Teaching Economics through Content Based Instruction

The traditional method of teaching English as a second (ESL) or foreign language (EFL) is language focused and curriculum centered. Even though the Korean classroom has adopted the Communicative Language Theory (CLT), instructors hope to stimulate students with random topics in the hopes that they will be able to communicate effectively in real world situations. This method of teaching English is outdated and not always applicable to Korean learners but still continues to thrive in classrooms. Content based instruction (CBI) is a learner centered approach that deals with actual material and circumstances that will encourage students to develop their language skills through meaningful content. This paper discusses the theoretical basis and models of CBI, and a practical application of teaching Economics in the Korea classroom through CBI. Introductory courses should first be taught through theme based instruction to become familiar with the terminology and basic tenets of Economics, followed by core courses taught through sustained content based instruction.