Teaching Concepts of Natural Sciences to Foreigners through Content-Based Instruction: The Adjunct Model

Abstract

This study investigates three models of content-based instruction in teaching concepts and terms of natural sciences in order to increase the efficiency of teaching these kinds of concepts in realization and to prove that the content-based instruction is a teaching strategy that helps students understand concepts of natural sciences. Content-based education is considered effective not only in acquiring the skills of language, but also grasping and mastering the content knowledge of academic subjects that are required for students' achievements in learning the terms related to natural sciences. In analysis of three models of content-based instruction, the Adjunct Model was explained and mentioned to be quite reliable for the teaching content of any subject along with foreign language methods and techniques. It has been proved to be convenient for both content and language teaching through pedagogical experiment. Participants were undergraduate students from the Engineering and Natural Sciences Faculty of a university at intermediate level. The achievement test was applied to 48 students who were English and Turkish speaking students as foreign languages. Two working groups as experimental and control were formed by language teachers. The collected data was analyzed. The results, mentioned in experiment part, and conclusion show that concepts or terms of natural sciences could be taught efficiently through content-based teaching in schools and universities.Keywords: content based instruction, second foreign language teaching, teaching concepts of natural sciences and adjunct model

Analysis on Content-Based Instruction Methods Influencing Student Outcomes in Higher Education

“…According to [33], the goal of these three models focuses on teaching course material to students on a regular interval, to achieve content knowledge and language proficiency. In this regard, the theme-based model of CBI is widely utilized in teaching L2 learners with lower proficiency, in content areas such as science and humanity courses, by selecting topics that are of interest to the students [33].…”

“…According to [33], the goal of these three models focuses on teaching course material to students on a regular interval, to achieve content knowledge and language proficiency. In this regard, the theme-based model of CBI is widely utilized in teaching L2 learners with lower proficiency, in content areas such as science and humanity courses, by selecting topics that are of interest to the students [33]. This method is often combined with the sheltered and adjunct models of CBI; additionally, [33] explains that universities often employ a blended approach that usually incorporates the adjunct model, because studies have shown the intervention produces increased academic achievement from the students involved in the program.…”

“…In this regard, the theme-based model of CBI is widely utilized in teaching L2 learners with lower proficiency, in content areas such as science and humanity courses, by selecting topics that are of interest to the students [33]. This method is often combined with the sheltered and adjunct models of CBI; additionally, [33] explains that universities often employ a blended approach that usually incorporates the adjunct model, because studies have shown the intervention produces increased academic achievement from the students involved in the program. These benefits have also been attributed to the defined characteristics of these three CBI models, as they all focus on specific academic topics and concepts, while integrating language learning in equal measures.…”

Integration of Three CBI Models and WeChat Mobile Learning in Business English Teaching

“…Theme-based CBI has been widely accepted and is the most popular CBI teaching model in foreign business language learning (Satilmis, Yakup, Selim, & Aybarsha, 2015). Unlike the traditional business English classes, where the topics are selected from a textbook, theme-based courses highlights the student-centered teaching model (Satilmis et al, 2015); the course is formed by selecting interesting topics which are concerned with students' needs, requirements and interests, especially about a wide range of social heated issues.…”

“…Unlike the traditional business English classes, where the topics are selected from a textbook, theme-based courses highlights the student-centered teaching model (Satilmis et al, 2015); the course is formed by selecting interesting topics which are concerned with students' needs, requirements and interests, especially about a wide range of social heated issues. More importantly, it can allow the implementation of various kinds of language tasks and the choice of some case studies around the subject.…”