Blurb:

From the perspective of systemic functional linguistics (SFL), content is constructed through language. The Knowledge Framework (KF) inspires content-based language teaching (CBLT) by classifying different types of meaning constructed in social practices, including educational content areas, and specifying the semantic patterns of the discourse in each social practice. However, empirical efforts to implement the KF and evaluate the effectiveness of KF use in higher education remain scarce. This qualitative case study, contextualized in a college located in Southeast China, tracked 39 medical students throughout a one-semester course in which they received explicit instruction on the KF using prior theories on linguistic paths of knowledge. The models specify the hierarchical progression of different types of meaning and linguistic features in academic discourse. Analysis of students’ writing samples composed before, during, and after the KF instruction suggested that the instruction was effective in urging students to produce language that mirrored higher levels of academic discourse. The findings of this study intend to raise awareness about adopting the KF and shed light on practical uses of the KF in higher education EFL contexts.