Using Content-Based Language Teaching to Teach To and At Higher Proficiency Levels David Pater, Defense Language Institute English Language Center

Overview 1.Identify the fundamental, core feature of each language proficiency level as seen from a educational psychology perspective 2.Discover what type of learning activities work best in developing each proficiency level 3.Explore how Content-Based Instruction (CBI) can effectively develop Level 3 proficiency

STANAG 6001 Proficiency Levels 3: Professional 2: Functional 1: Survival 0+: Memorized Speech 0: No proficiency From STANAG 6001 NTG (Edition 3) – Language Proficiency Levels

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning From Krathwohl, D. R, Anderson, L. W. (2001) A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives

Applying Bloom’s to the STANAG 6001 Proficiency Levels 3: Professional 2: Functional 1: Survival 0+: Memorized Speech 0: No proficiency (Analyze, Evaluate & Create) (Analyze, Evaluate & Create) (Apply) (Apply) (Understand) (Understand) (Remember) (Remember)

Applying Bloom’s to the STANAG 6001 Proficiency Levels

3: Professional 2: Functional 1: Survival 0+: Memorized Speech 0: No proficiency (Analyze, Evaluate & Create) (Analyze, Evaluate & Create) (Apply) (Apply) (Understand) (Understand) (Remember) (Remember)

Learning Activities Appropriate for the STANAG 6001 Proficiency Levels 3: “Concepts” 2: “Mastery” Tasks 1: “Survival” Tasks 0+: “Memorized” Tasks 0: No proficiency (Analyze, Evaluate & Create) (Analyze, Evaluate & Create) (Apply) (Apply) (Understand) (Understand) (Remember) (Remember) Note: Use Task-Based Teaching (TBLT) to develop proficiency at levels 1 & 2 Use CBI to develop proficiency at levels 3 and above

Using Content-Based Instruction (CBI) to Develop Level 3 Proficiency What is CBI? “Content-based language teaching is distinguished first of all by the concurrent learning of a specific content and related language use skills in a ‘content driven’ curriculum, i.e., with the selection and sequence of language elements determined by the content...” “Content-based language teaching is distinguished first of all by the concurrent learning of a specific content and related language use skills in a ‘content driven’ curriculum, i.e., with the selection and sequence of language elements determined by the content...” Use CBI because it facilitates Higher- Use CBI because it facilitates Higher- Order Thinking (Analyze, Evaluate, Create) Order Thinking (Analyze, Evaluate, Create) From: Brinton, D. M. (2003). Content-based instruction. In D. Nunan (Ed.), Practical English language teaching (pp ). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Using Content-Based Instruction (CBI) to Develop Level 3 Proficiency What content should be studied? Whatever content the learner will need to perform at level 3 (or level 4) proficiency

Examples 1.Cultural Values success/215876#pdf-8 success/215876#pdf-8 2.Self-Reflection & Communicative Style success/215876#pdf-17 success/215876#pdf Effective Communication communication-success/70065#web communication-success/70065#web-70065

Conclusion 1.Identified the fundamental, core feature of each language proficiency level as seen from a educational psychology perspective 2.Discovered what type of learning activities work best in developing each proficiency level 3.Explored how Content-Based Instruction (CBI) could effectively develop Level 3 proficiency

Questions? My