Review in Modern Language Journal, 83.2 (Summer, 1999 pp. 278-280 STRYKER, STEPHEN B., & BETTY LOU LEAVER. (Eds.). Content-Based Instruction in Foreign Language Education: Models and Methods. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 1997. Pp. vii, 328. $24.95, paper. Although intended primarily for those who teach foreign languages to adult learners, this volume, compiled by two veterans in the field of content-based instruction (CBI), is also of potential interest to teachers working in English as a Second Language and bilingual education. It is particularly well suited to teachers who have already considered the potential of CBI and who may be familiar with some of the literature in the field, but who are unsure of how to proceed toward implementation. What differentiates this volume from its predecessors (e.g., Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, Content-Based Second Language Instruction, 1989; Krueger & Ryan, Eds., Language and Content, 1993; Straight, Ed., Languages Across the Curriculum, 1994), all of which rely heavily on theoretical and linguistic arguments in support of CBI, broad policy issues, and some program description, is its central focus on the pedagogical concerns of CBI. The authors intend to give language educators practical models and specific methods for implementing CBI. To that end, they present 11 case studies of successfully implemented models of CBI. Each chapter describes a CBI course or program that was actually implemented and evaluated. The 9 foreign language models include programs in Arabic, French, Indonesian, Italian Russian, Serbo-Croatian, and Spanish; the 2 Foreign Languages Across the Curriculum (FLAC) programs described encompass more than a dozen other languages. Students' language proficiencies range from beginning to advanced levels. There are single-teacher models and multiteacher models in a broad variety of settings that include the Foreign Service Institute, the Defense Language Institute, the Monterey Institute of International Studies, Columbia University's Center for International Studies, Ohio University, SUNY-Binghamton, the University of Utah, and the University of Minnesota. Taken as a whole, the collection represents "a broad overview of CBI in foreign language programs for adults during the last decade" (p. v). The volume is divided into six parts. Part One is an introductory chapter in which the editors elaborate on the definition and characteristics of CBI that were first presented in their 1989 Foreign Language Annals article, and they trace the evolution of contemporary CBI from immersion programs in the 1960s to foreign language and FL classrooms in the 1990s. Parts Two, Three, and Four group the curriculum models according to levels of foreign language proficiency as defined by the ACTFL Guidelines. Part Two presents three models aimed at the Novice level of proficiency: CBI in a Basic Russian Program at the Foreign Service Institute (Betty Lou Leaver); CBI in a First-Year Italian (Course at the University of Utah (Steven Sternfeld); and a course to Convert Czech Proficiency to Proficiency in Croatian and Serbian at the Defense Language Institute (Andrew Corin). Part Three presents three models for the Intermediate level of proficiency: Text Development for CBI Instruction in Arabic at the Foreign Service Institute (Karin Ryding & Barbara Stowasser); CBI in French for Journalism Students at Ohio University (Lois Vines); and the Undergraduate Foreign Language Immersion Program in Spanish at the University of Minnesota (Carol Klee & Diane Tedick). Part Four presents three models for the Advanced level of proficiency: The Mexico Experiment at the Foreign Service Institute (Stephen Stryker), and CBI: An Indonesian Example at the Foreign Service Institute (Jijis Chadran & Gary Esarey). The authors of these chapters give detailed information regarding setting, objectives, curriculum design, materials, evaluation procedures, and teacher preparation. Appendixes in some of' the chapters provide model syllabi, sample lessons and activities, lists of materials, and program evaluation data. Part Five presents two case studies of the FLAC variation of CBI: Language-Based Content Instruction at SUNY-Binghamton (Stephen Straight); and An Advanced Content-Based Foreign Language Program at The Monterey Institute (Peter Shaw). In Part Six, Stryker and Leaver discuss the pros and cons of CBI in light of the combined experiences of contributors. They attempt to summarize and evaluate some of the central issues involved with CBI, including creating an interdisciplinary foundation, balancing language and content, "sheltering" content, measuring outcomes, materials preparation, the "grammar" question, the use of English, and error correction. Not surprisingly, they conclude that "when all the pros and cons are considered, CBI offers a challenging but highly rewarding alternative to traditional foreign language approaches" (p. 312). The bibliography at the end of the volume combines the general references from all 13 chapters plus many other sources of interest to CBI researchers. This is a very impressive and useful volume. A variety of CBl courses and programs are described in a format that lends itself to a wide range of readers. What sets the individual case studies apart from previous published program descriptions, however, is their conceptual and methodological sophistication. Individual authors are well versed in the theory and practice of second language acquisition, and carefully and convincingly integrate the two as they document the processes of conceptualization, evaluation, and modification in which they engaged. Such an approach not only gives readers an insider's view of the development of each course or program described, but also helps them acquire the ability to reflect similarly about courses they are currently teaching or intend one day to teach. Appendixes provide a wealth of practical information of potential interest and use to language educators currently engaged in CBI or interested in exploring this possibility. While wishing that more of the case studies had documented the use of CBI in mainstream first- or second-year language courses, this reviewer nevertheless expresses a debt of gratitude to Stephen Stryker and Betty Lou Leaver for providing language educators with a first-rate resource that not only documents what has been accomplished to date in CBI in a number of different settings, but also serves to inspire and empower those who may have remained on the sidelines, interested in the possibilities offered by CBI, but not knowing how to proceed. This volume belongs on the frequently consulted shelf in the professional libraries of language educators in the 21st century. WENDY W. ALLEN St. Olaf College |
