This paper reports on a content-based elementary Chinese as a foreign language
programme. It focuses on classroom language activities that are designed and
implemented to serve the dual goals of language development and cultural learning.
From a sociocultural perspective, it investigated how classroom activities are
organized to integrate culture/content and language learning for young beginners.
Two themes are highlighted in the discussion: (1) initial teacher planning vs.
curriculum as experienced; (2) graphic organizers and language product. The result
of the study throws light on the possibilities of a wide range of systematic
form-function relations in the classroom, the integration of language and content
learning, and on further directions for intentional planning in any other second or
foreign language teaching programmes. It also reveals potential for implementing
content-based foreign language instruction at the elementary level even in a
situation where the teacher is still working on her own language proficiency.
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