Innovation Project based learning – custom of wedding in english 12

LAO CAI EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT
Lao Cai High school No 1
INNOVATION
Project based learning – Custom of wedding 
in English 12
 Name: Nguyen Thi Thanh Hien
 Teacher of English
 Lao Cai High school No.1
Lao Cai, March 19th 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
No.
Items
Pages
Table of contents
2
I.
INTRODUCTION
3
1.
The aim
3
2.
Rationale 
3
3.
Real situation
3
II.
THE CONTENT
4
1.
Theory of project-based learning
4
1.1.
What project-based learning is
5
1.2.
Advantages and disadvantages of project-based learning
5
1.3.
Project-based learning images
5
1.4.
The subject
5
2.
Application
6
III.
CONCLUSION
9
1.
Results
9
2. 
Closing remarks 
10
References
11
Appendix
I. INTRODUCTION
1. The aim
Nowadays, English has become more and more important. It is an official language of business, commerce, aviation and communication. In Vietnam, English is a compulsory subject in secondary schools. It is now the period of the world’s integration. Therefore, Teaching English at secondary school should focus on language skills.
Project about customs of wedding will help my students in grade 12D improve their language skills especially communicative skills. 
	2. Rationale
I am now in charge of teaching English for grade 10, and 12. During my teaching, I have found out that my students only focus on the exams, which leads them to try to master only vocabulary and grammar. Therefore, they cannot use English as a language. That means they cannot use it to communicate in real life. Moreover, in our province my students depend much on the teachers at school. They do not have many opportunities to practise what they have learnt in the society. In the terms of teaching and learning English, we have only 3 or 4 lessons a week. The more difficult thing is that there are 30 to 40 students in one class, so during 45 minutes rarely does every student have chance to speak out their ideas. To solve this problem I would like to apply project based learning (Customs of wedding - Unit 3: Cultural diversity) in my class 12D, in the hope of enhancing my students’ language skills. 
3. Real situation
	Lao Cai No.1 High School was established in 1961. It is located in the centre of the province which is a mountainous area in the North of Vietnam. Our school is equipped with enough facilities for teaching and learning such as wireless Internet, 1 English multi-media room. More than ten classrooms have computers and projectors. There are 6 Departments with a total of 80 teachers. Each department room has one computer with Internet and one laptop. There are 8 teachers of English in our school. All of them are well-educated, hardworking and enthusiastic in teaching.
	There are 30 classes (10 classes for each grade) in my school with a student population of more than 1000. The students are obedient and quite hardworking. Every year the percentage of grade 12 students passing the national final exam is about 98%. However, very few students can use English to communicate with other people as well as foreigners.
	In high schools in Vietnam, especially in mountainous areas, there are only 3 or 4 English lessons a week. There is no English environment outside classrooms. Thus, students’ English skills depend much on what they learn in these lessons. At present, teachers of English in our school teach students following the text book designed by the Ministry of Education and Training. We do not know well how to improve their language skills. After studying about project based learning, I have decided to apply this method with my students in class 12D to improve my students’ language skills.
 	II. THE CONTENT
1. Theory
1.1. What is project based learning?
Project-based learning is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges, with this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subject they are studying.
Project based learning benefits students a lot. When engaged, students learn not only the knowledge and the concept involved, but also learn how to organize and present their thoughts, how to manage a complex project in a limited amount of time, and how to collaborate with members of a group.
1.2. Advantages and disadvantages of project- based learning
“One of the major advantages of project work is that it makes school more like real life” – Sylvia Clard, University of Albrata.
Project-based learning requires students to undertake their own fact findings and analysis, either from library, internet research, by interviewing the local people or foreigners or from gathering data empirically, through which students can master the knowledge as well as improve their skills, especially their language skills.
Project-based learning challenges students to not only learn but also to apply their new knowledge, which is the goal of our education nowadays.
However, project-based learning has some disadvantages such as time consuming and the facilities for doing the project followed. In the curriculum, there are not any periods for project based learning, while the teacher needs some lessons for instructing the tasks to the students, dividing them into groups, feedback after each stage of the project; students need time to present their result in front of the class.
1.3. Project based learning images
1.4. The subject
Class 12D with 35 students (33 girls and 2 boys), there is one girl having difficulty in speaking. This class is studying advanced English, so their level is quite good. Moreover, they are eager to learning and love English.
2. Application
2.1. Teaching plan
Time: 45 minutes
Topic: WEDDING CUSTOMS BY COUNTRY
 2.1.1. Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to classify the different types of wedding customs by country in terms of Wedding preparation, wedding steps, wedding ceremonies, wedding gifts and wedding colours.
Improving students’ writing skill and presentations
a) Knowledge: 
- Customs of Wedding in some specific ethnic minority groups in the Northwest of Vietnam and in some parts of the world. The similarities and the diferences relating to the wedding procedures and wedding stuff.
- Combination of knowledge of many different subjects on English, Literarure, Cilvic Education, Geography and Information Technology
 b) Skills: 
- Working in groups
- Searching and sellecting information and pictures on the internet and other sources.
- Taking photographs
- Making videos
- Interviewing foreigners: Face to face
- Writing skill and presentations 
- Writing participants’, teachers’ and classmates’ Feedback
 c) Attitude: - Providing more knowledge of wedding in different countries as well as taking great cares of protecting and preserving one’s own wedding tradition as it has been changing day by day with the fluence of other cultures.
 2.1. 2. Preparations:
 a) Teachers: Laptops, overhead projecter, audio recorders, cameras, textbook (English 12). 
 b) Students: Computers, cameras, papers, pens, books.
2.1.3. Procedure
Teacher’s activities
Time
Students’ activities
Teaching aids
I. Introduction
Teacher gives background note of the wedding
 Step 1: Show a picture of the wedding, Ask the students if they talk about the image. Get them to talk in groups of five about what they know about the wedding 
Step 2. Work in groups, brainstorm the Wedding customs. Then representative of each group goes to the board and writes them down.
Step 3: Correct and give comments and the focus of the project.
Wedding customs in the North of Vietnam
Wedding ceremonies
Preparation for the wedding
Wedding gifts
Wedding colours
Wedding party
Places of the Wedding 
Step 4: devide the work to each group and guide students how to do with the project
a. Vote groups leader
b. Devide the work to each individual
c. Where to get the materials? (eg. Internet, books newspapers, ...)
d. How to work with the materials/ sources?
e. Plan the time to do the project
f. Who will be invited for the interview?
g. Writing reports
h. Delivering presentations
i. Interviewing (suggestions: foreigners at Laocai train and bus stations, David – a British teacher in Laocai High school for gifted students and Amanda – an American volunteer teacher in Laocai Teacher training College) 
Step 5: Analyze data collections. Use powerPoint for product presentations. Note references.
5’
10’
10’
15’
5’
See the picture, group discussion, listen and take notes
Go to the board and write down the ideas they have just discussed to each other
Choosing topic for the team
Group 1: Wedding customs in the North of Vietnam
Group 2: Wedding ceremonies
Group 3: Preparation for the wedding
Group 4: Wedding customs
Group 5: Wedding Gifts
- Groups dicussion
- Planing the schedule in details
- Choosing tasks and volunteer to bring project stuff. For instance, recorders, latops, camaras, ...
- Contacting with foreigners
Listen and take note
Ask questions
Projector to show the slices
Books, pens, papers, laptops
ONE WEEK LATER
CARRY OUT AND COMPLETE THE PROJECT (2 hours)
Teacher’s activities
Students’ Activities
1. Instruct students how to deal with data collected
2. support some skills in using computers such as how to use mindmap, Powerpoint
3. Observe them to do the work and give advice.
- Meet again and do the task together
Analyze in information
Asking for help if neccessary
Discuss how to present the products
Come to an agreement and complete the forms, audieo recordings and other work.
TWO WEEKS LATER
PRESENTATION
Teacher’s activities
Students’ Activities
Giving instruction and expectations
Listen to each presentation
Put up questions
Fill in the the comment form
Group 1: Wedding customs in the North of Vietnam
Group 2: Wedding ceremonies
Group 3: Preparation for the wedding
Group 4: Wedding customs
Group 5: Wedding Gift
III. CONCLUSION 
1. Result
Before applying this method, only some of students could know a little about custom of wedding. In addition, none of them feel confident enough to talk to foreigner or to stand in front of the class to present in English. When I have applied this method, I find out that my student have improved many skills such as: searching, interviewing, gathering and analyzing information, writing an essay as well as presenting in English in the public. All students in my class got the knowledge about customs of wedding in all over the world.
2. Closing remarks
With the using project-based learning to engage my students and to help them have overview about the customs of wedding, my students can make progress in learning English. I hope that this teaching method will help my students have improvement in language skills and inspire them to learn English. I will use project-based learning to teach my students knowledge about other topics.
After having the result of the using this method, I hope the English teachers of our province can use this method to teach the other classes in their schools.
REFERENCES
Sylvia Clard, University of Albrata.
https://www.google.com.vn/search