Project-Based Language

Do you ever feel like you're lying to your students?
To yourself?

What is PBL not?

• Academics for their own sake
• Imaginary situations
• "Dessert" projects

What is PBL?

• Voice & choice
• Need to know
• In-depth inquiry
• Revision & reflection
• 21st Century Skills

What does PBL need?

• Significant content
• Public audience
• Driving question
• Entry event

Significant Content

• What are students mad about already?
• How do students spend their free time?
• What are students willing to work for?
• How can students improve their world?

Public Audience

• Who do you know that students could talk to?
• Where are people speaking the TL in your community?
• Whose opinion do students value?

PBL challenges

• Textbooks & rigid curriculum
• Inauthentic objectives
• Available time & resources
• Standardized tests

DRiving Questions

• How can I convince my friends to study abroad with me?
• Should narcocorridos be banned in Mexico?
• How can we help children in a rural school in Colombia?
• How can we convince teens who speak TL to come to our school?
• How can we save the world?

How is PBL in the TL different?

• Focus on proficiency vs product
• TL routines & procedures
• Scaffolded vocabulary & scripts
• Resources limited by proficiency

PBL steps for students

• Form a plan
• Research
• Execute plan
• Evaluate

1. Form a Plan

• Refine the driving question
• Break down the question
• Set goals on a calendar

Group Discussion Novice Can-Dos

• Novice Low: I can answer a few simple questions.
• Novice Mid: I can ask some simple questions.
• Novice Mid: I can make some simple statements in a conversation.
• Novice High: I can make plans with others.
• Novice High: I can exchange information using iamges.

Group Discussion Intermediate Can-Dos

• I can use the language to meet my basic needs in familiar situations.
• I can use my language to handle tasks related to my personal needs.
• I can use my language to do a task that requires multiple steps.

¿Cuántos días necesitamos para…?

2. Research

• Find resources (e.g. infographs)
• Locate & contact experts
• Survey/interview classmates

Research Novice Can-dos

• recognize words, phrases with visuals
• recognize words, phrases associated with things I know
• understand short, simple messages on familiar topics
• understand the main idea of published materials
• understand short, simple descriptions with help of visuals

Research Intermediate Can-dos

• identify information from the news media
• understand basic information in simple texts
• understand accounts of personal events or experiences

Questioning Classmates

• Form the question
• Select classmate(s) to ask
• Record their responses

3. Put It in Action

• Decide
• Find
• Create
• Record

Hay que decidir/buscar/hacer...

Collaboration

List of Interested Parties

• in the school
• in the local community
• in the global community

4. Evaluate

• Collect
• Select
• Organize
• Finalize

Presentation Speaking Can-Dos

• I can introduce myself to a group.
• present simple information about something I learned.
• talk about people, activities, events, and experiences.
• present information on plans, instructions, and directions.
• make a presentation on something I have learned or researched.

Presentation Writing Can-Dos

• I can write notes about something I have learned
• I can write basic information about things I have learned.
• I can write about topics of interest.
• I can prepare materials for a presentation.
• I can compose communications for public distribution.

Unsuccessful Projects

• Should narcocorridos be banned in Mexico
• Is the person other people see the person who you really are?
• How can we convince TL-speaking teens to come to our school?

How can I convince my friends

Success level 7/10

• Audience: classmates
• Why students care: college goals + friends
• Needs more relevant audience & definition 

How can we help children

Success Level 8/10

• Audience: children/charity
• Why students care: sympathy, curiosity
• Needs clear final product w/ communication

How can we create a picture book

Success Level 8/10

• Audience: elementary ELL/library
• Why students care: interaction with kids, creativity
• Needs scheduled time with children
• Needs story development scaffolding

How can we present highlights of

Success Level 9/10

• Audience: judges
• Why students care: competition, choice
• Needs more scaffolding for research & revision

For more information, see my PBL in the TL Livebinder at http://bit.ly/PBLintheTL