's look at how Content-Based Instruction, also called CBI, compares to content classes
or content lessons.
This is most significant for teachers in kindergarten through high school (also referred to as K-12).
At first glance, they sound like they should be the same thing.
But there are three of large differences I want to mention.
I am calling them differences and I am refraining from saying what might be an advantage or
disadvantage in this comparison because the only way to judge advantage/disadvantage is
by knowing your goals.
So, let's look at our first difference, content-based instruction is usually facilitated by a language
instructor trained in language teaching, while a content class is run by a teacher trained
in that content.
For example, a math class, a science class, an art class are content classes.
From Junior High School on, content classes are taught by teachers who specialize in that
content.
In Elementary School, we call them math lessons instead of math class, or science lesson instead
of science class.
But the point is that math or science is the focus of the lesson.
That brings me to my second point of comparison.
Content-based instruction (CBI) places equal importance on both language and content objectives
whereas content classes place importance on content objectives.
For example, in a content-based lesson about math, I would teach the vocabulary pre-, during,
and post-lesson that are specific to the math for that day.
One language objective would be the vocabulary needed to successfully complete the assignment.
In a content class, math, for example, I would begin by teaching the math concept I want
them to learn.
I expect that they will pick up the vocabulary as it is repeated in the instructions and
explanations, so I do not have a language objective.
I have a content objective like "they will be able to apply formulas for determining
the degree of an angle."
The third difference I want to point out is that Content-Based Instruction uses "classroom
language" while content classes represent authentic academic language -- notice I added
the "academic" to the "authentic language."
In another video, I'll discuss differences between academic language and everyday language.
The focus in content classes is on accomplishing a task and not on the spelling, grammar and
other aspects of the language.
By classroom language, I mean that students are being taught language specifically that
they need to survive in academic classes.
Because the focus is at least partially on the language and not just the task/content,
it is not truly authentic language.
Sometimes an ELL (English Language Learner) can do fine in content classes.
For example, the mathematic symbols tend to be the same, so once they figure out the pattern,
they can do well.
But in other content classes, like sociology, that are language dependent, ELLs can get
lost quickly.
Therefore, even though I have mentioned Content-Based Instruction for math, it would benefit students
more to focus on history, sociology, psychology and other language dependent content for CBI.
In review, three large differences between Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and content
classes are that CBI is usually facilitated by an instructor with second language acquisition
training, the objectives are both language and content, and it represents classroom language.
On the other hand, content classes/lessons are usually facilitated by teachers trained
in the specific content, the objectives are only concerned with content/tasks, and the
language is authentic because the teacher cares about the end result of the task or
assignment.