USING THE DEPOSITORY OF CURRICULUM-BASED LEARNING AND TEACHING RESOURCES FOR PROJECT LEARNING IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AT PRIMARY LEVEL Lowetta Chan

Project Learning - Features  Linguistic objectives:  Involve topic-based study  Share the five features of tasks, i.e. have a purpose, have a context, involve in a mode of thinking and doing, require to draw upon a framework of knowledge and skills in the process, and leading towards a product  The product can be a piece of writing, an oral presentation or a simple performance  Provide authentic situation to practise the five intertwining ways of learning and using knowledge, i.e. communicating, conceptualizing, inquiring, problem-solving and reasoning  Non-linguistic objectives:  Learners can identify the topic of interest, planning and work at their own pace  In the process, learners are required to search for and organize information, review and compile it, design a way of presenting the findings, present them and evaluate their work  A project can be an individual work, a group work or work collaboratively with their peers  Teachers need to provide guidance, check progress and give feedback at different stages of a project (English Language Curriculum Guide (P,1-6), p. 130)

Project Learning – Stages Preparation Stage-Teachers arrange activities to arouse students’ interest and enhance their understanding of a topic -Provide authentic tasks for students to follow Implementation Stage -Students collect information through different channels to build up their knowledge of the topic -Have interaction with the target language -Produce varied and creative language Concluding Stage-Students have to present their project outcome by various forms -Summarize what have learnt -Evaluation / assessment Stages of Project Learning (

Project Learning – Advantages  Learners are able to use language learning in an integrated way  Through the process of planning, searching for information, note-taking, interviewing, date analysis, discussion, drafting and re-drafting, editing, presentation and other steps that are often involves in project work  Enable learners to become more responsible for their own learning  Personal involvement in the process, such as: pursue a topic of their own interest, set their own learning targets and plan and reflect on their course of action  Learners develop not only language knowledge and skills but also generic skills, positive values and attitudes that are conducive to lifelong development  Through participating in real-life investigation which involve exploring problems from multiple perspectives, presenting information in various modes, as well as planning and organization  Project encourage learners to move out of the classroom into community, allowing them to connect with the working world (English Language Curriculum Guide (P,1-6), p )

Project Learning – Template Preparation StageIdea Initiation Formulate a topic for investigation set a clear purpose explore possible products agree on criteria for success Implementation Stage Enquiry Process Input and Support – including language input problem management information management personal management Feedback Concluding StageKnowledge Building, Sharing and Reflection Analyze and consolidate information discuss and come to a conclusion ways for presenting the project assess the work reflect on the whole project (English Language Curriculum Guide (P,1-6), Appendix 6)

Project Learning – examples  PowerPoint PowerPoint  Printables Printables  WebQuest  Google sites Google sites  Websites Websites

Activity 1- Worksheet 1Worksheet 1  What is WebQuest?  Work in groups of 3. Search the definition on the Internet. Discuss with group members and write a sentence about it.  Key words: WebQuest, What is WebQuest, WebQuest sample, WebQuest templates

What is a WebQuest?  "A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.” Bernie Dodge Bernie Dodge  An instructional model in form of project-based and problem-based learning  A strategy to guide students to find information and complete a task online  Students make use of web for resources

Activity 2 – Worksheet 2Worksheet 2  Work in groups of 3.  Task 1: Find out what is WebQuest  Task 2: What are components in a WebQuest  Task 3: Tips for making WebQuest  Task 4: suggest 1 topics for project learning  Sample: building blocks of a WebQuestbuilding blocks of a WebQuest

Reflection  Which activity would you prefer, activity 1 or 2?  Why?

Why WebQuest?  “The WebQuest model has been around since 1995 when I developed it for use in a course at San Diego State University. The goal then, and now, was to create lessons that make good use of the web, engage learners in applying higher level thinking to authentic problems, and use everyone's time well. Since that beginning, one of the ongoing challenges has been to make it faster and easier for teachers to do all these things.” — Bernie Dodge, PhD

Why WebQuest?  A motivational techniques to keep students on task  Provide guideline for students to work on the task step by step, students can get a link to start the activities in one website  Students can work individually or group work – foster collaborative work as roles are assigned  Students do not need to copy the links of resources  Engage students in a realistic situation where they can practise the language  Involve critical thinking, creativity, analysis and synthesis  Can be integrated in the curriculum  Similar stages as project learning Similar stages as project learning

Preparation stage - Teachers arrange activities to arouse students’ interest and enhance their understanding of a topic - Provide authentic tasks for students to follow Introduction -Gain students’ attention -Provide background information Task - Explain the task Implementation stage - Students collect information through different channels to build up their knowledge of the topic - Have interaction with the target language - Produce varied and creative language Process -Step by step instructions -Describe the roles for the members of the team -Provide pre-selected resources on the Internet Concluding stage -Students have to present their project outcome by various forms -Summerize what have learnt -Evaluation / assessment Evaluation -Provide assessmentProvide assessment -Self and peer evaluation Conclusion - Summarize what have learnt

Resources for Project Learning Depository TopicTaskLanguage Focus Favourite FoodWrite a letter to tuck shop to suggest their favourite food Use simple present tense to express their preference Study TourPresent a study tour design to Parent Association Use form or table to present their ideas Seasons in ShanghaiWrite an information report about seasons in different countries Features and language use in information report Special People, Special Things Write a biography about a Chinese athletic Features and language use in biography Changes in SchoolMake a booklet to school to write about the changes in school in the past 75 years Use headings and titles to present information AnimalsSearch information on the Internet and write descriptions about animals Use nouns or noun phrases to identify animals

Experience Sharing  Favourite Food  By H.K.R.S.S. Tuen Mun Primary School  Seasons  By C.C.C. Kei Wa (Kowloon Tong) Primary School

Activity 3  Work in a group and experience the learning process of WebQuest  Work in groups of 3 browse the following website and start the journeywebsite

Activity 4  Try the tool to make the WebQuest 

Conclusion  Challenges  The project should be tied to curriculum  If the WebQuest is not designed in students’ native language, students need more time to understand the task  Students may not have sufficient language skills to handle the resources and participate in the task  Not easy to find resources (web resources) which is suitable at students’ level, age and language knowledge  When designing the WebQuest for language learning, teachers need to consider the linguistic and non-linguistic objectives

References:     Video : 1. What is WebQuest?What is WebQuest 2. How to make a WebQuest?How to make a WebQuest 3. Intro to QuestGardenIntro to QuestGarden 4. Designing the ProcessDesigning the Process