CHAPTER 6. PROJECTS

CHAPTER 6. PROJECTS

1. 6.1 INTRODUCTION

   • Legutke and Thomas(1991:69) argue that "The tasks alone do not guarantee the realization of a communicative classroom.
   • Legutke and Thomas (1991:158) claim that project work:need to be understood as rooted in and educational philosophy which aims at providing the direction,possible routes, to a more democratic and participatory society.

2. 6.2 PROJECTS VERSUS TASKS

   • 6.2.1 FIRST,SECOND AND THIRD GENERATION TASK
     • First generation tasks refers to typical communicative tasks used in the classroom(Information gaps or role plays belong to this category)
     • Second generation tasks are more challenging,requiring learners not only to manipulate language,but also to use general cognitive abilities while dealing with information.
       • Focus primarily on content procedure and language.
     • Third generation tasks are similar to second generation task in that they involve the same language and cognitive strategies.
       • The aim at developing the personality of the student through the foreign language.
     • A high degree of task authenticity globality and integration of language and contents and involvement of the individual's personality,previous experience and knowledge.
   • 6.2.2 FROM BRIDGING ACTIVITIES TO FULL-SCALE PROJECTS
     • From Fried-Booth (1986:69) one of the main defining characteristics of a project is that project work takes place both in, but more importantly,outside of the classroom context.
       • She distinguises between full-scale projects,which have a large out-of-class component,and bridging (or motivating) activities,which take place within the classroom

3. 6.3 SETTING UP A PROJECT

   • 6.3.1 STAGES INVOLVED IN SETTING UP PROJECT WORK
     • According to Fried-Booth (1986:6) a full-scale project involves three key stages.
       • 1. Classroom planning.The students, in collaboration with the teacher ,discuss the content and scope of their project,and predict their specific language need(Ideas are discussed and visits).
       • 2. Carrying out the project.The students now more out of the classroom to perform whatever tasks they have planned(e.g,conducting interviews,making recording,gathering printed and visual material.
       • 3.Reviewing and monitoring the work. This includes discussions and feedback sessions, both during and after the project.Advice an comment offered by the teacher,group analysis of work.
     • Legutke and Thomas proposed model for carring out project work consists of six main stages.
       • 1.Opening,2. Topic orientation,3.Research and data collection,4.Preparing data presentation,5.Presentation and 6. Evaluation(1991:169).
     • Legutke and Thomas define project work as "a theme and task- centred mode of teaching and learning which results from a joint process of negotiation between all participants".
       • It is holistic because it bridges the dualism between body and mind,theory and practice,or in John Dewey's word"expereince and thinking".
       • Backward Planning according to Legutke and Thomas refers to a main 'target task' is identified and other tasks arise naturally out of the nedd to fulfil this target task.

4. 6.4 TEACHER AND LEARNER ROLES

   • 6.4.1 TEACHER ROLES
     • The teacher's role becomes that of co-ordinator of the learning process.A role which is consistent with the greater independence and responsability placed on the learner in the project classroom(Legutke and Thomas 1991:278).
     • Certain amount of power and control is developed to the learner in a communicative,project based classroom.
   • 6.4.2 LEARNERS ROLES
     • Learners learn through doing and experiencing.
     • The role of the learner can be broken down into three component parts.
       • Learning in the here and now. Learning about something for some undefined future purpose,learning in their world which is related to their present reality.
         • Learner's faculties are involved in the learning process-affective intellectual and physical.
       • Experimentation and reflection.Learners are discovers.They find out about things through a process of hypothesis making verification and experimentation.
       • The project learners is also refflective.The learners is encouraged to refflect back on the project to draw conclusions and to make new hypotheses which will affect future project work.
     • Independent desicion-making and shift a great deal of responsability for decisions to the learners and the cooperative groups.
     • Legutke and Thomas argue that project work is particularly effective in promoting learner autonomy.
       • Projects... increasingly include the learner in the decision-making process about topic,content and process materials,about learning and management of it.
         • The projects classroom also introduces changes for learner-learners roles.
           • Cooperative,or collaborative,learning is an essential precondition for successful project work in the classroom.

5. 6.5 DIFFICULTIES WITH IMPLEMENTING PROJECT WORK

   • Learners need sufficient time in order to fully carry out full-scale projects.
   • There may be problems in the group dynamics,which a teacher would need to have skill and acumen to not only indentify but deal with.
   • The teacher's role in the process classroom which is implied by project work is very different to the role implied by the transmission model of the traditional classroom.
   • Clarity as to overall project plan is essential if learners are not to feel directionless,or less commited to their groups members.
   • The teachers needs to know how to deal with error and group monitoring in the process classroom.

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