Effective Strategies
for Project Work
2012 National Chinese Language Conference
Wei-ling Wu, PH.D.
WW-P School District
Shwu-fen Lin
Princeton Regional Schools
Basic Perception of Project Work
� Project work is an important activity for foreign
language learning
� Projects are often used for assessment
� Teachers have found project work useful
� Students love doing projects
Essential elements of a project
(According to the project-based learning model)
� Motivation to learn
� A question for inquiry
� Communication and presentation skills
� Cooperative participation and leadership
� Team work with individual assessment
� Self-assessment and reflection
Benefits of Project Work
� 21st century skills
� Language learning
� Content understanding� Content understanding
� Engagement and motivation
Problems with Project Work
� Reduced language advancement
� Excessive concern with art work
� Tendency to repeat what the teacher has said� Tendency to repeat what the teacher has said
� Lack of individual accountability
� Student socializing
Causes of Problems
� Lack of expectations for language proficiency
� Absence of guidance from the teacher
� No personal choices
Content requirements going beyond language � Content requirements going beyond language
limitations
� Grading as a group
� No individual requirements
� Contents not engaging
Effective Strategies for Project Work
� Provide guidance at different stages of the project
� Use integrated performance tasks to increase the use of
language in different forms
� Allow some degree of student choice
� Provide concrete guidance on how to do cultural projects
� Make the project an iterative process of group work and
individual learning
� Add a real-world connection to the project’s end product
� Allow imagination and encourage creativity
Step Two: Think about the following questions:What basic information should I include in my presentation?What special features do I want to emphasize about this town?What comments do I want to make?
Presentational Assessment Present the town in which you were born.
Step One: Use the table below to collect facts. You might need to do some research online or from your parents to collect information.
name location surrounding history population activities stores
Chinese for Youth 少年中文少年中文少年中文少年中文 Book 3 Lesson 1
What comments do I want to make?Step Three: Prepare for your presentation.
Make an effort to use new words and sentences you have learned in this lesson.
You might need the following sentences:Beginning: 我给大家介绍一个小镇 ……
你们知道……吗?在……有一个小镇,叫……你去过……吗?我是……年在那儿出生的。我妈妈告诉我……Other ideas (ask the teacher for help if necessary)
Body: Use the structure list for this lessonEnding: 我爱……因为它是……的地方。我很想回……去看看。
虽然我爱…,可是我现在住在……,我很喜欢这儿。Other ideas (ask the teacher for help if necessary)
Sample 1 Chinese New Year Celebration
• Create a poster for a Chinese New Year Celebration.
• Put up all the posters on the wall.
• Read the posters in pairs and select the one both like
the best and prepare two supporting evidences the best and prepare two supporting evidences
obtained from the poster.
• Discuss in a class which poster is the best
• Write a few sentences telling which poster you like
best and explaining why.
� Learn with the teacher about major dynasties.
� Select a dynasty of personal interest for research..
� Research online about the assigned dynasty.
Sample 2 Chinese History
� Make a poster to tell 2-3 interesting details of the
dynasty selected.
� Report to the class about the dynasty chosen.
� Write a short paragraph about a dynasty that has
impressed you most.
Sample 3 Beautiful China
Assessment Activities
T– Expand & teach more …
S–I Individual present … & teach …
S–I Individual research (homework)
T– Teach basic … & introduce …
S–G Group exchange information
Designing Project
Teachers must consider
•Student proficiency levels
•Lesson objectives (what will students be able to DO with the language?)to DO with the language?)
•Strategies to help students meet these objectives
• Assessing student learning
Implementing a Project
Students must consider
�Using Chinese language to create the project
�Using critical thinking
Cooperating with the team�Cooperating with the team
�Following the Rubric
Mandarin II
Shopping for clothes
1. Requirement list: Guiding the project
2. Group: Developing cooperative learning2. Group: Developing cooperative learning
3. Instruction: Integrating unit knowledge
4. Student presentation: Moving from practice to independence
5. Teacher conclusion: Providing feedback to improve performance
Requirement List
� Content: the objectives and requirement
� Rubric: the elements to be used for evaluation
� Props: Clothes, hats, shoes, glasses….
� Shop Poster: Store name and picture
Script: Conversation created by students to use � Script: Conversation created by students to use between seller and buyer.
中文报告题目 : 买衣服分组报告 : 四组内容:
1. 东西: ---衣服 (大衣,汗衫,衬衫,运动衫,裙子,连衣裙,牛仔裤,毛衣,皮鞋,运动鞋,凉鞋,手套,围巾,帽子,草帽,太阳眼镜…..)
2. 价钱: ¥ 2.50 , ¥ 100.00, ¥ 50.00 …..
3. 买东西的人,卖东西的人4. 海报———店名,卖什么东西5. 说中文:(欢迎光临)(你要买什么?)(我看看)(我想买)(这件汗衫多少钱?)(这件衣服多少钱?) (这件汗衫太小了,你有大号的吗?)(这双鞋子多少钱?)(一双___ 钱)(这双鞋子打几折?)(太贵了)(便宜一点,行不行?)(要不要?)(我很喜欢)(我不喜欢)(对不起,不行)(对不起,我们没有___)(这是___块钱)(找你____ 块钱)(谢谢,请再来!)…… Creative ideas:
1. Use a poster to design your project.
2. Use photos, objects
3. Use music, instrument , song
4. Bring in things you have at home.
5. Others.
Language request: 中文Due date: 4/4/2011
Presentation length: 4 – 5 分钟Presentation date: 4/4/2011 and 4/5/2011
Groups
There are many options to choose from, including
random choice, ability, interest and student choice
Small group created by teacher:
�Random pairs, student ability, student interest
Small groups created by student
�Friend, interest
Students create a clothing market where they can shop and bargain for items in class. Procedures:
•Teacher shows last year’s the video of student performance
•Students identify vocabulary for clothes and money through
pictures and games
Instruction
pictures and games
•Students learn the grammar
•Teacher models how to shop in the market
•Teacher divides students into groups
•Students work with their group to create their skit
•Students present shopping skits to the class
Presentation
Students� Create context by themselves
� Show their motivation
� Engaged in learning
� Grade their classmates’ performance using rubric
� Ask questions and receive answers about groups’ performance
Teacher conclusion
The teacher will
�Comment on each groups’ performance
�Correct student pronunciation, grammar, and , �Correct student pronunciation, grammar, and , content to improve skit performance
�Help students to build self esteem
�Check for Rubric elements
Rubric
Project report 中文 二 Criteria 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point Comments
Content Include the answers
of all required parts
Include the answers
of 6 required parts
Include the answer of
4 required parts
Includes the answers
of 2 required parts
Language No mistake in
accuracy/ grammar
and characters
There are 1-3
mistakes in accuracy/
grammar and
characters
There are 4-6
mistakes in accuracy/
grammar and
characters
There are more than 6
mistakes in accuracy/
grammar and
characters
Overall Presentation Report is neatly
complied and well
organized
Report is somewhat
neatly complied and
well organized
Report is readable
Report is difficult to
read
Oral Presentation Criteria 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point Comments
Contents Able to convey all
requested information
Able to convey 6
requested information
Able to convey 4
requested information
Able to convey 2
requested information
Vocabulary Proper use of grade-
level vocabulary
There are 1-3
mistakes
There are 4-6
mistakes
There are more than 6
mistakes
Grammar No grammatical
mistakes
There are 1-3
grammatical mistakes
There are 4-6
grammatical mistakes
There are more than 6
grammatical mistakes
Fluency Speak fluently
without hesitations
Speak with
confidence, but with
some hesitations
Speak with little
confidence, and
some hesitations
Speak with little
confidence, and
significant some
hesitations
A: 28 -22 B: 21- 15 C: 14- 8 D: 7 – 0
Mandarin AP
Interview (College Application)
� Interview guideline
� Pair work� Pair work
� Video student interview
� Share interview video with class
Interview guideline
� Teacher provides questions for student interview
� Same questions for pair
� Different questions for pair� Different questions for pair
� Students create the questions
� Students follow Rubric
中文AP
十分钟说中文
内容: 说一说申请大学和社区服务
1. 你计划申请那一种大学(私立,州立)?2. 你想读本州大学还是外州大学?为什么?3. 上名校有什么优点和缺点?4. 你做过什么社区服务或你想做什么社区服务?5. 你在社区服务学到了什么?5. 你在社区服务学到了什么?6. 社区服务会影响你的课业吗?7. 申请美国大学除了学校成绩,社区服务还需要什么?
时间:十分钟
方式:iPod 錄音
分组:两人一组
Pair work
� Grouping students by interest
� Grouping students by ability
� Grouping students by random
� Grouping by student choice
Video
� Video students’ performance
� Flip camera
� iPad
� Students have a chance to see each performance� Students have a chance to see each performance
� Example: college application (video)
Viewing Student Videos
� Increases student learning
� Provides opportunity for students to ask and answer questions
� Provides opportunity for teacher to give feedback to studentsto students
Interpersonal Rubric
Level : Intermediate-Mid to Intermediate-High
3 Points 2 Points 1 Point
Language Function
(How well does the
student handle language
tasks?)
Creates with the
language, able to
express his/her own
meaning in a
sophisticated way.
Uses mostly
memorized language,
with some attempts to
create.
Uses memorized
language only.
Text Type
(How well does the
student organize his/her
discourse?)
Uses smooth and
sophisticated
sentences and some
strings of sentences.
Simple sentences and
memorized phrases.
Words, phrases,
chunks of language.
Communication
Strategies
(How well does the
student keep the
conversation going?)
Maintains smooth
conversation by asking
and answering clear and
sophisticated questions.
Clarifies by asking and
Responds to basic,
direct questions. Asks a
few formulaic questions
(primarily reactive).
Clarifies by
Responds to a limited
number of formulaic
questions (primarily
reactive).
Clarifies by repeating Clarifies by asking and
answering questions.
Clarifies by
occasionally selecting
substitute words.
Clarifies by repeating
words and/or using
English.
Comprehensibility
(How well is the student
understood?)
Is generally understood
by those accustomed to
interacting with
language learners.
Is understood with
occasional difficulty by
those accustomed to
interacting with
language learners.
Is understood somewhat
by those accustomed to
interacting with
language learners.
Language Control
(How well does the
student use the
language?)
Exhibits capacity of
clear, smooth and
accurate
communication.
Most accurate when
producing simple
sentences.
Most accurate with
memorized language
only, including phrases.
Content Expectations
(How well does the
student apply the
content knowledge)
Exhibits content
knowledge and
understanding
required for the unit.
Exhibits some content
knowledge and
understanding
required for the unit.
Exhibits little content
knowledge and
understanding
required for the unit.