The document provides effective strategies for conducting project work in Chinese language classes, including providing guidance to students at different stages of projects, allowing student choice, and making projects iterative processes that incorporate both group work and individual learning. It also discusses potential problems with projects and their causes, as well as how to design projects to meet language learning objectives and assess student performance.

1. 2012 National Chinese Language Conference
Effective Strategies
for Project Work
Wei-ling Wu, PH.D. Shwu-fen Lin
WW-P School District Princeton Regional Schools
wei-ling.wu@ww-p.org Shwu-fen_lin@monet.prs.k12.nj.us

2. Basic Perception of Project Work
Project work is an important activity for foreign
language learning
Projects are often used for assessment
Teachers have found project work useful
Students love doing projects

3. Essential elements of a project
(According to the project-based learning model)
Motivation to learn
A question for inquiry
Communication and presentation skills
Cooperative participation and leadership
Team work with individual assessment
Self-assessment and reflection

4. Benefits of Project Work
21st century skills
Language learning
Content understanding
Engagement and motivation

5. Problems with Project Work
Reduced language advancement
Excessive concern with art work
Tendency to repeat what the teacher has said
Lack of individual accountability
Student socializing

6. Causes of Problems
Lack of expectations for language proficiency
Absence of guidance from the teacher
No personal choices
Content requirements going beyond language
limitations
Grading as a group
No individual requirements
Contents not engaging

7. Effective Strategies for Project Work
Provide guidance at different stages of the project
Use integrated performance tasks to increase the use of
language in different forms
Allow some degree of student choice
Provide concrete guidance on how to do cultural projects
Make the project an iterative process of group work and
individual learning
Add a real-world connection to the project’s end product
Allow imagination and encourage creativity

8. Chinese for Youth 少年中文 Book 3 Lesson 1
Presentational Assessment
Present the town in which you were born.
Step One: Use the table below to collect facts. You might need to do some research
online or from your parents to collect information.
name location surrounding history population activities stores
Step Two: Think about the following questions:
What basic information should I include in my presentation?
What special features do I want to emphasize about this town?
What comments do I want to make?
Step Three: Prepare for your presentation.
Make an effort to use new words and sentences you have learned in this lesson.
You might need the following sentences:
Beginning: 我给大家介绍一个小镇 ……
你们知道……吗？在……有一个小镇，叫……
你去过……吗？我是……年在那儿出生的。我妈妈告诉我……
Other ideas (ask the teacher for help if necessary)
Body: Use the structure list for this lesson
Ending: 我爱……因为它是……的地方。我很想回……去看看。
虽然我爱…，可是我现在住在……，我很喜欢这儿。
Other ideas (ask the teacher for help if necessary)

9. Sample 1 Chinese New Year Celebration
• Create a poster for a Chinese New Year Celebration.
• Put up all the posters on the wall.
• Read the posters in pairs and select the one both like
the best and prepare two supporting evidences
obtained from the poster.
• Discuss in a class which poster is the best
• Write a few sentences telling which poster you like
best and explaining why.

10. Sample 2 Chinese History
Learn with the teacher about major dynasties.
Select a dynasty of personal interest for research..
Research online about the assigned dynasty.
Make a poster to tell 2-3 interesting details of the
dynasty selected.
Report to the class about the dynasty chosen.
Write a short paragraph about a dynasty that has
impressed you most.

11. Sample 3 Beautiful China
Assessment Activities
T– Expand & teach more …
S–I Individual present … & teach …
S–G Group exchange information
S–I Individual research (homework)
T– Teach basic … & introduce …

12. Shwu-Fen Lin
Mandarin Teacher
Princeton Regional Schools
Shwu-fen_lin@monet.prs.k12.nj.us

13. Designing Project
Teachers must consider
•Student proficiency levels
•Lesson objectives (what will students be able
to DO with the language?)
•Strategies to help students meet these
objectives
• Assessing student learning

14. Implementing a Project
Students must consider
Using Chinese language to create the project
Using critical thinking
Cooperating with the team
Following the Rubric

15. Mandarin II
Shopping for clothes
1. Requirement list: Guiding the project
2. Group: Developing cooperative learning
3. Instruction: Integrating unit knowledge
4. Student presentation: Moving from practice to
independence
5. Teacher conclusion: Providing feedback to improve
performance

16. Requirement List
Content: the objectives and requirement
Rubric: the elements to be used for evaluation
Props: Clothes, hats, shoes, glasses….
Shop Poster: Store name and picture
Script: Conversation created by students to use
between seller and buyer.

17. 中文报告
题目 : 买衣服
分组报告 : 四组
内容:
1. 东西： ---衣服 (大衣，汗衫，衬衫，运动衫，裙子，连衣裙，牛仔裤，毛衣，
皮鞋，运动鞋，凉鞋，手套， 围巾，帽子，草帽，太阳眼镜…..)
2. 价钱： ¥ 2.50 , ¥ 100.00, ¥ 50.00 …..
3. 买东西的人，卖东西的人
4. 海报 ——— 店名， 卖什么东西
5. 说中文：（欢迎光临）（你要买什么？）（我看看）（我想买）（这件汗衫多
少钱？）(这件衣服多少钱？) （这件汗衫太小了，你有大号的吗？） （这双鞋子
多少钱？）（一双___ 钱）（这双鞋子打几折？）（太贵了）（便宜一点，行不
行？）（要不要？）（我很喜欢）（我不喜欢）（对不起，不行）（对不起， 我
们没有___）（这是___块钱）（找你____ 块钱）（谢谢，请再来！）……
Creative ideas:
1. Use a poster to design your project.
2. Use photos, objects
3. Use music, instrument , song
4. Bring in things you have at home.
5. Others.
Language request: 中文
Due date: 4/4/2011
Presentation length: 4 – 5 分钟
Presentation date: 4/4/2011 and 4/5/2011

18. Groups
There are many options to choose from, including
random choice, ability, interest and student choice
Small group created by teacher:
Random pairs, student ability, student interest
Small groups created by student
Friend, interest

19. Instruction
Students create a clothing market where they can
shop and bargain for items in class. Procedures:
•Teacher shows last year’s the video of student performance
•Students identify vocabulary for clothes and money through
pictures and games
•Students learn the grammar
•Teacher models how to shop in the market
•Teacher divides students into groups
•Students work with their group to create their skit
•Students present shopping skits to the class

20. Presentation
Students
Create context by themselves
Show their motivation
Engaged in learning
Grade their classmates’ performance using rubric
Ask questions and receive answers about groups’ performance

21. Teacher conclusion
The teacher will
Comment on each groups’ performance
Correct student pronunciation, grammar, and ,
content to improve skit performance
Help students to build self esteem
Check for Rubric elements

22. Rubric
Project report 中文 二
Criteria 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point Comments
Content Include the answers Include the answers Include the answer of Includes the answers
of all required parts of 6 required parts 4 required parts of 2 required parts
Language No mistake in There are 1-3 There are 4-6 There are more than 6
accuracy/ grammar mistakes in accuracy/ mistakes in accuracy/ mistakes in accuracy/
and characters grammar and grammar and grammar and
characters characters characters
Overall Presentation Report is neatly Report is somewhat Report is readable Report is difficult to
complied and well neatly complied and read
organized well organized
Oral Presentation
Criteria 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point Comments
Contents Able to convey all Able to convey 6 Able to convey 4 Able to convey 2
requested information requested information requested information requested information
Vocabulary Proper use of grade- There are 1-3 There are 4-6 There are more than 6
level vocabulary mistakes mistakes mistakes
Grammar No grammatical There are 1-3 There are 4-6 There are more than 6
mistakes grammatical mistakes grammatical mistakes grammatical mistakes
Fluency Speak fluently Speak with Speak with little Speak with little
without hesitations confidence, but with confidence, and confidence, and
some hesitations some hesitations significant some
hesitations
A: 28 -22 B: 21- 15 C: 14- 8 D: 7 – 0

23. Mandarin AP
Interview (College Application)
Interview guideline
Pair work
Video student interview
Share interview video with class

24. Interview guideline
Teacher provides questions for student
interview
Same questions for pair
Different questions for pair
Students create the questions
Students follow Rubric

25. 中文AP
十分钟说中文
内容: 说一说申请大学和社区服务
1. 你计划申请那一种大学（私立，州立）？
2. 你想读本州大学还是外州大学？为什么？
3. 上名校有什么优点和缺点？
4. 你做过什么社区服务或你想做什么社区服务？
5. 你在社区服务学到了什么？
6. 社区服务会影响你的课业吗？
7. 申请美国大学除了学校成绩，社区服务还需要什么？
时间： 十分钟
方式：iPod 錄音
分组： 两人一组

26. Pair work
Grouping students by interest
Grouping students by ability
Grouping students by random
Grouping by student choice

27. Video
Video students’ performance
Flip camera
iPad
Students have a chance to see each performance
Example: college application (video)

28. Viewing Student Videos
Increases student learning
Provides opportunity for students to ask and
answer questions
Provides opportunity for teacher to give feedback
to students

29. Interpersonal Rubric
Level : Intermediate-Mid to Intermediate-High
3 Points 2 Points 1 Point
Language Function Creates with the Uses mostly Uses memorized
language, able to memorized language, language only.
(How well does the
express his/her own with some attempts to
student handle language
tasks?) meaning in a create.
sophisticated way.
Text Type Uses smooth and Simple sentences and Words, phrases,
(How well does the sophisticated memorized phrases. chunks of language.
student organize his/her sentences and some
discourse?) strings of sentences.
Communication Maintains smooth Responds to basic, Responds to a limited
Strategies conversation by asking direct questions. Asks a number of formulaic
(How well does the and answering clear and few formulaic questions questions (primarily
student keep the sophisticated questions. (primarily reactive). reactive).
conversation going?)
Clarifies by asking and Clarifies by Clarifies by repeating
answering questions. occasionally selecting words and/or using
substitute words. English.
Comprehensibility Is generally understood Is understood with Is understood somewhat
by those accustomed to occasional difficulty by by those accustomed to
(How well is the student interacting with those accustomed to interacting with
understood?) language learners. interacting with language learners.
language learners.
Language Control Exhibits capacity of Most accurate when Most accurate with
clear, smooth and producing simple memorized language
(How well does the accurate sentences. only, including phrases.
student use the communication.
language?)
Content Expectations Exhibits content Exhibits some content Exhibits little content
knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and
(How well does the
understanding understanding understanding
student apply the
content knowledge) required for the unit. required for the unit. required for the unit.