This past October we presented a demonstration at the MIDTESOL conference in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, entitled "Strategies in Teaching Content-Based Courses to English Language Learners." The demonstration first briefly defined Content-Based Language Instruction (CBLI) and stated the rationale for using it. Next, we outlined some strategies for using Content-Based materials. Then, both of us showed our sample materials and activities to manipulate the text while promoting higher order critical thinking skills. Afterwards, the entire group was divided into smaller task groups, given sample materials, and asked to develop an activity with the materials. Finally, the whole group participated in a wrap-up to discuss what the groups came up with and to see what we came up with for the same materials.

First, we decided that CBLI is a big topic and that our demonstration would focus on a very small part of this, namely, strategies for manipulating content-based materials in order to get learners to practice higher thinking skills, such as, categorizing, sequencing, hypothesizing, analyzing, inferencing, etc.

What is Content Based Language Instruction? Basically, it is the teaching of language using books, magazines, video, etc., which are not specifically developed or adapted for nonnative speakers. It is teaching language around a theme or topic and not around a specific language skill or grammar point. Having said this, however, students are most likely not studying content topics like biology, history, culture, or the aquatic food chain for the sake of learning these subjects. In most cases, students are not required to memorize the content, on contrary, they are studying content to learn language skills. Therefore, the rationale for doing CBLI is to teach the academic thinking skills which language learners will need to succeed in an English language classroom. However, in our opinion, CBLI is not meant for lower level learners, but for learners who have already mastered basic interpersonal communication skills. That is, students must have the necessary language to perform higher order thinking skills.

What strategies should you keep in mind when making lessons and activities using Content-Based Materials? After a review of the literature on CBLI, we decided upon seven principle points that teachers should consider:

1. Use tasks that emphasize higher thinking skills (e.g., synthesizing, evaluating, organizing, problem solving, clarifying, etc.)
2. Visually support content – realia, video, CALL, etc.
3. Vary the ways to teach content (e.g., collaborative group work, peer editing, information gap activity, etc.)
4. Support content linguistically (e.g., clarifying, paraphrasing, modeling)
5. Explain rationales/objectives and recap/review the lesson
6. Teach vocabulary as a separate skill
7. Connect learners’ background/experiences to the content

Our demonstration focused on the first principle point, providing tasks that encourage higher-order thinking skills. In order to do this, each of us presented a sample text, pointed out the challenges of teaching using unabridged content materials, and provided activities to practice these skills. Both sample texts were taken from middle- and high- school textbooks for native speakers of English.

The first sample text talked about St. Petersburg, Russia. This consisted of two pages of historical and geographical facts and a map of the city. Therefore, the sample required some background knowledge on the part of both, the student and teacher. Next, the map was unclear since it did not show the location of St. Petersburg in relation to the rest of Europe. Also, there was no glossary in the chapter, no text in bold type, nor was there a pre-, while-, or post- reading activity, as commonly found in ESL textbooks. In order to compensate for this, we introduced a map of Europe, justifying the location of St. Petersburg in Russia and Europe from a geo-strategic standpoint. Then we introduced a timeline with historical dates. This was a post- reading activity whereby students practiced sequencing skills and the teacher could check comprehension.

Next we introduced a reading about food groups from a junior high school text on health with a section on understanding a balanced diet. This text also presented a challenge because it contained no target vocabulary for ESL, and the graph was not self-explanatory. In addition, the post-reading activities in the text consisted of simple paper and pencil tasks. Words like "these, here, it, this" also required some prior knowledge of grammar, which ESL students may not possess. Also, the text assumed some cultural knowledge about food in the US since the basic food groups were traditional American ones. To compensate, we suggested activities that would further analyze specific foods in regards to nutritional information, price comparison, other foods not included in the text, etc. One task required that students organized products seen on television or print media into appropriate food groups. The learners then discussed the ways the products were advertised and which products they were most likely to buy.

After we discussed our sample materials, participants were asked to form work groups. Each group received packets containing a detailed list of teaching strategies that promote CBLI, sample texts, and a common sheet to plan a group activity. Participants were asked to skim the information in the packet and brainstorm one or several activities which would promote higher- order thinking skills for teaching their specific text. Afterwards, during the wrap-up, the groups reported back their results to the whole group, and we showed our activity ideas as well.

One work group discussed a reading about Egypt’s middle-kingdom period, which included a pyramid showing the social classes living in ancient Egypt at that time. It was suggested that a comparison chart could be developed to categorize the items owned by different ancient Egyptians in different social classes. In addition, learners could compare the social classes and infer how people in particular social classes lived based on these items.

In another work group, participants discussed a text about women’s historical contributions and work to improve helping social conditions in the United States. It was suggested that a chart be developed to summarize the main ideas and facts for each historical figure by classifying the information into what, where, when, why data for each.

In summation, the demonstration was a lively exchange of ideas from participants with a broad range of teaching situations and backgrounds. Both of us enjoyed the experience and appreciated the opportunity to share our ideas as well as learn from others at the MIDTESOL Conference in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.