COMENIUS: “Students’ Motivation Inspires Learning in Europe’’

TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH THE PROJECT METHOD

2nd JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL OF ALMYROS, GREECE

STUDENTS: BAGLATZI MARIALENA, KARATZOUNI HELEN, MORFIS DOXAKIS

SUPERVISOR: CHARIS MICHALAKOPOULOS, Msc

LONDON 2012

IntroductionIntroduction• Language Teaching and Learning has shifted

from a teacher-based to a learner-centered approach which promotes interaction, authentic communication and groupwork, away from the mere memorization of grammatical rules and endless lists of unknown words.

• In this new context, interdisciplinary learning is promoted and the use of technology is encouraged. Projects are at the heart of this communicative approach.

AIMAIM

To acquaint students with the principles of the project method and engage them into meaningful communicative interaction through groupwork.

OBJECTIVES Projects generally enable students to:

• explore a particular topic in depth

• integrate what they have learnt with other subjects

• develop basic research skills, time-management and project-management skills

• develop general team skills, effective leadership skills or other role skills

OBJECTIVES (cont.)

• use their initiative and develop their

creative powers

• become more competent writers by

producing a well-structured report

• make effective oral presentations

• become independent and autonomous

learners

More specifically, the London-sight project helps students to:

• cooperate/collaborate through groupwork.

• assume individual responsibility and delegate roles within the group in order to equally contribute to the attainment of a common goal.

• design a travel brochure with the most characteristic sights of London.

• learn the history of the selected sights.

• learn key-vocabulary concerning travel /

sightseeing.

• develop writing and summary skills.

• use descriptive language.

• surf the Net in order to find information.

CLASS PROFILE

AGE: 12-15

GRADES: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

(Junior High School)

THE PROJECT

Imagine you work in a travel agency. Design a travel brochure with the most important sights of London. Work in groups of three or four and present your final product either in print or in Power-Point. (preparation time: three weeks)

Steps

• Form groups of three or four students. Make sure your group is made up

of mixed-ability students so that everyone can benefit.

• Allocate roles: each member of the group must have a specific role

(secretary, photographer, researcher, editor, presenter, etc.). Make sure

everyone knows what they have to do.

• Make a first list of the sights of London that, in your opinion, a tourist

should never miss visiting when in this city. Ask your teacher for any

additional suggestions.

• Discuss in the group and make your final decision on the sights you

would like to include in your brochure.

• You can either surf the Net or consult encyclopedias, school

books, travel brochures, etc.

• First and second draft: consult your teacher for any possible

modifications (feedback).

• Present your final product in class.

• Vote for the best project to appear in your school newspaper or

in a brochure of your local travel agency.

Results & Discussion

~! London Tour !~

• Anna-Maria Archonti• Helen Karatzouni• Apostolia Tsiapra• Helen Hassanou

~! Madame Tussauds !~• A major tourist attraction

located in Central London.

• It is famous for recreating famous people, or celebrities, in wax.

• It is the original Madame Tussauds attraction, having been situated on Marylebone Road since 1884. It was set up by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud. It is operated by Merlin Entertainments.

~! Buckingham Palace !~

• The principal residence and office of the British monarch.

• Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality.

• It has been a focus for the British people at times of national rejoicing and crisis.

• It was subsequently acquired by George III as a private residence for Queen Charlotte, and known as "The Queen's House“.

~! Greenwich !~

• Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time.

• Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.

• The historic rooms within these buildings remain open to the public; other buildings are used by the University of Greenwich and the Trinity College of Music.

~! Globe Theatre !~• The Globe Theatre was a

theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare.

• It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613.

• A second Globe Theatre was built on the same site by June 1614 and closed in 1642.

• A modern reconstruction of the Globe, named "Shakespeare's Globe", opened in 1997 approximately 750 feet (230 m) from the site of the original theatre.

~! Tate Gallery !~• The Tate is an institution that

houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art.

• It is a network of four art museums: Tate Britain, London (previously known as the Tate Gallery, founded 1897), Tate Liverpool (founded 1988), Tate St Ives, Cornwall (founded 1993) and Tate Modern, London (founded 2000), with a complementary website, Tate Online (created 1998).

• Tate is used as the operating name for the corporate body which was established by the Museums and Galleries Act 1992 as The Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery.

LONDON

PARTICIPANTS: MAMOURAS GEORGE MORFIS DOXAKIS BINAS NIKOS

DATE: 16-1-12

WHAT ABOUT VISITING…?

OR EVEN…

...AND FOR THE FANS OF AERONAUTICS...

NIGHT & DAY

MAYBE THE MOST MAGNIFICENT BRIDGE IN THE

WORLD Plans for the Tower Bridge were devised around 1876 when the east of

London became extremely crowded and a bridge across the Thames in that area of the city seemed a necessity. It would take another eight years - and lots of discussions about the design - before construction of the bridge started.. The bridge, designed by city architect Horace Jones in collaboration with John Wolfe Barry, would eventually be completed in 1894. Five contractors and nearly 450 workers were involved in the construction of the 265 meter long bridge. It took 11,000 tons of steel to build the framework. At the time many people disliked its Victorian Gothic design, but over time the bridge became one of London's most famous symbols.

Tower bridge raising The proximity of the harbor and its location in the direction of the sea

required for the bridge to allow the passage of large vessels. Hence the decision to create a moveable bridge which can be opened to accommodate boat traffic. The mechanism to open the bridge is hidden in the two towers. Until 1976, when the mechanism became electrified, steam power was used to pump water into hydraulic accumulators which powered the engines.Each deck is more than 30 meters wide and can be opened to an angle of 83 degrees. When opened the bridge has a clearance of almost 45 meters. It used to open almost 50 times a day but nowadays it is only raised about 1,000 times a year.

At night bridge lifts are pre-scheduled (for cruise ships, etc) so visitors can check the bridge's website to find out when it will rise and lower.

SOME OTHER VIEWS OF THE BRIDGE ARE…

THE TOWER OF LONDONThe History of the Tower of

London encompasses the story of the magnificent castle and the lives of the men and the women who were killed and imprisoned in this great fortress. The legends and myths regarding this great London castle include the legend of the Ravens. The History of the Tower of London spans across more than one thousand years and the reigns of countless Kings and Queens. A fully comprehensive Timeline has been developed to guide you through the key events of the Tower of London and its bloody history.

The Purpose & Function of the Tower of London was:

• To act as a royal power base in the City of London

• To provide a base where armed men, provisions and horses could be housed

• To overawe and frighten the indigenous population of London

• To provide a retreat for the Royal family in times of civil disorder

• To protect London from invasion - an invasion by the Vikings penetrated the Thames as far as Reading in 870AD

• A Royal residence in London• A Prison housing some very

important state prisoners• A place of trials, execution and

torture

LONDON EYEA Landmark for the new

Millennium:• The structure was designed

by the architectural team of David Marks and Julia Barfield, husband and wife.They submitted their idea for a large observation wheel as part of a competition to design a landmark for the new millennium.

None of the entrants won the competition, but the couple pressed on and eventually got the backing of British Airways, which sponsored the project.

EVEN MORE…• The observation wheel turns slow enough

for people to embark while it is moving. A complete turn takes about 30 minutes. Thanks to the construction of the glass capsules on the outer side of the rim,

• Capsule• the passengers have a great 360° view

over London. Many famous landmarks are clearly visible, including the Buckingham Palace, St.Paul’s Cathedral and the House of Parliament On a clear day you can see as far as 40 km (25 miles).

• Make sure you get your tickets in advance, lines can be very long, both the lines for embarking and for ticket purchases. It's less crowded at night when the views are even more spectacular.

LONDON MOTOR MUSEUM• The London Motor Museum is the premier museum in

London for car enthusiasts. The Museum has a unique collection of classic American Cars that relate to the story of the early motoring experience.

• Featuring a showroom full of classic cars from the 1930s to the present day the London Motor Museum has impressive automobiles from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

• Cars include luxury brands from the States and Europe. Exclusive models you can see at the London Motor Museum include a Louis Vuitton Cadillac Deville, a Lincoln Continental Lowrider and plenty of deluxe names like Aston Martin, Ferrari and Jaguar.

RAF MUSEUM LONDON

• A visit to the Royal Air Force Museum London is an easy way to keep the whole family entertained for hours without plundering the household budget. With over 100 aircraft in five buildings, this is the only place in London where you can get close to so many aircraft for free. Access to and around the museum is easy, with wide aisles for pushchairs and wheelchairs. You could also visit the shop which is packed with great things to help you remember your trip.

STONEHENGE

CREATORS:VASSIA GRAPSIDI

MARY VALOYXISTAVROULA TSIRILA

EMILY LEMOUSIA

LOCATION

English country of Wiltshire, about 2.0 miles west of Amesbury and 8 miles north of Salisbury

DATE OF CONSTRUCTION

3000 BC - 2000 BC

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large 

standing stones set within earthworks.

USE

Stonehenge could possibly have served as a burial ground.

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THE GREAT PYRAMID

By

Kefaligia EltionNikos Gliatis

Katsas Apostolis

Project on the Subject of English

The pyramid was built as a tomb for the Fourth Dynasty Egyptian King Khufuand. It was concluded around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid, located in Cairo, Egypt, had been the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years.

Originally the Great Pyramid was covered by casing stones that formed a smooth outer surface, and what is seen today is the underlying core structure. Some of the casing stones that once covered the structure can still be seen around the base. There have been varying scientific and alternative theories regarding the Great Pyramid's construction techniques. Most accepted construction theories are based on the idea that it was built by moving huge stones from a quarry and dragging and lifting them into place.

In ancient Egypt, it was believed that death began a journey that brought the person to the next world of the afterlife. The king was mummified and the mummy was kept inside the pyramid both for protection and for easier travel to the afterlife. His belongings were kept with him in the pyramid so that he could have access to them in the afterlife.

let’ s

PLAY!

and now…..

3 Important people

By Christina Nikiforidou & Maria Karnava

• He was born in August, 1871.• He used to be an engineer.• He was one of the two people who

invented a flying device, called Flyer 1.

The Answer is

Orville Wright

• He was born in August 1881.• He was the one who discovered a group

of antibiotics, that are used to treat bacterial infections.

• He shared the Nobel Price in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 with a pharmacologist and a biochemist.

The Answer is

Alexander Fleming

• He was born in March 1934, and was Russian.

• He was a pilot and a cosmonaut.• He was the first human to journey

into the outer space.

The Answer is

Yuri Gagarin

EVALUATION • Students with a low-rate of previous participation

seemed much more eager to participate in the project, as a result of having a specific role to play,

• developed their speaking, writing and summary skills,• learnt how to make a PowerPoint presentation by

focusing on key-words and isolating the most important and relevant points,

• became acquainted with the basic research skills they will have to deal with in Senior High School and, of course, in the University,

• had the opportunity to connect a school task to a realistic objective: to be prepared for the London visit.

ReferencesBoekaerts, M., Pintrich, P.R. & Zeidner, M. (2000).

(Eds). Handbook of self-regulation. San Diego: Academic Press.

Helm, J.H., & Katz, L.G., (2001). Young investigators: The Project Approach in the Early Years. New York: Teachers College Press.

Knoll, M., (1995). “The Project Method: Its origin and International Influence”. In Progressive Education across the Continents. A Handbook, ed. Volker Lenhart and Hermann Röhrs. New York: Lang.

Sternberg, R.J. (1995). (Ed.). The nature of creativity: Contemporary Psychological Perspectives. Cambridge: CUP.