Lanning (2013) defines a concept-based curriculum as “a focus on the transfer of the important conceptual ideas of a discipline [that] facilitates synergist thinking” (p. 7). Under concept-based instruction, learners can make connections between prior and new knowledge, relate the facts to their real-life scenarios, and analyze and evaluate the acquired information for deeper learning.

This survey study explored the knowledge, willingness, classroom practice of 171 elementary school English teachers, and their efficacy with respect to a concept-based curriculum and instruction. The descriptive and inferential analysis reached the following major findings. Firstly, teachers did not have full knowledge of a concept-based curriculum and instruction. Secondly, a lack of administrative support and instructional leadership inhibited their willingness to adopt a concept-based curriculum and instruction. Thirdly, teachers had inadequate classroom practice of a concept-based curriculum and instruction and low efficacy in learners’ output and assessment. Finally, teachers’ attributes (background, training, and knowledge) had an impact on their willingness and classroom practice, and the efficacy of a concept-based curriculum and instruction.

The follow-up collective case study explored ten Taiwanese elementary school English teachers’ design and implementation of concept-based instruction. The thematic analysis of documents, interviews, and observation achieved the following major findings. Firstly, teachers’ decision-making on concepts relied on the standards of the content areas, learners’ lives, and local features, and concepts varied from “appreciating floral festivals” to “comparing toys in the past and now”. Secondly, diverse instructional strategies in concept-based instruction were designed and implemented, such as teachers’ employment of multimodality to present and explain the main concepts, drill practice, tasks, and individual and group sharing for learners to connect and demonstrate their understanding of concepts. Thirdly, teachers faced challenges in terms of learners’ limited English proficiency levels, scaffolding strategies, and assessment. Finally, the collaborative lesson planning enabled teachers to identify the concepts to be covered in content areas and to design strategies for concept-based instruction.