Combining project based learning in teaching english go green project to raise students awareness of the environmental problems

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HOANG HOA 4 HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENTAL INITIATIVE COMBINING PROJECT BASED LEARNING IN TEACHING ENGLISH GO GREEN PROJECT TO RAISE STUDENTS’ A

THANH HOA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HOANG HOA 4 HIGH SCHOOL

EXPERIENTAL INITIATIVE

COMBINING PROJECT BASED LEARNING IN

TEACHING ENGLISH GO GREEN PROJECT TO RAISE STUDENTS’ AWARENESS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL

PROBLEMS

THANH HOA, 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I- INTRODUCTION……… 1

1 Rationale……… 1

2 Aims of the study……… 1

3 Objects of the study……… 2

4 Methods of the study……… 2

II- CONTENTS OF THE STUDY……… 3

1 Theoretical background……… 3

2 Practical background……… 4

3 Applying PBL in teaching …….……… 7

4 Results of applying method……… 15

III- CONCLUSION……… 18 Reference books

Appendix 1: PROJECT TEAM WORK PLAN

Appendix 2: GUIDELINES FOR POSTER LAYOUT

Appendix 3: GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATION

Appendix 4: CHECK LISTS FOR POSTER

Appendix 5: ASSESSMENT FOR GROUPWORK SKILL

Appendix 6: TEACHER AND PEER’S ASSESSMENT

Appendix 7: VIDEOS OF GROUPWORK

LIST OF RECOGNIZED EXPERENTIAL INITIATIVES

I- INTRODUCTION

1 Rationale

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

"comprehensive reform of teaching and learning foreign languages in thenational education system" By 2020 most Vietnamese young people will beable 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 theindustrialization 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 tohelp teaching and learning foreign languages have many positive changes

The new English books is one of the pilot materials in some high schoolsnationwide In the book, the difference from the old one is the Project section atthe 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 basedlearning (PBL) in teaching many units in English textbook, EducationPublishing House, with the aim of enabling my students to “experience what

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

In what follows I shall concentrate on “Combining Project learning and Go Green project in teaching English to raise students’ awareness of environmental problems”, but many of the points apply to other

based-aspects, too

2 Aims of the study

This paper endeavors to demonstrate the value of PBL, combining with

Go Green project 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?

- What does Go Green mean?

- What are the benefits of Going Green?

- What are some simple ways for students to Go Green?

- How are PBL and Go Green project combined?

3 Objects of the study

This study was conducted in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam It has3,496,000 inhabitants (GSOV, 2014) In this province, the predominant nativelanguage is Vietnamese However, English is currently the most used language

in the world (Michel, 2014) in different fields such as science, technology andeducation This is the reason why there are many bilingual schools and schoolsthat teach ESL in Thanh Hoa province Here, there are a total of 798 highschools: 89.6 % public schools and 10.4 % private schools (GSOV, 2012) Thisstudy was carried out at a public high school that teaches ESL: Hoang Hoa 4high school, Thanh Hoa province The participants were 10th grade students In

total, 92 students took part in this study, all of them have fulfilled English textbook 10 and have had basic knowledge of Going Green during the school year.

4 Methods of the study

My study is conducted by qualitative methods in order to collect anumber of information, compare, and then, analyse data By using thecombination of these methods, my theme will make clear the questions in thistopic, and reach effectively the targets of the essay

II- CONTENTS OF THE STUDY

1 Theoretical background

 What is PBL?

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

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

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

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

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PBL improves learning After completing a project, students understandcontent more deeply, remember what they learn and retain it longer than is oftenthe case with traditional instruction Because of this, students who gain contentknowledge with PBL are better able to apply what they know and can do to newsituations.

PBL builds success skills for college, career, and life In the 21st centuryworkplace and in college, success requires more than basic knowledge andskills In a project, students learn how to take initiative and responsibility, buildtheir confidence, solve problems, work in teams, communicate ideas, andmanage themselves more effectively

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

PBL provides opportunities for students to use technology Students arefamiliar with and enjoy using a variety of tech tools that are a perfect fit withPBL With technology, teachers and students can not only find resources andinformation and create products, but also collaborate more effectively, andconnect 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 alongsidetheir 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 learnhow to interact with adults and organizations, are exposed to workplaces andadult jobs, and can develop career interests Parents and community memberscan be involved in projects.

 What does Go Green mean?

Go Green does not only involve recycling Go Green involves much more.Basically, Go Green means to live life, as an individual as well as a community,

in a way that is friendly to the natural environmental and is sustainable for theearth It means contributing towards maintaining the natural ecological balance

in the environment, and preserving the planet and its natural systems andresources It also means taking steps, whether big or small, to minimize theharm you do to the environment (including the carbon footprints you leavebehind), as a result of inhabiting this planet

 Why Go Green?

We all know that our future depends on protecting the health of our futurebuilders and the planet To do so, we need to instill a sense of environmentalresponsibility into new generations of citizens Since students spend more time

at school than anywhere else, at least six hours a day, school is the best place toeducate them a “green” lifestyle How can we have a green future without greenschools? By Going Green at schools in practice and the classroom, we can bringabout the idea that such sustainable lifestyle is normal and acceptable That willmake the process of producing new generations of responsible people mucheasier

 Benefits of Go Green at School:

First and foremost, Go Green helps protect the environment and save ourplanet Research shows that greener school environments can improve student’s

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health and learning as well as counteract some of the unhealthy environmentalfactors and practices often employed by schools Besides, it teaches the students

to be less wasteful and more responsible What’s more, it could save energy andeven lower utility bills for schools Next, it teaches the students how important

it is to take care of the earth as they are growing up this is something they seewith their own eyes Last but not least, it helps set a good example for others (Itcan be your friends or your family) – They will benefit from seeing the way youact about the environment as they will act accordingly

 Simple ways for students to Go Green at School

Get to School Greenly

Why drive when you can walk or ride! Driving less helps save gas andcause less air pollution By biking to school, you cannot only help reducecarbon dioxide but also improve your health In fact, regular cycling is good foryour heart and muscles and it may improve how you walk and balance

Re-use school supplies

Before buying every item on the supplies list, take time to look at thesupplies you already have and see what can be re-used Are last year’s pens andpencils still usable? Do you really need a new lunchbox? Can you exchange oldschool things and text books to reuse? By re-use some usable items, you willreduce waste and save a lot of money

Buy recycled or renewable ones

If you really need to buy new supplies, you can make green choices byconsidering recycled and renewable school supplies You can find manyretailers which are selling those supplies out there such as Ecojot.com, whichoffer notebooks, sketchbooks, and more made entirely from post-consumer

waster When buying a new backpack, consider ones that are made fromrecycled material as well as is padded to prevent back pain Making green andeconomical purchases can go a long way in protecting the environment andsaving your money.

2 Practical background

It is a matter of fact that TIENG ANH 10, 11 and 12 is a three-level Englishlanguage set of textbooks for the Vietnamese upper secondary school Theyfollow the systematic, cyclinical and the theme-based curriculum approved bythe Ministry of Education and Training on the 23rd November 2012 The aim ofthis set of textbooks is to develop students’listening, speaking, reading andwriting skills with a focus on communicative competence so that when finishingupper secondary school, they will have achieved level three of the ForegnLanguage Proficiency Framework for Viet Nam (Equivalent to B1 in theCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages)

GETTING STARTED contains a menu listing and the skills taught in theunit, a conversation introducing the overall topic of the unit, some topic-relatedvocabulary and the main grammar points, a number of activities to check’sstudents’ comprehension and provide practice of the teaching points in thissection

LANGUAGE includes Vocabulary, Pronunciation as well as Grammar.Vocabulary give in- depth practice of the words and phrases presented inGETTING STARTED and additional vocabulary for use later in the unit.Pronunciation include aspects of pronunciation that can be problematic toVietnamese students such as sound clusters, weak form, stress patterns andintonation 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

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SKILLS include Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing Reading contain

a topic- related reading text developed to suit students’ interest and age Thevocabulary and grammar points learnt in the previous sections are recycled inthe reading text The text also provides an imput of language and ideas forstudents 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 forgeneral ideas and/ or litening for specific tinformation Writing guide studentsthrough the writing process and focus on the specific text types rewuired by thesyllabus

COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE includes 2 sub - sections.Communication provide language consolidation and free practice of intergratedskills This section recycles what students have learnt in the previous sectionsand introduces extra vocabulary for extension The activities are less controlled.Students are encouraged to express their ideas and opinions freely Cultureproviding information about the ASEAN countries and English - speakingcountries around the world connected to the cultural aspects of the unit topic Ithelps students to broaden their knowledge of the world cultures as well asdeepen 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 thelanguage and skills they have learnt throughout the unit to perform a task in real– life situation Students are asked to do survey or carry our research to getinformation about their friends, their neighbourhood or to broaden theirknowledge about the real world The project activities often involve teamworkwhich develops team spirit Much of the work for the Project can be doneoutside of class, at home or during break time

It goes without saying that many teachers have been trying hard to findsuitable teaching methods and, to a certain extent, these methods can fulfil theaim of helping students understand and know thoroughly the contents of thelessons Nonetheless, how will the class be if these methods are applied in allthe lessons? Will the students find it interesting to learn whereas they can findthe exact answers for the tasks in many reference books? Will the completingtasks in the text book help students learn how to take initiative andresponsibility, build their confidence, solve problems, work in teams,communicate ideas, and manage themselves more effectively? Will the studentshave chance to build important skills such as critical thinking, problem solving,collaboration, communication in a variety of media, and speaking as well aspresentation skill? More important, will the students be connected withcomunities and the real world while studying in textbook only?

PBL bearing many good points as mentioned above can bring to a newchange in teaching process I therefore forcedly implemented PBL, combiningwith Go Green project, in teaching many units in Enlish text books 10, 11,12,whose topic related to environmental problems brought my students as well as

my teaching much joyful experience and core value

3 Combining PBL and Go Green project in teaching English to raise students’ awareness of the environmental problems.

The process of PBL can be varied, depending on the real situation interms of students’ ability and the content of each unit By my experience inlearning and teaching English, instead of teaching lessons in each unit; thatmeans teaching Reading, Speaking, Listening, Writing skills and languagefocus in turns traditionally, I have forcefully and successfully applied PBL inteaching unit 9 and 10 English text book 10, unit 6 English text book 11, unit 3English text book 12, Education Publishing House in the following stages

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Sample of Unit 9: PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT

English 10, Unit 9: PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT, P 47 (Volume 2)

Project: LET’S GO GREEN TOGETHER

Project: LET’S GO GREEN TOGETHER

1 Imagine the area in which your school is located has suffered from environmental pollution Work in groups.

- Discuss one type of pollution and its causes and effects on the naturalenvironment and the health of the local people

- Find some pictures/ photos to illustrate the pollution problem

- Write some practical advice on how to reduce this type of pollution

- Make a Go Green plan to take action

2 Prepare and give a presentation to your class

3 Report the result of your plan

Sample of unit 10: ECOTOURISM

English 10, Unit 10: PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT, P 57 (Volume 2)

Project: ECOTOURISM

1 Work in groups of 8 to 10 Carry out a survey to find out who in your group has been on an Eco tour and who has never been on one Use the following survey table as a guide.

Students’

name

Has been on an eco tour Has never been on an eco tour

Where? When? Enjoye

d it?

Wants togo?

If yes,where?

If no,why?

2 Present your group’s findings to the whole class.

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 onthe test” With a compelling student project, the reason for learning relevantmaterial becomes clear: I need to know this to meet the challenge I haveaccepted

In this stage, as a classroom teacher, I could powerfully activate mystudents’ need to know content by launching a unit in a way that engagesinterest and inititates questioning This could take the form of a livelydiscussion

Also, in this stage, I gave out many driving questions to my students.Good driving questions capture the heart of the project in clear, compellinglanguage, 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

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Sample of inter- units: GO GREEN PROJECT

Project: STUDY GREEN

Holding an exchange-party to exchange your old school supplies

1 Collect old school supplies such as: text books, pens, pencils…at the end of school year.

2 Decide which types of old school things you can sell with a reasonable price, which ones you can exchange with other students and which one you can donate?

3 Report your party’s result to the class

want students to learn It could be abstract (What does Go Green mean? / towhat extent do you think you can do to Go Green?); concrete (Do the peoplewhere you live Go Green?); or focused on solving a problem (How can wechange the attitude of the people to Go Green?)

3.2 Stage 2: Negotiating the Criteria for Evaluation

I and my students decided that the projects should be assessed byfullfiling the questions in rubrics including self assessment rubric, peerassessment rubric and teacher assessment rubric (See Appendix 6) andchecklist (See Appendix 4)

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

3.3 Stage 3: Deploying projects

the better The leaders should assign the tasks depending on each member’sability On one end of the scale, groups’ members should also discuss on how todesign, create, and present products In the middle, I might provide a limitedmenu of options for creative products to prevent students from becomingoverwhemed by choices On the other end of the scale, students could decidewhat products they will create, what resources they will use, and how they willstructure their time Students could even choose a project’s topic and drivingquestions Basing on the topic in Unit 9 and Unit 10 which is about ourenvironment, my students chose posters to be their final products During thisstage, students in each group use the check list (See Appendix 4) and Projectteam work plan (See Appendix 1) and Assessment for group work skill (See

Appendix 5) to check the work and the duty of each member

(Groups’ leader distributed work to members)

3.4 Stage 4: Conducting the project.

A project should give students opportunities to build such 21st centuryskills as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and the use oftechnology, which will serve them well in the workplace and life This exposure

to authentic skills meets the second criterion for meaningful work—animportant purpose A teacher in a project-based learning environment explicitly

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teaches and assesses these skills and provides frequent opportunities forstudents to assess themselves.

Being given the guidelines for holding an exchanging party (SeeAppendix 3), the students in each group worked on preliminary sketches untilthey decided on a final plan Besides, students gathered school supplies frommany resourses such as their brothers, sisters, parents and relatives They thencollected school supplies, deciding on what things to sell, what things toexchange and what things to donate to the library Finally, they decided on howand where to hold an exchanging party During this stage, Check list formaking plan (See Appendix 4) was also used to check the tasks of all themembers

(Students gathered and compiled old text books)

During this stage, I served as coach, moving from group to group toguide the students' work As I did so, I asked myself the following coachingquestions:

 Do the students have a clear understanding of the task?

 Does each student have ownership of her role within the group?

 Are the students attentive and working together cooperatively?