MASARYK UNIVERSITY BRNO FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING: HALLOWEEN PARTY

DIPLOMA THESIS

WRITTEN BY: VLASTA ROUSOVÁ SUPERVISOR: PhDr. ALENA KAŠPÁRKOVÁ

BRNO 2008

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to thank PhDr. Alena Kašpárková for her kind help and valuable advice that she provided me throughout my thesis as my supervisor.

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DECLARATION I declare that I worked on my thesis on my own and that I used the sources mentioned in the bibliography. 20. 3. 2008

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CONTENTS 1

Introduction

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1.1

Reasons for choosing this topic

8

1.2

The aim of the thesis

8

2

Theoretical part

9

2.1

"Project" – variations of the term in definitions

9

2.1.1

Czech sources

9

2.1.2

English sources

9

2.2

A brief history of project work

13

2.2.1

Pragmatic pedagogy and John Dewey

13

2.2.2

Project-based learning

14

2.3

Connected methods and approaches

15

2.3.1

Humanistic tradition and learner-centredness

15

2.3.2

Co-operative learning and project work

17

2.3.3

Community language learning and project work

18

2.3.4

Task/Problem-based learning and project work

20

2.3.5

Self-directed learning and learner autonomy

21

2.3.6

Cross-curricular teaching and project work

23

2.4

Teacher’s roles in PBL

25

2.5

The benefits of PBL

27

2.6

Motivation in PBL

28

2.7

Possible problems and difficulties in PBL

31

2.8

The development of the project

33

2.8.1

Bridging/Lead-in activities

33

2.8.2

Planning

33

2.8.3

Carrying out the project

34

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2.8.4

Creating the final product

36

2.8.5

Presentation and final evaluation

36

3

Practical part

37

3.1

Preface

37

3.2

Syllabus

38

3.2.1

Teaching unit I: Lead-in activities

40

3.2.2

Teaching unit II: Halloween festival

49

3.2.3

Teaching unit III: A pumpkin lantern

58

3.2.4

Teaching unit IV: Music at the party

62

3.2.5

Teaching unit V: Refreshments at the party

66

3.2.6

Teaching unit VI: Posters and invitation cards

71

3.2.7

Teaching unit VII: Programme of the party

75

3.2.8

Teaching unit VIII: Final evaluation

79

3.2.8.1 Halloween party – the final product

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3.2.8.2 Assessment scheme (Achievement test, Questionnaire)

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3.2.8.3 Reactions to piloted activities (evaluation and feedback)

86

4

Conclusion

89

5

Résumé

90

6

Bibliography

91

7

List of Appendixes

95

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Foreword Whenever a student is supposed to write a work at the end of his/her studies, he/she is standing face to face to a new phase of life. This time, often associated with retrospection and self-reflection, causes a stream of thoughts in a student’s mind and it could be very difficult to calm them down. Young people have different ambitions and aspirations. However, all of them are spurred on by the innate need of self-determination. Before they step over the threshold of a new period of their life, their mind is usually made up and their aims are established. The studies of the English language at the Faculty of Education include three main areas: linguistics, literature and methodology. Which of them has proved to be closest to me? Linguistics helped me to perceive the language as a system with all the rules and exceptions. All its branches are highly interesting, but excuse me, M.A.K. Halliday, I have not chosen a linguistic topic. Literature, on the other hand, does not strictly follow language rules and offers a large space for learner’s imagination, intuition and inventiveness. Simply, whereas linguistics gives you a map and compass, literature gives you wings. Nevertheless, excuse me, Anthony Burgess, I have not decided for a literature topic either. So, what has not been mentioned yet? I have come to a decision to write a thesis based on a methodological topic that will serve as a well of ideas or as a demonstration of my pedagogical approach in my future career. Frankly, my desire to teach is still growing and, gradually, I have recognised that this kind of job could give me real enjoyment and satisfaction. Both teachers and children are encouraged to use their creativity. Moreover, teaching includes everyday interaction with young people and the chance for constant development.

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1 Introduction This diploma thesis is entitled "Project-based Learning: Halloween Party" and deals with the topic of project work. Contemporary educational standards determine the choice of teaching methods and approaches. Students are supposed to acquire so called "key skills", e.g. responsibility, independence, cooperation and critical thinking. PBL seems to cater for all these requirements. Moreover, this approach brings real life tasks into the teaching process. Theoretical part includes eight chapters providing necessary background knowledge for teachers interested in projects. The first chapter investigates variations of the term "project" in definitions and searches for the clearest explanation. An insight into the history of project work is offered in the second chapter. Here one can learn basic facts about pragmatic pedagogy and the emergence of PBL. Next, the chapter 2.3 explores the connections between PBL and other approaches, i.e. humanistic tradition, co-operative learning, community language learning, task-based learning, self-directed learning and cross-curricular teaching. An important aspect of changes in teacher’ role is mentioned afterwards. Then both benefits and difficulties in PBL, as well as motivation, are discussed. The last chapter is concerned with the actual development of a project and describes in detail its particular stages. Practical part is designed as a manual consisting of eight teaching units: Lead-in activities, Halloween festival, A pumpkin lantern, Music at the party, Refreshments at the party, Posters and invitation cards, Programme of the party and Final evaluation. It is a detailed teachers’ guide to the topic of a "Halloween party". This long-term project is described here through a set of lesson plans, which should be easy for ELT teachers to follow. The tasks and activities are planned for learners of an intermediate level. The thesis also includes an important appendix. Enclosed herewith are handouts, worksheets, examples of assignments, pictures and photos that support the overall idea of this project.

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1.1 Reasons for choosing this topic

It must be mentioned that the primary motive to develop a diploma thesis based on the topic of projects was personal experience with piloting some of the activities. It caused an avalanche of ideas which had to be classified and organized into a whole. I had heard and read about projects before, therefore I was eager to give my ideas the form of a project. What were the aspects that convinced me to study all the available resources about projects and write this diploma thesis? Firstly, both teachers and students rarely come across tangible outcomes in the educational system. It is true that knowledge, skills, abilities, developed interests and established relationships are of a great value. Nevertheless, from time to time we long for producing something 'real' which we can touch and show to others. Maybe, we sometimes need to fly down from abstract sphere and 'build a house', 'tailor a suit'. In this sense, project work offers a solution in the form of a tangible end-product giving learners a real sense of achievement and clearly indicating their work and progress. Secondly, going through a project means to be in contact with reality and see the practical application of more subjects from the curriculum, not just of English. Students feel as adults, doing a task from real life. Very often students work on a certain structure, vocabulary or grammar item hard and repeatedly but it can be called 'knowledge' only when they are able to use it in practice. It is claimed that project work means learning by doing and experience, which should facilitate the learning process, both in the terms of speed and retention. The topic of a Halloween party is hoped to be interesting and challenging for all the participants. It is also believed that such a topic can be a powerful driving force for project’s successful implementation.

1.2 The aim of the thesis The aim of this diploma thesis is to create a work of practical usage that can serve as a source of inspiration and refreshment for EFL lessons. It is an attempt to generate a project-based task for intermediate students and exploit the topic as much as possible for their development. Equally important, the thesis should be a thorough investigation into PBL and it should enable the author to confirm or disprove long lists of PBL benefits.

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2 Theoretical part

2.1 "Project" – variations of the term in definitions Both natural sciences and humanities have their own fields of study, research methods and terminology. Pedagogy defines hundreds of terms that can be differentiated according to their transparency. The term "project" occurs in pedagogical dictionaries and methodology books in different combinations, e.g. Project Teaching, Project Method, Project Approach, Project-based Approach, Project-centred Approach, Project-based Learning often abbreviated as PBL. It might appear clear at first sight, but what is seemingly familiar can turn into a "hard nut" during a deeper insight. Although the word "project" has its roots in American philosophy, it is also discussed and described by many Czech pedagogy experts. The following paragraphs demonstrate how this term is defined by both Czech and English authors. It is essential to remark that this chapter is focused on definitions, therefore there is less amount of personal ideas.

2.1.1 Czech sources

In the first half of the 20th century, pedagogy in the Czech lands flourished and was enriched by democratic and progressive ideas of outstanding educationalists and professors. Otokar Chlup, a professor of pedagogy at the Masaryk University in Brno at that time, interprets the project method as follows: „The project method organizes lesson topics as a series of projects or complete tasks that would be attractive for a pupil through its concrete goal. Pupils, working on the realization of a project, are gaining particular knowledge and skills that are eventually the teaching aims themselves, and the project becomes only a tool for reaching this aim. In every project a pupil is facing numerous questions or problems concentrating on the same unifying idea. A project changes the school life." (Chlup, 1939).

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The 90s continued these democratic traditions and modern theories were also born. It is possible to find other definitions of a project in this period. Valenta claims that a project is a task designed definitely and clearly, and we can introduce it to pupils so that they regard it as important for life, because it is very near to real-life activities. (Valenta, 1993). The Pedagogical Dictionary from 1998 presents the project method in a straightforward way: "It is a teaching method which leads pupils to the solution of complex problems and experience is gained through practical activity and experiments. It is derived from pragmatic pedagogy and instrumentalism. It is also one of the most important motivational strategies and significantly supports cooperative learning. Projects can be arranged as integrated topics, practical problems or activities leading to the creation of a certain visual or written end-product." (Průcha, 1998: 194). Later, new experience with this kind of approach added other worth mentioning aspects. „A project is a specific kind of a learning task, in which pupils are allowed to choose a topic and direction of its investigation. Therefore the result is predictable only to a limited extent. It is a task that requires initiative, creativity and organisational skills, as well as undertaking responsibility for the solution of problems connected with the topic." (Kasíková, 2001: 49). Using the words of Oldřich Šimoník, a project can be characterized as a complex task, when pupils simultaneously acquire new knowledge and skills. During the realization stage, the whole range of activation methods, i.e. independent learning in particular, could be used. More important that the goal itself is the way to it, the recognition process, pupils’ active, independent both practical and thought activities connected with task and problem solving. (Šimoník, 2003: 58). These days numerous definitions can be found on the Internet. Only several chosen examples are presented below. Project method is based on the connection of theory and practice, i.e. the combination of a learning process with common life. It is the way of teaching making pupils search for information sources, leading to collating information, experiments, discussions, presentation of the result, evaluation and feedback. It supports activity, creativity, interactive communication, responsibility, cooperation, the ability to see the problem as a part of more subjects. At the beginning, the goal is always established and pupils’ main task is to find a way or ways to it.

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Projects can be of different duration and range, from one lesson to several years, covering one or more subjects or areas. A project can be also defined as a plan, intention, task, the fulfilment of which pupils achieve independently, only with teacher’ assistance and guidance.

2.1.2 English sources

It is necessary to explore ideas and opinions of English authors interested in projects. A well-known personality who deserves to be in the centre of attention is John Dewey. He can also be considered the father of project approach. More details about his philosophy are written in the next chapter, but here the shortened version of his definition of a project is offered. Dewey says that project does not present topics as verbal formulations to be memorized, but brings conditions when pupils try their resourcefulness, ability to make right decisions, activity. And this certain degree of uneasiness, certain amount of obstacles should maintain pupils’ attention. Thinking begins where obstacles are. It is aimed at a close relation between thinking and practice. An emphasis is put on updating knowledge and making it more topical. (sweb). W. Kilpatrick, another follower of pragmatic pedagogy, indicates the differences between traditional and modern theory of teaching. Whereas, the traditional one represents learning from books, learning words and utterances of others, holding back from real life, learning through repetition and the promise that "what has been learned will be applied somewhere else and at some other time, the modern theory introduces learning through experience, situations of concrete personal life, pupils’ behaviour as a part of learning process and immediate practice. (Singule, 1990: 182). It is possible to find another definition in a practical book about the modern theory, Teaching Today, by G. Petty. He adds that a project is a task or a series of tasks that pupils should fulfil, mostly individually but sometimes in groups. Pupils can often decide themselves how, where, when and in what order they will do the tasks. (Petty, 1996: 213). Simon Haines explanation of project work should not be left out: "Projects are multi-skill activities focusing on topics or themes rather than on specific language targets. Of crucial importance is the part which students themselves play in the initial choice of subject matter and in the decisions related to appropriate working methods, the project

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timetable and the eventual 'end-product'…project work provides students with opportunities to recycle known language and skills in a relatively natural context." Harmer then adds that projects involve investigation, reporting, commitment and dedication from students and the most important thing here is the end-product. (Harmer, 1991: 147,148). Nowadays, a three teaching approaches are often mentioned together. They are project, problem and inquiry-based learning. They all fit the description of technology-rich learning environment. "In each case, technology is used to facilitate learning. It may be a tool to organize ideas, search for current information, or present ideas, such as PowerPoint presentations. However the focus of learning environment is the student’s excitement about solving a problem or addressing an issue they find meaningful." (eduscapes). A clear definition found at says: "A project is defined as an in-depth investigation of a real world topic worthy of children’s attention and effort. The study may be carried out by a class or by small groups of children. Projects can be undertaken with children of any age. They do not usually constitute the whole educational program. Younger children will play and explore as well as engage in projects. Older children’s project work will complement the systematic instruction in their program." The next paragraph explains: "The Project Approach refers to a set of teaching strategies which enable teachers to guide children through in-depth studies of real world topics. The Project Approach is not unstructured. There is a complex but flexible framework with features that characterize the teaching-learning interaction. When teachers implement the Project Approach successfully, children can be highly motivated, feel actively involved in their learning, and produce work of a high quality." To summarize, it seems that projects are extended tasks which usually integrate language skills work by means of a number of activities. These activities combine in working towards an agreed goal and may include the following: planning, gathering of information, group discussion, problem solving, oral and written reporting and display.

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2.2 A brief history of project work It might be claimed that the variations of the project definition has just been investigated and the imaginary "hard nut" has been cracked. It is not difficult now to explain the term in own words and the author inclines to using the term Project-based Learning (PBL) as well. It is felt that "an approach" is something more binding and it is immediately associated with the approaches mentioned in the book Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching by D. Larsen-Freeman. "A method", however, appears to be a suitable term and projects are really closely connected with a certain kind of procedure and specific types of teaching methods. Nevertheless, the author appreciates the useful acronym "PBL". It is widely recognised that philosophy is the mother of many later separated branches of study. Pedagogy, born as an independent child in the 19th century, has always been fed with philosophical ideas and streams.

2.2.1 Pragmatic pedagogy and John Dewey

Pragmatic philosophy was the most widespread in USA from the end of the 19th century till the 50’s of the 20th century. The founder and the most prominent representative of the pragmatic pedagogy is John Dewey (1859-1952). Educational approaches already indicated in the 18th century by Franklin and Jefferson took shape thanks to Dewey. He perceives education as a tool for solving problems that people encounter in real life. He also says: „I want to connect school with life, make it for a child a residence where it learns directly through life, instead of school being just a classroom where a child is given tasks…a school should be a place where a child would really live." (Dewey, 1904: 20, 51). Dewey creates his own conception, so called instrumentalism. Its crucial feature is individual experience gained in practice that provides motives, develops interests and helps to reveal and solve problems. The development of children’s activity is also very important. The theory gave a birth to "an active" school, where the Project-based Learning was its basis. (Průcha, 1998: 184). Dewey’s two most famous books (Democracy and education, School and society) indicate an emphasis on the connection between school

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and real life, theory and practice, which is still up-to-date. Without any doubt, every educational system should be democratic, tolerant, humanistic and open as much as possible. Only then children could learn effectively and, above all, for themselves. Dewey was followed by other educators, e.g. William Kilpatrick (1871-1965), who have acknowledged the benefits of experimental, student-directed learning and planned various field trips, laboratory investigations and interdisciplinary activities. "Doing projects is a long-standing tradition in American education." (bie).

2.2.2 Project-based Learning

Project-based Learning Handbook, available at provides interesting information on the further development:

"The emergence of Project-based Learning is the result of two important developments over the last 25 years. First, there has been a revolution in learning theory. Research in neuroscience and psychology has extended cognitive and behavioural models of learning, which support traditional direct instruction, to show that knowledge, thinking, doing, and the contexts for learning are inextricably tied. We now know that learning is partly a social activity, it takes place within the context of culture, community and past experiences. Research shows that learners not only respond by feeding back information, but they also actively use what they know to explore, interpret, and create. They construct solutions, thus shifting the emphasis toward the process of learning. Second, the world has changed. Nearly all teachers understand how the industrial culture has shaped the organization and methods of schools in the 19th and 20th centuries, and they recognize that schools most now adapt to a new century. It is clear that children need both knowledge and skills to succeed. This need is driven not only by workforce demands for high-performance employees who can plan, collaborate, and communicate, but also by the need to help all young people learn civic responsibility and master their new roles as global citizens. In a sense, the need for education to adapt to a changing world is the primary reason that PBL is increasingly popular. PBL is an attempt to create new instructional practices that reflect the environment in which children now live and learn.

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And, as the world continues to change, so does the definition of PBL. The most important recent shift in education has been the increased emphasis on standards, clear outcomes, and accountability." (bie).

2.3 Connected methods and approaches 2.3.1 Humanistic tradition and learner-centredness

It is known that the USA is the cradle of humanistic psychology flourishing in the 50s of the 20th century at the mycelium of the beat generation and hippies. Understandably, what is the most important is a human being, his/her ideas, opinions, selfperception and experiences. Human development is stimulated by the endeavour of selfrealization. People should act according to it and gradually reach independence, satisfaction and the meaning of life. It is possible to learn more from Maslow’s selfactualization theory or Rogers’ indirect therapy and education. Petty reminds that the famous humanistic psychologist, Carl Rogers, emphasizes the idea that learning is not what others do with children, but what children do themselves…students should learn actively. (Petty, 1996: 52). Humanistic stream in pedagogy supported "a common belief in the primacy of affective and emotional factors within the learning process". (Nunan, 2000: 234). Proponents of methods derived from humanistic psychology also claim that no teaching techniques can succeed without taking into consideration these affective factors. Responsible and enthusiastic teachers sometimes devise various innovative techniques and activities very carefully, however the most basic and natural elements are often forgotten. But remember those numerous lectures mentioning the importance of positive school climate, class atmosphere, friendly relationships and partnership between teachers and students. The author of this thesis has an intention to repeat again that only the teacher with inner optimism and affection for teaching is able to create desirable atmosphere described by humanistic educationalists. In other words, "if learners can be encouraged to adopt the right attitudes, interests and motivation in the target language and culture, as well as in the

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learning environment in which they find themselves, then successful learning will occur". (Nunan, 2000: 234). Humanistic approach is defined by Moskowitz in this way: "Humanistic techniques are those that blend what the student feels, thinks and knows with what he is learning in the target language. Rather than self-denial being the acceptable way of life, self-actualization and self-esteem are the ideals the exercises pursue…these techniques help students to be themselves, to accept themselves, and be proud of themselves…help foster a climate of caring and sharing in the foreign language class. (Moskowitz 1978:2).

According to Nunan, the proponents of humanism in language learning are Curran who developed Community Language Learning, Gattegno who created the Silent Way, Lozanov who produced Suggestopedia, and the most significant is Earl Stevick. He became dissatisfied with both audio-lingual habit theory and cognitive code learning. Instead, he found a deep interest in applying principles of humanistic psychology to language learning and teaching. Stevick came to the conclusion that success or failure in language teaching lies in the extent to which one caters to the learner’s affective domain, i.e. learner’s emotional attitude towards the teacher, fellow learners, target language and culture. It is argued that teachers should select materials, activities and overall language content according to it. Moreover, there is a demand for making teaching subservient to learning. (Nunan, 2000: 235). It means that authoritative style of teaching is prohibited; the teacher is no more 'the master of puppets'. In other words, the teacher-directed approach is replaced with learner-centredness and nondirectiveness. Learners’ attitudes, beliefs, preferences and ideas are seriously taken into consideration. Broadly speaking, students are in the centre of attention, which is an outstanding aspect of project work. Another shared principle is that of a change in teacher’s roles. These will be dealt with later, but the top functions of the teacher that are depicted in Nunan should be mentioned here. It is claimed that the most important is "the vibes" that the teacher puts out. What is meant by this peripheral expression? It has to do with the warmth and enthusiasm that the teacher radiates. It is a part of the second personal or interpersonal function dealing with already emphasized emotional needs and classroom climate. Practical goals of language learning desired by society are included in the third function.

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The last two roles are representing the cognitive function with expected teacher’s knowledge and the management function with organization and coordination skills. (Nunan, ibid.).

2.3.2 Co-operative Learning and Project Work

Generally, when people are supposed to work in a group they need to co-operate and help each other to succeed. Many publications on teamwork have been written in the management area. There is a strong evidence that co-operation is also a frequent issue in education. Moreover, it is one of the key competences that should be developed according to a new educational framework. Project work can follow different interaction patterns, such as individual work, pair work, group or whole class work. However, the creation of an outstanding end-product is a demanding task and often requires responsible group work when all the members are highly interested in the task fulfilment. A great advantage is the fact that different groups can deal with different parts of the project. For example, a tourist brochure could include chapters providing information on history, geography, accommodation, sport and leisure facilities etc. These sections might be assigned to several groups of students, taking into account their hobbies and interests. Even better, students themselves should be allowed to decide which part would be the most attractive for them. Although, J. A. Comenius put an emphasis on a competitive atmosphere and his legacy is still a valuable source for teachers, competition should be taken only as one of activation techniques or warm-ups. It seems that the heterogeneousity in classes is still increasing. Students come from different learning background, with different experience and intensity of teaching. They also have different learning strategies. In this sense, visual, audio, kinaesthetic, left-brained and right-brained types can be distinguished. On top of that, diagnosed pupils with specific learning difficulties should be seriously taken into consideration. In this case, class management becomes extremely important. Co-operation is an inseparable part. Teachers should make pupils co-operate and there should be groups where the brighter would help the weaker ones. Thus an individual approach is respected. Without any doubt, group activities are very effective, especially when organising a project in a mixed-ability class.

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H. Kasíková enumerates the advantages of group work as follows: - pupils’ activity is increased - more pupils are involved in work, including the slower ones - pupils’ interest in tasks is higher - pupils take on the responsibility for both learning and mistakes - pupils are allowed to follow their own pace to a certain extent - pupils acquire communicative and organizational skills - pupils’ self-confidence is increased - various problem solving procedures are naturally compared - the teacher has enough time to devote to the weaker group (Kasíková, 1997:19). Group work is regarded a prerequisite for co-operative learning. Kasíková claims that co-operative learning is realised when "positive mutual dependence" exist among the pupils, i.e. pupils realize that they can not succeed unless their classmates succeed and they must coordinate their effort for achieving the goal, personal responsibility of each pupil is required, activities takes place in the interaction face to face, pupils develop interpersonal skills and the group is capable of self-reflection. Learners work in group in order to be able to manage themselves in the future. (Kasíková, 1997:39, 2003:3). Similarly, project work prepares students for solving real-life problems, tasks and situations. It also promotes learner autonomy, i.e. makes learners responsible for their own learning. It might be concluded that co-operative learning is an integral part of project work.

2.3.3 Community Language Learning and Project Work

Community Language Learning (CLL) is one of the language teaching methods developed by Charles A. Curran as mentioned in the chapter 2.2.3. Richards and Rogers explain that CLL has its roots in Counselling-Learning theory to teach languages. Accordingly, CLL redefines the roles of the teacher (the counsellor) and learners (the clients). The basic procedures of CLL can thus be seen as derived from the counsellorclient relationship. (Richards, Rogers, 2001: 90). Not only is the teacher a counsellor, but he also functions as a monitor, assistant, adviser, supporter and facilitator, as during project work.

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The class is transformed into a community of learners with close relationships and important communication flows. CLL includes "interactions between learners and interactions between learners and knowers" (Richards, Rogers, 2001: 91) and is also termed whole-person learning. A key element of CLL classroom procedures is according to Curran "consensual validation or convalidation, in which mutual warmth, understanding, and positive evaluation of the other person’s worth develop between the teacher and the learner. (ibid.: 92). Similarly, Nunan adds that CLL is built on support, commitment, trust, cohesiveness, solidarity and low anxiety level among the members of the group. (Nunan, 2000: 236). It is necessary to point out here that this transformation of a class into a community with a supportive atmosphere is a condition for all successful projects. Next to mention, Curran presents very interesting theory of psychological requirements for successful learning entitled as an acronym "SARD". - S stands for security - A stands for attention and aggression (child’s knowledge is a tool for self-assertion) - R stands for retention and reflection. What is retained is internalized and becomes a part of the learner’s new persona in the foreign language. Reflection means self-assessment and re-evaluation of future goals. - D denotes discrimination which enables students to communicate outside the classroom (ibid.). Both Community Language Learning and Project-based Learning starts with a topic or a task, and therefore the progression is very similar. Both approaches can be indicated as task or topic-based. In CLL "learners are nominating things they wish to talk about and messages they wish to communicate to other learners. The teacher’s responsibility is to provide a conveyance for these meanings in a way appropriate to the learners’ proficiency level." (Richards, Rogers, 2001: 93). Other resemblances between CLL and PBL concern the choice of activities. These are, for instance, discussion, problem solving, free conversation, recording, reflection and observation, self-correction, group work etc. What is of a great importance is collaboration. Richards and Rogers say about CLL: "Learners become members of a community – their fellow learners and the teacher – and learn through interacting with the community.

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Learning is not viewed as an individual accomplishment but as something that is achieved collaboratively." (Richards, Rogers, 2001: 94).

2.3.4 Task/Problem-based Learning and Project Work

As it is indicated in the chapter 2.1, problem-solving and task-fulfilment form a crucial part of project work. It is essential to explain the connections and highlight the benefits. Unlike traditional syllabuses based on grammatical items, structures or functions, projects are focused on meaningful tasks, real life problems and interesting topics or themes. Whereas usual lessons often present the language without an authentic context, carrying out a project enables students to experience authentic language input and authentic tasks.

As a starting point of a task-based learning might be regarded teaching

experiments of the British linguist Allwright conducted in the 1970s. According to Harmer’s summary, students were asked to find information through interviews and communication games. Thus a de-contextualised learning was avoided and students were actively involved in reaching solutions to tasks. These series of tasks had a problem solving element: in solving the problems the students naturally came into contact with the language, which was acquired as a result of students’ deeper experience. (Harmer, 1991: 34). Hutchinson suggests: "Languages are learnt most effectively when we use them to solve problems. Problems make us think and we learn by thinking." (Hutchinson, 1987: 1). Problem-based learning has its roots in heuristics which presents learning through individual discoveries of unknown facts and relations. Learners’ intellectual growth is then guaranteed. It is proved that knowledge gained through learner’s own effort and thinking is likely to be stored in a long-term memory. However, 'ready-made' pieces of information are usually forgotten very soon. There is strong evidence that projects have the power to stimulate students to gather, compare, sort out and evaluate facts. Consequently, they are able to find connections and make conclusions visible in final products.

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2.3.5 Self-directed learning and learner autonomy

Contemporary pedagogy, including new educational documents, emphasizes the development of habits associated with autonomous and lifelong learning, active and responsible approach. In this sense, project work is an effective tool for leading students to self-study and learner independence. It combines working both in and outside the classroom, which gives students an opportunity to take charge of their own learning and enables them to learn independently in the future. Harmer’s wise words say: "We cannot teach students everything so we have to train them to teach themselves." (Harmer, 1991: 37). During project students develop important study and research skills. They are also allowed to make important choices and decisions. They can select the topic, working method, way of presentation or the type of an end product. This is certainly preconditioned by mutual trust between the teacher and the students, responsibility and devotion to the task. Altogether, student autonomy is supposed to be "one of the hallmarks of PBL". (bie). Learner training is a frequently used term in ELT and it is undoubtedly promoted in PBL. Simply, a good teacher should be able to help students to be good learners. But are there any clues how to do so? Hutchinson suggests a number of ways in which it is possible to encourage learner development: 1.

"Always encourage learners to work things out for themselves as much as possible.

The basis of all learning is that we use what we already know to make sense of something new…" During a project, students are often involved in a survey, research and gathering of information. Teachers should not interfere in this stage, however they should believe in students’ abilities and let them have complete freedom of action in dealing with this matter. 1.

"Teach students how to use various reference sources available to them…"

Nowadays, a huge amount of information is easily accessible, which is sometimes a stumbling block. Students might feel confused and lost in this vast ocean of facts. It is up to a teacher to show learners how to get their bearings and choose the right source, which is a condition of every successful project.

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2.

"Check progress to encourage students to reflect on how well they know things. Take action to deal with problems that come up."

In the course of a project, students acquire a lot of new expressions, lexical chunks, grammar structures and also knowledge from other subjects. It is vital to provide continuous feedback, because in this way problems are revealed and enthusiasm for next work stimulated. 3.

"Reassure students that errors are a natural and useful part of language learning. Encourage them through skills activities and project work to take risks with the language…"

As this point suggests, learners can be encouraged through PBL to take risks and experiment with the language. They can learn a lot in this way and they are likely to remember it. 4.

"Try to develop a feeling of fun and challenge in the classroom…The most important aspect of learner development is developing a positive attitude towards English and the learning process." (Hutchinson, 1999: 6,7).

PBL lessons are colourful and lively. Students more speak than listen, more move that sit and more laugh than worry. They trust their teacher and s/he trusts them. First and foremost, working on a project should be an enjoyable activity.

Self-directed and active learning corresponds to modern educational principles, such as activity, independence and creativity, which are key words of PBL. It is stressed that a learner should not be only a passive member of an audience and consumer of teacher’s monologue. Instead, he/she should be stimulated to active participation in the teaching process through various factors, e.g. interest, novelty, applicability, relevance, teaching methods and aids, atmosphere, a teacher as an example etc. (Maňák, 1990: 96). And PBL brings these factors into practice. According to Jůva, all the three types of mental processes should be involved, i.e. cognitive, emotional and volitional. (Jůva, 1997: 11). It is widely recognised that problem solving and project work represent an effective source of learners’ activity. Independence is then expressed by Maňák as tendency to self-assertion and to authentic self-expression. It is also associated with the need of independent deeds, decisions, searching and creation.

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These stages of learner’s independence were verified by researchers: 1. working according to a pattern, imitation, 2. reproduction, 3. reconstruction and invention, 4. critical approach and innovation. (Maňák, 1999: 28). Creativity is the ability to bring something new with a positive value. It is the most appreciated quality of successful projects. Processes suppressed in conventional teaching are applied through creative work: "imagination, fantasy, intuition." It is also possible to acquire at least certain elements of creativity: "sensitivity - ability to find out problems, flexibility - change of a point of view, fluency - proposal of more solutions, originality and elaboration - sense for details. (ibid.: 30).

2.3.6 Cross-curricular teaching and Project Work

It might be a problem for some students to switch from one subject into another and realise the connections. But it would be a blunder to insist on the fact that only one subject is the most important. The crucial point is to orientate yourself in the wide range of knowledge. In this sense, 'the system of isolated pieces of knowledge' should be overcome with the introduction of the cross-curricular approach. This approach requires preparation of materials and cooperation among teachers, which is sometimes demanding. However, its benefits outweigh its drawbacks many times over and teachers are eventually rewarded with surprising results. Students gradually build up a system of knowledge and create the ability of using information gained in other fields. Besides, their self-esteem is raised as they are encouraged to show their strengths connected with other subjects. Teaching across curriculum can be also defined as Content and Language Integrated Learning, abbreviated as CLIL. Content and Language Integrated Project at provides this definition: "CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) aims to introduce students to new ideas and concepts in traditional curriculum subjects (often the Humanities), using the foreign language as the medium of communication - in other words, to enhance the pupils' learning experience by exploiting the synergies between the two subjects." Four major principles of CLIL are stated as follows:

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CONTENT Progression in knowledge, skills and understanding related to specific elements of a defined curriculum. COMMUNICATION Using language to learn - whilst learning to use language. The key is interaction, NOT reaction. COGNITION Developing thinking skills which link concept formation (abstract and concrete), understanding and language CULTURE Exposure to alternative perspectives and shared understandings, which deepen awareness of otherness and self.

(cilt).

The article by the professor Steve Darn available at further explains: "Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) has become the umbrella term describing both learning another (content) subject such as physics or geography through the medium of a foreign language and learning a foreign language by studying a content-based subject. In ELT, forms of CLIL have previously been known as 'Contentbased instruction' or 'English across the curriculum'." (teachingenglish). The summary of the advantages of Content and Language Integrated Learning here contributes to the idea of CLIL and PBL connection: • • •

• • •

• • • •

Knowledge of the language becomes the means of learning content Language is integrated into the broad curriculum Learning is improved through increased motivation and the study of natural language seen in context. When learners are interested in a topic they are motivated to acquire language to communicate CLIL is based on language acquisition rather than enforced learning Language is seen in real-life situations in which students can acquire the language. This is natural language development which builds on other forms of learning Fluency is more important than accuracy and errors are a natural part of language learning. Learners develop fluency in English by using English to communicate for a variety of purposes Introduce the wider cultural context Prepare for internationalisation Access International Certification and enhance the school profile Improve overall and specific language competence

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• • • •

Prepare for future studies and / or working life Develop multilingual interests and attitudes Diversify methods & forms of classroom teaching and learning Increase learner motivation

(ibid.)

Project work provides a large amount of opportunities for cross-curricular teaching. Through projects English can be linked to other curriculum subjects, such as geography, history, art etc. In this way, students’ knowledge gained in other areas can be exploited or even enlarged and reinforced through project activities. Learners become aware of the fact that language is a tool for communication, for transmitting messages and contents that possess real sense.

2.4 Teacher’s roles in PBL Being a teacher is one of the most responsible and demanding professions. Regardless of time or social system, teachers come just after parents to help children to integrate into the society, to gain necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, to arouse interests, to establish the sense of moral and cultural values. Methodology books enumerate many roles of a teacher, including that of a manager, organiser, controller, prompter, assessor, participant, resource and investigator. The last one deserves further attention because of constant development and improvement that is connected with this role. After several years of teaching the job might fall into a dry and uninspiring routine, when a teaching style becomes rigid and mechanical or completely burn-out. Regular self-reflection should help to avoid this situation. It is suggested that reflective teacher with a flexible approach is innovative, creative, open to new trends and methods. One of possible guidelines how to "keep out of the way" is definitely Project-based learning. It is useful to classify PBL in terms of widely acknowledged teaching styles and categories, i.e. student vs. teacher-centred approach and liberal, democratic and authoritative style. It was mentioned in previous chapters that PBL is essentially student – oriented. A special attention devoted to the division of rights and responsibilities gives evidence of a democratic essence of PBL.

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A few general observations concerning teacher’s role in PBL are described in Haines. The largest single factor in successful project work is the teacher’s belief in and commitment to this method of working. Then it must be ensured that students are mature enough to work in this way and prepared thoroughly in advance. This also includes the ability of self- and peer-correction. Haines explains that while projects are in progress, the teacher should act as a reference source alongside dictionaries and grammar books. By contrast, toward the end students need to realise that accuracy is important to the communicative effectiveness of their work and 'end product language' should be as accurate as possible. (Haines, 1989: 4). Project-based Learning Handbook defines teacher’s role as follows: "At the heart of successful PBL is teacher’s ability to support and direct students. This requires instructional, organizational, interpersonal and communication skills, as well as the ability to define the agenda for the class and push a project through to a successful conclusion. It also includes being sensitive to the fact that students finish work at different rates, with different abilities, aptitudes, and learning styles." (bie). On the whole, PBL requires the teacher to adopt a new, enthusiastic attitude, to acquire a wide range of skills and to leave traditional supreme position. It might be said that 'leadership' is replaced by 'partnership'. Going back to the idea of CLL, the teacher should really act as a counsellor, assistant, adviser or consultant, being prepared to give advice and help with overcoming all difficulties and obstacles. It is his/her duty to coordinate and facilitate the whole process. Teacher’s stage-by-stage role is clearly outlined by Simon Haines: Initially, the teacher should arouse interest and elicit students’ ideas for the thematic direction, methods of working, timetable, suitable end product and resource implications. During the project, the teacher should take on the role of facilitator, which involves becoming a source of ideas and advice, a referee helping to resolve arguments or disagreements, chairperson during groups’ reports to the whole class. Finally, teacher’s functions are related to efficient organisation of displays and productions. His/her role is one of organiser and evaluator. (Haines, 1989: 4).

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2.5 The benefits of PBL Although numerous advantages of project work naturally emerge from the previous chapters, there is still a lot to add. According to the conviction that this approach brings considerable benefits to the language classroom, an overall summary is presented here. Contemporary educational frameworks mention the key competences that should all pupils and students acquire. These are communication and collaboration, activity, initiative and independence, creativity, responsibility and self-discipline, imagination, critical thinking and problem solving. There is a question how to achieve these abstract concepts in ELT. As it is claimed by Hutchinson, "project work is a way of turning such general aims into practical classroom activity." (Hutchinson, 1999: 8). PBL includes features such as variety, authenticity, relevance, ego factor enjoyment and motivation. Motivation will be dealt with later; the following paragraphs are concerned with the five preceding factors. There is a space for a variety of topics, tasks, activities and interaction patterns. Within a project can also be included all the language skills that are not taught in isolation, but integrated and combined. Fried-Booth differentiates four types of authenticity that are present in PBL: "authenticity of language input, authenticity of task, authenticity of event and authenticity of learner experience". (Fried-Booth, 1986: 4). PBL removes the relevance gap between knowledge and thinking, school and reality, theory and practice, between "the language students are taught and the language they in fact require". (ibid: 5). Learners are encouraged to choose topics that are relevant and interesting for them. They want to achieve a real, specific goal and are personally involved in the activity. This fact is closely connected to the ego factor and personalization, when learners’ own lives and personalities are taken into consideration. As it is claimed by Phillips, project work educates the whole child, encourages emotional and personal development and enhances not only intellectual, but also physical and social skills. (Phillips, 1999: 6). Students always appreciate novelty and refreshment. Strict syllabuses often allow a limited time for doing something different with an essence of general enjoyment.

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Once carrying out a project is acknowledged and school routine is broken, students welcome this informal way of teaching as "an antidote to the system". (Haines, 1989: 3). Hutchinson is convinced that students learn a lot when they are enjoying themselves. "Fun is not just an added extra, it is the lifeblood of effective learning." (Hutchinson, 1987: 1). Next worth mentioning benefit is a sense of achievement for all the participants whose effort becomes visible in a tangible end-product. PBL is an ideal approach for teaching heterogeneous classes with different students of various skills, abilities, needs and interests. Projects themselves are open-ended activities and include wide range of graded tasks. Individual contributions are valued and then positive climate is easy to maintain. In short, PBL caters for mixed-ability classes with both easiness and efficiency. Last but not least, projects are beneficial from a linguistic point of view, extending students’ vocabulary stock and consolidating new language. Haines mentions the advantage of re-integrating language and establishing a context which balances the need for fluency and accuracy. (Haines, 1989: 3).

2.6 Motivation in PBL "Motivation is some kind of internal drive that encourages somebody to pursue a course of action."

(Jeremy Harmer, 1991: 3)

"Motivation involves the attitudes and affective states that influence the degree of effort that learners make to learn an L2." (Rod Ellis, 1997: 75)

Motivation is such a complex phenomenon that it deserves deeper reflection. Therefore, the following essay is incorporated into this chapter:

-------Motivation Many teachers perceive their profession only as a job, as a necessary role in their lives. Few of them find teaching their vocation and are willing to offer a piece of their

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heart when working with children and young people. They are aware of the fact that their goal is not only to teach but also to motivate students to learn. It is widely recognised that this approach requires more effort and energy, however, the result might be a pleasant surprise. Although motivating someone to do something is considered a long-term process, it is possible to find satisfaction and fulfilment at the end. Besides, these are the main benefits of one’s work and teachers should avoid the so called 'burn-out effect' and should try to maintain their positive attitude and enthusiasm for the whole teaching career. Numerous methodology course books describe different types of motivation, e.g. intrinsic, extrinsic, integrative, instrumental. It is not essential to compare them or discuss the differences here. Nevertheless, teachers should bear in mind that it is vitally important not to motivate students through marks but through other strategies. Firstly, when a teacher comes to a class at the beginning of a new school year, he/she might say either: "I am going to teach you English," or "I am here to help you with learning English." Undoubtedly, the second alternative is better and far more encouraging. Learners are given a great deal of freedom, and at the same time the feeling of responsibility is promoted. The teacher should try to treat the students individually and find out their needs and expectations. This individual approach can help him/her to recognise the best ways to motivate each individual learner. Nowadays, English is playing a significant role in many fields of the modern life and it is a 'universal' language that enables communication all over the world. Somebody wants to study English at university, others would like to use it when travelling or in their future jobs, others are interested only in 'English' music, and still others do not want to learn English at all. What about these indifferent and bored students? Sometimes it is very demanding to find a solution. But generally, the teacher should try to connect the English language with something the students like, be it music, literature, theatre or anything else. Students’ interests can become the foundations of large projects. Then, throughout the school year the teacher ought to promote positive attitude to the English language and culture, using a wide range of authentic materials in the class, such as tapes, video recordings, songs, newspaper articles, magazines and the Internet sources as well. When the target language is presented in such a meaningful context, learners’ motivation increases and learning becomes easier and more effective. Motivation is the basis of successful language learning.

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In this sense, it should be one of the main features to consider when planning a lesson. One example can be mentioned here. As teenagers are fond of jokes and humour, why not try to integrate it into English lessons? Sense of humour is always appreciated and it is also a powerful teaching tool. Each lesson could include an element of fun, and in this way the feeling of well-being and relaxation could be created. Positive, stress-free environment is crucial, especially when teaching less confident learners or those who often fight with nervousness. Not only positive atmosphere can contribute to teacher’s motivational strategies, but also the atmosphere of cooperation can influence learners’ willingness to work and participate. This is also one of the possibilities how to lower anxiety levels in the class. Cooperation is closely connected with interaction patterns, e.g. pair work, group work, whole class work. Different patterns are suitable for different learners, as well as for different activities. However, students are more interested in the activity or task when they can discuss ideas, difficulties, problems and mistakes too. Peer-correction is one of the best ways to deal with mistakes and errors. It is stated in many sources that errors are 'the natural outcome of learning' and that 'through mistakes we learn'. It is therefore necessary to enhance learner’s self-confidence and esteem rather than punish or humiliate him/her. To raise awareness of the mistake means to give confidence and to motivate at the same time. Furthermore, however little sense of achievement is, it motivates a lot. That is why positive error correction can be regarded as one of the motivational strategies as well. What is associated with positive error correction is encouraging evaluation and feedback. When students are supposed to hand in a project log, for example, they are curious and wait for teacher’s comments and reactions. The worst case is when the teacher gives them no feedback at all. Students’ motivation decreases or completely disappears. Last but not least, it is the teacher’s personality that can be an effective motivational tool. Students observe the teacher carefully and every word and every action can influence them. If the teacher is not motivated and lacks enthusiasm and creativity, students recognise it immediately and establish the same attitude. That is why all teachers should be familiar with the power of creativity, positive relationship, encouragement, challenge and praise if they are yearning for both learners’ and their own satisfaction.------

Motivation is one of the key features of PBL and one of its most important benefits. "Projects offer students a way of practising their English while having fun…By creating

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something, students use English as a tool and see how flexible and useful it can be. Most important of all, projects offer teenagers a chance to find their own voice and to do something meaningful and entertaining with the language they are learning. In short, projects motivate." (Wicks, 2000: 9). It is possible to summarize motivational aspects of PBL in the short overview below: - break with routine - enjoyment and challenge - discovery approach - contact with real life - independence and responsibility - different abilities appreciated - useful products and applicable skills

2.7 Possible problems and difficulties in PBL Various ELT techniques are likely to be described in terms of their pros and cons. There can always be found people who are strongly for a particular approach and also a group of confirmed opponents who are strongly against. In spite of the fact that projects show a huge number of advantages, it is necessary to admit that some problems might appear in PBL as well. Firstly, projects may incur certain difficulties associated with organisation. They have to be integrated into a school curriculum and require a detailed timetable. There are certain stages that should be followed, i.e. planning, data collection, problem solving, collating information, creating the final product, presentation, report and evaluation. Projects are usually carried out both in and outside the classroom, however, combination of classwork and homework is possible too. Definitely, it takes time to develop a successful project. It is a good idea to start with so called bridging activities and thus actually bring students to the idea of project work. Secondly, monitoring is regarded by Fried-Booth more demanding: "…strategies have to be devised for checking systematically on what the student has heard, learnt, and understood. And, of course, what he or she may have said while conducting the project."

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(Fried-Booth, 1986: 11). Error correction in PBL respects the requirement for learners’ autonomy and responsibility. As it was mentioned earlier, self- and peer-correction are effective means of checking students’ performance and progress. (See checklists and error monitors in Appendix I). Both students and teachers need feedback that goes hand in hand with assessment. A teacher might decide whether he/she would apply formal or informal, final or continuous assessment. Accordingly, the requirements and assignments should be set. For example, when an assignment is creating a poster, the teacher should assess three areas separately: language, content and layout. Thirdly, project work makes demands on students’ independent work, discipline and patience. In this sense, there might appear certain personal problems in the course of the project. Fried-Booth speaks about these obstacles: lack of confidence, interest or motivation, boredom, uncooperative students, problematic relationships, language learning plateau. "After the initial burst of enthusiasm, there is often a period of anti-climax, when everyone begins to worry about coping with learning the new language which is going to be required for specific situations." (Fried-Booth, 1986: 45, 36). It is essential to maintain curiosity and challenge throughout the whole project, for instance by progress reports or continuous assessment scheme. In addition, there should be a climate of mutual trust from the beginning till the end. Haines further recommends encouraging students to make use of all their talents and distributing potentially difficult students among the various working groups. (Haines, 1989: 8). Last to mention, the character of project work naturally implies using the mother tongue and noise. The teacher has to determine the limits and explain what is acceptable and what is undesirable. According to Haines, teachers should allow students to conduct organisational and planning discussions in L1, but insist on speaking English for topic and whole class discussions, reporting back sessions and short talks. (ibid: 8). Hutchinson speaks about noise as follows: "The noise of the well-managed project classroom is the sound of creativity." (Hutchinson, 1999: 9).

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2.8 The development of the project 2.8.1 Bridging/Lead-in activities

Whenever a new topic or task is to be dealt with in an EFL classroom, it is always a purposeful strategy to begin with a suitable pre-activity. It can also be known as an introductory, preparation or lead-in activity. As the term suggests, this activity should help the teacher to introduce the topic, explain its relevance and demonstrate what the students are supposed to do. Due to an informal, unconventional, student-centred nature of project work there is frequently the need for building a bridge stretching from traditional directive teaching to an unknown PBL environment. As it is clearly explained by Fried-Booth, the main objective is to ease the students gradually away from a teacher-centred approach to a situation where they have an increasing say in what they do. In other words, bridging activities are specifically designed to develop receptiveness to project work. (Fried-Booth, 1986: 15, 9). It must be taken into consideration that it is sometimes the most important step to provide students with reasonable explanation and rationale. Bridging activities should prepare students for cooperative working, open-ended tasks, communicative language production or they can be used for practising specific language skills. (Haines, 1989: 5). There are various forms of these activities depending on the project theme. Generally, it is possible to use well-known ELT techniques, viz. guided visualisation, still image, dialogue, dramatization, simulation, information-gap or role play. Positive reactions and responses signal that the project can move towards the following stage.

2.8.2 Planning

Initial class discussion includes both teacher’s and students’ suggestions. It can be compared to a brainstorming session which produces a wide range of ideas concerning the development of the project. It is highly important that students are allowed to make choices and decisions from the very beginning because "any decisions that the children make will

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help foster a feeling of ownership of and responsibility for the project and increase their motivation." (Phillips, 1999: 14). Project work certainly requires initial stimulus or inspiration. Ideas, topics and themes have to be considered carefully to find out whether they are suitable for a project. According to Fried-Booth, "the jumping-off point, then, is the conviction that the subject is worth pursuing." (Fried-Booth, 1986: 28). It is necessary to discuss such areas as the content and scope of the project, curriculum areas, length (long-term vs. short-term projects), location, level and age, the project objective, student groupings and dividing responsibilities, the final product and the ways of evaluation and presentation. A visit to a relevant organization or inviting guest speakers is also recommended to arrange if possible. Then it is worth remembering that projects often incur preparation of extra materials and equipment. Fried-Booth recommends getting oneself files, folders, clipboards, spiral notepads, cassette players, cameras and video cameras, etc. It is useful to prepare display boards, storage facilities and an accessible classroom equipped with mobile furniture and presentation facilities. (ibid: 32, 33). Lastly, valuable and practical advice can be found in the book Projects with Young Learners. It is described as very helpful to draw a project web consisting of the project topic in the middle and these areas arranged in a sun-ray format around: vocabulary, grammar/functions, the language skills and curriculum areas. It can serve as a graphic reminder of the work to be done and as the project progresses the objectives can be evaluated and ticked off. Students can have a copy in their files or they can create a wall poster. It can also be in the form of a calendar for young learners, with a picture for each day depicting the activity to be achieved. (Phillips, 1999: 11, 16).

2.8.3 Carrying out the project

When all the essential preparations and arrangements are made, it is the right time to proceed to a next step which is the actual carrying out of the project. Putting the ideas into effect is the core of the project. Apart from working in the classroom, learners need to tackle many tasks outside the school as well. Students are expected to practise all the four language skills, i.e. reading, writing, speaking and listening, as well as various language functions, e.g. introductions, polite requests etc.

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Before collecting relevant information and other data, it is advisable to design written materials, such as questionnaires, maps, grids, tables, etc. (Fried-Booth, 1986: 10). Consequently, students are supposed to make the research, solve problems, conduct interviews and surveys, observe specific environment and gather the facts. They can even make audio or video recordings and take photos. What follows is collating information which includes comparing results, explanation, negotiation and whole class discussion. Not only have the students to choose the most important data, but they also need to devise a system for storing and retrieving them later. For example, wall displays or cardboard boxes can be used. As it is suggested by Phillips, learners can record their work in files or folders including project plans, timetables, objectives for the project, written grammar exercises, vocabulary lists, homework tasks, tests, reports on progress and evaluation sheets. (Phillips, 1999: 12). Fried-Booth says that these classroom feedback sessions can be significant in many aspects. Constructive discussions are invaluable source for teacher’s reflection. Next to mention, students learn to be selective and tolerant too. Moreover, unclear language items can be used as a springboard for more intensive work, and a dossier can be built up for both diagnostic and remedial purposes. (ibid: 44, 45). Teacher’s roles during the project are depicted in the chapter 2.4. Nevertheless, it is useful to remind his/her responsibility for monitoring and checking the progress. He/she is expected to take notes of mistakes and errors. Be it individual, group or whole class achievement or success, it needs to be noted down. But likewise, the same procedure is aimed at problems and failures. Different activities and charts could be used to ensure objective record keeping. There is presented a list of them here (example copies can be found in the Appendix): - weekly review - error monitor sheet - sub-skills checklist (Fried-Booth) - project diary or log, preference charts (Phillips)

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2.8.4 Creating the final product

Although there are projects with no tangible end product and with the emphasis on the development of various skills, students undoubtedly appreciate the chance of producing something real, original that they can show to their classmates, parents or even to the general public. They are eager to make a show of their knowledge and abilities. The significance of language accuracy is accepted as a matter of course. Through a final product learners gain a sense of achievement that is so important for their motivation and overall attitude to the subject. There can be a wide range of the end products depending on the content of the project, e.g. posters, wall displays, charts, portfolios, leaflets, brochures, booklets, magazines or newspapers, video cassettes, exhibitions or parties. These days, it is necessary to mention progressive PowerPoint presentations.

2.8.5 Presentation and final evaluation

Successful and well crafted projects deserve to be presented to others. Thus students can experience the feeling of researchers, engineers, artists, reporters and all those admired personalities who usually catch the attention of the public. Presentations should be well-organized, attractive and not too long. The nature of the end product influences the conditions, such as intended audience, suitable place and the form of the presentation. There are classrooms specially equipped for these purposes in most schools. If it is taken as a more festive occasion, a school hall would be an ideal place. Inimitable atmosphere is achieved when a presentation takes place outdoors, for example at school playgrounds. Final evaluation is a valuable feedback for the teacher. Evaluation forms or questionnaires can be substituted by whole class discussions. All comments and advice should be weighed by the teacher, because with a constructive reflection it is possible to improve future project attempts. Students learn to analyse both teacher’s and their own work and become aware of the value of project work.

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3 Practical part 3.1 Preface Project-based learning in ELT should not be regarded as something unusual or supplementary. This approach offers benefits for both teachers and students. "To teach does not mean to torture" could be its motto. Not only does it promote English language knowledge, but it is also a means of personal growth and development. It is also widely recognised that language learning is facilitated through positive atmosphere, mutual trust and interesting topics. These aspects are taken into consideration in this project called A Halloween Party. It is essential for the students of the English language to become familiar with a piece of English culture. This kind of topic connects learners with the English speaking world and makes them to compare, to think of cultural differences. In this sense, students are prepared to evaluate foreign influences and to appreciate our traditions at the same time. This project is designed for the learners of an intermediate level. But it can be easily adapted for other levels as well (see Notes on pp. 49, 58). It is suggested to be a long-term and multi-layered project and it is possible to choose only certain parts in practice. A wide range of activities is included to practise all the language skills and systems. The author bears in mind the factors of relevance, variety and balance. Different teaching aids are used in individual units. Besides, teaching across curriculum is applied in most lesson plans. Elements of subjects, such as I T, history, biology are incorporated into the project. Students are given a chance to experience real life tasks. They are involved in painting, cooking, computer graphics, planning the programme of the party and in many other lively activities. Simultaneously, they focus on the language itself, extend their word stock, improve their speaking skills and pick up grammar structures. To sum up, this project is carefully planned to be both educational and enjoyable.

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3.2 Syllabus 3.2.1 Teaching unit I: Lead-in activities Lesson plan 1: Horrid Henry Tricks and Treats (using authentic literature) Lesson plan 2: Ghost stories – listening Assignment 1: Draw a haunted house Lesson plan 3: Ghost stories – reading, 'raising of ghosts', tongue twisters, storytelling

3.2.2 Teaching unit II: Halloween festival Lesson plan 4: Halloween history (computer-based display) Lesson plan 5: Halloween in the present (video package) Lesson plan 6: Halloween – comparison with Czech traditions, mock test, Assignment 2: Create a poster

3.2.3 Teaching unit III: A pumpkin lantern Lesson plan 7: A pumpkin rhyme Discussion: Pumpkins everywhere Jack-o’-lantern: The old Irish legend Dramatization of the story Pumpkin anatomy How to make a pumpkin lantern Assignment 3: Create a pumpkin carving manual

3.2.4 Teaching unit IV: Music at the party Lesson plan 8: Brainstorming, discussion Who will be a DJ? Guided visualization Listening tasks Assignment 4: Lyrics translation and painting the figures from the songs

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3.2.5 Teaching unit V: Refreshments at the party Lesson plan 9: Cooking verbs Interview Food associations Halloween party food and drinks, recipes Assignment 5: recipes – translation, labels, shopping list, preparation of drinks and snacks, baking the pumpkin pie 3.2.6 Teaching unit VI: Posters and invitation cards Lesson plan 10: Describing the party – adjectives Language functions – invitations Role-play Wh-questions Halloween party invitation cards Assignment 6: Create posters and invitation cards for the party 3.2.7 Teaching unit VII: Programme of the party Lesson plan 11: A party joke Future tense Pyramid discussion Assignment 7: Dividing responsibilities 3.2. 8 Teaching unit VIII: Final evaluation Lesson plan 12: Achievement test Assessment scheme - questionnaire

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3.2.1 Teaching unit I: Lead-in activities Lesson plan 1: Horrid Henry Tricks and Treats (using authentic literature) Level: intermediate Number of students: 18 Time: 45 minutes Main aim: introduction of authentic contemporary literature, raising interest and curiosity Subsidiary aim: enlarging Ss´ word stock, present examples of informal children´s speech, raising cultural awareness Interaction patterns: individual work, pair work, group work Learner training: Learners are trained to perceive the literary text as "a whole". They should be able to summarize it without understanding each individual word. They will practise orientation in the text and reading sub-skills.

Procedure: 1) General introduction Ss are asked to make predictions in pairs about the book according to the picture on the front page and the titles of the four stories included.

Mark the statements true or false: 1) The book is boring and serious. ( T / F ) 2) The stories are exciting and funny. ( T / F ) 3) The stories are moral and educational. ( T / F ) 4) The book is full of humour and exaggeration. ( T / F )

2) Raising the interest, personalization In one of the stories, Horrid Henry, the main character, calls himself: "the bulldozer of babysitters, the terror of teachers, the bully of brothers".

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Create similar "nicknames“ for yourselves using alliteration (the same initial letters), either truthful or untruthful. (dictionaries allowed)

The teacher: "the fan of fantasy", "the hunter of happiness", "the neighbour of nature".

3) Pre-reading activity: setting the topic, trick or treating Brainstorming: the expression "trick or treating" is written in the centre of the board, children think of everything connected with this custom (sun-ray effect). = children´s practice of going to people´s houses on Halloween and asking for treats (presents, usually sweets or fruit) under threat of playing tricks on people who refuse (spattering them with a shaving foam).

4) Cutting a long story short Ss are divided into 4 groups using numbers (ones, twos, threes, fours together). Each group should read 3 pages of the story. (ending on the page 12: "Ding dong".) Then Ss share what they have learnt.

5) While-reading activity: vocabulary work – competition Each group is given 6 anticipated unknown words with their Czech equivalents on the back side. They take the card only if they would not understand the correspondent sentence and the story would become incomprehensible. The group which has taken the fewest cards wins. (or they can choose traditional using dictionaries) 1st group: stuff – cpát se, woe betide – běda tomu, trident – trojzubec, copycat – ten kdo se opičí po někom, bound – skákat, groan – úpět 2nd group: punch – udeřit, tease – škádlit, desperately – zoufale, yell – řvát, pat – poplácat, curls – kudrny 3rd group: squeal – ječet, twirl – točit, yucky – odporný, howl – výt, screech – vřeštět, ragged tufts – otrhané chumáče 4th group: sob – vzlykat, melt – roztavit, revenge – odplata, meekly – pokorně, leap – skákat, to be in charge of st. – mít zodpovědnost za něco In any case, Ss are provided with a handout of difficult words and their Czech equivalents from the whole story at the end of the lesson.

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6) While-reading activity: culture awareness The last seven pages are read by the best readers, page by page accompanied with explanation of unknown words. During the reading, Ss are asked to note down all the costumes mentioned in the story and the characters wearing them. Would you like to try trick or treating? What costume would you like to wear? (devil, bunny, pirate, pillowcase over the head, scarecrow - strašák do zelí, robot,…)

7) Learning beyond the book * competition, pair work Each pair should write down as much as possible of things that are usually used for making (Halloween) costumes, such as: paper, scissors, glue, cloth, needle, thread, pins, safety-pins, coloured pencils, colours, brush, fine wire, fur,… The winning pair has the privilege to try the role of the teacher for a while. They are asked to go to the board, write their words on the board, check whether their classmates understand all of them and explain what is necessary. (approx. 4 min.) Then the teacher adds several words that can be unknown to the students, explain them in English and encourage learners to guess the meaning in Czech themselves and do not tell the others. The teacher can prepare simple pictures on cards to help the weakest students. After everybody has their guesses noted down, the teacher gives them the Czech equivalents. (approx. 3 min.)

A short exercise follows: Circle what can not usually be used for making a costume or a mask. ( approx. 4 min.)

1)

a) cotton wool

b) crepe paper

c) green tea

d) felt-tip pen

2)

a) old sheet

b) old T-shirt

c) old dog

d) old curtain

3)

a) ribbon

b) cheese

c) pen

d) sack

4)

a) dictionary

b) paper

c) lipstick

d) string

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Lesson plan 2: Ghost stories – listening Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 45 minutes Main aim: Introduce ghost stories as an integral part of Halloween Subsidiary aim: Practice listening subskills Learner training: Learners are trained to pick up lexical chunks and colloquial expressions from listening to stories. Language work: picture description, enlarging vocabulary, pronunciation practice Interaction patterns: individual work, pair work Learning environment: classroom with a good acoustics Aids and materials: computer with Windows Media Player installed, worksheets, pictures

Procedure: 1) Pre-listening stage T introduces the task that awaits the Ss and motivates them to participate. T uses visual clues (pictures connected with the stories) for this purpose and plays short extracts. There are three haunted stories on offer. It is up to the Ss to choose one scary story they would like to hear. -

Rival Witches (5 min.)

-

The Hermit’s House (5 min.)

-

Pecos Bill and the Haunted House (4 min.)

Note: Stories are available at www.americanfolklore.net As the first two stories are more suitable for adults, this plan deals with Pecos Bill and the Haunted House. T raises a picture depicting typical haunted house and asks somebody to describe it. Then the Ss are invited to close their eyes and imagine a ghostly house or a place. Afterwards, they should describe it to their neighbours and tell them if it really exists or if it is only imaginary.

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T pre-teaches difficult lexis using his/her voice, gestures and miming: -

Verbs: howl (výt), moan (sténat), groan (hekat), shriek (ječet, vřískat)

-

Creatures: werewolf (vlkodlak), spook (strašidlo, duch), mummy (mumie), banshee (according to Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture: "a spirit whose cry is believed to mean that there will be a death in the house")

-

Other nouns: embarrassment (rozpaky), claws (drápy, spáry)

2) While-listening tasks T makes sure that the acoustics is convenient and remind the Ss that they are not going to be tested. Ss should practice various listening sub-skills. They listen to the story twice and the T makes stops whenever it is necessary. During the second listening Ss fill in their worksheets. Listen carefully and try to deal with following tasks:

1) Circle the right state where P. B. was travelling: Pecos Bill was travelling through………….a) California b) Arizona c) Nevada

2) Fill the right number in the gap: a) There were nearly …….ghosts, spooks and monsters in the house. b) Not a single man had stepped foot in it for the last……. years.

3) What most of the families in the neighbourhood have done? Circle the right answer: a) They have complained. b) They have moved away. c) They have gone mad.

4) Complete the sentence: The owner offered P. B. his share and ………………..

5) Circle Yes or No: Was P. B. successful in fighting all the monsters? Yes / No

6) Circle the right answer: What did P. B. need to kill the werewolves? a) sword b) special gun c) silver bullets

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7) When the whole house was cleaned up P. B. invited somebody to do something. Replace somebody and to do something with the right words.

8) Does the story remind you of a similar Czech story or a hero?

KEY: 1) c, 2) 200, 5 3) b 4) a silver mine 5) Yes 6) c 7) a priest to bless the house 8)… 3) Follow-up * Peer correction: Ss work in pairs, exchange their worksheets for correction. Only then the T shows the key. * Discussion in pairs: How did you like the story? Did you find it scary? Was it difficult to understand? * Assignment: Draw the most haunted house you can imagine and write labels beside to practice vocabulary.

Lesson plan 3: Ghost stories – reading and storytelling Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 90 minutes Main aim: Further insight into ghost and scary stories Subsidiary aim: Practice of reading skills, using ghost stories for the development of production (storytelling) skills Language work: past simple x past continuous, parts of a house Interaction patterns: individual work, pair work, group work, whole class Learning environment: classroom, circle seating arrangement, props Aids and materials: handouts, pictures, stops, board, marker Preparation: T tells Ss to bring flashlights and candles to create a mysterious setting and appropriate atmosphere.

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Procedure: 1) 'Mingle and ask' activity T presents following questions on the board: -

Do you believe in ghosts?

-

Have you ever perceived or seen such a phenomenon?

-

Do you have any strange experiences that you can’t explain?

-

Do you often have haunted dreams?

-

Do you like reading ghost and scary stories?

Ss are supposed to stand up, mingle and ask their classmates the above questions. It naturally emerges from the activity that Ss want to find somebody who believes in ghosts, who has experienced something like that, who often has haunted dreams and who likes ghost stories. It could be planned as a group-formation activity as well. There might appear a group of Ss who are interested in this topic and on the opposite site might stand those who fundamentally disagree with the existence of supernatural phenomena. It could be an indicator of Ss’ either romantic or realistic personalities.

2) Pre-reading stage T writes this extract on the board: The chair was facing me when I came out of my room, so I turned it around. Then I heard something squeak. T explains the meaning of the word squeak (kvičet, pištět) and asks somebody to translate the extract. Then Ss are encouraged to share their suggestions and predictions about the content of the story.

3) While-reading activities * Ss are provided with a real life ghost story PINK CHAIR (without a title) on handouts (see Appendix II) and silent reading in pairs takes place. Then one student retells the story and the other is a listener. They both think of a suitable title for the story. * Whole class tasks: Do-it-yourself questions: Ss compose and answer their own questions. Summary: Ss try to summarize the content in two or three sentences. Continue: Ss suggest what might have happen next

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Attitudes: T elicits reactions to the text and throws questions (Have you ever come across anything like that? Have you ever experienced a similar situation?) Exploitation of the text for language practice: past simple x past continuous, description of a house Ss are asked to underline all the examples of past simple and past continuous tense and to explain the difference. Then they concentrate on different parts of the house and its description.

4) Post-reading activities * Poltergeist: T asks if somebody can explain what this expression means. If Ss have some doubts, T can present his/her explanation: The term "poltergeist" comes from the German poltern, "to knock," and geist, "spirit." It is a spirit which manifests its presence by making noises, breaking dishes, moving or throwing of objects and even furniture. Ss discuss: Could the house mentioned in the story be inhabited by a poltergeist?

-BREAK-

* Raising of ghosts This activity is not meant as a real raising of ghosts, it serves only for language practice and for making cross-curricula (English – History) links. - Ss are asked to share what they know about raising of ghosts: Is it dangerous? Does it have any rules? Which signals are ghosts supposed to use as a proof of their presence? - Ss should work in three groups and deal with following tasks: 1) Think of famous personalities from the history and choose one. This would be a ghost you would like to raise. 2) Be prepared to give reasons why you have chosen this particular personality. 3) Find out when this personality lived (at least a century) and what he/she is famous for. 4) Prepare questions that you would like to ask him/her.

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5) Tongue twisters Ss try to say a tongue twister connected with the topic of Halloween. It is a good warm-up for the storytelling part of the lesson. - Dracula digs dreary, dark dungeons. - If big black bats could blow bubbles, how big of bubbles would big black bats blow? - If two witches would watch two watches, which witch would watch which watch? Note: Tongue twisters are available at www.americanfolklore.net.

6) Storytelling Ss are given small pictures depicting things such as: vampire, werewolf, ghost, witch, owl, bat, black cat, pumpkin, cemetery, haunted house, spider, skeleton, dungeon,… Each S has three pictures and also one paper road sign 'Stop'. Now the T gives instructions and checks if the activity is clear. Ss should sit in a circle, the curtains drawn, the candles placed in the middle. T chooses the first one to start and points the flashlight at him/her. The student starts telling a scary story. S/he has to mention the three things on his/her pictures. The next one continues using his three pictures as well. Everybody contributes in this way for the completion of the story. However, there is a weapon that everybody can use. Each S has a small paper road sign STOP. Whenever s/he raises this sign the learner before him/her has to retell everything from the beginning. Ss have to build up the story and pay attention to the others’ contributions at the same time.

7) Feedback T writes frequent mistakes on the board and asks Ss to correct them. T praises the Ss for active participation and original contributions. Note: An example of teacher’s flexible approach to this project might be presented here. Undoubtedly, it is possible to use ghost stories with young learners and with real beginners as well. T prepares suitable colouring pages (samples are available on the Internet), e.g. a haunted house, a witch with her broomstick etc. Learners are then supposed to colour them according to their fantasy and write the titles below to practice vocabulary spelling. Another possibility is drawing pictures according to numbers (numbers are linked together and in this way a picture is created). T can also introduce a picture dictation as a

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great way of promoting learners’ attentiveness. Various monsters might be drawn in this way. For example: Draw a big circle as monster’s head. The monster has three red eyes, four large ears, a long trunk and a mouth full of sharp teeth… All the pictures emerging from the activities are then used for storytelling and gradually stuck on the board as the teacher tells the story.

3.2.2 Teaching unit X: Halloween festival Lesson plan 4: Halloween history Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 45 minutes Main aim: to provide useful background knowledge for the whole project Subsidiary aim: teaching across curriculum (English – history, culture), using discovery approach Language work: past tense Interaction patterns: pair work, group work, whole class Learning environment: classroom Aids and materials: data projector, computer with Windows Media Player, worksheets, cards, board, marker Procedure: 1) Warm-up: hangman T greets the Ss and raises their curiosity with an incomplete sentence written on the board. Gradually, Ss guess letters till the words (festival and magic) are revealed. Halloween is a F _ _ _ _ _ _ L celebrated on October 31, when it is supposed to be the most M _ _ _ C night of the year. 2) The History of Halloween: video (3 minutes) T checks the function of a data projector and Windows Media Player. The video image will be projected onto a screen from the Internet (www.history.com/minisites/halloween).

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At first, Ss should go through the worksheets together with the T. T explains that they are going to discover a few facts from Halloween history. The video is played twice. First, Ss enjoy the display and then try to make notes and co-operate in pairs. T reminds the Ss that filling the worksheet is only a challenge for them, not a test.

Worksheet – The History of Halloween 1) Which ancient tribe is connected with Halloween’s origins? __________________________________________________ 2) Halloween originates from the festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in, meaning summer’s end). Who is believed to walk the earth on this night? __________________________________________________ 3) How was November 1st called by the pope in the 7the century? __________________________________________________ 4) How was the night before November 1st called? __________________________________________________ 5) Where did the Irish immigrants bring their customs? __________________________________________________ 6) The tradition of "trick-or-treating" dates back to the early English tradition of giving food to the poor who promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives. How was this food called? __________________________________________________

KEY: 1) the Celts 2) the ghosts of the dead 3) All Saints’ Day 4) All Hallow’s Eve 5) to America 6) soul cakes

3) Puzzle T prepares a sheet of paper with a short summary of Halloween history. (See below) S/he cuts the sheet to pieces, to several geometrical shapes. Ss work in pairs and try to rearrange the pieces to get the text. Then silent reading in pairs takes place, T goes around as a monitor and helps with the vocabulary.

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Halloween History

The origins of Halloween go back to Celtic Ireland B. C. Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain around November 1. They thought that this time the borders between the worlds of the living and the dead are the smallest. They also believed that the spirits of the dead are wandering through the earth. That is why they placed lanterns carved from turnips in front of their houses. These lanterns were meant as a welcome for the dead relatives and as a protection against evil spirits. Later, European settlers introduced pumpkins that were bigger and more suitable for carving. After the Roman conquest in 43 A. D., Roman and Celtic traditions melted. For example, Pomona was the Roman goddess of fruit and trees and her symbol was the apple. This might be connected with a favourite Halloween treat – candy apples. By the 8th century, Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. Pope Boniface IV established November 1 All Saints’ Day and the night before it began to be called AllHallow’s Eve. In the second half of the 19th century, Irish immigrants brought their customs to America. Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, which became today’s trick-or-treating. Nowadays, Halloween parties are the most common way to celebrate this festival.

4) Group activity: Match and order Ss are asked to form three groups. Each group receives 20 cards: 10 of them (A-J) are the first halves of the sentences and the other 10 (1-10) are the second halves of the sentences. Groups should match the sentence halves and put them into a correct order to make a story describing the history of Halloween. (See Appendix III) A. Ancient Celts celebrated festivals connected with their sun… B. But the fun of Halloween is not only for children, many adults also dress… C. But these are only ordinary Americans, mostly children, pretending… D. Children also dress in costumes to visit nearby… E. Later, November 1 became All Saints Day, but many believe the spirits… F. On October 31 of each year, witches, ghosts and… G. Some children in the U. S. now use Halloween to play…

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H. The Scots and Irish brought these traditions to America, along… I. The traditions that underlie Halloween began in … J. The word Halloween comes from an English phrase…

1. god and their god of death around November 1. 2. homes to receive candy and other sweets 3. meaning "all saints eve" 4. of the dead would roam the earth the night before 5. other evil spirits walk the streets of the United States. 6. Scotland and Ireland in the years before Christianity. 7. to be creatures of fantasy in the celebration of Halloween. 8. tricks on friends and neighbours. 9. up in costume to celebrate the magic of the evening. 10. with the practice of making eerie lanterns from carved pumpkins. KEY: F-5, C-7, I-6, A-1, E-4, J-3, H-10, G-8, D-2, B-9

5) Feedback T comes to all the groups, checks the answers, gives advice. Finally, s/he presents the key. T praises Ss for participation and summarizes what they have just discovered about the history of Halloween.

Lesson plan 5: Halloween in the present Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 45 minutes Main aim: Introduce contemporary Halloween customs Subsidiary aim: Involve Ss in a variety of activities, not just presenting facts Language work: passive voice revision Interaction patterns: individual work, pair work Learning environment: classroom

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Aids and materials: video player +video cassette, worksheets, board, marker

Procedure: 1) Video package T has prepared a video package to guide the Ss through the Halloween festival. In this way Ss explore the topic, discover pieces of knowledge themselves and are actively involved in the teaching process. Besides, Ss have a chance to experience this means of delivery and compare this audio-visual aid to a computer-based display.

Video cassettes available: Window on Britain, OUP 1997 + Activity Book by Richard Mac Andrew, OUP 1998, ISBN 0-19-459038-0 British Festivals, Connect ELT, [email protected] (available at Anglická knihovna MZK, Solniční 12, Brno 601 74, 542 210 157, [email protected])

T invites the Ss to enjoy the video and highlights significant points that the Ss are supposed to notice. T makes stops to explain difficult expressions and to draw Ss’ attention to interesting facts. Exploitation of the video: At first, Ss share their impressions. Then, they are engaged in a variety of activities offered in the Activity Book (see Appendix III). 2) Word game The word "HALLOWEEN" is written in the centre of the board. The expression consists of nine letters, which is an ideal number for a group of 18 learners. There can be 9 pairs formed. It would be good to have a horseshoe seating arrangement in the classroom. Ss are divided into pairs. The first one should think of a word beginning with the letter H. The second student from the pair has to start with the last letter from his/ her partner’s word. The words must be associated with Halloween. Gradually, "word fringes" are hanging from HALLOWEEN.

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Open-ended task: Each student tries to write a Halloween poem using at least three words from the board. Ss share their attempts in the end. Example: H A L L O W E O T A I

R I

E N

V V

R M N G A T E

I

I G

R O T H N C N L H O S E T

G H I

R P R R

E A N G R

A H N I

A U G E E

V E A C

R N H N A

E R I K

S T O D T

N E L Y S

E

E T

S

D T

E

3) Consolidation of facts: matching exercise Ss remain in pairs and T gives them a worksheet with a challenging matching exercise. It is assumed that the Ss are prepared to find connections between expressions on the left and those on the right. Example: Match the expressions in column A with those in column B.

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Column A

Column B

pagan

scary costumes

to go

candies

pumpkin

holiday

to wear

lantern

to mark windows

"trick or treating"

to give

a party

to organize

with a tooth paste

4) Grammar focus: passive voice Ss are supposed to work individually and revise the passive voice in a transformation exercise, which is finally self-corrected according to T’s instructions. Turn the following sentences into the passive voice: 1. People celebrate Halloween on October 31. 2. They use pumpkins for making lanterns. 3. Adults usually accompany small children in the darkness. 4. People often organize parties. 5. Someone prepares amazing food for the party. 6. We consider orange and black typical Halloween colours.

5) The end of the lesson: Keep smiling! A joke is presented on the board: Why didn’t the skeleton go to the ball? Because he had no body to go with! (www.americanfolklore.net)

Lesson plan 6: Halloween – comparison with Czech traditions, mock test Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 45 minutes Main aim: Raising awareness of cultural differences Subsidiary aim: test Ss' memory

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Interaction patterns: individual work, group work, whole-class work Learning environment: classroom Aids and materials: picture, chart, board, marker, mock tests

Procedure: 1) Warm-up: picture description T shows a picture (newspapers or magazines can be used) depicting Czech people kneeling by a grave and lighting a candle. Ss are asked to describe the picture. Each student should add a new detail.

2) Whole-class discussion There are several points to discuss: When does it (see the picture) happen in the Czech Republic? How are these days called? …. …… All Souls’ Day (November 2) All Saints’ Day (November 1) T guides the Ss to find out these facts themselves.

3) Group-work: comparative approach – completing a chart Ss work in three groups and try to complete a chart showing the differences between Halloween and the Czech feasts. Ss should also think of what do the feasts have in common, if there are any similarities.

Festival characteristics

HALLOWEEN

FEASTS in CR

origin

pagan

Christian

date

October 31

November 1, 2

atmosphere

magic, scary

melancholic, respectful

age group mainly involved

children

adults

contents

trick or treating, fun, parties

visiting graveyards, cemeteries

symbols

scary costumes, pumpkins

candles, wreaths of flowers

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4) Mock test: What do you remember? T explains to the Ss that it is the right time to check their memory, deals the multiple choice tests, goes through the items, answers questions and wishes good luck. Tests are corrected in groups. In this way feedback is provided for both the T and Ss.

1) The word Halloween comes from a phrase: a) All Hallows’ Evening

b) holy week

c) wine hall

2) Halloween dates back to ancient: a) Greeks

b) Celts

c) Vikings

3) Halloween comes from a festival called: a) Samhain

b) Druidan

c) Sunrise

4) Trick or treating means: a) telling jokes

b) making costumes c) knocking on doors and receiving sweets

5) Children dress up as: a) ghosts, witches

b) doctors, teachers

c) pop stars

6) Typical Halloween colours are: a) white and grey

b) orange and black c) green and black

7) Typical Halloween animals are: a) bat, black cat, spider

b) dog, tiger, lion

8) What is connected with a haunted house? a) garden

b) magic spell

c) ghosts

9) What is not a scary figure? a) mummy

b) werewolf

c) fairy

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c) snake, fish, frog

10) What do people usually do on Halloween today? a) travel abroad

b) have parties

c) do not celebrate it at all

5) Assignment: Create a poster Ss should create a poster for their schoolmates. This poster should include pictures and basic facts about Halloween. Posters will be displayed along school corridors. Note: With small children of the age of 10 or 11 the consolidation of facts connected with Halloween might have the form of a favourite game with picture pairs – pelmanism. Learners could be divided into several groups and play the game looking for two identical pictures and words at the same card. For instance, they can come across these items: bat, spider, cat, pumpkin, vampire, witch, wizard, werewolf, ghost, mummy, skeleton, goblin, executioner, dungeon, castle, haunted house, candies, candle, etc.

3.2.3 Teaching unit III: A pumpkin lantern☻

Lesson plan 7 Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 90 minutes !!! Main aim: making pumpkin lanterns and preparing a short scene for the party Subsidiary aim: increase cultural awareness, encourage Ss’ creativity and performance skills Learner training: Learners are trained in predicting and guessing the meaning of unknown expressions. Language work: enlarging vocabulary, practising reading comprehension and dialogues, using imperatives Interaction patterns: pair work, group work, individual work Learning environment: a spacious classroom equipped with a data projector, decorated with pictures of carved pumpkins accompanied with associated facts (peripheral learning)

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Aids and materials: data projector + CD, handouts with the Jack-o-lantern legend and Pumpkin anatomy (see Appendix IV), real pumpkins (at least 3), knives, spoons, candles, ribbons and supplementary decoration material

Procedure: 1) Warm-up: A pumpkin rhyme An old pumpkin rhyme is presented on the board using a data projector:

"Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater, Had a wife and couldn’t keep her, He put her in a pumpkin shell And there he kept her very well."

A volunteer reads the rhyme aloud. It might help to create a stress-free environment.

2) Discussion: Pumpkins everywhere T greets the Ss and throws the question: What do you know about pumpkins? Ss share ideas in pairs for a while and then following statements are presented on the board using a data projector.

a) There are pumpkins of various shapes and colours. b) The pumpkin is a multifunction vegetable. c) Pumpkins are used for cooking. d) Pumpkins were used by American settlers for making beer. e) Pumpkins serve as Halloween lanterns. f) Pumpkins are used to play sports with. g) Pumpkin’s leaves and seeds can be used to make medicines. h) In the USA there are competitions of the biggest pumpkins.

Ss try to evaluate these statements and discuss if they are true or false. (It may be a surprise that all of them are true. T is supposed to answer Ss’ questions.)

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3) Jack-o’-lantern: the old Irish legend * Pair work: reading comprehension T provides each pair with a handout and gives instructions. S/he also explains that it would be a shame not to know why the lantern is called so. Ss should read the legend and try to answer the questions below. (see Appendix IV) T functions as a monitor and advisor during the activity.

4) Dramatization of the story * Group work: practising dialogues T demonstrates what the Ss are about to prepare. Ss work together to think of possible dialogues between Stingy Jack and the Devil and between Jack and Saint Peter. This is the time for bright students to help the others. Then Ss decide which of them will be the actors. There might be the role of a narrator as well. On the contrary, this is a chance for those who are not afraid to appear "on the stage". The scene will be included in the Halloween party programme.

Example: Jack: Hey, Devil, I guess you are so lazy that you never manage to climb this tree. Devil: You miserable worm! I manage to do whatever I want. Devil: Oh, what are you doing, you damned creature? Jack: I’ve got a suggestion for you. Promise me not to take my soul and I will remove the crosses. Devil: All right, take my word for it. Jack: Please, let me enter the gate of Heaven. Saint Peter: Regretfully, you are not allowed here, Jack. Think of your cruelty, meanness and sinful life. Jack: Can I enter the gate of Hell? Devil: You fool! You have got hoist with your own petard. I keep my promise. I don’t want your soul here. Jack: So, where should I go then? Devil: Here you are and light your way.

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- B R E A K-

5) Pumpkin anatomy "Which came first? The pumpkin or the seed?" (An old English saying) Ss try to match the names of different parts of the pumpkin with the pictures. First they should try to work individually and then they can check with their neighbour. T provides handouts, gives instructions and then functions as a monitor and prompter. Pumpkin anatomy: stem – stopka, tendril – výhonek, úponka, leaves – listy, the lid – vršek, poklička, pumpkin shell – kůra a dužnina, skin – kůra, slupka, pulp – dužnina, ribs – rýhy, žebra, blossom end – místo po odpadnutí květu, cavity – vnitřek, dutina, brains – vnitřní hmota se semeny, seeds – semena

6) How to make a pumpkin lantern Ss make necessary precautions, they prepare tables, pumpkins and tools. They should work preferably in 3 groups (with a giant, medium-sized and small pumpkin). T presents 8 pictures with a description (see Appendix IV) on the board. Ss are supposed to have a look at them before they start making their own pumpkin lanterns. Finally, the groups display their final outcomes which will be a beautiful decoration at the party and take photos.

7) Assignment: Create a pumpkin carving manual T praises the Ss for their effort and introduces the short task for the next day. Ss should write a short manual (pictures may be added) including instructions for making a pumpkin lantern.

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3.2.4 Teaching unit IV: Music at the party

♪♫

Lesson plan 8 Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 90 minutes !!! Main aim: using of Ss’ probable interest in music and further motivation for organizing Halloween Party Learner training: Learners are trained in using dictionaries and are also shown how to use songs for improving their English, both enlarging their vocabulary and controlling pronunciation. They are reminded that translating song lyrics is a great idea how to learn new expressions actively and more easily. Picking up whole chunks of language is another advantage that students are made aware of. They are provided with useful web pages where they can find lyrics of English songs. They are trained to gain all the possible benefits from listening to songs. Language work: enlarging vocabulary, pronunciation practice, past tense revision Interaction patterns: whole class discussion, group work, individual work Learning environment: classroom with good acoustics, seating arrangement: circle Aids and materials: audio system/ CD player, Ss’and teacher’s CDs, handouts with song lyrics (see Appendix V), dictionaries Procedure: Task for Ss given in advance, at least one week before this lesson: Search your CD rack at home, at a library, at your relatives’ or friends’, and try to find CDs that would be suitable for our Halloween Party, i. e. scary or ghostly titles, songs supporting the atmosphere of a magic night. Look for such words as wizard, witch, ghost, devil, fear, darkness, black, magic, etc. Warning: choose CDs with common sense, they will be used at a school party! 1) Warm-up: "mind map" (brainstorming round an idea - "sun ray" effect) T greets Ss and introduces the task in a challenging way. S/he writes the word "music" in the centre of the board. Ss are asked to brainstorm all the expressions, they think of, that are connected with it (kinds of music, musical instruments, names of singers

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and pop groups,…). Ss go to the board and write the words themselves to practise the spelling and to refresh through movement – kinaesthetic aspect. Following questions might be asked: - What is your favourite kind of music, singer or music band? (T can share his/her preferences.) - Why do you listen to music – how does it help? (to relax, to learn new vocabulary,…) - Do you find listening to music important for language learning? - Do you know any music groups whose names might remind us of our project’s topic? (e.g. the alternative rock group Smashing Pumpkins or the heavy metal group Halloween)

2) Presentation of Ss’ task and whole class discussion T asks Ss to arrange their seats in a circle. A table is placed in the middle and all the CDs are displayed on it. Everybody has a chance to have a look at the display. At first, Ss consult possible vocabulary problems with the teacher and unknown words are written on the board. Then each student introduces his/her contribution. T eliminates CDs that would not be suitable at all and explains why. Then it is up to Ss to negotiate the final musical background of the party. Possibly the order of songs might be established. Examples of teacher’s contribution: Gordon the Ghost (from Norman Whitney: Open Doors, OUP) - a brilliant song for this occasion, easy lyrics, comprehensible, creating a spooky effect The Trick or Treat Rap Halloween Rap ( from Mary Glasgow Magazines: Raps for Learning English, Scholastic) - teenagers will love these two rhythmical songs Deep Purple: Black Night, Demons Eye Ozzy Osbourne: Ghost Behind My Eyes, The Wizard Alice Cooper: Poison, Welcome To My Nightmare Uriah Heep: Lady In Black, The Wizard (see lyrics in Appendix V)

3) Who will be a DJ? When there is no volunteer for this role, a secret election is held in the class.

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Each student takes his/her "ballot paper" and writes the name of the person on it. Reasons must be added. The rationale should consist of three sentences at least.

T presents an example: 1) John has much experience with playing records on parties. 2) He is the most responsible person for this job. 3) He is a music lover and has a musical ear.

Ss hand over their ballot papers and T counts the votes. Finally, the winner is asked to be so kind and accept the position. He can choose his friend as an assistant.

-BREAK-

4) Guided visualisation (3 min.) T wants Ss to have a rest and relax at the beginning of the second lesson. This method is used for creating the atmosphere of the party that is anxiously expected. The song Black Night by Deep Purple is played and Ss just listen and enjoy it.

5) Listening tasks Ss are going to listen to two songs by Uriah Heep and participate in connected activities. - pre-teaching of unknown words and instructions for the listening

Group work: students in two groups try to guess the meaning of several chosen words by matching them with their Czech equivalents. Then the expressions with their pronunciation are written on the board and explained. 1st group: destruction – zkáza, zboření, foe – nepřítel, trample down – podupat, eager – dychtivý, devour – zničit 2nd group: council – radit, faith – víra, misconceptions – mylné představy, cloak – plášť, courage – odvaha T explains repeatedly what the listening task is about and checks comprehension.

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A) listening to the song Lady In Black by Uriah Heep While activities: Individual work: gap-filling according to the prompts in brackets (listen twice!) Mixed abilities: two types of handouts are distributed. (the first letter of a missing word is given / the first letter is given + a prompt is added) Ss are invited to find their favourite line or sentence. They also share impressions and opinions. If they are eager, they can sing the song as well.

Post activities: Finding the message of the song. Girls can discuss who would like to dress as "a lady in black" for the party. Language work: Ss underline all the examples of a past tense in the song, they concentrate on irregular verbs and think of their past participle forms as well.

B) listening to the song The Wizard by Uriah Heep While activities: The song is divided into four paragraphs but these are jumbled on the handouts. Ss should put them into a correct order during the first listening. Several words are changed, Ss are supposed to find these intentional mistakes and correct them. (There are 7 mistakes in the text.) - pigs instead of kings, lies instead of tales, silver instead of gold, happy instead of free, hear instead of see, house instead of home, shining instead of light

Post activities: Ss compare this song with the previous one. They try to find similarities and differences bearing in mind these areas: - difficulties in understanding, amount of unknown words, main figure, setting, message Boys discuss who would like to wear a costume of a wizard for the party

Language work: Ss invent variations of the sentence He told me tales and he drank my wine and concentrate on filling other verbs in their past form. (E.g. He showed me miracles and he ate my sweets.)

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Ss should close their eyes and try to imagine how the wizard might look like. Then they can continue in his description He had a cloak of gold and eyes of fire…

6) Assignment – lyrics translation and painting of "the lady in black" and "the wizard" T suggests that it would be a good idea to work in two groups (boys and girls, if possible) and try to translate the lyrics of the two songs. Girls might be interested in The Lady in Black and boys in The Wizard. Each group should create a poster containing original English version, translation attempt + illustration (drawing or painting of the figures). Ss start the translation in the lesson and finish the assignment during the following 7 days. 7) T thanks Ss for their cooperation, answers questions, gives advice on translation and provides

useful

internet

links:

www.lyrics007.com,

www.lyricksfreak.com,

www.elyrics.net, www.absolutelyrics.com

3.2.5 Teaching unit V: Refreshments at the party Lesson plan 9 Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 90 minutes + the actual 'in the kitchen' work Main aim: preparing refreshments for the party Subsidiary aim: teaching practical skills-cooking, support Ss’ initiative Learner training: Learners are trained in using dictionaries when translating the recipes. Language work: cooking verbs, enlarging vocabulary, speaking practice - interview Interaction patterns: pair work, group work Learning environment: classroom equipped with computers, school kitchen / at home

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Aids and materials: cards with the verbs, handout with interview questions, pictures of food, pictures of Halloween refreshments, computers with the Internet access, handout with the recipes, board + data projector

Procedure: 1) Warm-up: Cooking verbs - 'find and match' T greets the Ss and indicates what awaits them in the following lesson. S/he prepares cards with English verbs connected with cooking and examples of their use. S/he sticks them on the board. Ss should stand up, walk around the class and search for cards with Czech equivalents. Either somebody knows a correct pair or they just try to match the verbs. When all the cards on the board have Czech expressions stuck beside, T goes through the pairs and deals with difficulties. Finally, there is a useful overview of cooking verbs on the board.

Verbs suggested: -

to cut…Don’t cut your fingers.

- řezat, krájet

-

to slice…He sliced the lemon.

- krájet na plátky

-

to grate…We need grated cheese.

- strouhat

-

to mix… Mix eggs and milk in a bowl.

- smíchat

-

to mash…I like mashed potatoes.

- rozmačkat

-

to bake…She baked bread in an oven.

- péci

-

to boil…The water is boiling.

- vřít

-

to fry…The fish is frying in a pan.

- smažit

-

to stew…You must stew the meet in a pot.

- dusit

-

to smoke…He likes smoked sausages.

- udit

-

to spread…Spread butter on the bread.

- rozetřít

-

to stir…He stirred the sugar into his tea.

- rozmíchat

-

to whip…Chocolate cake with whipping cream is delicious.

- šlehat šlehačku

-

to beat…Add beaten eggs into it.

- šlehat vejce

-

to pour…Pour a glass of milk into the mixture.

- nalít

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2) An interview: pair work Ss are asked to work in pairs. One of them gives an interview to the other, who is supposed to be the reporter of a school journal. After approx. 2 minutes they change the roles. This activity is an opportunity for personalization and helps to bring the topic nearer to the Ss. Questions for the interview: 1) Do you like cooking? 2) What can you cook? 3) Who is the best cook in your family? Does s/he use a cookery book? 4) Do you think that cooking is an endangered activity? 5) Do you prefer so called fast food or junk food? 6) What is your favourite food? 7) Do you know a recipe that you would recommend? 3) Food associations T encourages Ss to take part in this activity which needs imagination, fantasy and maybe a sense of humour as well. T sticks five pictures of different kinds of food on the board (chocolate, orange, nut, pizza, yoghurt). Ss should discuss in pairs which food they associate most closely with. Example: I can be a yoghurt because I try to eat healthy food. I can be a nut because I don’t open my heart to everybody.

4) Halloween party food and drinks – lead in T suggests that a successful Halloween party requires extraordinary and striking refreshments. T has to raise interest and arouse curiosity among the Ss. S/he uses pictures and names of Halloween recipes for this purpose. It is up to them to think out and prepare surprising meals and drinks. It is emphasized that what counts is a visual attractiveness. Why not give free rein to our imagination and try to make a scary snack or ghastly-looking refreshments for our guests?

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5) Pictures T passes several pictures round the class (see Appendix VI). These might represent, for example, following dishes: Eerie Eyeballs (děsivé oči) Creepy Witches Fingers (plížící se prsty čarodějnice) Sinister Skulls (zlověstné lebky) Strained Eyeballs (popraskané oční bulvy) Witches Brew (čarodějnické pití) Then T writes their names on the board and Ss stick the pictures to them.

6) Brainstorming recipes The previous activity might cause a sudden flash of inspiration. Now, it can’t be a problem for the Ss to invent similar names of Halloween food and drinks. Ss share ideas, look up unknown expressions in a dictionary or ask T for help. Brainstorming may produce ideas such as: Bloody Mary (strawberry cocktail), Vampire’s Eyes (two slices of lemon in coca cola), Vampire’s Teeth (jelly teeth in red lemonade), Slime Toads, Hairy Spiders, etc. Note: It is easy to find lots of candies in the shapes of worms, spiders, bloody eyes etc. in sweetshops. •

Ss are shown a list of the names of real Halloween recipes. They go through them with the T, explaining unknown vocabulary, finding the most interesting ones. Ss are also likely to find that some of their inventions really exist, which might be a pleasant surprise and further motivation.

7) Whole-class discussion and negotiating recipes for the party Ss choose the best recipes that could be meant for preparation. Then Ss are asked to form three groups. The first group is supposed to work on drinks (two kinds), the second group deals with the typical pumpkin pie and the third group should decide on other refreshments (two kinds would be enough).

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8) Searching the net T introduces web pages where Ss can find a collection of Halloween refreshments. Ss work with computers and search the Internet for the best recipes. Of course, they are free to invent their own recipes too. Useful links: www.foodnetwork.com www.britta.com http://allrecipes.com/Info/Holidays/Halloween/Main.aspx www.fabulousfoods.com/holidays/halloween/halloween.html http://childparenting.about.com/cs/holidays/a/halrecipe.htm www.mountain-breeze.com/holidays/halloween/ www.thefamilycorner.com/family/kids/recipes/halloweenparty.shtml www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/halloween/index.htm http://parentingteens.about.com

Note: It may happen that it is not possible to ensure a suitable classroom with the Internet. There might appear other problems when using computers must be replaced with an on-board presentation. In this case, T has prepared two recipes for Halloween drinks, two recipes for scary refreshments and a recipe for the pumpkin pie. (See Appendix VI).

9) Assignment Ss in the three groups are supposed to translate the chosen recipes into Czech and present them to their colleagues. Next, Ss print (or write in hand) cards with the names of the dishes and drinks that will be used as labels at the party. Besides, they have to write a shopping list, collect money and buy necessary ingredients. Note: Parents are welcome to participate in this part of the project, as mothers might be interested in preparing other kinds of desserts and snacks for the party.

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10) 'In the kitchen': preparation of drinks and snacks, baking the pie The groups can decide whether they would like to work in a school kitchen, which might happen during subjects such as: Home economics or Food technology, or at home. This stage takes place the day before the party because the refreshments must be fresh.

3.2.6 Teaching unit IV: Posters and invitation cards

RSVP

Lesson plan 10 Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 90 minutes !!! Main aim: creating posters and invitation cards for the party Subsidiary aim: teaching across curriculum – computer graphics/art, encouraging Ss’ creativity, highlighting visual aspects of learning Learner training: Learners are trained in using the Internet and computers for developing their English language knowledge and for making this progress enjoyable. Language work: Wh-questions repetition, acquiring new adjectives, language functions (making suggestions, invitations – saying 'no' politely, accepting and refusing invitations, formal x informal discourse Interaction patterns: pair work (role-play), group work Learning environment: classroom equipped with computers Aids and materials: examples of Halloween party invitations (see Appendix VII), computers with the Internet access, whiteboard, marker Procedure: 1) Warm-up: competition T writes "Halloween party" on the board and introduces the following activity. Ss are divided into 2 groups. Each group has to prepare a sheet of paper. One of the Ss writes the letters in a column and then only adds the adjectives to the corresponding letters. S/he is asked to say all the letters aloud to check correct pronunciation. The task is to put down as

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many adjectives as possible that can be used to describe the Halloween party. They should be ordered according to the alphabet. There is a 5- minute time limit. T repeatedly checks if Ss understand the instructions. The competition begins after everything is made clear. When the bell rings, groups hand over their papers and T counts the correct adjectives. The winning group is rewarded with some treats. Finally, the appropriate adjectives are read aloud because Ss can use them in later tasks.

Example: A: admirable, awful, appalling B: beautiful, banned, best, bizarre C: crazy, charming, celebrated D: dark, daring, depressing, disgusting E: effective, educational, elaborated, every F: famous, fantastic, fascinating, frightening G: great, ghostly, gloomy H: horrible, hostile, happy, horrific I: interesting, ideal, illuminated, illegal J: jolly K: keen L: lively, local, loud M: magnificent, mysterious, monstrous N: nice, notable, new O: obscene, offensive, official P: pleasant, popular, previous, prepared Q: quiet R: radical, rebellious, roaring S: special, successful, super, spectacular T: terrible, terrific, treacherous, thrilling U: unique, usual, unimaginable, unforgettable V: vivid W: wild, well-organized, wondrous, wonderful Z: zealous (horlivý, nadšený)

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2) Grammar in context: language functions - invitations T indicates that when people speak they do so for a certain purpose. In this sense the language has its particular function. T makes Ss think about a situation when two people meet and one of them wants the other to come for a party. How is this request called? An anagram might be written on board as a prompt: I V T A N O I N T I

(invitation)

Ss are given handouts entitled Invitations and suggestions, Accepting and refusing invitations (see Appendix VII).T gives explanation and helps Ss with the tasks.

3) Role-play: speaking practice Ss are supposed to role-play 2 situations. The first one is an informal conversation between two friends, when one of them is inviting the other to the Halloween party. The second situation is more formal, when a student is inviting the headmaster. T explains the difference and presents a few useful phrases: -

Hey, don’t be a coward and just come. It will be fun.

-

Mr. Smith, can I talk to you for a while? Our class would like to invite you to our Halloween party. We would be very pleased if you come.

Ss work in two groups, the first inventing the informal talk and the second preparing the formal conversation. Then two pairs are chosen to act out the situations.

4) Wh-question: repetition During this activity Ss repeat the structure of Wh-questions and of the passive voice as well. The purpose is to plan further details for making the party a successful event. The outcoming paper might be presented as a useful reminder on the noticeboard in the classroom.T writes wh-expressions on the board: when, where, what, how, who Ss work in pairs and try to form the questions: When does the party begin? Where will the party take place? What will be included in the programme? How many posters do we need? Where will be the posters displayed? (the notice: Stick No Bills!) How many invitation cards do we need? Who will be invited?

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-BREAK-

5) Examples of Halloween party invitations T prepares computer-based display as an inspiration for Ss. Following things are highlighted as essential: PICTURE - DATE - PLACE – TIME – RSVP – INVITATION SLOGAN T explains the meaning of the acronym RSVP: According to Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture: letters written on an invitation to a party, asking you to say whether you will attend or not. They are based on the French words 'répondez sil vous plait' (= please reply). Ss try to think of original slogans for their invitation cards, they can remember some of the adjectives from the warm-up. Example: All ghosts, witches and wizards are welcome to a spectacular Halloween party. This wonderful black sabbath is a must for you!

6) CALL, E-learning Ss work on computers and search web sites with animated Halloween graphics, e.g. www.entertainment.webshots.com, http://712educators.about.com/cs/halloween,…) They try to design posters and invitation cards on computers. Or they can be handmade as well. Note: This can be done across curriculum in computer lessons.

7) Assignment Ss are asked to finish posters and invitations cards at home and prepare a presentation for the next time when the class will choose the best ones that will be finally used. T thanks Ss for their enthusiasm and invites them to ask questions.

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3.2.7 Teaching unit VII: Programme of the party Lesson plan 11 Level: intermediate (upper-intermediate) Number of students: 18 Time: 90 minutes !!! Main aim: preparing an interesting programme of the Halloween party Subsidiary aim: strengthening cooperation among Ss and development of critical thinking Learner training: Jokes are introduced to learners as a great way how to learn new expressions and acquire language chunks in a pleasant way. They can try to translate Czech jokes into English (or vice versa) and a small 'class jokebook' can help them to get into the heart of the language. Language work: future tense (will x going to), developing speaking skills Interaction patterns: group work, individual work Learning environment: classroom Aids and materials: handout with the joke, grammar worksheet, whiteboard, data projector, marker Procedure: 1) Warm –up: a party joke A young woman was suffering badly from hay fever. She was going to a fancy dinner party that night and figured she would need at least two handkerchiefs to get her through the evening. She didn't have any pockets, so she stuffed them both in her bra. Halfway through the night, she had already used up one handkerchief and was rummaging around in her bra for the other one. She was having trouble finding it, and soon she noticed that everyone at the table was looking at her. "What on earth are you doing?" asked one of her colleagues. She replied: "I could have sworn I had two when I arrived!" (http://2havefun.com/Comedy/party.shtml)

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Humour is a powerful tool for language learning and Ss might appreciate this kind of lesson beginning. Ss are given a handout with the joke. T pre-teaches essential vocabulary using a marker and board. Ss make notes on their handout. -

hay fever (senná rýma), fancy (přepychový), rummage (prohledávat), swear-sworesworn (přísahat)

A volunteer reads the joke aloud and the others follow the text. Laughter is a signal that everybody has understood and that there is no need to come back to the text. 2) Grammar focus: future tense (will x going to) T uses inductive approach and tries to make the Ss work out grammar rules themselves. Ss are provided with worksheets presenting two dialogues that show the difference between using will and going to for the future. A) Peggy: Have you thought about the weekend? John: No, I haven’t. I have no plans. Peggy: Let’s have a party. John: That’s a good idea. I will print the invitation cards. Peggy: That would be kind of you. I will prepare some refreshments then. B) Peggy: Mummy, is it true that you are leaving for the weekend? Mummy: Yes, we are going to visit our old friends. Do you remember the Chadwick’s? Peggy: No, I don’t. But I have something on my mind. John and I have decided to have a party on Saturday. We are going to invite lots of people. Could it be in our garden? Mummy: Yes, of course. But I hope you won’t be too noisy. T elicits Ss ideas concerning the grammar rules, gives feedback and further explanation. Ss are encouraged to do a following exercise: 1) Oh, I have forgotten to reply to the invitation card. - Don’t worry, I _________ them. a) will phone b) am going to phone

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2) What are you doing? – I _________ a pumpkin pie for tomorrow’s party. a) will prepare

b) am going to prepare

3) Did you try your Halloween costume? – No, I forgot. I _________ it now. a) will try

b) am going to try

4) Have you decided on the programme? – Yes, everything is planned. We _________ magic and play scary games. a) will perform

b) are going to perform

Ss check answers with their partners before whole-class feedback. -BREAK3) Pyramid discussion: programme of the Halloween party Clear instructions are crucial during this activity! T explains to Ss that they are going to discuss what they think should be included in the programme of the party. Ss are reminded that there is a time limit from 2 to 3 hours. T recalls the Jack-o'-lantern scene, background music, display of refreshments, exhibition of costumes and games for younger schoolmates. Ss should think of such a programme that would represent what they have learned during the project, which would be amusing for both the organizers and the guests. T can make use of a data projector and present some ideas on the board to get Ss started: * Carnival procession with Chinese lanterns * Pumpkin hunt in the dark * Storytelling with torches * Magician show with conjuring tricks * Finding sweets in 'Wiggly Worms' (britishcouncil web): You need: spaghetti, grapes, cooking oil and wrapped sweets. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Cook the spaghetti. Rinse in cold water. Add some cooking oil to make the spaghetti slimy. Put a black plastic bag in a bucket or bin. Add the spaghetti and grapes Add the sweets and mix. Make a cover for the bin. Make a hole in the cover big enough for a hand.

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* Guess the Pumpkin Weight * Who is the ghost? (Have one child leave the room. Then take a large sheet and have a different (child) stand and hide under the sheet. Mix up the remaining children in the room and then allow the child who left the room to come back inside. That child has to guess who's the ghost, by process of elimination they need to figure out which child is hiding under the sheet. Then that "Ghost" goes out of the room and a different child becomes the new ghost, mix up the remaining children and repeat until all of the children have had a turn being the ghost. – From www.partygameideas.com)

… When there are at least 20 ideas on the board, Ss are told to choose only 5 of them. They should negotiate with their neighbour and agree on a list of 5 items. Ss are expected to give reasons and be persuasive. When the pairs have decided on their fives, they are asked to work with another pair and compare their lists. This group of four undergoes discussion again. Ss try to persuade others and finally they announce the new list. Next, T put Ss into groups of 8 to discuss and choose the best 5 items. In the end, the whole class agrees on a final list of 5. 4) Feedback – error correction T could make notes in error monitor charts and give them to Ss after the activity. Another possibility is to write examples of incorrect language on the board and ask the Ss to find the errors and correct them. 5) Assignment Ss are divided into 5 groups, each of them being responsible for one of the 5 chosen items of the programme. T offers advice and help to all of them and invites them to discuss problems in his/her consultation hours.

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3.2.8 Teaching unit VIII: Final evaluation 3.2.8.1 Halloween party - the final product The final product of this project is supposed to be the Halloween party itself. It should be held on 31 October, if possible. The most suitable place would be a gymnasium or a school hall. It might take place even in a local culture house. In this case, the cooperation between the school, parents and the public would be the closest. Parents can help with preparing the refreshments and decorations. Pumpkins of various sizes, shapes and colours can be used to support the atmosphere. Other props might be witchy dolls, candles, darkening curtains, sheets etc. Students should make Halloween costumes themselves, but they can also buy or borrow them. These creatures are likely to be seen at the party: a witch, lady in black, wizard, demon, devil, goblin, ghost, hangman, executioner, mummy, skeleton, werewolf, vampire and others. The duration of the party is estimated at 2 or 3 hours. The programme would be organized as negotiated in the unit 3.2.7 (a rehearsal is recommended). 3.2.8.2 Assessment scheme - revision activities, checking students’ progress 1) Informal assessment In my opinion, projects should be connected with informal assessment. There can be some exercises and tests, but they should not be marked. It is sufficient to provide points or a percentage. Otherwise, formal assessment tools, such as oral or written exams, are not appropriate here. The result might be the same as with usual grammar-based lessons, stressed and disgusted learners concentrating just on not failing the test, rather than on their overall personal development and on enjoying the language. 2) Assessment tools -

observing the students during the whole project and note-taking

-

weekly review: What have we learnt this week?

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-

sub-skills checklist (esp. after reading and listening lessons)

-

performance sheet + error monitor at the end of the project for each learner: written evaluation and feedback

-

conferencing with students in small groups, finding out how they feel about the project

-

presentation: dramatization of the legend, storytelling, recipes etc.

-

posters and other assignments

-

project diary or log (storing materials and notes), preference charts

3) Final assessment At the end of the project, learners are given a review form concerning the language knowledge to fill in. Next, they are encouraged to try an achievement test. They are also asked to fill in a questionnaire that serves as a feedback for the teacher. This might be a challenging task as the learners feel like adults whose opinions and ideas are seriously taken into consideration. (The teacher goes through the questions with the students at first to make sure that everything is clear.) Finally, each student receives a participation certificate. (See Appendix) Project review 1) What new vocabulary have you learnt during the project? 2) Which of these new words can you use with confidence? 3) Which of these new words do you feel unsure about? 4) What can you say now that you could not say before the project? 5) What have you learnt about the English language that you did not know before? 6) Are there any words that you do not know how to pronounce correctly? 7) Any other comments?

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Achievement test: What have you learnt? 1) Write 3 more words in each group: 1. devil, ghost, wizard……………………………… (Halloween costumes) 2. paper, cloth, scissors…………………………….. (things used for making a costume or a mask) 3. crazy, great, wonderful………………………….. (adjectives describing a party) 4. hall, kitchen, stairs………………………………. (parts of a house) 2) Put one or more words in each blank: 1. People say that this house is full of ghosts and monsters. It is a …………house. 2. A monster that drinks human blood is called a ……………. 3. The……….celebrated the festival Samhain. 4. People light up pumpkin lanterns to scare away……………… 5. Children go around the neighbourhood, knock on the doors and say "……………" 3) Put in the right form of the verb: 1. A large hole is ……….around the top of the pumpkin. (cut) 2. A candle is …………inside. (place) 3. A special cocktail……………..for the party. (to be, mix) 4. Lot of money is ………….during Halloween. (spend) 5. There is going to be a party at the weekend. It……….fun. (to be) 6. We have bought all the ingredients. We…………..a pumpkin pie on Friday.(bake) 4) Match the words with their Czech equivalents: 1) pagan

a) věnec

2) seeds

b) víra

3) wreath

c) pohanský

4) faith

d) rozetřít

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5) slice

e) semena

6) spread

f) nakrájet na plátky

5) Form questions for the following answers: 1. The party begins at 3 p.m. 2. Funny games will be included in the programme. 3. We need 20 invitation cards.

6) ☺ Can you solve this crossword puzzle? You can cross the words in all the eight directions: ←↑…… E S

P

I

D E

R

P

O

V I

E W L W O

H

C

I

A

A I

G H

O

S

T

L A

N T

E R

N

R

O

D R

U M R O

I

R

B

T E

T O

R C

E

Y

E

P

A

R B

K K

Y

A

R

M O

N S

T E

R

S

Y

evil, lantern, witch, ghost, horror, trick, spider, October, peanut, view, eye, mob (chátra), rock, rap, drum, rot (hnít), ray (paprsek), red, monsters

7) ☺ Crossword: Fill in the gaps and find out a message from me: ↓ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

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1. all the bones together 2. opposite of hell 3. people light this thing and put it into a pumpkin shell 4. to make a sound on sb. door 5. meaning the same as scary 6. adjective beginning with M, connected with atmosphere 7. witches ride on this thing 8. the most famous vampire

KEY: 1) 1. witch, skeleton, werewolf…2. needles, colours, string…3. spectacular, boring, ghostly…4. bedroom, bathroom, living room 2) 1. haunted, 2. vampire, 3. Celts, 4. evil spirits, 5. Trick or treat 3) 1. cut, 2. placed, 3. is mixed, 4. spent, 5. will be, 6. are going to bake 4) 1-c, 2-e, 3-a, 4-b, 5-f, 6-d 5) 1. When does the party begin?, 2. What will be included in the programme?, 3. How many invitation cards do we need? 6) party 7) Thank you!

Questionnaire – project evaluation 1) How did you like the project as a whole? 1 – very much 5 – not at all Circle the number: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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Is there anything you would change next time?………………………….

2) How did you enjoy the party? Do you think that the party was a success? If no, what went wrong?

3) Which of these teaching units did you like best? -

Lead-in activities (stories)

-

Halloween festival

-

A pumpkin lantern

-

Music at the party

-

Refreshments at the party

-

Posters and invitation cards

-

Programme of the party

4) Which of the activities did you like best and why? (+) Which one/ones did you not like and why? (-) Which activities were the most demanding (or the most difficult) for you? (?!) -

Storytelling

+

-

?!

-

Halloween word game

+

-

?!

-

Dramatization of the Jack-o-lantern legend

+

-

?!

-

Listening to the songs

+

-

?!

-

Searching the net

+

-

?!

-

Pyramid discussion (programme)

+

-

?!

-

Others………………………….

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5) How difficult was the language of the project for you? 1 – very easy 5 – extremely difficult Circle the number: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

6) How often did you have to look up words in a dictionary? 1 – rarely 5 – very often Circle the number: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

7) The project included 7 assignments: 1) haunted house, 2) Halloween poster, 3) pumpkin carving manual, 4) lyrics and painting, 5) recipes, 6) invitation cards, 7) responsibilities for the programme Do you think that this is: a) too many

b) OK, just enough

c) few

Which assignment did you enjoy the most?

8) Which of these teaching aids were the most helpful for you? a) video

b) computer

c) pictures

d)board

e)others

9) Did you have any serious problems with the grammar tasks? If yes, tick the most problematic area: past tense, future tense, passive voice, invitations

10) What have you learnt about the English culture?

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11) Is there anything you find really great about the project?

12) Is there anything you would like to comment on or ask about?

13) Would you like to participate in other projects during this school year? If yes, which of these topics is the most interesting for you? -

Our region European cookery book Children and young people in the 21st century

Others………………………………………… (Your ideas are welcome!)

Thank you for your answers, comments and ideas! ☺☺☺

3.2.8.3 Reactions to piloted activities (evaluation and feedback) - piloted at The Grammar School in Bystřice nad Pernštejnem, October 2007 -

1) Horrid Henry Tricks and Treats (Lesson plan 1)

The students of "tercie" were introduced to me as a rare group of teenagers which likes literature and working with literary texts. And they convinced me that it was true. There was a positive atmosphere and enthusiasm in the class. They corrected one another and had a real interest in making the lesson successful. The students were fond of creating the nicknames, such as "the terror of teachers", and amazing ideas appeared, e.g. "the nightmare of nurses", "the murderer of mathematicians", "the lover of languages", "the hunter of hearts", …☺. Brainstorming round "trick or treating" was not so productive as I had expected and the activity changed into teacher's account .

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What went really well, was the competition concerning vocabulary work. Nobody wanted to choose traditional using dictionaries and all the learners appreciated the game with cards (They took a card with an unknown word and its Czech equivalent on the back side only if they would not understand the correspondent sentence and the story would become uncomprihensible). Similarly, the competition in pairs (writing down things usually used for making costumes) appeared to be enjoyable. There was a winning pair with 14 items. Then the students agreed that competitions are their most favourite activities in English lessons ☺. The only problem was timing. We did not manage to read the whole story at school .

2) Storytelling (Halloween pictures)

To my surprise, the students of "tercie" were familiar with storytelling activities and all the instructions were understood immediately. They were really active and eager to contribute. They also brought candles and torches to create scary atmosphere ☺. The students pricked up their ears and tried to pay attention to their classmates' contributions because there was a threat of meeting the sign 'STOP' and retelling the whole story from the beginning. Gradually, they built up a horror story about a vampire living in a haunted house and chasing all the living creatures in the neighbourhood.

3) Halloween in the present (Video package)

The classroom atmosphere was totally different here. I had to change my behaviour and treat the students in a more demanding way. The problem was that they were persuaded that watching video in English lesson is a time for having rest and chatting. They were disappointed that the video lasted only 5 minutes and then their activity was required. Although they watched it three times, they had problems with the tasks and I had to choose only some of them .

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4) Making pumpkin lanterns

The most enjoyable activity seemed to be the manual work itself. Students worked in 3 groups and managed to create real works of art. They proved to be skillful and creative. Gaining the pumpkins was not a problem either as parents of one student had a garden centre. Surprisingly, the students were willing to clear the tables and tidy up the classroom. The time limit, 45 minutes, was sufficient ☺.

5) Posters and costumes

Students worked independently on Halloween posters at home. They had to find basic information about the festival and present it to their schoolmates. Posters were displayed along the corridor. Examples in the Appendix show that Ss are talented artists and also searching the net is no problem for them these days. Ss were enthusiastic about making Halloween costumes themselves and only few of them bought a mask. Their overall attitude convinced me that the idea of organizing Halloween party with teenagers is not a utopia ☺.

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3 Conclusion "Success is a journey not a destination." The process of writing this thesis is near the end. Thus it is essential to draw conclusions and answer arised questions. The main intention of the thesis was to create a teaching manual depicting the procedure of working on the project called "Halloween Party". Now it is possible to state that the aim was achieved. The topic is designed as a long-term project, which can start at the beginning of October (or even at the beginning of a school year) and culminate on October 31. The project is suitable for learners of an intermediate level, but with slight changes it can be practiced with students of other levels as well. Similarly, the activities and tasks are carried out by students of one class, but the lesson plans may be adapted, for example, as a whole-school project. Evidently, PBL is a flexible approach. As it was mentioned in the preface, students are offered a wide range of activities, a large space for their own suggestions and ideas and also a great deal of responsibility. All human senses are taken into consideration. It means that learning is facilitated through audio-visual aids, movement, artistic work and cooking too. Gradually, students approach the final product, which is the Halloween party itself. It seems that the project-based learning demonstrates all the contributions of traditional EFL techniques together with modern progressive teaching approaches and ideas. Simply, it appears to be a miraculous method how to overcome common drawbacks and problems that many teachers stand up to. In proof of it there are positive reactions to the piloted parts of this project. The project as a whole has not been piloted yet due to my maternity leave. However, I am going to do so as soon as possible and I would like to invite my colleagues to try it out as well. I would appreciate their constructive criticism. Last but not least, my overall attitude to this work did not lack enthusiasm, responsibility and conscientiousness. I consider working on this diploma thesis a part of my professional development, a significant road sign on my journey through teaching practice.

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4 Résumé Tato diplomová práce nese název "Project-based Learning: Halloween Party", v překladu Projektová výuka: Halloweenský bál, a zaobírá se využitím projektů ve školní praxi obecně, ale především v oblasti výuky anglického jazyka. Teoretická část poskytuje cenné informace o projektech pro všechny pedagogy, kteří se o toto téma zajímají. První kapitola hledá nejvhodnější definici projektu a její objasnění. Dále se nabízí pohled do historie projektové práce v souvislosti s pragmatickou pedagogikou. Autorka také zkoumá spojitosti projektové výuky a dalších didaktických metod, jako je např. kooperativní vyučování nebo humanistický přístup. Zmiňuje se dále o rolích učitele v průběhu projektové výuky, které se podstatně liší od tradičního frontálního vyučování. Další kapitoly pojednávají o výhodách i problémech vybraného přístupu. Autorka se zamýšlí nad významným prvkem pedagogické činnosti, kterým je motivace, a prezentuje zde krátkou esej na toto téma. Poté stručně specifikuje motivaci v projektové výuce. Poslední kapitola se zabývá samotným postupem projektu a popisuje jeho dílčí kroky. Praktická část se zaměřuje na zvolené téma projektové výuky, tedy Halloweenský bál. Autorka zde vytvořila plány pro jednotlivé vyučovací jednotky, které dohromady tvoří manuál detailně popisující průběh projektu. Nejdříve jsou navrženy úvodní aktivity využívající strašidelné povídky. Následuje část, jejíž náplní je historie i současná podoba Halloweenu a také srovnání s českými tradicemi. Skrze další vyučovací jednotky se studenti dobírají k výslednému produktu, kterým je samotná "party" uspořádaná nejlépe přímo 31. října. Studenti jsou zapojeni do rozmanitých aktivit, jako např. vydlabávání dýní, malování, vytváření plakátů a pozvánek, vaření a samozřejmě nechybí příprava kostýmů. Projekt nabízí možnosti kreativního myšlení a originálního přístupu. Důležitým aspektem jsou také mezipředmětové vztahy, které jsou ve většině plánu zakomponovány. Diplomová práce obsahuje přílohy, které dobarvují podobu vytvořeného projektu. Je zde možno najít doplňující materiály pro učitele, pracovní listy pro studenty, příklady aktivit a úkolů, obrázky a fotografie.

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6 Bibliography 1) CHLUP, Otokar: Pedagogická encyklopedie. Novina, Praha 1939. 2) VALENTA, J. et al.: Pohledy. Projektová metoda ve škole a za školou. ArtamaSTD, Praha 1993. 3) PRŮCHA, J.: Pedagogický slovník. Portál, Praha 1998. 4) KASÍKOVÁ, H.: Kooperativní učení, kooperativní škola. Portál, Praha 1997 (2001, 2003). ISBN 80-7178-167-3. 5) ŠIMONÍK, O.: Úvod do školní didaktiky. MSD Brno, 2003. ISBN 80-86633-04-7 6) SINGULE, F.: Americká pragmatická pedagogika. SPN Praha, 1990. 7) PETTY, G.: Moderní vyučování. Portál, Praha 1996. ISBN 80-7178-681-0 8) HARMER, J.: The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman 1991. ISBN 0582 046564 9) LARSEN-FREEMAN, D.: Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford: OUP, 1986. ISBN 019434133X. 10) DEWEY, J.: Škola a společnost. Praha, J. Laichter 1904. 11) DEWEY, J: Demokracie a výchova. Praha, J. Laichter 1932. 12) NUNAN, D. Language Teaching Methodology. Harlow: Longman, 2000. ISBN 0135214696. 13) MOSKOWITZ, G.: Caring and Sharing in the Foreign Language Classroom, 1978. 14) RICHARDS, J. C., ROGERS, T. S.: Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching: A Description and Analysis. Cambridge: CUP, 1991. ISBN 0521312558 15) HUTCHINSON T., WOODBRIDGE, T.: Project 2 (Teacher's Book), OUP 1999. ISBN 0-19-436525-5. 16) MAŇÁK, J.: Nárys didaktiky. Brno: MU, 1990. ISBN 80-210-0210-7. 17) JŮVA, V.: Úvod do pedagogiky. Brno: Paido, 1997. ISBN 80-85931-78-8. 18) MAŇÁK, J. et al.: Vybrané kapitoly z obecné didaktiky. Brno: MU, 1999. ISBN 80-210-1308-7. 19) HAINES, S.: Projects for EFL Classroom (Resource Material for Teachers). Thomas Nelson and Sons 1989. ISBN 0-17-555736-5.

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20) DIANA L. FRIED-BOOTH: Project Work (Resource Book for Teachers). OUP, 1986. ISBN 0-19-437092-5. 21) PHILLIPS D. et al.: Projects with Young Learners. OUP, 1999. ISBN 0-19 437221-9 22) HUTCHINSON, T.: Project English 3 (Teacher's Book). OUP, 1987. ISBN 0-19435441-5 23) ELLIS, Rod.: Second Language Acquisition. OUP, 1997. ISBN 10-0194372154. 24) WICKS, M.: Imaginative Projects (A resource book of project work fro young students). CUP, 2000. ISBN 0 521 668050. 24) FRONEK, J.: Velký česko-anglický slovník. Leda, 2004. ISBN 80-85927-54-3. 25) HAIS, HODEK: Velký anglicko-český slovník. Nakladatelství Československé akademie věd v Praze, 1991. ISBN 80-200-0064-X 26) Dictionary of English Language and Culture. Longman 1998. ISBN 80-582-302048. 27) Friendship (Halloween history), vol. XXX, Foreign Language Publications, 1995. 28) Friendship (How to make a pumpkin lantern), vol. XXXI, FLP, 1997. 29) Friendship (Pumpkins), vol. XXXII, FLP, 1998. 30) British Festivals – video cassette + book, Connect ELT

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Internet resources: Theoretical part: 1) Projektová výuka [on line]. [quoted 2007-10-05]. Available from: 2) Projects [on line]. [quoted 2007-10-11]. Available from: 3) Project-based Learning [on line]. [quoted 2007-10-11]. Available from: 6) Project Approach [on line]. [quoted 2007-10-14]. Available from: 7) Project-based Learning Handbook [on line]. [quoted 2007-11-02]. Available from: 8) Content and Language Integrated Project [on line]. [quoted 2007-11-02]. Available from: http://www.cilt.org.uk 9) DARN, S.: Content and Language Integrated Learning [on line]. [quoted 2007-1107]. Available from:

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Practical part: 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16)