MOTIVATING

STUDENTS THROUGH
LONG-TERM PROJECTS

Lisa Mann
English Language Fellow
Piura, Peru

ABOUT ME
am originally from the San
Francisco bay area in
California, but I havent lived
there in many, many years. I
have an MA TESOL and an MA
in translation. Ive worked as
an English teacher, director of
studies, program coordinator
and a translator for over 20
years in just about every
teaching context you can
imagine. I am currently an
English Language Fellow based
I

OVERVIEW OF THIS
WEBINAR
Choosing good
projects
Motivating factors
Project catalogue
Project route map

CHOOSING GOOD PROJECTS

CRITICAL
THINKING

ESSENTIAL
QUESTION

COLLABORATION

MULTIPLE SKILLS

AUTHENTICITY

GOALORIENTATION

MOTIVATION

PUBLIC PRODUCT

POLL
How strong is this project idea?
In groups, students create a poster depicting the storyline of a film
watched in class. The posters will then be displayed at their school
A) It is a very good idea!
B) Its okay, but not great.
C) This idea has no merit! It shouldnt be used!

POLL
How strong is this project idea?
In groups, students create a poster depicting the storyline of a film
watched in class. The posters will then be displayed at their school.
A) It is a very good idea!

B) Its okay, but not great.

C) This idea has no merit! It shouldnt be used!

POLL
In groups, students create a poster depicting the storyline of a film
watched in class. The posters will then be displayed at their school.
Which of the criteria does this project NOT meet?
Critical thinking
Collaboration
Authenticity
Motivation
Essential question
Multiple skills
Goal-orientation
Public product

POLL
In groups, students create a poster depicting the storyline of a film
watched in class. The posters will then be displayed at their school.
Which of the criteria does this project NOT meet?
Critical thinking
Collaboration
Authenticity
Motivation
Essential question
Multiple skills
Goal-orientation
Public product

MOTIVATING PROJECTS
Meaningfuln
ess

Agency

Technology

PROJECT CATALOGUE

Guide to Wildlife in Your City

Which animals and plants do we share our environment with? What
are their habitats? How do our actions affect these plants and
animals?
With your group, you will take photos of as many wild plants and
animals you can find. You will do research to find out what they are
called and how they live and write a short summary of your findings
for each one. You will create a website to publish your wildlife guide

Civic Involvement
PROJECT CATALOGUE

What are some of the biggest

environmental problems in our city?
What can we do as individuals to
solve these problems?
With your group, you will discuss
some of the biggest problems in
your city that can be solved by it
citizens. Youll focus on a single
issue and discuss possible solutions,
then youll create a social media
campaign with memes,
information, challenges and goals
to get the people of your city
involved in making it a better place

PROJECT CATALOGUE
The Green Pages
What are some of the biggest
environmental problems in our city?
How can you make people understand
how important they are?
With your group, you will decide which
environmental problems you would like
to change. You will collect information
photos, interviews, information from
published sources and write articles.
You will create a professional looking
newspaper and publish it online. You will
give a brief presentation about your
experiences.

PROJECT CATALOGUE
A New Kind of Super Hero
What are some of the biggest
environmental problems in your city right
now? If you could be a super hero with a
super power that could instantly solve
your citys most important problem, what
super power would you choose?
With your group, you will work to create a
comic strip. You will design the
characters, write the story, draw the
action and then record your voices acting
out the parts of the story in an animated
slide show. You will show your creation to

PROJECT ROUTE MAP

In-class
discussion

Presentatio
n

Project
selection

Group
discussion
and
planning

Publication

Data
collection /
Content
creation

REFERENCES
The Buck Institute for Education website: bie.org
The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
website: www.ascd.org
The Green Schools Initiative website:
http://greenschools.net/article.php?id=160
The American English website: americanenglish.state.gov
Free website / blog platform: www.wordpress.com
Free newspaper templates: www.makemynewspaper.com
Free software for making animated slideshows:
www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=11132