Project-based learning ideas
At a recent workshop in Hartford, one of our tutors (who also happens to be a board member) saw a great presentation from Linda Johnson, a facilitator with the Middletown Adult Ed/ESL program. Part of Linda’s strategy is ‘project-based learning’, real-life, experience-based language. In her presentation she broke this into two categories – social and community. Below is a short list of some great ideas in both of these categories.
Social
Projects include:
- cookbooks
- ‘my story’ books
- painted plates that depict a homeland
- poetry
- flags from many nations
- biographies of famous people who live in student’s native country
- a class newspaper
- a reader’s digest type newsletter that includes jokes, recipes, poetry, how to make things, etc.
Community
Projects include:
- recycling
- service to the community (volunteerism)
- developing a ‘business directory’ of places that students frequent
- a visit to the state capital and meeting state legislators and a tour of the capital bldg
- baby showers
- a blog developed by an esl teacher for student/teacher interaction
- a scavenger hunt around town to discover bldgs, parks, stores, services, etc.
- going to plays at the bushnell and ivoryton theaters
- a breakfast that one class had for other classes and civic groups