This presentation features an overview of PBL focusing on its application within English language teaching and learning.

1. PROJECT BASED
LEARNING (PBL) IN
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
TEACHING
Courtney Cunningham
Doctor of Education
cbc.elt@gmail.com

2. Virtual Mini-series Overview
Module 1- PBL
Overview
Module 2-
Specifying
Project Goals
and Objectives
Module 3-
Project Review,
Implementation,
and Ideas
Module 4- Other
Forms of
Collaborative
Learning

3. Mini-Series Objectives
After attending this virtual mini-series, you will be able
to:
• State and explain the major elements of PBL
• Produce goals and objectives for potential projects
• Specify objectives within the ABCD model
• Identify and explain other forms of collaborative
learning
• Develop project ideas and plans for implementation

4. Using the poll feature within Zoom, answer the following question:
How familiar are you with PBL?
A. I use it frequently in my teaching.
B. I have used it before, but I don’t use it regularly.
C. I have heard of it and understand the general
concepts but have never used it.
D. I know a little bit about it.
E. I am completely new to PBL.

5. What is
PBL?
“Project based learning is a
dynamic approach to teaching in
which students explore real-world
problems and challenges,
simultaneously developing cross-
curriculum skills while working in
small collaborative groups.”
http://www.edutopia.org/project-learning-introduction

6. What are the elements of PBL?
Extended time frame Collaboration
Inquiry, investigation,
research
Construction of an
artifact or
performance of a
consequential task

7. LET’S GO
SEE A
MOVIE!
Photo taken from PowerPoint stock
images

8. Project Steps 1. Watch your teacher give a presentation about a movie. (See
example PPT below)
2. Participate in a discussion about movies.
3. Tell the teacher what kind of movie is your favorite.
4. Form a group with other students.
5. With your group, decide on a movie that you all want to see.
This can be a new movie, or an old movie. You can go to the
cinema together, watch the movie at someone's house, or watch
the same movie separately.
6. Watch the movie.
7. Answer the following questions about the movie:
• What is the movie about? Please give an overview of the plot
or what happens in the movie from beginning to end.
• Who are the main characters in the movie?
• What was the most exciting scene in the movie? Why was it
exciting? What happened? Please give lots of details.
• What was the most boring scene in the movie? Why was it
boring? What happened? Please give lots of details.
• Would you recommend this movie to a friend? Why?
Let’s Go See a
Movie!
Photo taken from PowerPoint stock images

9. Project Steps 8. With your group, begin to organize the information from the
questions. Work together to write a short paragraph about the
movie. Make a list about the most important characters in the
movie, including some details about each character. Decide
which scene you all think is the most exciting. Work together to
make a description of this scene. Decide which scene you all
think is the most boring. Work together to make a description
of this scene. Finally, answer the last question about whether
or not you would recommend this movie to a friend.
9. After all questions have been answered, you can begin to
work on your presentation. Each person will have to speak
during the presentation. Different group members will answer
the first four questions, and all group members will answer the
last question. You should decide who will say what in the
presentation.
10. Create a visual aid. This can be a power point, poster, or
another kind of visual aid, such as a short video.
11. Practice your presentation together, and with the visual
aide.
12. Do your presentation for the class.
Photo taken from PowerPoint stock images
Let’s Go See
Movie!

10. WHAT
QUESTIONS DO
YOU HAVE
ABOUT PBL?
Use the
chat feature
in Zoom to
ask.

11. What types of skills
do you think develop
as a result of project-
based learning?
Using the chat feature in Zoom, answer the
following:

12. Image from http://attissystems.com/stem-education.html

13. Why incorporate PBL?
Promotes collaboration and interaction
Learners communicate meaningfully and for authentic purposes
Allows students with a variety of learning styles to demonstrate their acquired knowledge
Students learn language, content, and skills simultaneously
Increases learner autonomy

14. COOKBOOK
Students work in small groups to help the class
produce a cookbook.
The cookbook could...
• Feature healthy recipes
• Be an international cookbook
• Include nutritional details
Photo taken from PowerPoint stock images
What other cookbook ideas can you think of?
This type of cookbook could focus on the following language
skills:
• Food vocabulary
• Cooking verbs
• Ordinal numbers
What other language skills could this project cover?

15. FOLKTALE/FAIRY
TALE
The focus of this project is folktales or fairy tales.
Students could work together to...
• Read different stories and choose one to turn into a
dramatic performance
• Compare and contrast two different stories in a
presentation
• Write their own story
What other ideas can you think of for a project like this?
As highlighted on https://primarypbl.wordpress.com/, this
kind of project help students with the following skills:
• Analyze and evaluate the impact of differing story
elements on a character, reader, and story.
• Empathize and connect with differing (character) points of
view.
• Write fictional narratives that grab the attention of a
chosen audience
What other skills could result from this project?

16. Using the poll feature within Zoom or the comment function if
you have another idea, provide your answer.
A. LET’S GO SEE MOVIE!
B. COOKBOOK
C. FOLKTALE/FAIRY TALE
D.OTHER
Of the projects discussed so far,
which do you think would work
best with your students or what
other project ideas do you have?

17. Three Main Stages of a Project
The planning stage: In collaboration with students, discuss the scope and content of the
project in English or the native language. Discuss language needs, as well as potential end
products
The implementation stage: Students carry out the tasks in order to achieve the objectives
The creation of the end-product- Something tangible is created. This can be a poster, wall
display, PPT presentation, magazine, blog, video, website, audio recording, etc. It will be
shared with the class, school, or community at large

18. Think, Reflect, Share
Using the comment function in Zoom, answer
the following:
What types of things
are important to
consider as you plan
for projects?

19. Project Framework
• Student level- what is the language ability of
students?
• Age range- what is the age range of
students?
• Time- what is the appropriate amount of time
to complete the project?
• General aims- what overall goals does this
project achieve?
• Language aims- what objectives need to be
met in order to help reach the goals?
• Location- where will project work take place?

20. Project Framework
• Resources- what resources will be needed in order to
complete the project
• Teacher preparation- what does the teacher need to do
before, during, and after project work?
• Student preparation- what will be required on the part of
the student to complete the project?
• Procedures- what steps will need to be completed in order
to produce the project?
• Follow-up- how will the project be evaluated?
• Variation- how can projects be adapted for different levels?
• Evaluation- how will the project be evaluated?

21. Project
Planning
• A theme is selected that relates to course
goals and objectives (topic)
• A final outcome is determined that will
enable students to demonstrate their progress
towards mastery of language objectives (end
product = project)
• The project is structured (steps, sequence
of lessons, time allotment)
• Students are prepared for the demands of
the project including language
skills /vocabulary necessary for information
gathering (learning activities)
• Students gather information and practice
language skills (engagement in learning
activities)

22. Project
Planning
• Students are prepared for the
demands of creating, compiling and
analyzing information derived from
learning activities (if applicable)
• Students locate, compile and analyze
information (if applicable)
• Students are prepared for the
language demands of presenting their
products or performing for others
• Students present their final products
or perform for others
• Students and teachers evaluate the
projects and experience

23. Virtual Mini-series Overview
Module 1- PBL
Overview
Module 2-
Specifying
Project Goals
and Objectives
Module 3-
Project Review,
Implementation,
and Ideas
Module 4- Other
Forms of
Collaborative
Learning

25. QUESTIONS