Why are the teachers of adult basic education and English for speakers of other languages turning to content-based instruction? They must be finding that it works, that learners learn both the content and the skills of reading and writing, English speaking and listening.

Research appears to confirm the theory that focused content, especially that which touches the lives of the learners, seems to motivate students. Studies show that content-based instruction, as compared to general instruction, is correlated to increasing reading gains. This may be true because when the content is material that learners use outside the classroom, practice time increases. However, a one-pronged approach should not be considered some sort of "silver bullet." Teachers must continue to deploy a variety of strategies in order to produce the greatest change in learners.

Content-based instruction will not work at all if the content is not of interest to the learners. Sometimes, the content is dictated by the funder. For example, job-seeking skills are often a required content, or a particular on-the-job topic may be the focus of a workplace education course. Then it is up to the teacher to find a way to make the content more interesting. More often, the content is left up to the teacher. Some teachers find it easy to identify a content that will resonate with the students. Others turn to the students themselves and directly involve learners in determining content.

Research has shown that content-based instruction has been more effective in achieving both content related and general literacy goals than the general literacy education programs that have historically been placed into operation. The effectiveness of this type of instruction was replicated at sites in six different states from the west to east coasts. No other research has been found in the field of adult basic education that provides this weight of evidence for content-based program effectiveness.

Traditionally, adults do not have long periods of time to devote to literacy or adult education. For this reason, the content-based approach combines both decoding and comprehension education with relevant content learning. This approach offers the fastest way to get adults from beginning literacy to an entry level of competence in reading and comprehension. By following a program of life-long learning, which includes continuous well-rounded reading, a person may become literate enough to qualify for better careers or simply enjoy the many personal, social and cultural benefits that higher knowledge and disciplined thinking skills have to offer.

This article based on research by Dr. Thomas Sticht; credit to "Focus on Basics," National Center for Study of Adult Learning and Literacy.