Education of the republic of uzbekistan termiz state university the faculty of foreign philology

The object of the course paper is the process of teaching foreign language vocabulary.
The subject of the course paper is the character and complex of exercises for teaching vocabulary which are the most efficient for mastering the foreign language.
The aim of the course paper is to develop the methodic of teaching vocabulary and suggest such exercises which will stimulate the teaching process.
The tasks of the course paper are the following:

• 
  determine the main patters of difficulty in vocabulary conten-based instruction;
  
• 
  characterize the specific features of the vocabulary introduction;
  
• 
  give effective methodologies in teaching the English language in CTI;
  
• 
  investigate the key strategies in teaching vocabulary;
  
• 
  and specify the ways of determining the vocabulary comprehension in CBI.
  

The practical value of the course paper is to develop methodical approaches to teaching vocabulary.
The structure of the course paper: introduction, four plans, conclusion, references.


1. The features of Content-Based Instruction
Content-Based Instruction is an approach in which the teaching is organized around the content. Likewise, the principles of Content-Based Instruction are heavily rooted on the principles of communicative language teaching since they involve an active participation of students in the exchange of content. This article reflects upon Content-Based Instruction as a relevant language teaching approach, its background, the definition of the concept, and its principles. Moreover, the article reports on Content-Based Instruction’s distinctive characteristics and its main models. Additionally, a Content-Based Instruction lesson plan with its materials is provided. Finally, a set of conclusions and implications is also discussed.²
Once things are known knowledge of words follows… we cannot hope to learn words we do not know unless we have grasped their meaning. This is not achieved by listening to the words, but by getting to know the things signified.
The publication of Bernard Mohan’s work in the mid-1980s was the first appearance of what is known today as CBI. Mohan’s Language and Content explored the different ways in which the subject matter and the learning of a language can be achieved. Other authors who made an important contribution in order to launch this approach were Cantoni-Harvey and Crandall. It is quite obvious that the idea of basing language teaching on content is not a new one and its roots can be traced back as early as St. Augustine. These are significant ideas on the background of CBI.
Several definitions of CBI have been provided by different researchers and authors. This section offers pertinent information on the definition of this concept. CBI proposes an approach in which students acquire the target language through content. Richards and Rodgers say that “Content-Based Instruction refers to an approach to second language teaching in which teaching is organized around the content or information that students will acquire, rather than around a linguistic or other type of syllabus”. Content usually refers to the subject matter that people learn or transmit using language. Content-based instruction is “the teaching of language through exposure to content that is interesting and relevant to learners”. Snow goes beyond when defining the concept of content. Snow said:
Content… is the use of subject matter for second/foreign language teaching purposes. Subject matter may consist of topics or themes based interest or need in an adult EFL setting, or it may be very specific, such as the subjects that students are currently studying in their elementary school classes.
These are important definitions of CBI for the purpose of this paper.
„ Principles and distinctive characteristics of CBI
The main principles and some distinctive characteristics of CBI are addressed in this part.
The principles of CBI are heavily rooted on the principles of communicative language teaching since they involve an active participation of students in the exchange of content. According to Richards and Rodgers, CBI is based on two relevant principles:People learn a second language more successfully when they use the language as a means of acquiring information, rather than as an end in itself. CBI better reflects learners’ needs for learning a second language. One can certainly say that people that are faced with everyday needs in a real life situation might find it easier to acquire and use the target language as a tool with a
real purpose, for instance, getting food, studying, getting a job, and others.
Brinton offers some additional principles for CBI that complement the ones offered by Richards and Rodgers. These principles are significant for language teachers intending to use and promote CBI in their lessons and institutions, indeed. These are:
Base instructional decisions on content rather than language criteria. It is true that most books for second language instruction are designed by course planners and material designers, not by language teachers. It is also true that the responsibility to choose and adapt the material to be used in the classroom falls on the language instructor, especially when working with CBI. In fact, CBI permits the choice of content. It is the content itself that determines the pedagogical decisions on selection and sequencing. With regard to this, Brinton points out that CBI “allows the choice of content to dictate or influence the selection and sequencing of language items”.
Integrate skills. CBI advocates for an
integrated skills approach to language teaching. For example, a regular lesson may begin with any skill or focus such as intonation or any other linguistic feature. This approach also involves the teaching of multiple skills simultaneously, just as in the real world.
Involve students actively in all phases of the learning process. One of the main characteristics of the CBI classroom is that it is learner-centered, not teacher-centered.³ Students do not depend on the teacher to control the learning experience. Students play a more active role in the CBI classroom, creating and participating actively in the construction of knowledge. Peer correction and peer input are also significant in this approach.
Choose content for its relevance to students’ lives, interests, and/or academic goals. Content is closely related to the students’ needs and instructional settings. For instance, in high schools and universities content parallels the several subjects that learners study. The only difference is that they are taught from a different perspective and with different instructional objectives.
Select authentic texts and tasks. Authenticity is another significant feature of CBI. Texts and tasks used in CBI come from the real world. It is true that bringing and using authentic material in the class modifies its original purpose, but it is also true that the use of authentic material promotes the learning of the culture of the target language. Moreover, there are several degrees of text authenticity Brown and Menasche propose five types of text authenticity: genuine text authenticity, altered text authenticity, adapted text authenticity, simulated text authenticity, and inauthentic texts. CBI also claims that comprehensible input is not enough to acquire the target language successfully unlike other approaches and theories. Next, I believe that the use of authentic materials fosters successful acquisition of the target language. Finally, I have to admit that adaptations of authentic materials might be more beneficial for specific groups of learners, for instance beginners.
With regard to the distinctive characteristics of CBI, it is significant to notice that the selection of content in CBI extends for far more than one class (Brinton, 2003). One can say that the use of structured content over a period of time (usually several weeks of instruction) is a significant feature of this approach. Brinton provides a list of the most common techniques and activities found in the CBI classroom. These techniques and tasks are similar to the ones used in CLT in the sense that they involve learners’ active participation. These classroom techniques and tasks are listed here: Pair and group work, information gap, jigsaw, graphic organizers, discussion and debate, role-plays, and others. It is evident that these techniques and tasks are heavily rooted in CLT tenets. Next, Stryker and Leaver point out that the philosophy of CBI “aims at empowering students to become independent learners and continue the learning process beyond the classroom”. I totally agree with Stryker and Leaver in the sense that one of the main objectives of language teachers is to demonstrate that students can and should learn on their own. One can teach specific cultural and linguistic features of the language (prominence, linking, word stress, intonation, lengthening, syncope and others), so learners can really understand the subtleties of the target language. This can be done by using authentic materials. Once students realize they can understand and use authentic materials, they will be more motivated and willing to continue their learning process outside the classroom. Finally, one can conclude that the focus of a CBI lesson is on the subject matter or the topic being studied. In a typical CBI course, students are learning something that interests them using the target language so learners can develop linguistic abilities and can expand their world knowledge. These are significant principles and distinctive characteristics of CBI.
The first one is theme-based language instruction. In this model the syllabus is arranged around themes or topics, for example: The Cuban revolution or endangered species. One of these general themes may provide more specific themes and teaching possibilities for about one or two weeks. There are several ways to introduce a theme: Video and audio material, reading, and/or vocabulary. The materials used to introduce these themes or topics will usually integrate all skills. The themes used in these lessons usually take an important number of weeks of instruction. These lessons provide a lot of useful input. Likewise, Brinton says that this environment promotes successful acquisition of the target language. These themes perform a main role in the CBI curriculum (Stryker & Leaver, 1997). The second model is called sheltered content instruction. Again the main objective is that learners understand the content. The fact that students are still learning the target language makes the teacher modify the lesson (vocabulary, speed, pace, and others) in order for students to grasp the material. Moreover, the teacher also devotes some class time to explain linguistic elements related to the content of a specific lesson. Richards and Rodgers point out that the teacher is a content specialist. In general terms, the strategies used by language teachers in this model make the content approachable to students. Adjunct language instruction is the third model. Basically, students take two courses, paired or adjuncted courses. These are linked courses. One is a course based on a specific content, and the other course is based on specific linguistic features of the target language.
Both courses are complementary. A lot of coordination and cooperation is required from both instructors. The main objective of the content class is that students understand the subject matter, and the main objective of the language class is that students improve their language skills. Stryker and Leaver say that “adjunct courses can enhance students’ self-confidence with a feeling of using the new language to accomplish real tasks”. Sustained- content language teaching is a recent and innovative model of CBI. It is indeed very similar to theme-based instruction. The difference is that theme-based instruction covers several topics and in SCLT learners work on one topic. The content is “sustained”.⁴
These models have different degrees of emphasis on content and language. Figure 1 illustrates the degrees of emphasis of the above mentioned models. Finally, it is paramount to point out that depending on the academic setting, the distinction among these models might become less marked, since new emerging models have somehow blended significant features. These models are the most relevant found in the literature.
In order to illustrate this approach, a lesson plan based on a CBI unit is presented here. This lesson plan and materials illustrate the underlying principles of CBI. The lesson plan and materials presented here were part of an ESP course within an EFL environment.