Content-based ESL in a Sheltered Psychology Course: Input, Output, and Outcomes

Abstract

According to Krashen (1983), subject matter language teaching satisfies the three requirements for second language acquisition of his input hypothesis, namely: large doses of comprehensible input, a low affective filter situation and a silent period. Is this enough for development of productive skills at advanced proficiency levels? Could the language teacher make the process more efficient and if so, how? In the 1984-85 school year, advanced students in the special section of Introductory Psychology open only to ESL students were offered an optional three-credit academic English "Reading-to-Writing" component during the second term. Ten out of sixteen students qualified and registered for this course. They practised different types of writing and wrote critical reviews of simple articles from professional journals. At their request, they gave oral reports to the whole class. This paper will compare the writing and non-writing students' results on various proficiency measures to those of students in regular language classes and examine students' comments on the course and their perception of progress made in the course. It will consider the role of active intervention by the language teacher to require, monitor and otherwise guide student output and explore the question of when input leads to output and when the practice of output is required in the refinement of speaking and writing skills.