Which approach uses content or subject matter to teach a second language?

• A. Content-Based Approaches
• B. Grammar-Translation Method
• C. Total Physical Response (TPR)
• D. Interactionist Theory

Answer: (A)

Content-based instruction uses subject matter as the vehicle for language learning. Students engage with authentic content in the target language—science, history, literature—learning vocabulary and structures in meaningful contexts while simultaneously building disciplinary knowledge. For example, a unit on ecosystems taught in Spanish has students reading, analyzing data, discussing concepts, and writing reports in Spanish, so language is learned through real content rather than isolated grammar drills. The grammar-translation method focuses on translating and studying grammar rules rather than content; Total Physical Response relies on physical actions to cue meaning rather than content-driven tasks; and the Interactionist Theory is a broader idea about how language develops through social interaction, not a specific content-centered classroom approach.