Materials Development in ESP

a. Definition and Principles of CBI

CBI is defined as an approach to second language teaching in which teaching is organized around the content or information that students will acquire, rather than around a linguistic or other type of syllabus Richards and Rodgers, 2001:204. Brinton, Snow and Wesche 1989:2 define CBI as the integration of content with language-teaching aims. Brinton 2003:201 also conveys that CBI is “the teaching of language through exposure to content that is interesting and rel evant to learners”. Krahnke in Richards and Rodgers 2001 defines the term as follow: ...the content-based instruction CBI is the teaching of content or information in the language being learned with little or no direct or explicit effort to teaching the language itself separately from the content being taught... Krahnke, 1987: 65. Further, Strevens 1978: 190 adds characteristics of CBI as follows: a The language-use purposes of the learner are paramount. b The content is restricted to fit the learners purposes, selected according to hisher interests, developed through themes and topics. c Needs and focused to satisfy hisher communicative needs. d The methodology may be any that is appropriate to the learning and teaching situation. According to what the experts say about CBI, it shows that the approach focuses on how students can obtainlanguage through involving relevant subject matter knowledge as the input. CBI has benefits that can beperceived instead of any other approaches. These are summarized by Grabe and Stoller 1997 as follows. 1. In content-based classrooms, students are exposed to learn language while learning content. The language learning should be comprehensible and linked to the prior learning and relevant totheir needs. 2. CBI supports contextualized learning. The language taught is contextualized within relevant discourse rather than as isolated language elements. The language instruction can be explicit but still integrated with content instruction and relevant with context. 3. The use of developed content sources allows students to call on their prior knowledge to learn language and content material. 4. Students are exposed to experience challenging information and activities which can raise intrinsic motivation. 5. CBI offers strategy instruction and practice.The themes in each of the units require important strategies across varying content and learning tasks. 6. CBI allows greater flexibility and adaptability to be built into the curriculum and activity sequences. 7. CBI allows the class to be student-centered classroom activities.Grabe and Stoller 1997, 19-20. The application of CBI according to Richards and Rodgers 2001 is based on two relevant principles. The first principle says that ‘people learn a second language more successfully when they use the language as a means of acquiring information, rather than as an end in itself ’. It explains that learners will effectively master the language when they know the use of language to access knowledge. In addition, the second principle says that ‘CBI better reflects learners’ needs for learning a second language’. It shows that the materials used should cover learners’ needs and lead them to understand the use of language in the real world. Brinton 2003 offers some additional principles for CBI that support the ideas offered by Richards and Rodgers 2001. These principles are: 1. Base instructional decisions on content rather than language criteria. 2. CBI allows the content to determine the selection and sequences of the language element, such as vocabulary, grammar, functions, etc. 3. Integrated skills CBI employs integrated skills approach to language teaching. For example, a regular lesson may begin with any skill or focus such as intonation or any other linguistic feature. 4. Involve students actively in all phases of the learning process Learner-centered becomes one of the main points in this approach. Students are allowed to be independent and become more active in the CBI classroom. They can do activities with peer such as giving feedback and sharing knowledge.