Integrated instruction

Contents

• What is integrated instruction?

• Why?
• How is integrated instruction implemented?
An example integrated lesson
What is it?
• Integrated curriculum: language with other content areas
(science, mathematics).
e.g., STEM, STEAM, CLIL
• Integrated language skills (L-S; R-W, L-W; R-S)
• Integrated aspects of students’ lives (academic with social,
emotional aspects)
• Integrated modes of learning (F2F & online learning =
blended learning).
• Integrated inside and outside worlds (e.g., project).
Why?
• Learners have opportunities to integrate knowledge
from different disciplines and have a deeper grasp of
language.
• Learning becomes purposeful and meaningful for
learners.
• Learners can see links between disciplines with their
knowledge, and real-world context
• Learning is actively constructing meaning/knowledge.
How?
1. Content-based instruction (since 1980): The L2
becomes a vehicle for learning about contents.
E.g., Recently EMI classes in Vietnamese universities
2. Project-based learning: integrating multidisciplinary
knowledge and language
E.g. Environmental project: knowledge of pollution,
mathematics, social studies (roles of government,
private sectors in maintaining clean water)
How?
3. Interdisciplinary instruction: organize instruction that
connects disciplines
Interdisciplinary topical/conceptual unit
examine a topic/theme from different disciplines (e.g., China:
a Chinese piece of literature, Chinese food, paper cuts, map
studies, culture treasures)
Integrate resources and discipline knowledge via a concept
(e.g., interdependence, conflict, adaptation, continuity)
Example: Interdependence
Animals

Environment Plants

Water Food
An example
• An Apple
• Red
• Sweet and sour
• Nutrients: Vitamin,
Mineral, Protein…
Tasks
• Group 1: Discuss the • Group 3: Talk about
nutrition of apples production of apples
• Group 2: Discuss health • Group 4: Create a
benefits of apples poem/song about apples
How?
4. Community connections
Link learning with the community via field trips, service
projects.
Foster an environment that encourages positive
attitudes towards one another, cooperation and
interaction in the classroom.
New English curriculum for schools in
Vietnam
Learner-centered teaching

Communicative Language knowledge

Theme - topic
competence

Transition & Continuity

Integration: Themes -> topics
The world
& future
Environm
ent &
Society

community

Me
Transition and continuity
Society & the World

Level 3
My community Upper secondary

Level 2
ME Lower secondary

Level 1
Primary
Integrated skills approach
Reflection
Examine the textbook you are teaching.
1. Does it reflect integrated instruction?
2. If yes, how is integration designed?
Discussion

1. Which kinds of integrated instruction do you

find feasible in your teaching context? Why?
2. Which suggestions are not feasible? Why?
Focus on meaning
Questions
• What is focus on meaning?
• Why should teachers focus on meaning?
• How can teachers focus on meaning in teaching
a language?
Reflection

Recall how you learned English at school.

Give an example of meaningful learning experience you
took part in.
Give an example of rote learning.
Which type of experience was more common?
Concept of focus on meaning
……….Socio-cognitive psychology
stresses that people learn by
chunking new information with
existing knowledge and that
meaning plays a key role in
forming those chunks. In other
words, learning cannot take place
in isolation from what learners
already know about a topic and
meaning provides a purpose for
that learning… (pp. 58-59)
In second language education,
“meaning” can be understood
in terms of the meaning of
individual words and whole
texts, as well as the meaning
that particular topics and
events have in students’ lives.
(Halliday & Matthiessen,1999, cited in Farell
& Jacobs, p.59)
Perspective on language learning
• Focus on meaning reflects a constructivist view of language
learning.
• Learners actively make sense of new information or
experiences (foreign language learning).
• This meaning making is filtered by their motivation,
interest, and prior knowledge.
• Language is a crucial tool in the sense-making process.
Language and meaning (understanding/knowledge) are
inseparable.
Do these activities focus on meaning?
Do these activities focus on meaning?
Do these activities focus on meaning?
Continuum of communicativeness
(Littlewood, 2004)
How?
1. Task-based language teaching
2. Inquiry-based and problem-based learning
3. Building meaningful vocabulary
4. Tell/rephrase
1. Task-based language teaching
• A communicative approach to language teaching
based on a sequence of tasks
• Tasks are activities designed to stimulate learners to
use language in making sense and producing
meaning, with a focus on achieving a communicative
outcome.
Features of a task (Ellis, 2000)

• A primary focus on meaning

• A relationship to real-life tasks
• A defined outcome/communicative goal
• Engaging cognitive processes
• Integrating language skills
Example: Completing a job
application form

• Outcome: completing the form

with personalised information to
apply for a job (real/imagined)
• Meaning focus: information, not
any predetermined target
language items
• Processes: make sense of what to
fill in (use prior knowledge,
personal motive/interest)
• Skills: writing, reading
To fulfill a task
• Students draw on their experiences.
• Students deploy any language resources they
have to complete it (e.g., application form)
• Students combine various knowledge and skills
(e.g., vocabulary, syntax, expression style,
reading comprehension, knowledge of text…)
Exercise
• Focus on language
forms
• Focus on practicing
to master language
forms
 Stages of a task-based lesson
Stages Who
• Pre-task: Activate needs for learning, • Teacher and
connect to prior experience, introduce students
task requirements
• Task: work together or individually, plan • Students
and report process and results
• Post-task: Notes about language patterns, • Teacher and
rules, practice on linguistic features; a students
model task
My life ten years ago
Pre-task (5 minutes)
• Now, think about your life ten years ago. What words
come to your mind? What do you remember?
• Now here are some words Sebastian used in the talk:
remember - 16 years old - swim – study - engineer –
business – today – proud – hang out with - travel
• Task: You are going to create a talk/speech to match
the clip. You are going to act as Sebastian who is
talking. Begin with “Hello, my name’s…”
Task cycle (10 minutes)
• Task:
You are going to create a talk/speech to match the clip.
You are going to act as Sebastian who is talking. Begin
with “Hello, my name’s Sebastian…”.
Work in groups of four. Discuss and create the talk
together.
• Plan: When you complete the talk, practice the talk
together.
• Report: Present your group’s talk.
Post-task (10 minutes)
• Listen to Sebastian and compare his talk with yours.
What you found similar to your talk?
• Listen again for some useful language to talk about
your life in the past.
-I enjoyed …...
-I remember when I was ….years old, I enjoyed…..
-I wanted to….
 A personalised task (7 minutes)

Prepare a talk about your life ten years ago.

Then work in pairs. Tell each other about your
life. Find out something in common between
you and your partner.
2. Problem-based inquiry approach to learning

• Students are engaged in connecting with real-

world through exploration and high-level
thinking.
• Students are given a problem to solve.
Some problems

• Climate change
• Food security/sanity
• Violence
• Environmental pollution
Procedure
• Pose a question
• Permit exploration
• Encourage discussion
• Provide resources
• Summarize
 Reflection
The Focus on Meaning principle suggests that
fluency is emphasized over accuracy. To what
extent do you agree with this emphasis?