In my ESOL classes, when we study the future tense, I often ask students to reflect on what an ESOL classroom experience might be like in the future. They come forward with comments like "computers will replace teachers" and "we won't have to leave our homes to study." When I think about the future, I envision ESOL classes where students are learning content such as science, mathematics, world history, and drama. One model for this is currently operating in Arlington, Virginia. CALLA, the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach is basically the ESOL component of Bilingual Education. You may have already heard of it, or you may be teaching ESOL in a content based manner, and, if so, this book might be of particular interest to you.
CALLA is an instructional model that prepares students for academic achievement with academic work, language development, and explicit instruction in learning strategies. Grammar is taught, but it steps aside from being the center of attention, while content and learning strategies take the limelight, starting with work in math and science and moving in succesion to language arts and then social sciences. This handbook is a product of intensive research and field work, and many of the examples in the book are based on such approaches and methodologies as Language Across the Curriculum, the Language Experience Approach, Whole language, Process Writing, Cooperative Learning, and Cognitive Instruction and Alternative Assessment.
The two main premises on which CALLA is built are that content should be the primary focus of instruction and that language skills are developed as the need emerges from the content. It is based on research that identified some of the characteristics of effective ESOL learners. Once these strategies were identified and categorized, the researchers set out to see if these strategies could be taught to less successful learners. The results of the research showed that when less effective language learners used these strategies they improved markedly. The research also concluded that the teacher and students both must take an active role in the process and that each learning strategy must be chosen appropriately for the task at hand. According to the study, as "students begin to regulate their own learning through a strategic approach to learning tasks, they are no longer totally dependant on the teacher."
Research with a high school ESOL population also showed that students were not being sufficiently prepared for grade-level content-area classrooms. There is a vast difference between the language skills necessary for everyday communication and the skills needed for participation in mainstream content classes at the high school and college levels. Research done in an innovative science and mathematics program showed that by teaching these subjects to high-beginning to intermediate ESOL students, learners vastly developed their language proficiency. This conclusion is also supported by work in integrated language and content (ILC) instruction programs.
I have become increasingly interested in content-based teaching of ESOL for several reasons. One of the most important is that many ESOL materials are not compelling enough for students or directly related to teaching low-level students strategies that allow them access to high-interest materials. Methods that allow us to start earlier in providing ESOL students with preparation for the G.E.D. or college-level classes makes sense. In the classroom I have seen learning strategies work consistently and I find CALLA's emphasis in this area of special interest. I recommend this handbook to all ESOL teachers who are interested in teaching content and learning strategies to help students in pursuit of learning in a broader sense as well as improving English communication skills.