THE TV PROJECT

Working with projects in the Spanish oral class: the context

CONTEXT:◦Academic purpose. ◦Two teachers per group. ◦Oral classes are hold once every two weeks = 18 hours approx. per year.

◦Flexibility in the oral class program.◦Working with different groups that have the same level

Choosing an area/subject of interest.

Specification of the communicative objectives

Planning of the final task(s) that will show that the objectives were achieved

Specification of the components(thematic & linguistic) needed to perform de task(s)

Planning of enabling tasks and communicative needed to achieve the final task(s).Recycling and systematizing of the elements that have previously been treated in class.

Evaluation is incorporated as part of the learning

process.

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Planning a project: Steps to follow alone or with the students (from Esteire & Zanón)

Step 1: The rationale. Why? Choosing an area of interest

Enhancing autonomy

Interact with non-modified input

Increase motivation in the language learning process

Skills integration

Step 2 & 3: specification of the communicative objectives & Planning the final task(s)

Negotiation with the students of the type of programs we are going to work with based on:

• Quiz shows•News

•Weather forecast•Commercials•Talk shows •Telenovelas

•…

•Students interests and needs •Language implications •Time constraints•Sessions based

Step 4: Specification of the components (thematic & linguistic)

Discussion and analysis of the content with the students.

To prevent frustration

To create expectation

To involve students

To determine the organization and order of the sessions

Step 4: example

Week 4: Weather Forecast

Goal: to understand people talking about the weather. To read a map and give weather forecasts.

Goals: Functional Goals: vocabulary Goals : grammar

Use weatherexpressions: “hacerbuen tiempo”…

Verbs related the weather: “llover, nevar…”

Contrast of future simple & verbal periphrasis “ir + a”

Talk about weather forecast

Vocabulary related to the weather: “tormenta, viento…”

Verbs “Ser”, “Hacer”, “Estar” related to the weather

Use and recognize geographicexpressions

Geographical terms: “costa, montañas, norte…”

Step 5: planning of enabling + communicative tasks & Recycling and systematizing of previously treated elements

Session planning by weeks

Week 1: project introduction + discussion and negotiation of plan to work

Week 2: Quiz show

Week 3: News

Week 4: Weather forecast

Week 5: Debate programs / Telenovela

Week 6: Commercials

Week 7: Presentation of the project + evaluation

Step 5: example. Enabling and communicative task(s)

Expl. Week 2: Quiz showGoals:

Writing Comprehension (WC):

Reading quiz show questions & answer them.

Listening Comprehension(LC):

To recognize & understand different kinds of questions used in different TV quiz shows.

Writing Expresion(WE):

to create quiz show questions for their classmates

Oral Expression & Interaction (OE&I):

Work in question intonation. Quiz show between students.

Step 6: Evaluation

Evaluation as part of the process: ◦ The progress related to the completion of the different enabling task & in relation to the final project.

Final evaluation: ◦ students simulation and performance of the project

Evaluation of the project:◦ Students opinion about working with a project

Final Notes. Some afterthoughts

Give more emphasis to the different aspects learnt during the course.

Need more previous work (planning, foreseeing of problems & material collection)

Letting students be more involved: sharing responsibilities

More flexibility