Content-based Instruction

This method is more about the subject matter and not specifically about other language forms.

Lesson Plan

Age: Native Chinese-speaking Adults in EMBA program at UTA
Proficiency Level: High Intermediate
Institutional Setting: classroom of 6 students, 1 hour class
Terminal Objective: To be able to function in a business meeting conducted in English
Enabling Objective: To read a case study of a company (reading), hear a summary of a different case study (listening and speaking), and be able to answer 3 questions about what they heard (writing)
Materials: 6 different case studies (1 copy each); 6 evaluation forms (6 sections of 4 questions each)

Warm-up (5 min.) (L, S)

Have the students gather around a large table.

Teacher: Today we are going to talk about businesses. Can you tell me some successful businesses?
Ss: verbal responses
Teacher: What makes a company successful? Why?
Ss: verbal responses

Segment 1 (5 min.) (L, R)

Teacher: You each have a case study about a different company in front of you. Without reading the whole study now, but just looking it over, have you ever heard of this company? Have you seen or heard anything about the CEO? Remember, CEO stands for Chief Executive Officer, or the head of the company.

Segment 2 (10 min.) (R)

Teacher: Now I want you to each read your case study, silently. At this time, there should be no talking, just reading.

Segment 3 (30 min.) (S, L)

Teacher: OK, has everyone read their case study? Great! Starting with David, I want you to summarize the case study for your classmates. You don’t need to read it to them, just tell them what the company is, who the CEO is, and some good information about the company. The rest of you should listen carefully to the summary. You have in front of you a sheet of paper, divided into six sections, one for each person, with the questions you will need to answer for each section. You may take notes if you want to.

Segment 4 (5 min.) (W)

Teacher: Now that you’ve heard each summary, write down the answers to the questions that I’ve given you.

Question 1: Who is the student who summarized?
Question 2: Who is the CEO mentioned?
Question 3: What is the name of the company?
Question 4: Name one fact that is interesting to you; this is your choice.

Wind Down (5 min.) (L, S)

Teacher: You all learned about several companies today, and the men who run them or started them. Were these companies successful? Why or why not? If they were, what made them successful?

At this point, the teacher should take answers from several of the students.

Teacher: Please hand in your evaluations. This was a great class today, wasn’t it?