REFLECTION
ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS
Context:
This project was designed to be implemented in the first cycle of ESO, where our school (IE Pi del Burgar) is currently promoting PBL (Project-Based Learning). During February and March, we applied this project to a group of 7th graders (1st of ESO).
Methodology:
Our GEP II training allowed us to improve our knowledge of ICT tools and of teamwork methodologies. Both skills have been very helpful in approaching our activities and achieving the learning objectives.
We applied several apps and techniques, such as puzzles (jigsawplanet), quizlets, padlets, tutorials, rubrics, online questionnaires, check lists, timelines and scientific posters; and all challenges in the project follow a common sequence: they start with a driving question, they continue with scaffolding activities and they finish with a final creation which tries to answer the driving question.
Although all the tasks were planned in L2, we decided to add some input and guidelines in L1 to cater for students with more difficulties.
Approach:
One of the premises that was clear in the design of this project was that it had to serve as a basis for future projects in our school. The project's format, use of ICT tools and the sequence of activities were thought as a template for the next projects in IE Pi del Burgar, as well as a bank of teaching resources.
We also intended to share the development of this project with our colleagues, since in the coming years other project teams will have to take up our project and improve it. Since the project had to do with biology, we involved our biology teachers (one of them is a projects mentor with CLIL training), as well as an English language assistant and the SIEI teachers.
We were also aware that one thing that motivates students to do a good job is the knowledge that their work will be seen by a wider audience. Unlike last year, when the project remained within the classroom's four walls, this year, we envisaged a scientific convention open to the school community and beyond (we had three teachers visiting from another school) where students would present their posters/creations.
Implementation:
The implementation was complex due to the fact that we, maths teachers, weren't teaching in the 1st cycle of ESO, so we weren't able to establish a relationship with the students beforehand. Therefore, we were only able to find out about their previous knowledge during the sessions, before being able to adapt the activities with support of other teachers. Having worked out well, we are assured that this collaboration can be reproduced with other teaching teams.
Student response:
As you can see in the videos and photos in this portfolio, the result has been pleasantly rewarding. Although there have been many twists and turns in the development of the project, once it started, it was deployed without major incidents and within the agreed time.
The students gave the project a good reception and showed involvement throughout it. We intended to carry out a satisfaction questionnaire, as we had done last year, but the turn of events didn't allow it.
Conclusion:
As English and Maths teachers, we can only see positive things in working with CLIL projects:
Firstly, students significantly increase exposure to the target language (English as a foreign language). And as research shows, the time of exposure has a great impact in the acquisition of a foreign language.
Secondly, students become accustomed to using English as a means to acquire and share knowledge. They watch videos in English, read articles, discuss with their classmates and use English to interact with each other and the teachers who are not English teachers. Furthermore, they learn scientific language and put into practice the language needed to predict, argue, discuss, justify, reflect, and convince.
Thirdly, the design and development of a CLIL project has taken us many hours of work and much effort but it has been an enjoyable and satisfying experience and has notably improved teamwork in our school.
Fourthly, students enjoyed the experience, too. They were pleased to see how much they were able to achieve in a foreign language. Besides, by taking a simulation approach we tried to make the project a playful one. We pretended our students worked in a scientific lab: a poster for a scientific convention was printed and all participants were given badges with their role in the event.
Finally, it was rewarding to see that even the weakest students, if they made the effort, were able to take up the challenge and succeed.