By Alma Pettenger Glendale High School Springfield, Missouri
HOW DO YOU DO IT? How do you teach culture? How do you interconnect culture and language?
WHAT WILL I LEARN IN THIS SESSION? What is CBI? Why and how it works? Some practical ideas for projects that interconnect language and culture
What is Content Based Instruction? CBI is a method to teach significant and relevant content in the second language.
Relevant Content From a serious science topic such the formation of stars To a fun topic such as pop stars
Why does CBI work? CBI offers several advantages It makes learning a language more motivating by using language to fulfill a real purpose: relevant content
SAMPLE LESSON #1 My Study Abroad Program Student Sample Student Sample #1
My Study Abroad Program Select a topic of interest Why this topic? Knowledge of student
SUCH AS… Current events ArtHistory
SUCH AS… Music Sports
Introduce Your Topic in the most creative way you can! For this particular project, I brought a formal student of mine as a guest speaker, to present to my students on her study abroad experience. BE CREATIVE!
Clear Goals and Instructions Provide an End- Product example such as pictures, video, or an actual product; students should be able to visualize the expectation Provide clear guidelines Scrapbook Sample
Assign a Research Topic For this project, I allowed my students to pick one of five countries that have popular exchange programs in local universities and colleges: Argentina Costa Rica Ecuador Peru Spain
Collaboration Once students have picked their country, I allowed them to group with other students who had also picked the same country. Collaboration is a 21 st century skills that we must promote in our language classes
THE PRESENTATION For this, I used an interpersonal mode of communication For this particular projects, students shared their projects with one partner at a time Set them up for success; allow them to practice before being tested
Interpersonal Mode: Kim’s study abroad in Ecuador
Interpersonal Mode: Adam’s study abroad in Spain
Interpersonal Mode Devon’s study abroad in Seville
Language Structures I focused on: Preterite and Imperfect Comparisons Gusta phrases
What Challenges Does CBI Present? It is much more challenging in the lower levels- adjust your expectations Students may feel confused and overwhelmed; Deal with this by offering language and vocabulary instruction
It can be difficult to find resources in the target language at the proper level Deal with this by allowing students to do their research in English and adapt it to the target language for their presentation What Challenges Does CBI Present?
It is hard to teach with CBI, if you are tied to the book or to a specific set curriculum set by your district or your school
Culture Talks
Sample Lesson 2 De Vacaciones en Costa Rica
Interpersonal Mode: Un Restaurante
Interpersonal Mode
Sample Lesson 3: Holidays and Tradition in the Spanish Speaking World
Presentational Mode
Sample Lesson 4 Famous Argentines
Meet Eva Peron
Sample Lesson 5: Leyendas y Mitos
Presentational Communication