The Foresee Approach to Integrated ESL Instruction

Abstract

This article describes the Foresee Approach to integrating academic content, language, and learning strategy instruction in K-12 ESL or mainstream/part-ESL classrooms. An extension of Chamot and O'Malley's CALLA, the Foresee model was developed in Manitoba to assist teachers in implementing a CALLA based style of integrated ESL instruction. Like CALLA, Foresee includes both theoretical and practical constituents, although these differ somewhat from their CALLA counterparts. The Foresee Theoretical Model guides the formulation of instructional objectives in the three target categories, especially academic language. The Foresee Application Process provides teachers with a practical scheme for designing effective integrated lessons and units. Included in this constituent is a set of systematic, straightforward, and adaptable lesson techniques (not part of CALLA) that teachers can use to plan the procedures sections of Foresee lessons. Five such techniques are described, one in detail and the others briefly, with emphasis on learning strategy instruction.