Project Work
Tom Hutchinson
INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT WORK
3
1
WHAT IS A PROJECT ?
What is a project?
The best way to answer this question is to show some examples of projects. The following pieces of project work were done by students aged 11–15 in Slovakia and Hungary.
Project work is not a new methodology. Its benefits have been widely recognized for many years in the teaching of subjects like Science, Geography, and History. Some teachers have also been doing project work in their language lessons for a long time, but for others it is a new way of working. The aim of this booklet is to provide a simple introduction to project work. I shall explain what project work is, what benefits it brings, and how to introduce it into the classroom. I shall also deal with the main worries that teachers have about using project work in their classrooms. The ideas in this booklet are based on the real classroom experience of a large number of teachers and students of English. I hope that after reading it, you too will be encouraged to try project work.
1
Here is an example of a very straightforward and popular project: My Favourite Animal. The students choose an animal and write about it. They illustrate the project with pictures (photographs, postcards, etc.).
Project 1
2
Introduction to Project Work
2
Projects allow students to use their imagination and the information they contain does not always have to be factual. In this example of a project which required students to introduce themselves and their favourite things, the students pretend they are a horse.
Project 2 by Katorina Pokorná and Klára Kucejová
Introduction to Project Work
3
3
One of the great benefits of project work is its adaptability. Here are two examples of the same project task. These two projects on The World were done by students at different levels. The first project is a poem using the simple present tense only. The second project, however, has been done by
INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT WORK
3
1
WHAT IS A PROJECT ?
What is a project?
The best way to answer this question is to show some examples of projects. The following pieces of project work were done by students aged 11–15 in Slovakia and Hungary.
Project work is not a new methodology. Its benefits have been widely recognized for many years in the teaching of subjects like Science, Geography, and History. Some teachers have also been doing project work in their language lessons for a long time, but for others it is a new way of working. The aim of this booklet is to provide a simple introduction to project work. I shall explain what project work is, what benefits it brings, and how to introduce it into the classroom. I shall also deal with the main worries that teachers have about using project work in their classrooms. The ideas in this booklet are based on the real classroom experience of a large number of teachers and students of English. I hope that after reading it, you too will be encouraged to try project work.
1
Here is an example of a very straightforward and popular project: My Favourite Animal. The students choose an animal and write about it. They illustrate the project with pictures (photographs, postcards, etc.).
Project 1
2
Introduction to Project Work
2
Projects allow students to use their imagination and the information they contain does not always have to be factual. In this example of a project which required students to introduce themselves and their favourite things, the students pretend they are a horse.
Project 2 by Katorina Pokorná and Klára Kucejová
Introduction to Project Work
3
3
One of the great benefits of project work is its adaptability. Here are two examples of the same project task. These two projects on The World were done by students at different levels. The first project is a poem using the simple present tense only. The second project, however, has been done by