Developing a Project in Content-Based Instruction
Extended from a Reading Passage
Noriko Fujioka-Ito
University of Cincinnati
Introduction
A number of successful Content-Based Instruction (CBI) in North American
universities, in the context of postsecondary foreign language education, have been
documented for the past two decades (Grabe & Stoller, 1997). CBI not only provides
help for social and cognitive development during childhood, but also motivates learners
and successfully lead students to good job placement opportunities (Genesee, 1994;
Grandin, 1993; Wesche, 1993) and produces advanced levels of language proficiency
(Genesee, 1987; Johnson & Swain, 1997).
This article reports how CBI has been integrated into the existing curriculum
using a reading passage from “An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese (IJ)
(Miura & McGloin, 1994),” which is designed to develop four skills simultaneously.
This particular unit of the curriculum, which is integrated all elements of Stoller &
Grabe’s (1997) Six-Ts and the eleven standards of Five Cs (the all standards of five goals
of the Standards for Foreign Language Learning), has students develop a project in CBI.
Based on the reading passage and exposure to authentic content, CBI should enable them
to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the topic of each reading passage.
In order to develop this unit, Stoller and Grabe’s (1997) Six-T’s Approach is used
so that the students can benefit from the integration of language and content instruction.
In this approach, the Themes are the major source for curriculum planning. A variety of
relevant Texts (all resources and materials) leads to Topic selection. Specific Tasks are
designed to teach the language knowledge and content information central to the Texts.
Transitions and Threads also link throughout the curriculum while creating a sense of
coherence. The Six-T’s Approach provides students with the means for developing a
coherent content-based curriculum which promotes involvement in content learning,
increases opportunities for negotiation of language and content tasks, allows for
cooperative learning, focuses on the development of discourse-based abilities and
maintains student motivations for learning.
CBI Unit Overview
A central curricula notion in the Six-T’s Approach is that all CBI is
fundamentally theme-based (Brinton, Snow, & Wesche, 1989). The theme of this unit,
taken from the reading passage of Chapter 3 in IJ, is “Study Abroad.” The reading
provides students with background material information on study abroad programs (e.g.,
issues of cross-cultural adjustment, and the advantages of such programs).
This unit consists of two lessons. In Lesson 1, students read a selection in their
textbook, using the language and content knowledge students obtained through
1
conversation sections previously covered in the same textbook. Furthermore, the reading
material provides students with basic knowledge about studying in Japan in several
scenarios: with or without exchange agreements with home institutions and new grammar
(including expressions and vocabulary), with a focus on student life abroad. In Lesson 2,
students will continue to conduct research on studying abroad in Japan through a variety
of other resources (e.g., videos, websites, and interviews with people who have studied in
Japan). Students will use their research materials to make TV commercials to promote
study abroad; the commercials will be videotaped and evaluated using the rubric at the
end of the project. In this article, Lesson 2 and Unit Assessment are focused so as to
describe how the Content-Based project was extended from a textbook reading.
Lesson Overview of Reading Passage
The summary of each component of the Six-T’s Approach in Lesson 1 is as
follows (see Appendix A for details of Lesson 1). The Topics, sub-units of the Theme
which explore its more specific aspects using the reading passage, are (a) the application
process, (b) credit transfer, (c) socialization in international students’ life (such as extracurricular activities and life with a host family), and (d) housing conditions in large cities.
Through Threads, the Theme of this unit links with Chapter 5 “At University” and
Chapter 10 “Domestic Travel” in the same textbook. After learning in the present unit,
students compare and contrast Japanese and American universities (or schools) during inclass discussion. They also conduct research on travel spots and make posters of travel
spots which will be exhibited during the International Education Week in November in
the Fall of the following academic year. In the Lesson 1 Tasks and Task Transitions,
students skim and summarize the information using grammar, vocabulary, and
expressions which were included in the reading passage. This enables them to negotiate
language content tasks in Lesson 2. Topical transitions occur from study abroad
programs to cross-cultural adjustments.
CBI Activity 1: Video-viewing
Lesson 2 consists of three in-class lesson plans and two homework assignments
(see Appendix B for the details of Lesson 2). The first section of this lesson occurs prior
to viewing a video. Students briefly discuss potential problems of studying abroad. For
example, students might not be able to make any friends if they are busy studying and
cannot participate in any extra-curricular activities. This Task uses basic background
knowledge obtained through the reading passage introduced in Lesson 1. The second is
comprised of three parts. Before viewing the video entitled “Foreign Student in Japan:
Dares and Rahman (NHK International & Japan Foundation, 1994),” the teacher
distributes the comprehension check worksheet. Students read comprehension check
questions so as to gain insight into the topics discussed in the video. During viewing,
students use the vocabulary learned in Lesson 1 and watch for the answers to
comprehension questions. By focusing on two main characters in the video who are
students in Japan from Bangladesh and Thailand, students understand the perspectives of
international students in Japan and the difficulties of their life. This includes, for instance,
time constraints or limited finances. After viewing the video, students are paired up and
2
compare their answers to the comprehension check questions. If the answers contain
opinions, especially in response to a question which elicits differing views of
international student life, students can discuss their perspectives of cultural differences
between the US and Japan. This allows them to demonstrate understanding about how
international students interact with friends through extra-curricular activities as well as
daily life and host families while on vacation. In the final task, a class discussion is
conducted that allows student to express their opinions about international student life in
Japan. For example, whether or not international student life is easier than they had
expected, and, if their life is hard, how they tried to handle the hardship. The objective of
this task is to identify difficulties of cross-cultural adjustment and to demonstrate an
understanding about how to solve the problems which might be caused by cultural
differences. The first homework assignment has students continue to conduct their
research on study abroad by visiting websites and using books. The second consists of
preparation for interviews, which will be conducted on day 2. For the second assignment,
students are encouraged to use both content obligatory and content compatible languages.
CBI Activity 2: Interview
On day 2, students are divided into two groups—students who have never studied
in Japan or have not studied in Japan for more than six months belong in Group 1; the
second group is comprised of those who have studied in Japan for more than six months.
If there are not enough students in Group 2, guest speakers who have been to or come
from Japan are invited from the community. Using the vocabulary and grammar learned
in Lesson 1, students in Group 1 prepare interview questions using the first half of the
interview sheet. Students in Group 2 recall their experiences in Japan and get ready for
responding to the interview questions.
Before the interviews, each interviewee in Group 2 very briefly provides his or
her background about college/school life in Japan. While listening to interviewees'
experiences, the students in Group 1 decide whom they are going to interview. Then, the
students in Group 1 ask their questions to two or three people in Group 2 so as to acquire
multiple viewpoints about Japanese society. The discourse of interviews should be
extended from each single question so that the students in Group 1 can later synthesize
deeper views learned through interactions during their interviews. After the interviews,
students summarize the findings of their interviews by integrating results of their
previous research findings to analyze the cultural differences between the educational
systems in Japan and the US. This activity could be done in writing or as a group
discussion.
CBI Activity 3: Debate
On day 3, students identify advantages and disadvantages of study abroad and
express their opinions during discussion, using their linguistic knowledge and
information obtained through resources. Before the discussion, students synthesize their
findings from the interviews and primary research. Then, students discuss positive and
negative aspects of study in Japan and decide their positions (i.e., whether or not they
want to go to Japan to study). Based on their positions, a debate is conducted so as to
3
practice critical thinking skills by generating pros and cons of study abroad. After the
discussion, students write the short summary paper which indicates their positions
including the reasons why they want to go to Japan to study or not. The objective of the
paper is to develop organizational skills by synthesizing data obtained from their research
and summarizing information about study abroad programs. This summary paper is
collected and evaluated using the summary paper rubric.
Assessment of CBI Activities
Assessment in CBI must balance assessing the content with the language. It also
has to accurately reflect the goals and purposes of the CBI unit. In Lesson 2, two
formative evaluations are conducted. First, the comprehension check worksheet is
collected and used as an evaluation of how well students could understand the
information about international student life. Second, the interview sheet is also collected
and evaluated from the perspectives of grammar and vocabulary accuracy and content.
The first half of the sheet is evaluated by assessing how well students used the
expressions and vocabulary introduced in Lesson 1. The last half of the interview sheet
evaluates how well students developed insights into international student life in Japan.
The first summative evaluation of this unit is conducted using the summary paper. This
summary is evaluated by using the summary paper rubric, which consists of five
criteria—(a) organization of expressing ideas, (b) understanding of topic, (c) accuracy of
content information, (d) completion of work, and (e) accuracy of language use.
Unit Assessment
On day 1 of the unit assessment, students are exposed to Japanese TV
commercials. Through viewing these, they come to learn how effective it is to use
colloquial speech/plain forms of language, in addition to the typical images, music, and
sound effects which implicate a specific meaning. After viewing each segment, students
discuss what commercial it is and why it is attractive. Then, students brainstorm possible
TV commercials they could produce with their classmates. The homework assignment
on this day has students select the images, music, and sound effects which can be
incorporated with verbal messages in their commercials. In addition, they are expected to
rehearse their presentations.
On day 2, each student presents his or her TV commercial using visual aids
(and/or music/sound effects). All TV commercials are videotaped and three native
speakers of Japanese, including an instructor, evaluate them independently using the TV
commercial presentation rubric, which consists of five criteria—(a) organization of
expressing opinions, (b) accuracy of content information, (c) delivery of knowledge, (d)
presentation style, and (e) accuracy of language use. After video-taping, students discuss
what they have learned through this unit regarding study abroad programs and the
cultural aspects of college life and society in Japan (see Appendix C for detail of Unit
Assessment).
In order to measure the reliability of the unit assessment, Cronbach’s Alpha was
performed using the scores collected during the Fall Quarter, 2004 at the University of
Cincinnati. The scores of TV commercial projects were given by three different
4
evaluators. For each criterion, 1 (the lowest), 2, 3, or 4 (the highest) points were given.
Although the evaluators received the rubric beforehand so that they could be familiar
with the evaluation criteria, they were not trained to rate; however, the scoring was fairly
consistent among three raters. The internal consistency reliability estimates for this
evaluation using Cronbach’s Alpha procedure are as follows: Organization, .78,
Accuracy of Content Information, .72; Presentation Style, .92; Accuracy of Language
Use, .56; Delivery of Knowledge, .87.
Pedagogical Implication from Students’ Project
Table 1 shows what topics each student included his or her TV commercial.
Their products tell the teacher not only what students learned but also what information
or resources they need to know when they get interested in study abroad (and thus what
the teacher needs to provide them). For example, half of the students talked about
availability of scholarships during the discussion on day 3 in Lesson 2, though this topic
was not included in either a reading passage or the video we watched. Also, these
products informed the teacher about their primary reason for wanting to study abroad.
Interestingly, all students except Student E emphasized that study abroad is the best way
to practice the Japanese language. Student E focused more on recreational aspects of a
stay in Japan. Although a topic related to Ninja or Samurai was not discussed in class,
Student E mentioned the possibility of meeting a Ninja as a means of promoting study
abroad. Student C, who is a non-traditional student who had lived in Japan for a number
of years, also brought up topics which were not covered in class. He could even expand
his message to an abstract statement—living overseas changes our perspectives of our
own countries.
Table 1
TV Commercial Project
Student
Topics
A
・language study ・ extra-curricular activities ・ socialization
(friends) ・course subjects ・daily life ・ scholarship
B
・language study ・ understanding culture ・ socialization
(friends) ・information resources
C
・language study ・traditional culture such as Koto playing, tea
ceremony ・change of perspectives
D
・language study ・exchange program ・scholarship ・culture
shock
E
・extra-curricular activities ・socialization (friends) ・pop culture
such as Ninja
F
・language study ・scholarship ・homestay
5
Linkages across One-year Curriculum
To create larger curricular coherence, this unit links with Chapter 5 “At
University” and Chapter 10 “Domestic Travel” in the later quarters. In the Winter
Quarter, students read a selection in the same textbook about the differences between the
educational system in Japan and the US. The reading material provides students with
background material about the life of typical Japanese high school and college students.
To further develop their understanding of universities in Japan, in the same way as they
did in Fall Quarter, students continue to conduct research on the education systems
through a variety of other resources by viewing videos, searching for information on the
internet, and interviewing people who come from Japan or who have studied there for
extended periods of time. Students will then use their research materials to videotape a
TV show where TV show hosts organize the show entirely in formal language. Panelists
state their opinions about Japanese educational system comparing and contrasting
Japanese and American universities. The students in the audience ask questions of the
presenters, support opinions, or display alternative opinions in discussion. In the Spring
Quarter, after reading a passage and viewing a video on travel spots in Japan in class,
they conduct further research independently and make posters which will be exhibited
during the International Education Week (IEW). This provides an annual opportunity to
highlight the benefits of travel, as well as express appreciation for and commend
international education and exchange, in November. (This will be the sixth anniversary of
IEW, sponsored by the US Department of Education; the University of Cincinnati
participated for the first time last year.) Through the process of making posters, students
develop visually attractive presentations, reinforcing and honing the skills obtained when
producing the TV commercials in Fall Quarter. At the same time, students are planning
their potential travels and conducting research on the places to visit when their dreams of
going to Japan to study come true in the future.
6
References
Brinton, Snow, & Wesche (1989). Content-based Second Language Instruction. Boston,
MA: Heinle & Heinle.
Genesee, F. (1987). Learning through Two Languages: Studies for Immersion and
Bilingual Education. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Genesee, F. (1998). Content-based language instruction (Chapter 5). In Met, M. (ed.).
Critical Issues in Early Second Language Learning (pp. 103-123). Reading, MA:
Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley.
Grabe, W. & Stoller, F.L. (1997). Content-Based Instruction: Research foundations. In
Snow, M.A. & Brinton, D.M. (eds.). The Content-Based Classroom: Perspectives
on integrating language and content. (pp. 5-21). NY: Longman.
Grandin, J.M. (1993). The University of Rhode Island’s International Program. In
Kreuger, M. & Ryan, F. (eds.). Language and Content: Discipline- and ContentBased Approaches to Language Study. (pp.130-137) MA: D.C. Heath.
Johnson, K., & Swain, M. (1997). Immersion Education: International perspectives. New
York: Cambridge University Press.
Met. M. (1994). Teaching content through a second language. In Genesee, F (ed.)
Educating Second Language Children: The whole child, the world curriculum, the
whole community. (pp. 159-182). NY: Cambridge University Press.
Miura, A. & McGloin, N. H. (1994). An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese.
Tokyo: The Japan Times.
NHK International & Japan Foundation (1994) Foreign Student in Japan: Dares and
Rahman. [Video]
RubiStar: Create rubrics for your project-based-learning activities. [Online]
http://rubistar.4teachers.org
Stoller, F. L. & Grabe, W. (1997). A Six-T’s approach to content-based instruction. In
Snow, M.A. & Brinton, D. M. (eds.). The Content-Based Classroom:
Perspectives on Integrating Language and Content. (pp. 78-94). NY: Longman.
7
Appendix A
Lesson 1: Study Abroad Information
Objectives:
Content:

demonstrate understanding of application processes and credit transfers of
study abroad programs as well as international student life in Japan.
Cultural:


learn how to socialize with Japanese students and understand the benefits
of participating in extra-curricular activities on university campus in Japan.
understand advantages of home stay for international students and housing
conditions in large cities such as Tokyo.
Language: Content Obligatory:

use conditional forms to describe information when students go to Japan
to study using words/phrases/expressions such as ~ba~hodo, ~igaino/~igai-ni, ~zu, Kanarazushimo~to iu wake-dewanai, N bakari,
Narubeku, V (plain) beki.
Language: Content Compatible:

use complex sentences (e.g., toki) with the conditional forms (e.g., ~ba,
~to, ~tara) to describe the situations where students are in Japan to study.
Learning Strategies/Social and Skills Development:


analyze the system of study abroad and an international students' life in
Japan to comprehend and summarize the reading passage.
work collaboratively to complete expression exercises and summarize the
reading passage.
Time Frame: Two to three 50-minute class sessions and 1-2 hour homework assignments
Materials Needed:
Reading Material:

Miura, A., & McGloin, N. H. (1994). Ryuugaku Johoo (p. 54) An Integrated
Approach to Intermediate Japanese: Tokyo, Japan: The Japan Times.
8
Expression Exercises Handout
Description of Task:
Introduction:
This lesson provides students with fundamental background information so that
they can continue to deepen their understanding about study abroad programs and crosscultural adjustment using other resources. In this lesson, therefore, after an introduction
and brief discussion about study abroad and going to Japan, students build vocabulary,
expressions, and grammar by understanding and getting familiar with the theme of a
reading passage. Depending on the students’ abilities, skimming a reading passage could
be included in Day 1 lesson or Day 2 lesson. Although research results do not show
reading aloud helps develop reading comprehension, the teacher should have students
read the reading passage aloud to make sure that they can read Kanji (Chinese characters).
In order to demonstrate that they can negotiate language content tasks in the next lesson,
students summarize the information using grammar, vocabulary, and expressions which
were explained by the teacher.
(Day 1)
Pre-task:
1. The teacher asks students what they can imagine if they hear "study abroad" or
"trip to Japan" and draws a mind-map on the board.
2. Students briefly discuss if they want to study abroad and why they think so.
During-task:
1. To familiarize students with grammar and expressions used in the reading passage,
the instructor explains using the Expression Exercises handout. After
explanations, students work collaboratively to complete exercises and practice
the answers orally afterwards.
2. Referring to the vocabulary list, which consists of words related to an academic
life in the textbook, and reviewing the grammatical items and expressions which
were covered during Task 1, students listen to instructor read a passage and skim
it.
(Day 2)
3. To make sure that they can read Kanji (Chinese characters), students read each
paragraph together aloud. If time permits, each student is called on to read one
sentence. After reading aloud, students understand each paragraph with
instructor’s sentence structure explanations which focus on conditional forms and
9
build basic ideas about systems of study abroad and international student life in
Japan.
Post-task:
Based on the knowledge obtained through during-task activities, students collaboratively
summarize the reading passage orally within groups using vocabulary with regard to
college life, conditional forms, and expressions covered in the Expression Exercises
handout.
[Homework]
Students conduct their research to collect study abroad information by visiting websites
and using books. Two websites are suggested (see References and Resources) and they
will then search for additional sites on the topic.
Assessment:
1.
2.
The expression handout is collected and the exercise part is graded to see if
the students understand the explanations of grammar and new expressions.
The oral summary is evaluated to see how much information on study abroad
programs students obtained correctly.
References and Resources:
Textbook:
Miura, A., & McGloin, N. H. (1994). Ryuugaku Johoo (p. 54) An Integrated Approach to
Intermediate Japanese: Tokyo, Japan: The Japan Times.
Websites:
StudyAbroad.com Country Home Pages (English)
http://japan.studyabroad.com
Ryugakusei seikatsu-no-tame-no Rinkushu (Links for Foreign Students' Life) (Japanese)
http://cfrp.shinshu-u.ac.jp/staff/bao/internat/Life.html
10
Appendix B
Lesson 2: Cross-cultural Adjustment
Objectives:
Content:


demonstrate understanding about international student life in Japan (e.g.,
daily life in a dormitory or an apartment) as well as study abroad programs
in Japan using their knowledge acquired from a variety of resources they
accessed.
identify the roles of host families and friends for international students.
Cultural:



demonstrate understanding about how international students interact with
friends through extra-curricular activities as well as daily life and host
families while on vacation.
gain an insight into yearly events such as New Year's Day in Japan.
Identify potential difficulties of cross-cultural adjustment and demonstrate
understanding about how to solve the problems which might be caused by
cultural differences.
Language: Content Obligatory:


comprehend and use vocabulary related to college life and new idiomatic
expressions such as (~ba~hodo, ~igai~no/~igai~ni, ~zu,
Kanarazushimo~to iu wake-dewanai, N bakari, Narubeku, V (plain) beki)
learned throughout the previous lesson.
use comparative sentences and vocabulary related to college life
(introduced in Lesson 1) to compare and contrast college students' life in
Japan and the US and to discuss advantages and disadvantages of study
abroad.
Language: Content Compatible:
Students will:


use the conditional forms (e.g., ~ba, ~to, ~tara), complex sentences (e.g.,
toki) to describe international students' college life and daily life.
use honorifics (polite expressions/forms) learned in the previous year
course to ask questions about the society and the college life in Japan to
interviewees.
11
Learning Strategies/Social and Skills Development:




analyze the cultural differences between the educational systems and the
roles of host families and friends by working collaboratively to describe
international college life and daily life.
develop organizational skills by synthesizing data obtained from their
research and summarizing information about study abroad programs.
engage in active participation through the discussion with interviewees.
practice critical thinking skills by generating pros and cons of study
abroad.
Time Frame: Three 50-minute class sessions and 30 minute homework assignments
Materials Needed:
 Videotape: Nihon Shokai Video Series Nihonjin no Life Style THE WAY OF
LIFE IN JAPAN Ryugakusei Daresu to Tahman FOREIGN STUDENT IN
JAPAN: DARES AND RAHMAN NHK International Kokusai Koryukikin
Kikaku, Seikatsu
 Comprehension Check Worksheet
 Interview Sheet
 Summary Paper
 Summary Paper Rubric
Description of Task:
Introduction:
Lesson 2 is comprised of three-day lesson plans. On Day 1 and Day 2, students’
views toward study abroad are enhanced by viewing videotapes which shows them real
international student life of two college students from Asian countries and interacting
with people who actually studied in Japan. At the same time, students utilize the
vocabulary, expressions, and grammar introduced in Lesson 1 to ask questions and
comprehend the videotape. On Day 3, students identify advantages and disadvantages of
study abroad and express their opinions during debate, using their linguistic knowledge
and information obtained through resources. At the end of this lesson, students
summarize their opinions based on the viewpoints broadened through oral discussion.
Day 1
Pre-task:
Students briefly discuss the potential problems (e.g., students need to negotiate with their
universities to transfer credits in case where students went to study abroad without
partnerships; they might not be able to make any friends if they are very busy in studying
and cannot participate any extra-curricular activities; or their staying in large cities is too
12
expensive) using basic background knowledge obtained though the reading passage
which was introduced in Lesson 1.
During-task:
1. Before viewing the video, the teacher distributes the Comprehension Check
Worksheet (Attachment 1). Students read comprehension check questions so as
to set their minds for topics of the video.
2. During viewing the video, students use the vocabulary learned in Lesson 1 and
watch for the answers to comprehension questions on the handout. By focusing
on two main characters in the video, students understand the perspectives of
international students in Japan and realize some difficulties of their life (e.g., how
to handle time constraints or limited financial budget).
3. After viewing the video, students are paired up and compare their answers to
comprehension check questions. If opinions (especially to Question 8, which
elicits students' overall views of international student life during study abroad)
are different, they discuss their perspectives of cultural differences between the
US and Japan.
Post-task:
The class discussion is conducted to express their opinions about international student life
in Japan (e.g., whether or not international student life is easier than they had expected,
and, if their life is hard, how they should handle the hardship).
[Homework]
1. Students continue to conduct their research on study abroad by visiting websites
and using books (Refer to the section of References and Resources in Lesson 1).
2. Using the vocabulary and sentence structures learned in Lesson 1, students who
have not studied in Japan for more than six months prepare interview questions
using the first half of Interview Sheet (Attachment 2). Students who have studied
for more than six months recall their experiences in Japan and get ready for
answering the interview questions.
Day 2
On Day 2, students are divided into two groups—students who have never or not studied
in Japan more than six months belongs Group 1, and the second group is comprised of
those who have studied in Japan for more than six months (if there are not enough
students in Group 2, guest speakers who have been to or come from Japan are invited
from a community. Also, the teacher can play a role of an interviewee).
13
Pre-task:
Each student in Group 2 very briefly provides his or her background about college/school
life in Japan. While listening to interviewees' experiences (e.g., place and duration of
study), the students in Group 1 decide whom they are going to interview.
During-task:
The students in Group 1 ask their questions to two or three people in Group 2 so that they
can acquire multiple viewpoints about Japanese society. The discourse of interviews
should be extended from each single question so that the students in Group 1 can
synthesize deeper views learned through interactions during their interviews afterwards.
The teacher watches the time and makes sure students interview at least two people.
Post-task:
Students summarize the findings of their interviews by integrating results of their
previous research using resources such as websites. (This activity could be done in
writing or as a group discussion.)
Day 3
Pre-task:
While synthesizing the findings through video-viewing, interviews, websites, etc.,
students point out positive and negative aspects of college life in Japan. The instructor
lists them in the table which shows the advantages and the disadvantages on the board.
During-task:
Students discuss advantages and disadvantages of study in Japan and decide their
positions (i.e., whether or not they want to go to Japan to study). Based on their positions,
a debate is conducted. One of the students whose Japanese proficiency is fairly high
leads a discussion as a referee.
Post-task:
Students write the short summary paper (Attachment 3) which indicates their positions
including the reasons why they want to go to Japan to study or not. This summary paper
is collected and evaluated using the Summary Paper Rubric (Attachment 4) by the
instructor after class.
14
Assessment:
1. The oral summary of a reading passage is evaluated in class according to how
well students could obtain information.
2. The Comprehension Check Worksheet (Attachment 1) is collected and used as an
evaluation of how well students could understand the information about
international student life.
3. The Interview Sheet (Attachment 2) is collected and evaluated from the
perspectives of grammar and vocabulary accuracy and content. The first half is
evaluated by assessing how well students used expressions and vocabulary
introduced in Lesson 1. Using the last half of the Interview Sheet, how well
students developed the insights into international student life in Japan is
evaluated.
4. The first summative evaluation is conducted using the summary paper worksheet
(Attachment 3) . This summary is evaluated by using the summary paper rubric
(Attachment 4), which consists of five criteria—1) Organization of expressing
idea, 2) Understanding of topic, 3) Accuracy of content information, 4)
Completion of work, and 5) Accuracy of language use.
References and Resources:
Textbook:
Miura, A., & McGloin, N. H. (1994). Ryuugaku Johoo (p. 54) An Integrated Approach to
Intermediate Japanese: Tokyo, Japan: The Japan Times.
Websites:
StudyAbroad.com Country Home Pages (English)
http://japan.studyabroad.com
Ryugakusei seikatsu-no-tame-no Rinkushu (Links for Foreign Students' Life) (Japanese)
http://cfrp.shinshu-u.ac.jp/staff/bao/internat/Life.html
15
Appendix C
Unit Assessment
Time Frame: Two 50-minute class sessions and a 1-2 hour homework assignment
Materials Needed
Videotape
TV Commercials for Japanese Classrooms 2002: The Japan Foundation
Japanese-Language Institute
Video camera and tape
Description of Task:
Introduction:
This assessment unit consists of one class session as a preparation for making a TV
commercial and another class session which has students present their TV commercials.
On Day 1, students are exposed to Japanese TV commercials and learn how effective it is
to use colloquial speech/plain forms in the images, music, and sound effects which infer
or speculate about the meaning. The selection of props and music and practice of
presentation are done as a homework assignment. On Day 2, each student presents
her/his TV commercial which will be videotaped and evaluated using the rubric.
Day 1
Pre-task:
1. As a preparation for the Unit Assessment, students view short clips of Japanese
TV commercials (no more than ten segments) to learn how they can effectively
use the colloquial speech/plain forms, the images, music, and sound effects in the
commercials they are going to produce to their target audience, who are college
students learning Japanese in the US. After viewing each segment, students
discuss what commercial it is and why it is attractive.
2. Students start to have their ideas of TV commercials they are going to produce
through brain-storming with their classmates. The teacher distributes the TV
commercial presentation rubric (Attachment), ), which consists of five criteria--1)
Organization of expressing opinions, 2) Accuracy of content information, 3)
Delivery of knowledge, 4) Presentation style, and 5) Accuracy of language use-and explains how their products will be evaluated.
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[Homework]
Selecting the images, music, and sound effects which can be incorporated with verbal
messages in their commercials, students plan and rehearse their presentations.
Day 2
During-task:
Each student presents his or her TV commercial using visual aids (and/or music/sound
effects). All TV commercials are videotaped by the teacher. Two native speakers of
Japanese evaluate the students TV commercial projects while watching the live
commercials (the evaluation sheet [Attachment] was given to the evaluators beforehand,
so that they can be familiar with the rubric). The teacher fills out the evaluation sheets
while watching the videotape after class, without looking at two other evaluators' scores.
Post-task:
Students discuss what they have learned through this project regarding study abroad
programs and the cultural aspects of college life and society in Japan.
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