Curriculum genres and task structure as frameworks to analyse teachers’ use of L1 in CBI classrooms

ABSTRACT

Content-based education programmes, in which a second/foreign language (L2) is used as the medium of instruction when teaching non-language content subjects, aim at both content and L2 learning. With such dual goal in mind, and with the rapid expansion of the programmes to contexts where students might have only basic L2 proficiency, there have been consistent calls for reconsidering the roles of first language (L1) in the teaching and learning process. The functions of L1 in content-based classrooms have been well documented, but it is necessary to have a more systematic approach to planning and using L1. This paper seeks to address this gap by applying the notions of ‘curriculum genres’ and ‘task structure’ when analysing patterns of teachers’ use of L1 and L2 in a collection of content subject lessons observed in English-medium secondary schools in Hong Kong. With illustrative episodes presented in this paper, we would argue that ‘curriculum genres’ and ‘task structure’ can serve as useful tools for both researchers and teachers to analyse and critically reflect on patterns of pedagogic practices and language use in content-based classrooms. These will have significant implications for future research on using L1 and illuminate effective pedagogy in content-based education.

KEYWORDS:

• Content-based education
• content and language integrated learning (CLIL)
• use of L1
• curriculum genres
• task structures

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Yuen Yi Lo is an Associate Professor of the Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong. Her research interests include Medium of Instruction policy, Content and Language Integrated Learning, language across the curriculum and assessment.

Angel M. Y. Lin is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Plurilingual and Intercultural Education at Simon Fraser University, Canada. She has published widely in CLIL, academic literacies, trans/languaging, classroom analysis, and language and identity studies. She serves on the editorial advisory boards of leading international research journals including Applied Linguistics, Language and Education, and International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Seed Funding Programme for Basic Research, The University of Hong Kong.