CONTENT BASED INSTRUCTION: A STRATEGIC DIRECTION IN SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING

Abstract

Content based instruction (CBI) has emerged as an offshoot of the much popularized Communicative Language Teaching. The ideology is based in the precept that language is to be taught primarily for communicative purposes treating language holistically. It emerged from the Canadian Immersion Program and rests on Krashen’s Input hypothesis and also on Swain’s output hypothesis. CBI, an instructional practice in second language education promotes the use of subject matter of study for the teaching of language. It has applications of importance primarily in English for Specific Purposes or teaching of communication skills in English for all professional courses at higher education level.