Miguel Llovera Da Corte Discussion Question: Week 16 Reflections on learning in Adulthood EPSY 5473 October 28, 2012 HOW

W DO ADULTS LEARN? A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO LANGUAGE LEARNING

Our textbook describes different approaches and strategies that can facilitate the process of learning in adulthood. One of these approaches can be described by the concept of ContentBased Instruction. The term content-based instruction is commonly used to describe approaches to integrating language and content instruction, but it is not always used in the same way. Richards and Roger (2001) define CBI as an approach to second language teaching the focus of which is on the content or information that students will acquire instead of on the language itself. The term content refers to the subject matter that the student will learn or communicate by means of the new language instead of the language used to convey the material.

As a language instructor, Content-Based Instruction can be used to explain why learning is a product of the learner interacting with a context. To justify this claim, the two central themes of CBI need to be analyzed: 1. People learn a second language more successfully when they use the language as a means of acquiring information, instead of only focusing on learning the language itself. In other words, learning a new language results from the interaction of the individual with his/her context. 2. Content-Based Instruction better reflects learners needs for learning a second language, which is to be able to communicate within a certain context such as school or work. At

present, most societies have a need for learning a new language as a means of being able to communicate with a cultural diverse society. The CBI approach is based upon three assumptions about language. The first is that language is text and discourse-based. This means that communication in a language is not achieved by knowing only words or single sentences. Instead, it is necessary to expose the learner to texts and discourse for him to truly understand the language and how it is used for communication. The second assumption is that language use draws on integrated skills. This implies that language learning involves the use of all four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Exposure to the second language must involve integration of these skills and focus on the connected use of language in discourse instead of isolated fragments. Sharan Merrian (2007) states that by integrating these four skills, an individual would be able to develop situationspecific forms of competence, such as being able to communicate with native speakers when traveling abroad. The third assumption is that language is used for a specific purpose. Whether academic, vocational, social, or recreational, the purpose motivates the learner to achieve the maximum benefit from the institution. Every adult learning situation differs from every other situation, whether the learning is done in a formal or non-formal setting. Certainly informal learning contexts, including social action and community-based learning, are where much of adult learning takes place (Merriam, 2007). As stated by Richards and Rodgers (2001), the CBI model supports the claim that in formal educational settings, second languages are best learned when the focus is on mastery of the content rather than on mastery of the language. However, from Sharan Merriams perspective,

most of the learning process in adulthood occurs outside of schools (2007). Work, personal life, and social life affect how individuals mental and physical performances collide. From this basic principle, several assumptions regarding language are derived. First, people learn a second language most successfully when the information is perceived as interesting and useful. Support to this claim can be seen in English for Specific Purposes studies where it has been noted that successful learning occurs when the language syllabus takes into account how the learner will use the language. Learning in adulthood is enhanced by the dynamics of the sociocultural setting in which adults live. Context recognizes that our society has become highly multicultural and diverse, and that political and economic conditions often shape the learning experience (Merriam, 2007). A second assumption of learning is that some content areas are more useful as a basis for language learning than others. This appears to be true because some areas have a higher level of interest than others and, thus, the learners are more willing to learn. An example of a highinterest content area is Geography. In Geography, the material is highly visual with the use of maps and charts. Also, the language itself is more descriptive in nature and is comprised of many cognates and proper names. A third assumption is that students learn best when the instruction addresses their needs. In this scenario, the syllabus is developed from authentic, written and spoken texts instead of following the sequence determined by the language curriculum. The forth assumption is that teaching builds on the previous experience of the learners. This assumes that each student has some background knowledge that needs to be drawn upon. Thus,

in the CBI course the main focus is on the students prior knowledge and experiences related to the content rather than on their level of fluency in the second language. As for the design of the CBI course, the objectives are stated as objectives of the course content rather than for language learning. The achievement of the content course objective is seen as evidence that language-learning objectives have been achieved as well. Therefore, the syllabus for the course is derived from the content area. Also, types of learning activities used vary from language skill improvement and vocabulary building to study skills and synthesis of content materials. In the CBI approach, it is imperative to understand the role of the learner and the teacher. For the learner, the goal is to become autonomous in order to understand and be responsible for his own learning. For the teachers part, he must be knowledgeable in the subject matter and able to elicit that knowledge from his students. It is important to note that for the CBI model to be effective, certain conditions must be met: 1. The model adopted must be appropriate for the context and learners involved. 2. The goals and objectives of the CBI program along with the language and content needs and interests of the learners must be considered seriously. 3. Authentic materials in the target language must be available to students. 4. The students must be ready cognitively, linguistically, and emotionally. 5. The instructors must exhibit knowledge and proficiency in the language they are teaching.

References: Merriam, S. B. (2007). Memory, Cognition, and the Brain. Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide, (15), 391-410. Richards, J. and Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. ELT Journal: English Language Teachers Journal, 57(3), 305.