Brent A. Jones has been teaching English as a second or foreign language for nearly 30 years, first in Hawaii, and then in Japan and other parts of Asia. He is currently the Director of Language Programs at Konan University, Hirao School of Management, completed an Ed.D. through the University of Reading in the U.K. and is researching learner engagement in university EFL contexts. Other research interests include content-focused language instruction, instructional design, educational technology, appreciative inquiry and many, many more.
Hargreaves (1998) astutely points out that emotions are usually discussed only to the extent that... more Hargreaves (1998) astutely points out that emotions are usually discussed only to the extent that “they help administrators and reformers ‘manage’ and offset teachers’ resistance to change or help them set the climate or mood in which the really important business of cognitive learning or strategic planning can take place” (pg. 837). The trend in EFL teaching at university in Japan is also to stress the technical side of teaching, and we can see this trend in published articles as well as list of presentations at academic conferences. As Carr (2005) argues, teaching is much more than just learning classroom management and the technical side of teaching. This study, I believe shows that emotions are at the center of this group of teachers’ work, and that this topic deserves more attention in this context.
In this short report we describe some of the challenges faced in the delivery stage of the conten... more In this short report we describe some of the challenges faced in the delivery stage of the content-focused language curriculum we have jointly developed with colleagues at Konan University and the Hirao School of Management (CUBE), and we outline strategies for addressing those challenges. Specifically, we explore how the balance between language and content that we envisioned for the overall program and each specific course has shifted away from an explicit focus on language, with an adverse effect on language-learning outcomes for our learners. In addressing this challenge, we are proposing more direct instruction of language together with other support structures for teachers and students.
Introduction This article argues for content-focused English language instruction as an alternati... more Introduction This article argues for content-focused English language instruction as an alternative to traditional skills-based approaches, and offers general ideas for both overall course design and day-today lesson planning. The example of a Japan Studies (JS) course taught for Japanese students enrolled in an undergraduate management program in Japan is used to illustrate how focus on content can be used to promote second-language acquisition. We start with on overview of content-focused approaches, briefly describing both content-based instruction (CBI) and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). We then offer ideas at the macro (curriculum planning) and micro (individual activities/tasks) levels, with reference to the JS course. Overview of Content-Focused Approaches to Language Instruction Our preference for a content-focused curriculum stems from from findings in the fields of language teaching and second-language acquisition related to Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and more recently Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Although the practice of learning (and teaching) a new language via authentic subject matter has a long history, it is only recently that empirical studies have been seriously undertaken and that clear examples and viable templates have been published (see, for example, Brinton, Snow & Wesche, 2003). The rationale outlined by these authors is that a CBI curriculum: (1) offers learners the necessary conditions for second language learning by exposing them to meaningful language; (2) builds on the learner's previous learning experiences in the subject matter, the target language, and in formal educational settings; (3) takes into account the interests and needs of the learners through their engagement with the academic subject matter and discourse patterns that they need to master; (4) allows a focus on (communicative language) use as well as on (accurate) usage; and (5) incorporates the eventual uses the learner will make of the language through engagement with relevant content and L2 discourse with a purpose other than language teaching.
The term Active Learning (AL) has become somewhat ubiquitous in a range of educational contexts a... more The term Active Learning (AL) has become somewhat ubiquitous in a range of educational contexts as well as mainstream media. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEXT) appears to be leading the charge and pressure is being put on schools and universities to adopt or promote AL style instruction. In this paper, we attempt to review some of the accepted meanings of AL and offer our interpretations of the construct in our teaching context, university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses in Japan. We offer a brief review of academic literature on the topics of AL, learner engagement, second-language learner motivation and self-determination theory (SDT). We then outline how AL maps onto the content-focused English program at the Hirao School of Management (CUBE), and conclude with some of our emerging perspectives on the construct.
This paper reports on the initial phase of a qualitative investigation into reflective journaling... more This paper reports on the initial phase of a qualitative investigation into reflective journaling as a form of professional development (PD) involving EFL teachers at universities in Japan. The research questions were: (1) What shared/differing concerns or challenges are experienced by university EFL teachers in Japan? (2) Is reflective journaling a viable form of professional development for EFL teachers in Japan? Preliminary analysis identified classroom management, questioning of one’s own perspectives/practices, and classroom community as shared concerns. Also, with appropriate support, reflective journaling appears to be a viable form of PD for in-service teachers of EFL in this context.
As discussed in previous THT talks, content-focused language teaching approaches such as Content-... more As discussed in previous THT talks, content-focused language teaching approaches such as Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) continue to gain both recognition and credibility. At the same time, we hear of the struggles that teachers have with implementation. In this workshop-style presentation, the presenter shares some of the challenges he has faced with balancing the content and language sides of CLIL, as well as some of the strategies he and his colleagues have developed to deal with these challenges. Participants will be asked to share their stories and concerns regarding content-focused language instruction.
Hargreaves (1998) astutely points out that emotions are usually discussed only to the extent that... more Hargreaves (1998) astutely points out that emotions are usually discussed only to the extent that “they help administrators and reformers ‘manage’ and offset teachers’ resistance to change or help them set the climate or mood in which the really important business of cognitive learning or strategic planning can take place” (pg. 837). The trend in EFL teaching at university in Japan is also to stress the technical side of teaching, and we can see this trend in published articles as well as list of presentations at academic conferences. As Carr (2005) argues, teaching is much more than just learning classroom management and the technical side of teaching. This study, I believe shows that emotions are at the center of this group of teachers’ work, and that this topic deserves more attention in this context.
In this short report we describe some of the challenges faced in the delivery stage of the conten... more In this short report we describe some of the challenges faced in the delivery stage of the content-focused language curriculum we have jointly developed with colleagues at Konan University and the Hirao School of Management (CUBE), and we outline strategies for addressing those challenges. Specifically, we explore how the balance between language and content that we envisioned for the overall program and each specific course has shifted away from an explicit focus on language, with an adverse effect on language-learning outcomes for our learners. In addressing this challenge, we are proposing more direct instruction of language together with other support structures for teachers and students.
Introduction This article argues for content-focused English language instruction as an alternati... more Introduction This article argues for content-focused English language instruction as an alternative to traditional skills-based approaches, and offers general ideas for both overall course design and day-today lesson planning. The example of a Japan Studies (JS) course taught for Japanese students enrolled in an undergraduate management program in Japan is used to illustrate how focus on content can be used to promote second-language acquisition. We start with on overview of content-focused approaches, briefly describing both content-based instruction (CBI) and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). We then offer ideas at the macro (curriculum planning) and micro (individual activities/tasks) levels, with reference to the JS course. Overview of Content-Focused Approaches to Language Instruction Our preference for a content-focused curriculum stems from from findings in the fields of language teaching and second-language acquisition related to Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and more recently Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL). Although the practice of learning (and teaching) a new language via authentic subject matter has a long history, it is only recently that empirical studies have been seriously undertaken and that clear examples and viable templates have been published (see, for example, Brinton, Snow & Wesche, 2003). The rationale outlined by these authors is that a CBI curriculum: (1) offers learners the necessary conditions for second language learning by exposing them to meaningful language; (2) builds on the learner's previous learning experiences in the subject matter, the target language, and in formal educational settings; (3) takes into account the interests and needs of the learners through their engagement with the academic subject matter and discourse patterns that they need to master; (4) allows a focus on (communicative language) use as well as on (accurate) usage; and (5) incorporates the eventual uses the learner will make of the language through engagement with relevant content and L2 discourse with a purpose other than language teaching.
The term Active Learning (AL) has become somewhat ubiquitous in a range of educational contexts a... more The term Active Learning (AL) has become somewhat ubiquitous in a range of educational contexts as well as mainstream media. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEXT) appears to be leading the charge and pressure is being put on schools and universities to adopt or promote AL style instruction. In this paper, we attempt to review some of the accepted meanings of AL and offer our interpretations of the construct in our teaching context, university English as a Foreign Language (EFL) courses in Japan. We offer a brief review of academic literature on the topics of AL, learner engagement, second-language learner motivation and self-determination theory (SDT). We then outline how AL maps onto the content-focused English program at the Hirao School of Management (CUBE), and conclude with some of our emerging perspectives on the construct.
This paper reports on the initial phase of a qualitative investigation into reflective journaling... more This paper reports on the initial phase of a qualitative investigation into reflective journaling as a form of professional development (PD) involving EFL teachers at universities in Japan. The research questions were: (1) What shared/differing concerns or challenges are experienced by university EFL teachers in Japan? (2) Is reflective journaling a viable form of professional development for EFL teachers in Japan? Preliminary analysis identified classroom management, questioning of one’s own perspectives/practices, and classroom community as shared concerns. Also, with appropriate support, reflective journaling appears to be a viable form of PD for in-service teachers of EFL in this context.
As discussed in previous THT talks, content-focused language teaching approaches such as Content-... more As discussed in previous THT talks, content-focused language teaching approaches such as Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) continue to gain both recognition and credibility. At the same time, we hear of the struggles that teachers have with implementation. In this workshop-style presentation, the presenter shares some of the challenges he has faced with balancing the content and language sides of CLIL, as well as some of the strategies he and his colleagues have developed to deal with these challenges. Participants will be asked to share their stories and concerns regarding content-focused language instruction.
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