Developing Critical Thinking Through

Content-Based Language Instruction

Mariko Henstock Dept. of Modern Languages & Comparative Literature

Boston University Instructional Innovation Conference

March 2, 2012

Boston University

Creating a Linguistics Course

• Department asked me to teach a course:– Japanese linguistics

– History of the Japanese language

• Required course for double majors in Linguistics & Japanese

Course of “Mixed Abilities”

• Linguistics background–5 Linguistics majors–5 had never studied linguistics

• Japanese skills–8 had completed 4th year Japanese–4 had studied Japanese 2 years only–3 had studied abroad in Japan

Course Goals

• Learn linguistics and improve language skills

• Develop analytical and critical approach toward Japanese language– Break “stereotypes” of Japanese language in class– Gain deeper understanding of modern spoken &

written Japanese

• Experience a course taught in "real Japanese"

Content-Based Instruction (CBI) (Morita 2009)

• Integrates content & language instruction

• Allows students to use the language as a vehicle for acquiring the lecture content

• Used in culture, literature, and history courses, but not linguistics

• Allegedly fosters critical thinking

3 Prototype CBI Models (Brinton 2007)

3 Prototype CBI Models (Brinton 2007)

1) Theme-based instruction• Focus on theme within language class

curriculum2) Adjunct instruction

• Link separate Japanese language and content courses

3) Sheltered instruction• Focus on content but use Japanese• Accommodate the students' level

Course Goals

• Learn linguistics and improve language skills

• Develop analytical and critical approach toward Japanese language– Break “stereotypes” of Japanese language in class– Gain deeper understanding of modern spoken &

written Japanese

• Experience a course taught in "real Japanese"

Harvard Solutions

• Harvard Business School sent students to overseas to solve real world business problems (Harvard Gazette, Jan. 2012)

• Success of "Flipped classroom" teaching model: Class is a place for discussions and peer learning (Harvard School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, Feb. 2012)

Our students can…

• Engage in experiences through media (YouTube, videos) or interviews with Japanese [exchange] students at BU

• Examine, observe, and find patterns in such real world content through open assignments

• Discuss their findings and exchange ideas with classroom discussions & peer learning

Examples of Weekly Assignments

Watch a drama, YouTube video, or interview your Japanese friend. Observe and share something you noticed about the language.

Identify the use of classical Japanese proverbs in modern Japanese texts

Understand and explain why some example dialogues between young Japanese are grammatically incorrect

A Typical Week

• Students prepare reading (in English)

• Lecture in Japanese/English

• Weekly paper with a topic

• Class discussion

• Active learning to connect their observation & findings to linguistics

– Practice for critical thinking with peer learning– Answer open-ended questions

How did it work out?

1st yearStrong language skillsStrong linguistics skills

2nd yearSeveral had low Japanese language levelLower linguistics and critical thinking abilityHad to adjust much more for these students

How did it work out?

1st year

Several said they enjoyed the assignments Improved their critical thinking over the course

through the weekly assignmentsHelped them writing the term paper

2nd year

Several hated the open-ended assignmentsWanted precise instruction on exactly what to do

• These needed “critical thinking” training the most

Outcome of 1st year

• Improved the quality of term papers• Developed critical & analytical approach toward

Japanese language from a linguistics perspective– Gained deeper understanding of Japanese– Improved awareness of linguistics influence on the Japanese

language

• Could recognize instances of classical Japanese in modern texts

• Seemed to have helped turn them from passive learners into active learners through critical thinking– Achieved goal of Content-Based Instruction

Reflection of one 1st year student

• Weekly reflection assignments• Examined specific aspect of the language

– e.g. Noting the mistakes that native Japanese speakers make when learning English

• Required critical analysis of Japanese and English

• Reading classical Japanese texts• Examined how Japanese evolved• Japanese literature courses at Boston University use

only translated material

• Both inspired my term paper

References• 迫田久美子 (2009) 「 ICJLE 2009 シドニー大会を振り返って－参加者と主催者の視点から考

える国際大会の意義 と役割」日本語教育１４３号• 清田淳子 (2001) 「教科としての『国語』と日本語教育を統合した内容重視のアプローチの

試み」日本語教育１ １１号• 北原保雄 (2004) 「問題な日本語」大修館書店• 金水敏　 (2006) 　「現代に生きる古典日本語」日本語教育国際研究大会　招待パネル発表　

コロンビア大学• 金水敏　 (2007) 　 "On "Role Language" in Contemporary Japanese: An Investigation on

Prototypical Styles in Japanese" Japan Forum 　 Invited speech, Harvard University• Akemi Morioka (2009) 　 Teaching Japanese with Content-Based Instruction (CBI): Addressing

critical thinking, learner autonomy, and motivation http://www.bod.com/index.php?id=3435&objk_id=190524 　 (July 2011)

• Donna M. Brinton (2007) Content-Based Instruction: Reflecting on its Applicability to the Teaching of Korean 12th Annual Conference A,erican Association of Teachers of Korean, Chicago, Illinois 2007

• http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:xscH1YckcnkJ:www.aatk.org/www/html/conference2007/pdf/Donna%2520Brinton.pdf+Brinton+CBI&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESg73pVXy-9w1AFR75RJksAwRPUIYahoku42TNrRRL5HPAExO7hVUd4f0kwiS7eZVrJmVHZAcOIN55Sp3eVLCDmSzlUQHqT7hUN6Ki_BrbySyoYNpD5kHuZRtkPUgofbvjDy2Auk&sig=AHIEtbRKQ6Tz_AW63M0qL2TYt3WknhGOtw&pli=1 (July 2011)