Teaching Content and Language: A CBLI Introduction
- Regina James
- Feb 22, 2025
- 4 min read
“How can I help my multilingual learners (MLs) understand academic content, read complex texts, and express their ideas while keeping my lessons aligned to standards?”
If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, you’re not alone. Many of the teachers I’ve supported have shared the challenge of creating lessons that balanced complex academic tasks and scaffolds for MLs. The good news is that there’s an effective approach to addresses this challenge: Content-Based Language Instruction (CBLI).
CBLI integrates language development with content learning, providing MLs the support they need to access grade-level concepts while developing their English proficiency (Genesee, 2022). Instead of watering down instruction, CBLI amplifies support so that students can engage with on-level content and build the language skills they need to express their ideas.
Key Features of CBLI
Content and Language Goals Go Hand in Hand: Teachers plan for both academic and language objectives in every lesson.
Language is Taught in Context: Students learn English in the context of core content classes and not in isolation. (Schleppegrell, 2021).
Scaffolding is Key: Teachers provide supports such as visuals, sentence frames, and graphic organizers to help students comprehend complex concepts (Valdés et al., 2024).
These three features ensure that MLs receive the tools they need to learn English and master the academic content required to thrive in core subjects. Be on the look out for my CBLI course coming soon. Subscribe!
The Impact of CBLI on Student Learning
Recent research confirms that CBLI is highly effective in supporting MLs’ academic success.
A 2022 study found that students in CBLI programs outperform their peers in both language acquisition and subject knowledge (Genesee, 2022).
Another study highlighted that CBLI promotes long-term retention of content and deeper conceptual understanding (Valdés et al., 2024).
I’ve seen this success firsthand. I once worked with a high school English teacher who skillfully integrated scaffolds into her lessons. Despite many of her students having been in the United States for fewer than three years, they consistently outperformed their peers on state assessments for their courses. Her approach exemplified how embedding language support within content instruction can accelerate both language development and academic achievement.
Similarly, in my own experience as a middle school math teacher, I strategically embedded language supports throughout my lessons. It was incredibly rewarding to hear from high school teachers years later that my former ML students not only remembered key math concepts but also helped their peers navigate advanced math courses. This reinforced my belief that when MLs are supported to understand and use academic language, their learning sticks with them long after they leave the classroom.
The benefits of CBLI are clear:
Bridges the Language-Content Gap: Students can access grade-level content without falling behind as they develop their language skills (Genesee, 2022).
Increases Engagement: By embedding language into content learning, CBLI makes lessons more relevant and engaging, which keeps students motivated and actively involved (Valdés et al., 2024).
Develops Higher-Order Thinking: CBLI provides the tools that MLs need to think critically, solve problems, and participate in academic discourse (Schleppegrell, 2021).
Here’s how to bring CBLI to life in the classroom
Teachers who want to help MLs comprehend and engage in complex academic tasks can follow these steps to incorporate CBLI into their lesson planning:
Step 1: Identify the Language Demands of Your Lesson
Begin by considering the language skills your students will need to succeed in both receptive and expressive tasks:
Receptive Language (Reading and Listening):
What scaffolds will help my students understand the content they read or hear during the lesson?
Expressive Language (Speaking and Writing):
What sentence structures and vocabulary will my students need to use during speaking and writing tasks?
Step 2: Choose a Scaffolding Strategy to Try
Use Visuals and Graphic Organizers: Visual aids and tools like Venn diagrams, concept maps, and charts can help students organize their thinking and understand relationships between concepts.
Provide Sentence Stems: Use sentence starters such as “The author's choice of figurative language shows …” or “The completing the square method works best when…” to help students express their ideas with confidence while speaking and writing.
Pre-Teach Vocabulary in Context: Introduce essential academic vocabulary within the context of your lesson, rather than as an isolated list. This helps students see how key terms are used in real academic discourse (Valdés et al., 2024).
This process is just a starting point, but foundational for making your lessons more accessible to MLs while maintaining the rigor needed to help them meet grade-level standards.
Anchoring Thoughts
CBLI isn’t about simplifying content, it’s about providing the right supports so that multilingual learners can engage with challenging academic tasks and thrive in the classroom. Small changes can lead to big results!
I encourage you to engage in the journey and plan an upcoming lesson using the CBLI approach. Think about strategies you will try and the impact to student learning.
What changes do you want to see in student comprehension with challenging concepts?
References
Genesee, F. (2022). Integrating content and language instruction for multilingual learners: A systematic review of teacher practices. Review of Educational Research, 92(3), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543241298667
Valdés, G., Kibler, A., & Walqui, A. (2024). Content teachers' beliefs and attitudes toward working with multilingual learners through integrative approaches. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1282936
Schleppegrell, M. J. (2021). A language-based approach to content instruction (LACI) for English language learners: Scaffolding learning through disciplinary discourse. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 24(7), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19313152.2016.1185911
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