LEVELS 1 and 2

Today we are going to review the importance of doing a project.

Activity:

Read the following chart and comment with your partners what you understand about it.

PROJECT WORK
A project is an in-depth investigation of a topic worth learning more about. Done by: § a small group of [students] within a class § by a whole class § or by an individual. Key feature: § It is a research effort deliberately focused on finding answers to questions about a topic posed either by the [students], the teacher, or the teacher working with the [students]. Goal: “To learn more about the topic rather than to seek right answers to questions posed by the teacher.” Katz, L. (1994).	The following characteristics summarize this type of work (Stoller, 2001) § Project work focuses on content rather than a specific language target. § Project work is student centered. The teachers’ roles change. They give support and guide during the process. § Project work facilitates cooperative learning through group work. Students can share materials, ideas, and knowledge along the way. § Project work leads to integrate skills trough similar real life tasks. § Project works culminates in an end product (e.g., an oral presentation, a play, a talk show, a video, a contest, a magazine, a newspaper, a big book, a didactic game, a brochure.) § Project work is potentially motivating and challenging. It may develop students’ self-esteem, confidence and autonomy, as well as promoting students’ language skills, content learning, and cognitive abilities.
STEPS FOR DOING THE PROJECT: these stages can serve as a guide for the project development during the term. Pineda, D. (2009)	ü Topic Selection ü Defining the format for the project ü Exploration ü Questioning ü Planning ü Monitoring ü Presentation of the project ü Evaluation

Prepared by Sandra Echeverri. 2011

Adapted by Foreign Languages Teacher Carolina Herrera 2012