Project Pedagogy

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Project Pedagogy
The Competency-Based Approach to Language Teaching has appeared to nuance the active role (or autonomy) of the learner right after the Communicative Approach to Language Teaching, which did not lay clearly the basis for a role distribution. The project is linked to CBALT. However, its methodology is not easy to apply and the distributions of roles not always made clear (the initiative and the managing is the part of the learner, while monitoring is the teacher’s lot). Nevertheless, one can assume that a very methodical approach to the project work can help both learners and teachers reach their goals and objectives.

DEFINITION
In ELT a project work is an activity that focuses on a task or activity which usually requires an extended amount of independent work done either by an individual pupil or a group of pupils. Much of this work takes place outside the classroom.

The application of the project in ELT or EFL facilitates language learning by setting tasks that require students to make decisions and work mostly on their own. Students collect information from a variety of sources and by collecting and analysing their data, they produce a research work that should be given back at the end of a unit or a chapter to show that the students have learnt information and that they can use it

ADVANTAGES OF GROUP WORK
Small groups working together may produce worthwhile projects. It provides the opportunity for students to learn together while sharing views, problems, and respecting each other’s feelings. The teacher then should support either the individual or the group and let them choose the ones they feel most comfortable with.

In a group effort, all the participants need to contribute to something. They may work together on a single activity or they may decide to subdivide the project into learning tasks assigned to each member of the group.

Below is a partial list of activities teachers may assign to group members:

- Collecting information, facts and pictures.

- Drawing or painting.

- Drawing maps, diagrams and tables.

- Writing poems and acrostics.

- Completing lists.

- Responding to questions and interviewing.

- Writing and telling stories.

- Developing questionnaires.

- Keeping a diary.

- Experimenting.

- Role-playing.

- Writing invitations, recipes.

- Setting rules and regulations.

HOW SHOULD GROUPS BE FORMED?
Most experts on collaborative learning suggest that teacher –selected groups are best, at least until when the pupils become competent at collaboration. Teacher- selected groups aim to achieve a heterogeneous mix which consists of various people different from one another. Such a mix promotes peer tutoring, and helps to break down barriers. The teacher may select randomly to form the groups and this way of grouping is quick and easy and conveys the idea that one can work with anyone. It is up to the teacher to use any way to randomise the group. Here are some suggestions:

- Take the number of pupils in class, divide by the number of pupils you want per group.

- Take some cards of animals, or plants, or countries and so on…Then all the animals would find each other and form a group.

When pupils become good at cooperative group work, they can group themselves by interests for self directed projects

THE PROJECT PURPOSES

Its purposes are:

- to help pupils work with the teacher in formulating objectives.

- to develop techniques to carry out independent work.(It is an approach in which indirect teaching is employed)

- to review all the main points of the unit

- to produce anything they are assigned

- to raise the students’ awareness about their own learning process by examining and categorising the different types of tasks.

- to increase their sense of responsibility towards their mates.

- to recycle what they have learnt previously in a creative way.

- to promote real learning.

- to employ a variety of instructional modes by doing independent study, cooperative learning, brainstorming, role-playing, discovery learning, and discussion.

- to give the students the satisfaction of seeing a tangible product which they have produced.

METHODOLOGY
The project work is a task that promotes (as said before) indirect teaching and second, it is a method of teaching in itself. Every project is the result of coordinated actions and activities undertaken by a student or a group of students. These activities are organised into a process which consist of the following stages: 1) preparation- 2) planning - 3) research - 4) conclusion or results – 5) presentation - 6) evaluation

1) Preparation: the teacher introduces the project work and motivates the students. The students have the chance to discuss with their teacher and ask for more information.

2) Planning:it is the next stage. At this point the pupils’ decisions are confirmed by the teacher, and planning starts on the various aspects of the process such as identifying the sources, determining the mode for collecting information, deciding on the technique to present the project, and assigning individual tasks.

3) Research:This stage is central to the project work. Pupils, individually or in groups, collect materials and information from books, journals, libraries, maps, resource persons (experienced people). At this stage some useful tools can be used such as interviews, observations and questionnaires

a- Interviewsrefer to the collection of information from individuals whom students consider as experts on a subject. They are asked to conduct interviews. They have to prepare their questions in advance and if necessary, tape the entire conversation.

b- Observations: the pupils observe certain events or interactions that they record.

c- Questionnaires:pupils prepare the questionnaires and distribute them to people for a response. It could be written in the native language (if necessary) but the results must be presented in English.

4) Conclusions or results: After the students have gone through all these stages they are ready to present their work. to the teacher and the entire class.

5) Presentation:The following are suggested models or examples of presentation: oral reports, oral reports accompanied with illustrations and pictures, or written reports.

(6) Evaluation: During this stage, the teacher will consider the student effort, creativity, use of sources, and presentation. Of course, it is not the product or the research findings that count here, but the interaction of the pupils to complete the assignment.

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"Pardon one offence and you encourage the commission of many" >> Publilius Syrus -- "He is best secure from dangers who is on his guard even when he seems safe">> Publilius Syrus -- "Quick decisions are unsafe decisions">> Sophacles -- "Let them hate us as long as they fear us">> Caligula - www.englishgarden.nice-forum.com

Thank you "Guest" for visiting this thread

Moderator

However, a grid should be set up by the teacher to evaluate the final work, here is a sample:

TEACHER’S ROLE
The effective use of the pedagogy project for teaching English depends on the teacher. From the beginning, the teacher should motivate the pupils to set up the right environment for this type of work. The teacher must also present a detailed plan of action so that the pupils know from where to begin. Their role is

- to help them find the sources that may help them in their work.

- to be the source of information, but not unique.

- to coordinate the entire work.

- to support all the students.

- to provide feedback and help students go through the process.

CONCLUSION

Using the project approach puts the stress on the learner and promotes experiential learning. The discourse generated by the project, helps the pupils grow, become mature both as learners of English and as human beings whose social needs are not disregarded. When applied at the right time and the right place the project approach successfully achieves the learning determined in the school curriculum.

We thank Mrs.Miliani for the tips we have used here so as to clarify some points that are obscure in syllabus implementation

Head of the Forum

Thank you Mr.solinet

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Active Member

It's exactly what we are expected to imply. Thank you Mr. solinet

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Guest, watch your thought , it becomes your words...Watch your words they become your actions...Watch your actions they become your habits...Watch your habits they become your character...Watch your character it becomes your destiny

Moderator

The one thing we are to target is a full embodiement of the main points listed in the official document sent by the Algerian ministry of education. It all relies on the personal effort of the teacher and his/her motivation to achieve his/her goal by the end of the class

Active Member

Thank you Mr. Great solinet. This topic has helped me better understand what project pedagogy means.

salam alikoum
thank you so much Mr. solinet

Active Member

Thanks a lot solinet

Active Member

Active Member

Thank you very much brother Mr solinet for the interesting topic . This really one of the troubles facing too many teachers especially with over-crowded classes.Personally, I ask the pupils to build up their groups but I do limit the number of groupsas no more than six otherwise the large number of groups may have some disadvantages.(may be am wrong)

Active Member

You are fully right Mr. LOYALTY
As the saying goes,
"Two is company . Three is crowd"
How about "more than six" ?

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Guest, watch your thought , it becomes your words...Watch your words they become your actions...Watch your actions they become your habits...Watch your habits they become your character...Watch your character it becomes your destiny

Active Member

Thank you brother Redouane for the reply. You asked How about more than six? I think more than six will be a carnival.

Active Member

Quote:

How about "more than six" ?

It will be something impossible .
The ideal number is four to permit all the students to participate in the project.
The big number of students creates problems and wars among them and gives the opportunity to the lazy students to escape.

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A good teacher must be able to put himself in the place of those who find learning hard

Active Member

yes sister samaria you are right about the group size it is better not to have large groups. we know all that the idea of group collaboration and collective learning is one of the bases of PBL (Project Based Learning )theory , but what about if you have let's say 40 pplz . first, how many topics are you going to assign for ten groups of four each? second, how many sessions are going to spend for the projects presentations? ( and the question is addressed to all my broters and sisters in the forum)...Thank you all.

Head of the Forum

LOYALTY wrote:

First, how many topics are you going to assign for ten groups of four each? second, how many sessions are going to spend for the projects presentations? ( and the question is addressed to all my broters and sisters in the forum)...Thank you all.

That's right Mr. LOYALTY
It's better to create a poll in this post so as to know better our opinion towards this question.

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Active Member

Thank you Dearest sister NOR for your interesting suggestion .May Allah protect you.Always wise as we all know you .Let me please invite each brother and sister here to let us know about their experience so that everyone benefits and we are all here to learn.

Head of the Forum

Thank you Mr.LOYALTY for the invitation

Waiting for our colleagues' precious opinions

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Active Member

Thank you Mrs. NOR for the idea

I have already voted at the top of the post

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Guest, watch your thought , it becomes your words...Watch your words they become your actions...Watch your actions they become your habits...Watch your habits they become your character...Watch your character it becomes your destiny

Active Member

Thank you sister NOR for the interesting idea and the results are really interesting to share diffeent points of view.May Allah protect you for your forum family and for your daughter. I wish to seethe arrguments of the others for their choices.

Moderator

On my behalf , I vote for the first choice ( 4 groups ) for I believe that this number is enough to be divided between the group members

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"Pardon one offence and you encourage the commission of many" >> Publilius Syrus -- "He is best secure from dangers who is on his guard even when he seems safe">> Publilius Syrus -- "Quick decisions are unsafe decisions">> Sophacles -- "Let them hate us as long as they fear us">> Caligula - www.englishgarden.nice-forum.com

Thank you "Guest" for visiting this thread

Head of the Forum

6 per group ( 44 pps / 6 = 7 groups = 7 topics)

Thank you Sir

Active Member

Sorry DEAREST brother Solinet but there is no choice of 4 groups here in the vote but 4 per group and this means 11 groups. so I wonder how are you going to manage with this number of groups and in how many sessions are they going to present their projects!!! Thank you Dearest brother for you point of view.