Model of Content-Based Instruction
32 model proposed by Brinton, Snow, and Wesche 1989 which will be explained in
the following page. 1
Theme-based language instruction It is a one way to increase the subject matter content in language class. The
content material presented by the language teacher provides the basis for language analysis and practice. The materials in theme-based courses are usually teacher-
generated or adapted from outside sources, thus the students are able to move to higher levels of language processing through the variety of text types, formats and
activities to which they are exposed. Theme-based language courses can be implemented within virtually any existing institutional setting and topics can be
selected to match students‟ interest. 2
Sheltered content instruction It consists of content courses taught in the second language to a segregated
group of learners by a content area specialist. It assumes an institutional framework such as high school, community college or university in which three is
access to content courses and content teaching staff proficient in the target language. The texts in sheltered courses are carefully selected for their
organization and clarity. Unfortunately, the overall course requirements might be altered to greater emphasis on receptive skills and less on speaking and writing.
3 Adjunct language construction
Students are enrolled concurrently in two linked courses: a language course and a content course. It is believed that the two courses share content base
and complement each other in terms of mutually coordinated assignments.
33 Related to the models of content-based instruction, the researcher chooses
theme-based language instruction as the approach to be considered in designing the materials. The primary aim of the theme-based language instruction is to help
students develop second language competence which fits for the students of
History Department who learn English as their second or foreign language. b.
Principles of Content-Based Instruction
According to Nunan 2003, there are six principles underlying CBI p. 205. They are as follows:
1 Base instructional decisions on content rather than language criteria
CBI allows the choice of content to dictate or influence the selection and sequencing of language items. It means that English has to be acquired through
the contexts of learning. 2
Integrate skills CBI practitioners use an integrated skills approach to language teaching,
covering all four language skills as well as grammar and vocabulary. There is no set sequence of skills to be taught in CBI. Instead, the lesson may begin with any
skill or, alternatively, with a focus on grammar or vocabulary. It is the content itself that influences the decisions about selection and sequencing.
3 Involve students actively in all phases of the learning process
Because it falls under the more general rubric of communicative language teaching CLT, the CBI classroom is learner rather than teacher centered
Littlewood, 1981 as cited in Nunan, 2003, p. 207. In such classrooms, students learn through doing and are actively engaged in the learning process, they do not
34 depend on the teacher to direct all learning or to be the source of all information.
Central of CBI is the belief that learning occurs not only through exposure to the teacher‟s input, but also through peer input and interactions.
4 Choose content for its relevance to students‟ lives, interests, andor academic
goals The choice of content in CBI courses ultimately depends on the student
and the instructional setting. The teacher must select appropriate materials for the students. It has to be interesting and suitable for their needs.
5 Select authentic texts and tasks
A key component of CBI is authenticity-both of the texts used in the classroom and the tasks that learners are asked to perform. In CBI, since the
objective is to aim for authenticity of task, the tasks associated with a given text should mirror those that would take place in the real world. As for History
Department students, the reading texts should be taken from written historical data, magazines, newspapers or tourism websites which discuss about history. In
this way, the students are directly exposed to the real world task. 6
Draw overt attention to language features The purpose of CBI is to expose learners to authentic input with the goal
of their being able to use language for communicative purposes.