the learner over a period of time. Each project is broken down into a set of self-contained units, which can be used separately or built up sequentially into a final project outcome.
The advantages of this approach are:
– that the projects aim to draw upon the ‘whole child’, that is to say, all aspects of children’s life, not simply their linguistic competence. This enables them to relate what they know from their own lives to a concrete problem worked through in the target language.
– that the projects encourage, even demand, that learners take a greater responsibility for their own learning than is often the case with more conventional materials. As such, they are in line with current thinking on ‘learner independence’.
– that they allow learners with different levels of competence to co-operate on an equal basis in the completion of the tasks the project requires. This goes some way to solving the problems of mixed-ability classes.
– that the level of personal involvement by learners is consequently higher, which tends to enhance their motivation for continuing learning.
The authors have drawn upon their long experience of using a project-centred approach with young learners. What they offer here is a distillation of this experience. The units are clearly organized and laid out so that even a teacher unfamiliar with the approach can implement it.
For any teacher, experienced or not, who is looking for a set of well-organized project frameworks, this book will be an essential guide. We hope it will serve as a springboard for teachers to develop their own projects.
Alan Maley
Introduction
Who is this book for?
Young learners
The projects described in this book are designed for children of primary and early secondary school age, from five to fourteen. All the ideas and activities have been devised, or developed and tried out, by practising teachers; they have been used and evaluated with a wide range of nationalities, in both monolingual and multilingual groups of various sizes.
Children of the same age vary in terms of their maturity, intelligence, cultural, and home background. So, although an age range is recommended for each activity, you, the classroom teacher, are the best person to judge whether the topic and activities of the project are of interest to, and within the capabilities of, your pupils.
Through project work in their English class, the children will be encouraged to develop their intellectual, motor (physical), and social skills. However, they should not be expected to do tasks in a second or foreign language that they could not attempt in their first language. Teachers of English should be aware, for example, of the literacy skills that the children have in their first language and, especially for the very young children, how much opportunity they have had to practise such motor skills as cutting, folding, colouring, and so on.
Teachers
You will find the activities in this book useful if you are a teacher:
– in a primary school, where English language tuition is included in the curriculum
– in a private language school, and you wish to integrate motivating and challenging activities and materials into a standard coursebook-based curriculum
– of children on an intensive course, in English-speaking countries in the summer
– in a UK school or an English medium school, and you wish to help pupils bridge the gap from the specialized English as a Foreign Language classes to the mainstream classes.
Why project work?
The project is an ideal vehicle for teaching primary school children for a number of reasons.
It is an integrated unit of work
A project is a recognizable unit of work with a beginning, middle, and end. Through a series of worthwhile activities, which are linked to form a tangible end-product, the children can gain a real sense of achievement. At the successful completion of the project, both teacher and pupils have something they can be proud of, to show to parents and to others in the school as an indication of the progress they have made.
It educates the whole child
A project involves the development of the whole child, rather than focusing narrowly on teaching language. Within the framework of a project can be included the full range of skills that children are developing in their other classes and during their time out of school:
– the intellectual skills of describing, drawing conclusions, using the imagination, hypothesizing, reading, and planning
– the physical/motor skills of colouring, painting, cutting, folding, gluing, and writing
– the social skills of sharing, co-operating, making decisions together, and appreciating how individual contributions can make a successful whole
– learner independence skills such as making responsible choices, deciding how to complete tasks, getting information, trying things out, and evaluating results.
This approach encourages emotional and personal development. Wherever possible, children are given an opportunity to produce work which is personal and individual, which reflects their ideas, tastes, and interests; they are encouraged to express their feelings, and their opinions are sought and valued.
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