Making full use of the application of project based learning in teaching unit 9, English text book 1...

Making full use of the application of project based learning in teaching unit 9, English text book 11, education publishing house THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HOANG HOA 4 HIGH SCHOOL[.]

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HOANG HOA 4 HIGH SCHOOL

EXPERIENTAL INITIATIVE

MAKING FULL USE OF THE APPLICATION OF PROJECT BASED LEARNING IN TEACHING UNIT 9, ENGLISH TEXT BOOK 11, EDUCATION PUBLISHING HOUSE

Position: Teacher

Subject: English

THANH HOA, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Reference books

Appendix 1

Appendix 2

Appendix 3

Appendix 4

Appendix 5

Appendix 6

I- INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

Today the demand for English to study, research, work and live in the domestic and international conditions is increasing in both quantity and quality Especially, in the context of rapid and deep integration as today, the need becomes even more urgent for not only individuals but also the whole nation The needs of teaching and learning foreign languages require a comprehensive change in all levels of education, disciplines, materials, facilities, methods and motivational attitudes of all participants in the process of teaching and learning foreign languages, in English Facing such demands, the Ministry of Education and Training has implemented the project of foreign language 2020 according to Decision No 1400 / QĐTTg (Decision of Prime Minister) dated 30 September 2008 The project has set the overall goal of

"comprehensive reform of teaching and learning foreign languages in the national education system" By 2020 most Vietnamese young people will be able to use their competence of foreign language confidently in communication, learning to work in an environment of integration, multi-lingual, multicultural; Foreign languages become the strength of Vietnamese people, serving the industrialization and modernization of the country."

To achieve that goal, the Ministry of Education has implemented a number

of specific measures, including changing textbooks as one of the solutions to help teaching and learning foreign languages have many positive changes

The new English book 11 is one of the pilot materials in some high schools nationwide In the book, the difference from the old one is the Project section at the end of each unit

To better understand the methodology of project-based teaching, as well as

to maximize the effects it brings, I forcefully chose and applied Project based learning (PBL) in teaching many units in English textbook, Education Publishing House, with the aim of enabling my students to “experience what

they are learning about and the opportunity to relect on those activities” (Silberman, 2007:8), since “learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through transformation of experience” (Kolb, 1984)

In what follows I shall concentrate on “Making full use of the application

of PBL in teaching speaking skill in unit 9, English textbook 11, Education Publishing House”, but many of the points apply to other languages, too.

2 Aims of the study

This paper endeavors to demonstrate the value of PBL in ELT in general and English teaching in particular Therefore, my theme focuses on making clear about some issues below:

- What is PBL?

- Why is PBL?

- How is PBL applied?

3 Objects of the study

This study was conducted in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam It has 3,496,000 inhabitants (GSOV, 2014) In this province, the predominant native language is Vietnamese However, English is currently the most used language

in the world (Michel, 2014) in different fields such as science, technology and education This is the reason why there are many bilingual schools and schools that teach ESL in Thanh Hoa province Here, there are a total of 798 high schools: 89.6 % public schools and 10.4 % private schools (GSOV, 2012) This study was carried out at a public high school that teaches ESL: Hoang Hoa 4 high school, Thanh Hoa province The participants were 11th grade students In total, 100 students took part in this study, all of them have fulfilled English text book 10 in the previous school year

4 Methods of the study

My study is conducted by qualitative methods in order to collect a number of information, compare, and then, analyse data By using the

combination of these methods, my theme will make clear the questions in this topic, and reach effectively the targets of the essay

II- CONTENTS OF THE STUDY

1 Theoretical background

According to Wikipedia, Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered pedagogy that involves a dynamic classroom approach in which students acquire a deeper knowledge through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems.[1] Students learn about a subject by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to a complex question, challenge, or problem.[2] It is a style of active learning and inquiry-based learning

The experience of thousands of teachers across all grade levels and subject areas, backed by research, confirms that PBL is an effective and enjoyable way

to learn - and develop deeper learning competencies required for success in college, career, and civic life Why are so many educators around the world interested in this teaching method? The answer is a combination of timeless reasons and recent developments

 PBL makes school more engaging for students Today’s students, more than ever, often find school to be boring and meaningless In PBL, students are active, not passive; a project engages their hearts and minds, and provides real-world relevance for learning

 PBL improves learning After completing a project, students understand content more deeply, remember what they learn and retain it longer than is often the case with traditional instruction Because of this, students who gain content knowledge with PBL are better able to apply what they know and can do to new situations

 PBL builds success skills for college, career, and life In the 21st century workplace and in college, success requires more than basic knowledge and

skills In a project, students learn how to take initiative and responsibility, build their confidence, solve problems, work in teams, communicate ideas, and manage themselves more effectively

 PBL helps address standards The Common Core and other present-day standards emphasize real-world application of knowledge and skills, and the development of success skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, collaboration, communication in a variety of media, and speaking and presentation skills PBL is an effective way to meet these goals

 PBL provides opportunities for students to use technology Students are familiar with and enjoy using a variety of tech tools that are a perfect fit with PBL With technology, teachers and students can not only find resources and information and create products, but also collaborate more effectively, and connect with experts, partners, and audiences around the world

 PBL makes teaching more enjoyable and rewarding Projects allow teachers to work more closely with active, engaged students doing high-quality, meaningful work, and in many cases to rediscover the joy of learning alongside their students

 PBL connects students and schools with communities and the real

world Projects provide students with empowering opportunities to make a

difference, by solving real problems and addressing real issues Students learn how to interact with adults and organizations, are exposed to workplaces and adult jobs, and can develop career interests Parents and community members can be involved in projects

2 Practical background

It is a matter of fact that TIENG ANH 11 is the second of a three-level English language set of textbooks for the Vietnamese upper secondary school It follows the systematic, cyclinical and the theme-based curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education and Training on the 23rd November 2012 The aim of

this set of textbooks is to develop students’listening, speaking, reading and writing skill with a focus on communicative competence so that when finishing upper secondary school, they will have achieved level three of the Foregn Language Proficiency Framework for Viet Nam (Equivalent to B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)

GETTING STARTED contains a menu listing and the skills taught in the unit, a conversation introducing the overall topic of the unit, some topic-related vocabulary and the main grammar points, a number of activities to check’s students’ comprehension and provide practice of the teaching points in this section

LANGUAGE includes Vocabulary, Pronunciation as well as Grammar Vocabulary give in- depth practice of the words and phrases presented in GETTING STARTED and additional vocabulary for use later in the unit Pronunciation include aspects of pronunciation that can be problematic to Vietnamese students such as sound clusters, weak form, stress patterns and intonation Grammar introduce and practice the main grammar points in focus They are presented in meaningful contexts and follow the thre- stage approach

to language teaching

SKILLS includes Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing Reading contain a topic- related reading text developed to suit students’ interest and age The vocabulary and grammar points learnt in the previous sections are recycled

in the reading text The text also provide an imput of language and ideas for students to use in the Speaking, Listening and Writing sub- sections that follow Speaking includes three or four activities which are designed and sequenced in

a way that ensures an uninterrupt link between them Listening consists of four

or five activities which aim to develop listening skills such as listening for general ideas and/ or litening for specific tinformation Writing guide students through the writing process and focus on the specific text types rewuired by the syllabus

COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE includes 2 sub - sections Communication provide language consolidation and free practice of intergrated skills This section recycles what students have learnt in the previous sections and introduces extra vocabulary for extension The activities are less controlled Students are encouraged to express their ideas and opinions freely Culture providing information about the ASEAN countries and English speaking countries around the world connected to the cultural aspects of the unit topic It helps students to broaden their knowledge of the world cultures as well as deepen that of their own Vietnamese culture

LOOKING BACK offers revision and consolidation of the language learnt

in the unit

PROJECT is aimed at providing students with an opportunity to apply the language and skills they have learnt throughout the unit to perform a task in real – life situation Students are aked to do survey or carry our research to get information about their friends, their neighbourhood or to broaden their knowledge about the real world The project activities often involve teamwork which develops team spirit Much of the work for the Project can be done outside of class, at home or during break time

It goes without saying that many teachers have been trying hard to find suitable teaching methods and, to a certain extent, these methods can fulfil the aim of helping students understand and know thoroughly the contents of the lessons Nonetheless, how will the class be if these methods are applied in all the lessons? Will the students find it interesting to learn whereas they can find the exact answers for the tasks in many reference books? Will the completing tasks in the text book help students learn how to take initiative and responsibility, build their confidence, solve problems, work in teams, communicate ideas, and manage themselves more effectively? Will the students have chance to build important skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, communication in a variety of media, and speaking as well as

presentation skill? More important, will the students be connected with comunities and the real world while studying in textbook only?

PBL bearing many good points as mentioned above can bring to a new change in teaching process I therefore forcedly implemented PBL in teaching many units, of which Unit 9, English text book 11, Education Publishing House brought my students as well as my teaching much joyful experience and core value

3 Applying PBL in teaching Unit 9, English text book 11, Education Publishing House.

The process of PBL can be varied, depending on the real situation in terms of students’ ability and the content of each unit By my experience in learning and teaching English, instead of teaching lessons in each units; that means teaching Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing skills and language focus in turns traditionally, I have forcefully and successfully applied PBL in teaching unit 9, English text book 11, Education Publishing House in the following stages

English 11, Unit 9: CITIES OF THE FUTURE, P 57 (Volume 2)

Project: CITIES OF THE FUTURE

1 Work in groups of four to six Discuss and decide on your own ideal city of the future You can expand the ideas you braned stormed in the COMMUNICATION section Include the following points:

- The city’s name

- Geographical features: location, area, population, weather conditions

- Infrastructure: means of transport, environmental conditions, energy souces, treatment of waster

- People’s life and work: education, health care, working hours

Take notes of your group’s ideas and think about how to organize them Then design a poster to promote your ideal city Add some pictures to illustrate it

2 Introduce your poster to the class Present the features of your city

and explain what makes it the most liveable city in the world.

3 Time: 7 days

3.1 Stage 1: Discovering real situation related to the content of the lesson.

Many students find schoolwork meaningless because they do not

perceive “a need to know” what they are being taught They are unmotivated

when told they will need it later in life or simply because “it’s going to be on the test” With a compelling student project, the reason for learning relevant material becomes clear: I need to know this to meet the challenge I have accepted

In this stage, as a classroom teacher, I could powerfully activate my students’ need to know content by launching a unit in a way that engages interest and inititates questioning This could take the form of a lively discussion

Also, in this stage, I gave out many driving questions to my students Good driving questions capture the heart of the project in clear, compelling language, giving students a sense of purpose and challenge The question should

be provocative, open-ended, complex, and linked to the core value of what you

want students to learn It could be abstract (What are features of a liveable city?/

to what extent do you think a liveable city should be?); concrete (Is the city you are living in a liveable one?); or focused on solving a problem (How can we change the attitude of the people to make a liveable city?)

3.2 Stage 2: Negotiating the Criteria for Evaluation

I and my students decided that the projects should be assessed by fullfiling the questions in rubrics including self assessment rubric, peer assessment rubric and teacher assessment rubric (See Appendix 6) and checklist (See Appendix 4)

Once the criteria were clearly defined, the students realized that they might have to be modified in the future

3.3 Stage 3: Deploying projects

- Dividing groups