Using Projects to Increase InteractionJoAnn Millermiller@room20.orgwww.efltasks.net

What is a Project?An extended piece of work on a particular topic where the content and presentation are determined principally by the learners.The beginning organization begins in class, the student completes the task at home and then reports back to the class in some way.Projects can be manual, oral only, visual, etc.

It’s a dynamic approach to teachingStudents explore the real worldWork in small collaborative groupsCross-curriculum skillsReal-life problem solving activityInspires students to get more knowledgeDevelop confidence and self-direction

Common characteristicsHard workCreativePersonalAdaptable

And an EFL project?Look at the textbook unitNot the grammar---the themeFoodVacationsTravelInventionsHistorical peopleMovies

Why do projects work?MotivationPersonalLearning through doingSense of achievementEducational valueIndependent investigationCross-curricular studiesRelevanceIntegration with other skillsReal needs of learnersLanguage and culture

What should they produce?Power point presentation (flash) with oral or recorded presentationMovieRecorded by studentsRecorded by teacherBlog, Wiki, WebsiteSome format that they will commonly use in the future in their field

Oral and Written / Accuracy and FluencyAll projects should contain practice in both pairs.Accuracy comes with rehearsal. This is what they prepare for the class presentation.Fluency is unrehearsed. This is practiced in Q-A after the presentation.

Introduction to the projectT helps Ss to understand the theme (schemata) and objectives (brainstorm, pictures, personal experience, previous examples)Ss may do a pre-activity for vocabulary building or pre-investigationSs can be given preparation time to think about project or discuss it in groups.

Project 3: ReaderObjective: You will read a “reader” that the teacher has approved (this book is donated to the English Department after completing the project). You will make a diorama (maqueta) based on your favorite scene in the book. You will present a brief oral report telling the teacher what your book was about and you will answer three questions about the book.Diorama: Must be creative and involve more than 10 minutes of work before class. It must represent some scene in the book, including characters, background, etc.Report: You will tell the teacher about the book and answer three questions.Grading: Diorama (15 points): Creativity: 15 points (if you don’t really work on this, you will lose points)Report (15 points): Oral report about reader (7 points), Answers to teacher’s questions (8 points)Due date: Give reader to teacher: November 19 (at the latest) Diorama: November 24, 1998 (no late material accepted)

Project Developmentrelated to something being done in class. It can be used to provide practice in a structure, improve vocabulary, introduce culture or investigate a theme.

PreparationPreparation is what the Ss do at home and it prepares for next stage where Ss report to whole class or teacher on how they did task and what the outcome was.Ss draft, rehearse and record in some fashion what they want to say.T helps advising Ss, before, during and after class

In-class PresentationT asks Ss to report what they did briefly to whole class so everyone can compare findings or the T interviews the Ss individually or in groups. They show movie or use pp presentation

Evaluation-Rubrics"a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work…" (Heidi Goodrich)list the things the student must have included to receive a certain score or rating. help the student figure out how their project will be evaluated.

Rubistarhttp://rubistar.4teachers.org

Projects at the University LevelOne of the greatest problems of all university-level students, no matter what their level of English, is the inability to communicate at the formal level required in the professional community. They can order a hamburger, but they can’t give a formal business presentation or contribute in a meeting.

Students should knowHow to dress for a presentationWhat register to useHow to prepare and organize presentations in EnglishWhat is different between a presentation in English and one in Spanish--wordiness, organization

Suggested topics by level of English: Low BeginnersIntroduction to their fields of studybuild a glossary of terms in Englishinvestigate work opportunities in the fieldinvestigate how English is used in the fieldinvestigate exactly what skills are involved in their future occupation

Suggested topics by level of English: High BeginnerRelate field of study to “reality”:Find scenes in movies, television shows or songs representing the field of study, present them and relate them to MexicoFind professional articles in English used in field. Read them and summarize the main ideas.

Suggested topics by level of English: Low intermediateHistory of the fieldDiscover how the field beganInvestigate important people in the fieldFind case studies of the work the field doesWhat changes have occurred in the field in the last 20 years

Suggested topics by level of English: IntermediateInterpersonal presentationsDo a roleplay of a meeting, solving a problemDo a roleplay of an experience meeting the publicSet up a booth to provide other students of the university information about the fieldInterview someone in the field in a public setting

Suggested topics by level of English: High Intermediate +Professional presentationsDevelop a presentation in the field and present it to a group of students. The presentation should be of a type that would be commonly used in the field--a new product, a new idea, a campaign, etc. Support with visuals, etc.

An example: TourismBeginner: common to allHigh Beginner: Find a movie about a tourist guide and say why it is or isn’t realisticLow Intermediate: Report on the life of Conrad HiltonIntermediate: Set up a booth in the school giving information about study abroad opportunities Ss have found on the internet.High Intermediate: Presentation about a new tourist complex, try to sell condominiums

An example: Graphic DesignBeginner: common to allHigh Beginner: Find a magazine about graphic design in English and talk about it in classLow Intermediate: Report on the changes in advertising graphics in the last 20 yearsIntermediate: Bring in a graphic designer and talk about one of his/her recent productionsHigh Intermediate: Design a visual presentation for a product and try to sell it to a company

An example: PsychologyBeginner: common to allHigh Beginner: Bring a short article from a psychology journal and explain the main ideasLow Intermediate: Report on a case studyIntermediate: Do a roleplay about an adolescent with problems and his counselorHigh Intermediate: Present a brief paper as in a convention

A handout available at: www.efltasks.netTake time to look around….there are a number of downloadable and online activities for all levels

Thank you.JoAnn Millermiller@room20.orgHandout available at:www.efltasks.net Presentations