EMI Cross-curricular Teaching: When DNA Meets English

English as a Medium of Instruction

EMI Cross-curricular Teaching: When Lantern Meets English

Teaching heredity and traits and how to extract DNA from bananas through English

Backing up my lesson planning structure with a demonstration class

This demonstration class, designed to illustrate how the lesson planning structure functions in a real classroom, served as a follow-up to a workshop on competency-based teaching held at TTJH last September. Not only would I be teaching students I had never met, but to make it more challenging, I would also be teaching biology through English. The goal was for these students to both comprehend the content and perform each task collaboratively.

Are You Sure About This?

I was warned against using English exclusively for instruction due to concerns about the 7th graders' English proficiency. To everyone's surprise, they exceeded expectations, not only answering my questions but also completing all tasks, including card matching, the Punnett Square, and DNA extraction. Furthermore, their biology teacher had prepared them well to clean up after the experiment, earning accolades from the principal and teachers who observed the class.

Taking My EMI Cross-Curricular Teaching to the Next Level

I decided to adhere to the EMI approach but added more scaffolding measures to ensure the class's success, and these efforts paid off. While preparing for the lesson, I consulted numerous materials and sought activity ideas on YouTube. Gradually, I was able to identify the key concepts to present, such as cell structure, Mendel’s pea experiment, and dominant and recessive traits. Crucially, the DNA extraction was very hands-on and immersive.

Positive Feedback During Class Discussion

I could not have achieved this alone. The project coordinator provided full logistical support, complemented by the biology teacher’s assistance with the experiment. Given the positive feedback and questions I received, I would say it was entirely worth the effort. Indeed, the students' enthusiastic participation and engagement greatly bolstered my confidence for future demonstration classes.

Reflections on Content, Language, and Collaboration

Did I prioritize content or language? Was it a legitimate CLIL or STEM class? Will the 2030 Bilingual Nation project ultimately succeed? How do we best promote cross-curricular collaborations within our schools?

While I may not have all the answers to these questions, one thing I do know is this: I will always continue pursuing what I love to create more opportunities for language use.