Філологічні науки/методика викладання мови

Г.В. Бартіш

ЛІБС УБС НБУ

Project Work to promote English Language Learning

Language learning is aimed at making learners use the language for real life purposes. This is not limited to using of language(s) for communicative purpose only; learners need to use language to function in professional, academic and social settings. This demands higher order language and thinking skills. Nature and characteristics of the classroom has to change to meet this demand and teachers have to explore ways and means of enabling learners ‘engage’ with language(s) in and out of the classroom. Tasks, activities and assignments are to be conceived of not in the conventional teacher dominated sense; they need to help learners in noticing the form and meaning of language(s) by using it in real life activities / task. Project work of this nature would help in promoting language learning.

1.Why projects for language learning?

Language learning involves learners getting engaged with the language. We know that exposure to language through visual / print and oral medium is essential.  This is what the textbook, other print and audio materials, and the teacher’s language attempt to do. This exposure is alone not sufficient. We need to give opportunities to children to work with language. Children should read, think about the ideas of the text, understand the meaning of the words, associate them with ideas and other words, notice the form of the structures, etc while being exposed to the language and working with language on their own. This engagement with language makes them internalise meaning of words and structures. In addition to textbook activities, project work could be used as an effective strategy to promote collaborative ways of language learning where learners in groups work together to do an activity or a task for some period. When learners work together on a particular idea / topic, they collect information, ideas, observe language being used, use language in real life situations, exchange views and debate on ideas, write the ideas into a report, edit their writing and produce the report in a suitable form. It should be making stress on learner-learner interaction and moving beyond the textbook to connect the classroom with the life outside the classroom to maximise learning. Projects can be an instrument in realising this aim. Projects can be designed to be carried out by a group of learners on topics/ themes. This helps in achieving learners constructing ideas and make critical judgments to arrive at a decision / conclusion. More importantly learners use language in contexts.

2.Designing and Managing Projects

There are many ways learners can be initiated to carry out projects. The major aim of the activities / tasks learners do should enable them read books, newspapers, listen to radio, watch TV, consult websites, talk to people, observe events and proceedings, interpret and report. This clearly indicates that the learners work with language i.e. use language for meaningful real life purposes. If the meaning of learning is ‘meaning making’ the purpose is achieved in full while doing projects. This only gives clues that learners should do the project in groups on their own independently, not ask their parents do or buy readymade products available in the market. They may seek information or some help from parents or elders as they do with their teachers. Also projects should not over burden them.

It would be of much benefit to learners, if projects are planned of interdisciplinary nature. Since all learning is language learning, project work of interdisciplinary nature will promote better understanding of the subject (say social science, science, etc) as well as promote language learning. This also promotes language across curriculum (LAC) perspective for meaningful language learning. Teachers of various subjects will have to come together to plan projects of interdisciplinary nature. They include short and long term projects which are directly linked to the themes of the texts / lessons. A project can be carried out in many ways. Following steps could be followed.

·Selecting and briefing:

Projects can be initiated when learners and teachers decide on a topic. It is better to encourage students to bring their own ideas and have a whole class discussion to allot topics to each group or teacher may offer a list of possible topics. Sometime whole class projects can also be thought of.

·Planning and language generation:

Having chosen a topic for the project, learners now work together to decide upon how to proceed and what kind of language needs to be used. Teacher has to direct this very carefully and here is where the learners need guidance and support. Some of the initial discussions may take place in the classroom paving way for activities in and outside the school. The work can also be divided among learners.

·Collection of date /information / details:

Learners gather required data / information from a number of sources. They can consult encyclopedia, read books, interview people, collect pictures and illustrations, record audio / video, visit internet, watch TV, etc. They can write their field notes to remember and organise the data collected.

·Planning, writing the draft and editing:

Having collected the required data / information and ideas, it is time now to plan and organise the data and interpret them to write the draft. Since most of the projects in language(s) will be of written report or written creative work like play, songs, essays, chapterisation could also be planned. It is also possible to have projects in which learners work together to script and enact a play or direct and enact a play. Editing is important part of writing the report. Learners should be made aware of process approach involved in writing a good piece of work, which involves various stages.

·The result and presentation:

The goal of the whole project has been aiming is reached when the learners working together produce a report or do an activity as intended. The final product may be written report, a play, collection of songs or enacting a play or a big role play, writing posters, etc. Learners are now asked to submit to the teacher and present it to the whole class or to the whole school during assembly or special occasions (in case of play, songs, etc.)

·Follow Up:

Teacher with the group carried out the project can think of possible follow up activities that would enable students to use language in contexts. For example, a project given in the list at the end is about class newspaper. This could be explored as a continuous feature and some other group could try the next issue of the newspaper / magazine. Teacher should take care as the project should not hamper the other learning activities of students.

3.Teacher’s role

Teacher is the facilitator throughout the life time of the project. S/he is a catalyst and makes him /herself available whenever the learners need-helping, prompting, clarifying and delimiting. Consultations with the teacher concerned or other subject teachers (if needed) are of immense support for learners to accomplish the task. Teacher along with students in the initial classroom discussions develop a schedule of activities for each group and number of meeting / consultation that they can have with the teacher while doing the project. It is not difficult for the teacher (to some extent) to know about each student and his / her area of interest and how s/he could do things. Teachers should be able to suggest activities (i.e. projects) that would suit to the interest of particular group of learners.

4.Assessing / Evaluating Project Work

Projects are part of the assessment process of Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE). We need to ensure that each learner in the group takes active part in the work and contributes for the successful completion of the task. It is also very important that each learner is engaged with language (use the language in various ways) while doing the project. Teacher may keep a check list or a chart to record what has been happening (who does what and how) during the project. Asking each learner in the group to maintain a diary of their work plan, how the information / data was collected and interpreted, the problems faced and the way the report / the final product was brought out, etc. could be of use for the teacher in assessing individual contribution in the group. This is one part of the assessment. Teacher has to observe and record how each student in the group and each group as a whole make progress in carrying out the project. A checklist or portfolio may be developed to record the progress made by each student and each group. Descriptors to indicate the work done by each learner could be created by students and by the teacher. We may also have specific guidelines (developed by teachers themselves) for assessing the project work as part of the Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE).

Criteria for assessing the performance

1.Selection

2.Collection of data

3.Compilation / Interpretation

4.Reporting and Presentation

5.Collaboration in the group

A. -Suggested the idea or provides an alternative idea

-Ideas elaborated coherently with clarity

-The group worked together well. There was cooperation

B. -Supported the idea and provides more evidence

C. -Shown interest in carrying forward the idea generated.

D. -Remained passive or non receptive to ideas.