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Content-based instruction in further education in China

Content-based instruction in further education in China
Content-based instruction in further education in China

Content-based instruction (CBI) is a pedagogical approach in which language classes are integrated with students' content subject(s). Although the term CBI remains new in China, the approach itself has great potential among Chinese students as EFL learners. It is the aim of this thesis to evaluate the effectiveness of CBI in further education in China, where the students learn English as a compulsory course alongside a content subject that relates closely to their future career. Following a substantial literature review, a two-month CBI programme was conducted at Wuhan Law College (WLC). The programme serves as a case study for the research project, and action research characterizes my role in the programme. Interviews with many content and language teachers from higher and further education in China provided valuable information about course materials, teaching techniques, students' development and course assessment in CBI classes. This information contributed greatly to the success of the CBI programme in WLC. In addition, students and teachers kept diaries, and teachers wrote reports reflecting on their experience. The programme ran for a short period (i.e. two months) and involved a limited number (i.e. 36) of students. However, a variety of research methods used in the programme (e.g. student diaries, teachers' reports, teacher diaries and interpersonal communications, etc.) provided a rich set of qualitative and quantitative data. As revealed by these data, the students developed their language abilities, content knowledge and cognitive skills during the CBI programme. Close co-operation between the language and the content teachers was critical to the programme. Team teaching was an effective means of CBI teacher development. Due to the similarities between Chinese colleges, research findings in this thesis should provide valuable information and suggestions about the effective application of CBI in further education settings in China as an EFL context.

University of Southampton
Du, Jianying
649d85e3-d01e-4098-91ca-d5b6d2b00a1d
Du, Jianying
649d85e3-d01e-4098-91ca-d5b6d2b00a1d

Du, Jianying (2008) Content-based instruction in further education in China. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

Content-based instruction (CBI) is a pedagogical approach in which language classes are integrated with students' content subject(s). Although the term CBI remains new in China, the approach itself has great potential among Chinese students as EFL learners. It is the aim of this thesis to evaluate the effectiveness of CBI in further education in China, where the students learn English as a compulsory course alongside a content subject that relates closely to their future career. Following a substantial literature review, a two-month CBI programme was conducted at Wuhan Law College (WLC). The programme serves as a case study for the research project, and action research characterizes my role in the programme. Interviews with many content and language teachers from higher and further education in China provided valuable information about course materials, teaching techniques, students' development and course assessment in CBI classes. This information contributed greatly to the success of the CBI programme in WLC. In addition, students and teachers kept diaries, and teachers wrote reports reflecting on their experience. The programme ran for a short period (i.e. two months) and involved a limited number (i.e. 36) of students. However, a variety of research methods used in the programme (e.g. student diaries, teachers' reports, teacher diaries and interpersonal communications, etc.) provided a rich set of qualitative and quantitative data. As revealed by these data, the students developed their language abilities, content knowledge and cognitive skills during the CBI programme. Close co-operation between the language and the content teachers was critical to the programme. Team teaching was an effective means of CBI teacher development. Due to the similarities between Chinese colleges, research findings in this thesis should provide valuable information and suggestions about the effective application of CBI in further education settings in China as an EFL context.

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Published date: 2008

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 466420
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/466420
PURE UUID: d5506fc2-813c-4e03-9097-1a70ba1a8c11

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Date deposited: 05 Jul 2022 05:15
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 20:41

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Contributors

Author: Jianying Du

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