Implementing Project-Based Language Teaching to Develop EFL High School Students’ Key Competences

Abstract

This case study explored the impacts of project-based language teaching (PBLT) on developing high school students’ key competences and the factors influencing the effect of PBLT on improving high school students’ key competences in English as a foreign language. Two English teachers and 75 tenth graders from one middle school in Qingdao, China, were chosen as research participants. An explanatory mixed methods research design was adopted, including self-developed tests, semi-structured interviews, and teacher reflections. The results revealed that PBLT has many positive impacts on developing high school students’ key competences in English as a foreign language, especially on six aspects, noticing and attentive (A-1) and extracting and summarizing (A-3) in the A level, describing and interpreting (B-1) and synthesizing and application (B-3) in the B level, and reasoning and arguing with evidence (C-1) and creating and imagining (C-2) in the C level. Meanwhile, five factors including teacher’s understanding of PBLT, teacher’s ability of designing and assessing the project, teacher’s roles, teacher’s instructions, and students’ interest and motivation were found to influence the effect of PBLT on improving high school students’ key competences in English as a foreign language. Moreover, the study provides important implications for language instructors on better understanding and effectively implementing PBLT in language teaching.