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Content-Based Instruction of Persian through Web-based Modules
Abstract
This work is a show-case of samples modules for the content based instruction (CBI) of Persian through interactive web-based material at advanced and superior levels. These modules are part of the CBI Path, a project of the Western Consortium of Title VI Resource Centers for Middle East Studies, initiated by the Middle East Studies Center at Portland State University. CBI Path offers modules for all four major Middle Eastern languages but this presentation focuses on the Persian modules. CBI seem to be interpreted differently by different people. Here, we adopt the definition provided by Stryker & Lou-Leaver (1997: 3-5) and define the CBI as a holistic and global approach to foreign language education that departs from traditional language teaching methods in that language proficiency is achieved by shifting the focus of instruction from “learning the language” to “using the language as a tool to study a specific subject matter”. Thus a CBI curriculum has the following characteristics: 1) based on a specific subject matter 2) uses authentic texts 3) addresses the needs of specific groups of students (not a general language course). The crucial point of this definition is that the CBI curriculum is not designed around forms, functions, situations, tasks, or skills but instead it is designed around a specific subject matter such as math, economy, arts, social sciences, etc. Some of the variations of CBI used around the world are: sheltered content courses, adjunct courses, theme- based courses, area studies modules, language for specific purposes, discipline-based instruction, and foreign languages across the curriculum. While the CBI has been extensively studied for commonly taught languages and even for some of the less commonly taught languages such as Arabic, practical models for CBI of Persian still need exploration as there exist few actual case studies of CBI for Persian. This presentation provides concrete and practical ideas for implementing CBI of Persian in a variety of subject areas such as women’s studies, history, sports studies, and translation studies. In response to the increasing need for web-based and on-line instructional material, this project offers practical modules freely accessible to educators and learners across the globe. The modules are interactive and enable learners to work independently. As such they are great resources in achieving the very core goal of CBI which is “encouraging students to become independent learners and to continue the learning process beyond classroom in order to become autonomous life-long learners”.
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