Fostering Motivation and Engagement in Learning English: Shaping of Mindset and Toolkits Week 14 Discussion of the theory: Digital Immigrants Strangers Warm-up discussion

Fostering Motivation and Engagement in Learning English: Shaping of Mindset and Toolkits


Week 14


Discussion of the theory: Digital Immigrants - Strangers
Warm-up discussion

1. 
   Think about a time when you completed a project that was meaningful for you personally or for your community. What did you do? How did you do it? How did you feel?
   
2. 
   What kinds of assignments, tasks, and/or projects seem to inspire you to work enthusiastically? Why?
   

Key Concepts


Project: An extended task in which students work to solve an authentic problem or produce a complex and meaningful product.
Student-Centered Instruction: A style of teaching that shifts the focus from the teacher to the student. This approach acknowledges that teachers can't simply transfer knowledge to students, but rather students learn much better when they engage in a process of discovery.

One of the best ways to facilitate learning in a way that keeps students engaged and motivated is to incorporate project-based learning. Project-based learning is a teaching method in which students actively engage in real-world and personally-meaningful projects. In a language learning classroom, projects are an ideal way to engage students because they help students use the language they are studying rather than just learn about the language. (Gaer, 1998) Rather than do drills and fill-in-the-blank worksheets, students actually complete a tasking using their language skills in a real-life authentic project. For example, students might make a booklet of their favorite recipes using imperative verb forms and food vocabulary. Or they might create posters to be displayed around the school for an antibullying campaign or food drive. Or they might create a video of interviews with native speakers or about the historic buildings or sightseeing places of interest in their home town. Projects give the students opportunities and reasons to use the language they are studying in meaningful ways. Unfortunately, there is a misperception that projects are just time fillers, a waste of time and not serious learning. With a well-designed project, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Students are using the target language to create something real.

Projects can be done with students of all ages and language levels from beginning to advanced. Projects can be completed in one day, or they can be more extended. The product, outcome, length of time, group composition and other elements will vary according to the context of the learners, length of class periods, number of class meetings per week, and a variety of other factors. No matter what the project or length of time, it is essential that the teacher think through and carefully plan key elements of the project and articulate it clearly to students, so students will feel successful and like it was a good use of their time. Teachers should consider the following while planning and designing projects:

1.