An Introduction to Using English as the MOI - eduhk.hk€¦ · An Introduction to Using English as the MOI The Role of Language in Subject Content Learning All content learning relies

An Introduction to Using English as the MOI

What role does language play in subject content learning?

How is content related to language?

How can we integrate content and language teaching?

How can we plan for the integration of content and language?

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The Role of Language in Subject Content Learning

All content learning relies on the use of language.

Language is the medium through which teaching and learning occur.

No classroom functions without language.

So, language is vital to learning.

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What are the two main sources from which Ss get their subject content knowledge?

Teachers & books…..

Ss listen to teachers’ explanations.

Ss read books.

Teachers rely on language for explanation and instruction.

This applies to all subjects:

The maths teacher relies on language to explain, instruct, inform, encourage…

Textbooks include the printed language….

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Ss need to express their subject content knowledge;

Ss ask and answer questions.

Ss do written exams….

What do you think of this statement:

“Exams in my subject are mainly multiple choice so Ss don’t need to know a lot of language”.

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• Even in MCQs Ss must comprehend and process the language in the question and the options for answers!

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A language deficit?

A deficiency in the language of instruction is a obstacle to learning in all subject areas.

What do you think is going on in the following example?

(there is a language problem here, what do you think it is??)

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A science example:

Q: State three conditions necessary for food decay to occur?

A: Refrigeration

Heating

Salting

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One possibility:

The Ss might have mistaken the word ‘decay’ for ‘preservation’.

However, a more serious possibility is that the Ss simply memorized a few key words for this topic and simply reproduced these in the exam.

This is the limitation of trying to overcome language problems by simply memorizing the key vocabulary

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Rather than memorizing key terms extended language is needed so Ss can:

• Connect discrete facts.

• Begin to form coherent answers.

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Therefore, we need to find ways to help Ss with language at the same time that content is being taught.

We need to move beyond “solving” the language problem by either over-relying on Cantonese or by asking Ss to only memorize key, isolated vocabulary.

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Why??

Because although using Cantonese helps the teacher to explain concepts, it will not help Ss express their subject knowledge in English…

Why is expressing subject knowledge in English important???

Ss must demonstrate their understanding in examinations….even with MCQs, as we saw earlier…..

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How is content related to language?

Content and language are linked.

Why?....

Because content has to be represented through language and language has to be used to represent content in a coherent way.

Look at Handout One (pp. 61-2), which shows possible language forms that can be used to represent content.

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Task:

Select ONE of the examples shown in Handout One (perhaps based on your own KLA).

Working in pairs / small groups, try to suggest other ways in which the content knowledge could be represented.

For example, could you suggest a diagram, chart, or other graphic form that could be used to represent the content?

To what extent does the graphic replace the use of language or does it simply give Ss extra help to understand the content?

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Structures to represent the content – language relationship

A more organized way of thinking about the content – language relationship is through the use of knowledge structures (KS)

Some of the most common are:

• Definition

• Classification

• Description

• Exemplification

• Sequence

• Comparison and contrast

• Cause – effect

• Hypothesis

• Evaluation

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Each KS has specific related language patterns.

This can occur at the word, sentence, paragraph , and whole text levels.

When the language features of the different KS are identified, the relationship between content and language can be traced:

Content

KS

Language

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Task:

Look through the different KLAs and curriculum topics shown on Handout Two and identify possible KS in each case.

Then check the answers on the Handout Two answer sheet

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Task:

Read Handout Three and identify the KS that correspond to the different sets of language features.

Read Handout Four and identify the KS represented in each of the paragraphs.

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Answers Handout Three:

A. Definition

B. Cause – effect

C. Classification

D. Sequence

E. Description

F. Evaluation

G. Comparison and contrast

H. Exemplification

I. Hypothesis

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Answers Handout Four:

A. Definition / Exemplification

B. Classification / description

C. Sequence / description

D. Description

E. Comparison and contrast

F. Definition / Exemplification / Classification

G. Cause – effect

H. Sequence / Description

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How useful are these KS?

These KS can help Ss move to higher order thinking skills because they require Ss to:

• Interpret,

• Analyze,

• Organize

facts by

• Defining,

• Classifying,

• Sequencing,

• Comparing and contrasting,

• Explaining cause and effects…..and so on

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To see how useful thinking and working in terms of these KS can be, think back to the words you use when set assignment and exam questions. Do you use terms such as:

• What is / define..

• Describe…

• List….

• Give examples of…

• Compare and contrast….

• Explain why…

• What are the causes / results of….

• State the reasons why….

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• Discuss…

• Evaluate….

If you do, then KS are useful ways to think about the language demands of your subject!

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KS are cross-curricular, which means Ss might have the opportunity to recycle what they learn in one class within other.

For example, in the case of sequences:

• History: a sequence of historical events.

• Geography: A cycle of events in the natural world (weather).

• PE: An instructional sequence on how to play a game.

• Art: A sequence of steps to construct a piece of art work.

• Science: A sequence of steps in an experiment:

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Graphic Representations

Most of these KS can be represented by graphics.

For example:

• Classification……..Tree Diagram

• Description………..Web Diagram

• Sequence…………..Flow Chart

• Comparison and contrast…….Table

In some case the same pattern can be represented more than one graphic:

Description can be represented by a web diagram as well as by a table.

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Why use graphics?

• Graphics usually involves only the use of key words / phrases and can provide important support to language rich explanations in the classroom.

• Graphics gives Ss support in understanding the structure and the key language of the subject.

• They are useful in information transfer (IT) activities (which we will discuss soon)

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Task

Look at Handout Five and suggest possible KS that could be represented by each of these graphics.

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Possible answers:

A. Classification

B. Description

C. Sequence

D. Comparison and contrast

E. Cause – effect

F. Evaluation

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How do we integrate content and language?

In an EMI environment Ss face the task of learning both content and language in the maths / science/ history/ geography….classroom.

This means subject teachers have to teach language.

But what language to teach????

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• Subject teachers teach language in the context of the subject content.

• The language that subject teachers teach depends on the content.

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Why teach language (“I’m not a language teacher!”)???

If you do not teach the language that goes with the content Ss are given no support in mastering the language they need to both understand the content and to express their ideas in, for example, assignments and exams….

(if you don’t teach the language of your subject, who’s going to???)

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How to integrate content and language?

Two ways are suggested:

1. Identify the language objectives that Ss need in order to learn the content.

2. Use information transfer activities.

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Identify the language objectives that Ss need in order to learn the content.

As content teachers, we need to also plan for language objectives.

This step will help you and the Ss better understand what needs to be taught and learnt.

What if you don’t begin by identifying your language objectives?

Consider the following examples from a science lesson:

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A teacher wants Ss to understand the functions of different parts of the eye.

Without clear language objectives he / she may use any or all of these language forms during the lesson:

The pupil collects light

The pupil is used to collect light

The pupil is used for collecting light

Light is collected through the pupil

Light comes in through the pupil

What is problematic about the above in terms of Ss learning?

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• Ss need to understand a large number of language forms.

• If the teacher had clear language objectives she / he could focus Ss attention on a smaller range of language forms.

• This makes it easier for Ss to understand the content and the language of this particular topic.

• We can therefore reduce the language load of Ss.

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So….how can we identify language objects for any particular topic?

One way to do this is to make use of KS.

These KS can link language and content.

So, if we can start by identifying a KS we can then identify the language features associated with that KS.

Recall Handout Three

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Using Information Transfer Activities

These activities make use of both graphics and text.

The idea involves changing into a graphic form what was given originally to Ss in text form (and vice versa).

Moving from text to graphic is the easier option…

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The benefit of these activities is that Ss have to understand the content to complete the activity.

Task

Look at Handout Six, which contains:

1. Examples of content and language objectives.

2. Examples of information transfer activities.

Identify the KS involved in each.

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Possible answers:

History

Ancient Greece: Description

Early Civilizations: Cause-effect / Sequence

Geography

Longitudes and Latitudes: Definition / classification

Land use: Description

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Economics

Water supply: Description.

Traffic congestion: Cause – effect ; sequence.

Science

Living things: Classification.

Cells: Comparison and contrast.

Maths

Triangles: Definition (using description).

Statistics: Description; comparison and contrast.

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Information transfer activities

History: Making a mummy

Graphic to text (sequence)

Science: Insect

Graphic to text OR text to graphic (description)

Science: Dentition

Text (description) to graphic (comparison and contrast table) to text (comparison and contrast)

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To summarize……

• Part of the rationale for EMI is to help Ss develop a high level of English language proficiency.

• All teachers share this responsibility.

• The responsibilities doe vary between English and content teachers.

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Content teachers need to ensure that Ss learn and are able to communicate content through English by:

• Teaching and drawing Ss attention to the language of the topic being studied.

• Organize learning activities to make sure Ss use the language needed to communicate their content knowledge.

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To do all this:

• Use KS to link content and language.

• Use KS to “find” the language in each topic you teach.

• Integrate language and content by:

1. Identifying language objectives that match with your content objectives.

2. Use information transfer activities.

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An Introduction to Using English as the MOI - eduhk.hk€¦ · An Introduction to Using English as the MOI The Role of Language in Subject Content Learning All content learning relies