Content-Based

Instruction MOOC Syllabus

Winter Semester February 18 to March 25, 2019

Course Overview
Description
This MOOC is designed for teachers who are already teaching – or are preparing soon to teach –
content-based instruction (CBI). We define CBI as instruction where the content (which could be math,
history, science, etc.) is taught in a language that the students are still in the process of learning. In this
MOOC, we will focus on the case of EFL. CBI courses present teachers with the challenge of balancing
the teaching of both language and content. The ideal way to strike this balance will differ, depending on
the teaching context. This MOOC was designed to prepare participants for future decision-making and
problem-solving in the area of CBI.

Learning Objectives and Learner Outcomes
By the end of this MOOC, participants will

• Be familiar with techniques that help language teachers learn and teach content competently
• Know ways of analyzing and adjusting task difficulty so as to make lessons that are at an
appropriate level for students who are learning content taught in a language they are still in the
process of learning
• Be able to formulate clear learning objectives for CBI lessons and courses
• Be able to plan CBI lessons that both
o help maximize students’ content learning and
o promote English language learning
• Be equipped to make in-the-moment decisions about when and how to provide explicit
language instruction in CBI classes

Expectations and Grading

Expectations
The MOOC runs for 5 weeks, from February 18 to March 25, 2019. In order to complete the modules,
participants will need to work on and off line between 3 and 5 hours every week. Assignments are due
on the date specified.

Grading
Participants work through the MOOC in a linear fashion: in order to advance to the next activity, a
participant needs to have completed previous ones. You are, however, welcome to return to previous

© 2019 by World Learning. CBI MOOC Syllabus for the AE E-Teacher Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of
State and administered by FHI 360. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License,
except where noted. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/




readings and activities, and you are encouraged to return to discussion boards for further discussion.
Your grade in the MOOC is based on your participation in all activities. This includes frequent follow-on
quizzes throughout the course. You may retake quizzes to try to earn a higher score. You must earn 70%
or higher on each quiz in order to advance to the next activity.

Assessment and Certification
Participants who complete all activities and earn 70% or higher on the graded quizzes, within the
timeframe of the course, will receive a badge.

Netiquette
A MOOC is a very special encounter. Its participants are from diverse cultures from all over the world,
and their interaction happens entirely online, without the direct supervision of an instructor. The quality
of our online interactions will be much higher if everyone follows certain basic rules of etiquette – or in
our case (online), netiquette.

1. Try to be clear and direct

Make sure that your content title reflects the content of your post and that your post is succinct
and direct.

2. Make it easier for colleagues to read your comments
- Put a blank space at the beginning of a message and between paragraphs.
- Be brief and specific. This is especially important in Massive Open Online Courses which
have thousands of participants. When writing a contribution, try to keep it within a 100
word limit.

3. Be constructive
Respond to colleagues’ postings or comments in an encouraging and supportive tone. Think
before you write or respond. Any criticism should be constructive—if in doubt, think about how
you would feel reading a posting.

4. Be open to differences in opinion

Be open to other people’s opinions and try not to get emotional if someone disagrees with you.
Make your learning experience a constructive and positive one by avoiding ‘flaming’. For
example, capitals can be interpreted as shouting. Think before you push the ‘send’ button.
Words are powerful and can hurt; avoid anything which could be misinterpreted in any way.

5. Accept others
Accept your peers’ differences, e.g., cultural and language differences. You are part of a
community which means caring about your own progress and that of your colleagues’.

6. Cite other people’s work

If you use a quote or reference in your post; make sure that you cite it or provide a link to it.

7. No spamming
Please don’t send advertisements to your peers or use your peers’ emails in any way other than
how they intend it to be used.

Course Schedule
Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
1 Intro- Familiarize yourself with “Welcome to Integrating Watch video* (/read text) 15 minutes
ductions: CBI the course Content-Based Instruction” Read the syllabus carefully 10 minutes
and Us video prepared by World
Learning (video transcript)
1 Module overview Read Module 1 overview 10 minutes

1 Get information on Background diagnostic Take initial survey 25 minutes

participants’ previous
knowledge and
experience in course
topics
1 Establish a positive “Let’s Introduce Ourselves” Introduce yourself to others online 15 minutes
learning environment forum (OPTIONAL Activity) Read other people’s introductions 30 minutes
(responding encouraged)
1 Explain fundamental Text: “CBI: Basic Concepts” Read or watch “CBI: Basic Concepts” 30 minutes
concepts connected to
CBI: sheltered
instruction, schemata,
BICS/CALP, cognitive
load, CBI/EMI/CLIL

1 Comprehension quiz for “CBI: Take comprehension quiz on “CBI: Basic 15 minutes
Basic Concepts” Concepts”

1 Develop sympathy for Task instructions and space for Write about what you hope to get out of 30 minutes
struggling language free writing. this course. You have two restrictions: you

Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
learners who must learn cannot use any words that contain the
and communicate letter “r,” and you only have 10 minutes.
content knowledge.
1 Recognize the Texts “Vocabulary Instruction Read or watch “Vocabulary Instruction in 50 minutes
importance of in CBI” and “Vocabulary- CBI” and then read “Vocabulary-building
vocabulary in content building Activity Examples” Activity Examples”
instruction and its role
in CBI.
1 Comprehension quiz Take follow-on quiz about vocabulary 15 minutes
instruction

1 Evaluate your Self-assessment survey Answer self-assessment survey 15 minutes

participation in the
MOOC up to now
1 Module summary Read Module 1 Summary 10 minutes

2 The “C” in Familiarize yourself with Module overview Read Module 2 overview 10 minutes
“CBI” Module 2

2 Be able to write clear “Writing Learning Objectives” Read “Writing Learning Objectives” 20 minutes
content learning
objectives for a lesson
2 Follow-on quiz for “Writing Take the follow-on quiz 15 minutes
Learning Objectives”

2 Identify strategies that “Scaffolding” text about Read or watch “Scaffolding” 25 minutes
promote content scaffolding, enriching lectures,
learning in classes not and alternative ways of giving
instructions and modeling

Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
taught in students’ first
language

2 Comprehension quiz for Take the quiz 20 minutes

“Scaffolding”

2 “Getting Our Students to Read “Getting Our Students to Higher 20 minutes

Higher Level Thinking – Level Thinking – Bloom’s Taxonomy”
Bloom’s Taxonomy”
2 Comprehension quiz for Take the follow-on quiz 15 minutes
“Getting Our Students to
Higher Level Thinking –
Bloom’s Taxonomy”
2 Find English-language “Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!” Read “Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!” 25 minutes
resources that can be text
used in participants’ CBI
classes
2 Forum space where Find two materials you could use in your 80 minutes
participants share the class. Post a brief description of one of
materials they have identified them and provide information about
(OPTIONAL Activity) where you found it.
2 Understand sources of “Sources of Task Difficulty” text Read “Sources of Task Difficulty” 25 minutes
task difficulty

2 Follow-on quiz Take follow-on quiz 20 minutes

2 Evaluate your Self-assessment survey Take self-assessment survey 15 minutes

participation in the
MOOC up to now

Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
2 Module summary Read Module 2 Summary 10 minutes

3 Language Familiarize yourself with Module overview Read Module 3 overview 10 minutes
instruction in Module 3
CBI
3 Write clear language “Language Learning Read “Language Learning Objectives” 30 minutes
learning objectives for a Objectives” text
lesson
3 Follow-on quiz Take the quiz on “Language Learning 15 minutes
Objectives”

3 Explore ways CBI “Developing Students’ Read or watch “Developing Students’ 30 minutes
instructors can help Academic Writing Skills in Academic Writing Skills in English”
students develop their English” video (transcript
academic English writing provided)
skills
3 Share ideas on how to Take the quiz on “Developing Students’ 20 minutes
develop CBI students’ Academic Writing Skills in English”
writing skills
3 Practice ways to support Text "Listening and Reading Read "Listening and Reading 30 minutes
students' Comprehension: Comprehension: Complementary Skills"
comprehension of Complementary Skills"
spoken and written
texts
3 Forum space (OPTIONAL Describe a listening or reading 45 minutes
Activity) comprehension activity that you plan to
use in your CBI course.

Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
3 Formulate appropriate “Second Language Acquisition Read or watch “Second Language 30 minutes
ways to include explicit Principles in Content-based Acquisition Principles in Content-based
language instruction in Instruction” Instruction”
CBI courses
3 Quiz on “Second Language Take follow-on quiz 15 minutes
Acquisition Principles in
Content-based Instruction”
3 Evaluate your Self-assessment survey Take self-assessment survey 10 minutes
participation in the
MOOC up to now
3 Module summary Read Module 3 Summary 10 minutes

4 Multiple Familiarize yourself with Module overview Read Module 4 overview 10 minutes
Factors Module 4

4 Identify multiple ways in “It’s Not Just Academic? Read “It’s Not Just Academic? Culture in 30 minutes
which culture factors Culture in the CBI Classroom” the CBI Classroom”
into CBI learning
experiences
4 Quiz over “It’s Not Just Take quiz on “It’s Not Just Academic? 15 minutes
Academic? Culture in the CBI Culture in the CBI Classroom”
Classroom”
4 Evaluate arguments for Video: “English Only? Should Watch this short video in which two 10 minutes
and against using Students’ L1 Be Allowed in the colleagues discuss using students’ first
students’ first language Classroom?” (transcript also language (L1) in the classroom.
(L1) in the classroom available)
4 Become familiar with a Text “Techniques for Keeping Read this collection of various teachers’ 20 minutes
variety of techniques for Your Students in the Target techniques for keeping their students in
Language” the target language in class.
7


Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
keeping students in the
target language

4 Discuss target language Discussion forum (OPTIONAL Discuss your views on requiring students 30 minutes
use Activity) to stick to the target language in CBI
courses.
4 Analyze instructional Text “Readability” Read “Readability” 35 minutes
resources in terms of
readability and other
characteristics of
usability
4 Quiz on “Readability” Take the follow-on quiz 20 minutes

4 Learn techniques for Text "Tips for Teaching Read or watch "Tips for Teaching 20 minutes
teaching pronunciation Pronunciation" (transcript Pronunciation"
in CBI provided)

4 Quiz over "Tips for Teaching Take follow-on quiz 15 minutes
Pronunciation"

4 Evaluate your Self-assessment survey Take self-assessment survey 15 minutes

participation in the
MOOC up to now
4 Module summary Read Module 4 Summary 8 minutes

5 Assessment Familiarize yourself with Module overview Read Module 5 overview 10 minutes
Module 5

Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
5 Define basic principles Text “Assessment in CBI” Read about basic assessment concepts -- 25 minutes
of assessment within summative, formative, validity, reliability –
the CBI context described within a CBI context.
5 Comprehension quiz over Take the quiz 15 minutes
“Assessment in CBI”

5 Locate multiple sources Text “Assessment Challenges Read a text or watch video about 25 minutes
of difficulty in CBI for ELLs” challenges that language learners face
exams; explore ways of when tested in their non-native language,
minimizing difficulty and ways these difficulties can be
extraneous to learning minimized
objectives
5 Quiz over “Assessment Take the quiz 35 minutes
Challenges for ELLs”

5 Identify multiple ways to Text “Error Correction in CBI” Read “Error Correction in CBI” 25 minutes
respond to student
error and when and why
to use each
5 Discuss assessment and Discussion forum (OPTIONAL Discuss issues in assessment and error 30 minutes
error correction Activity) correction

5 Post-Test 30 minutes

5 Reflect on your End-of-course Self-assessment Take self-assessment survey 15 minutes

experience in this
MOOC

Week Topic Learning Objectives Resources* Activity and Assignments Time needed
to complete
*Transcripts are supplied for all
videos
5 Articulate post-MOOC Discussion forum (OPTIONAL Tell us what you plan to do with the 25 minutes
plans Activity) knowledge and skills you’ve gained from
this MOOC

10