Identification and Description of Two Contrasting Contexts.: Thamrin 1

Thamrin 1
Part 1: 2 marks
Identification and description of two contrasting contexts.
It has been a decade since the Ministry of Education and Culture in Indonesia
chooses particular schools to implement bilingual education. I am one of the teachers who
conduct classrooms taught in English language. It is 50:50 English Instruction with code
switching in L1 (first language). My context teaching is ESP (English for Specific Purposes)
because the course designs aim to achieve distinct needs of the students, which is biology
achievement. ESP is a teaching context that emphasizes more to English for particular fields
such as, engineering, law, business, medical or biology. The domain of ESP is to fulfill specific
requirements of English language learners (ELLs) that need higher levels of English
proficiency (Mayo,200O; Orr, 2002; Grabbe & Stoller, 2009).
In contrast, my friend is a teacher for foundation program in a tertiary education in
New Zealand. Thus, her context is teaching an ESL class. ESL is an acronym for English as a
Second Language. The ESP learners come from non-English speaking background countries
and living in the country where English is its first language (Shore & Sabatini, 2009;
Marianne & Joybrato, 2011).
Part 2 : 8 marks
1. Clear identification and definition of approach to integrating content and English in each
context.
2. discussion of relevance of approach in each context
3. Reference to relevant course reading.
In terms of approach, I and my friend employ different approaches. I apply CBI
(Content-Based Instruction), an approach that focuses to teach particular content in an
English-medium class (Grabe & Stoller, 1999; Snow, 2011, Crandall, 2012; Eschevarria, Short
Thamrin 2
& Vogt, 2013). Grabe & Stoller points out that in CBI "most classrooms involve the teaching
of some type of content information, and, in those classrooms, language learning also
occurs--at least incidentally" (p. 20). Amiri & Fatemi (2014) agree that "CBI tries to develop
both the students' language and their content knowledge through providing them with
authentic, meaningful academic contexts" (p. 2158). They note that there are two types of
CBI, in terms of the focus: focus on the language or on the content. In my case, the
emphasis is on the content rather than the language.
2. 2. discussion of relevance of approach in each context
Even though it is relevant to apply CBI in my context, however, I find that it is not
effective. The reason is that in each class session, I divide my teaching hours in two parts.
The first part is for the content and the second one is for the language. As a result, the
students need time to achieve biology knowledge as same as to be proficient in English,
which is time-consuming. Time constrains are always the issues in each of my teaching
sessions. Therefore, after reading, learning and being taught about approaches in this
paper, apparently the CLIL approach is more relevant to my context and can also reduce the
time-constraint.
CLIL is an approach that integrates content and language teaching (Mehisto, Marsh &
Frigols, 2008; Catlan & de Zarobe, 2009; Naves, 2009). In CLIL, there is a balance between
learning the content and the language. Mehisto, Mars & Frigols (2008) state that
CLIL is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used

for the learning and teaching of both content and language. It is a modern form of
educational delivery designed to even better equip the learner with knowledge and
skills suitable for the global age (p. 9-11).
Thamrin 3
2. 3. Reference to relevant course reading
In addition, there are some reasons to integrate teaching and content in the classroom.
According to Gibbons (2002), "concurrent teaching and learning of both subject matter and
language is a way of speeding up...and helping to ensure that children's classroom time is
spent as usefully as possible" (Gibbons, 2002, p. 119).
2.1 Clear identification and definition of approach to integrating content and English in each
context.
In comparison, my friend's teaching method is immersion. Immersion is an approach
where EELs learn in a class that a second language or foreign language used as a medium of
instruction (Swain & Johnson, 1997; Baker, 2005). According to Swain & Johnson, "The use
of the L2 as a medium is a means for maximizing the quantity of comprehensible input and
purposeful use of the target language in a classroom" (p. 6).
2.2 discussion of relevance of approach in each context
2.3. Reference to relevant course reading.
It is relevant to teach ESL in an immersion class because students can become fluent
in the language and meet their "international center needs" (Swain & Johnson, 1997, p. 6).
For example, ELLs in the foundation program learn English to enter tertiary education. In
immersion class, the students will expose higher confidence in their English skill when they
start their tertiary studies. An example is given in a research by Evans (2000) at Hong Kong
EMI (English medium Instruction) and CMI (Cantonese Medium Instruction) programs in
schools; he examines that, "the subjects from the EMI stream expressed greater confidence
in their English ability than their counterparts from the CMI streams" (p, 303).
Thamrin 4
3. 1. Analysis of linguistic, interactional, instructional and cognitive challenges for ELLs in your
own context
3.2. In-depth reflection on practice in your context, with reference to relevant reading and current
practice.
The following is a brief explanation about my challenges teaching in ESP context and
implying CBI. There are linguistic difficulties my students experienced when learning biology
taught in English language. Most of the students lack the vocabulary both for general English
and particular biology words. In short, their English proficiency is limited. This reality is a
problematic because an ESP class requires learners with high proficiencies in English. "ESP is
taught as a tailor-made language package to specific communities of learners with highly
specialized language needs" (Orr, 2002, p. 2).
However, the students in the classroom are diverse in their English proficiency. Some
students have been learning English when they were in elementary schools, so their English
skills are good at conversation level. On the other hand, some others are not able to talk
and struggle to use the dictionary.

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Thamrin 1

proficiency (Mayo,200O; Orr, 2002; Grabbe & Stoller, 2009).

In contrast, my friend is a teacher for foundation program in a tertiary education in

Marianne & Joybrato, 2011).

2. discussion of relevance of approach in each context

3. Reference to relevant course reading.

In terms of approach, I and my friend employ different approaches. I apply CBI

(Content-Based Instruction), an approach that focuses to teach particular content in an

emphasis is on the content rather than the language.

2. 2. discussion of relevance of approach in each context

students need time to achieve biology knowledge as same as to be proficient in English,

CLIL is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used

2. 3. Reference to relevant course reading

spent as usefully as possible" (Gibbons, 2002, p. 119).

In comparison, my friend's teaching method is immersion. Immersion is an approach

purposeful use of the target language in a classroom" (p. 6).

2.2 discussion of relevance of approach in each context

2.3. Reference to relevant course reading.

taught as a tailor-made language package to specific communities of learners with highly

specialized language needs" (Orr, 2002, p. 2).

and struggle to use the dictionary.

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