Project work with advanced classes

Diana Fried-Booth

This article outlines a large-scale project that was undertaken by a group of advanced students of English in England as part of their language course. The project involved research into the problems of the disabled tourist and the collection of information about facilities available to the disabled in the city of Bath. The article describes the preparation and supervision of the project, and draws some general conclusions about the usefulness of such projects and how they are best organized.

One of the problems which besets the teacher of advanced classes is the need to find different ways of presenting inaccurately-learnt language items in a new and stimulating way to students who may lack motivation to relearn, or who feel that only new material is interesting and relevant. It is possible to select themes or topics around which to base remedial language work, but the result may often seem rather piecemeal to the students and only thinly disguise what are patently loosely-connected lexical or structural items. In order to improve the coherence of what is taught at this level, I attempted a large-scale project over a term of 11 weeks. The project would require a variety of remedial language work which could be both functionally and structurally based, and would simultaneously provide further stimulus for the necessarily relevant integration of language skills. Above all, it would enable work to be carried out in an entirely authentic context beyond the artificial authenticity which by definition is the only kind that can be achieved in a classroom. Six weeks before the start of the term I began the background reading for a project concerning the disabled which would have language development as its primary aim and also act as an exercise in linking the school with the community. Newspapers and magazine photographs and articles, government reports and local authority regulations were assembled both as reference material and as initial reading for the contextualization of lexis. The media provided a welter of information at the beginning of the year, since 1981 had been designated Year of the Disabled, and recordings of radio and TV programmes were valuable aids to informed discussion. Student reaction to the suggestion of such a project was overwhelmingly positive, because it meant doing something useful. From the teaching point of view, such enthusiasm at this level was most encouraging, particularly when such students often feel their progress to be minimal. The whole terms teaching programme revolved around the project, with all the language work initially being integrated into this common core. For example, the first morning of their course required the language of introduction, as the students met the disabled person who was going to make his spare wheelchair available for the duration of the project. Sub98
ELT Journal Volume 36/2 January 1982

sequently there was the need for language exercises in giving and following instructions as they learnt how to assemble, collapse, and manoeuvre the chair. All four skills, reading, listening, speaking, and writing were related to the common core, culminating at the point where the students could be expected to handle the relevant language necessary for the interviewing and note-taking techniques which were used in the bulk of the field-work. The final objective was to produce in summary form a piece of work which would be useful for the disabled tourist visiting Bath. Any project work which takes the student outside the classroom for a lengthy period may involve additional hazards, and in the case of students physically propelling themselves in a wheelchair, it was advisable to take out insurance cover and to insist on their working in pairs. Once the students were able to embark on their investigation of facilities for the disabled within the city, the teachers role was largely reduced to one of co-ordination and encouragement. Practical problems were manifold: ensuring students carried bonafides in case they should be challenged; transportation of students and wheelchair to within wheeling distance of targets; investigation of suitable materials and formats for final presentation, and the constant checking of progress as in pairs they worked their way through the places a tourist might want to visit. These included shops, museums, art galleries, theatres, cinemas, restaurants, pubs, hotels, banks, travel agencies, post offices, telephones, car parks, garages, sports centre, toilets, doctors, and dentists. The visits involved testing ramps, lifts, pavements, and street-parking, and following up the claim of British Rail that travellers will find our staff helpful and considerate if trouble is taken to warn them in advance. (See Appendix A.) The cold and damp weather provoked frequent practice of the language of complaint, but the willingness of passers-by to help get the wheelchair up kerbs, down steps and to tuck in blankets provided a counter-balance! It is worthwhile exploiting the students own authentic experience of language as it is used as a further focus for language extension activities within the classroom. For example, the student who encountered a hostile and suspicious hotel receptionist was able to demonstrate the need to articulate polite but firm persistence or, ultimately, polite withdrawal. The student who had to handle in the same morning an interview with a taxi driver and an interview with a city planner from the architects department demonstrated the importance of appropriacy. The need to argue over inconsistencies in publicity information, to check conflicting advice or legal safety regulations, to request permission to inspect dubious guest-house facilities, and to provide continual explanations of the groups objectives stimulated language work in the classroom which would perhaps be followed up by a most valuable free-stage. Even more rewarding was the oral work generated by student identification with a project and the spontaneous communication which resulted from the need to report back what had been directly experienced. Examples are the case of the student who was wheeled off by a wellintentioned sports centre attendant, or the student who ended up booking theatre seats for the wheelchair, or another who was invited to lunch by a guest-house owner. If the field work goes well during a project like this, it can be both exciting and motivating as the students begin to appreciate the problems which exist and discuss ways of achieving objectives. The accumulated mass of scribbled notes, maps, illegible scrawls, and countless unrelated scraps
Project work with advanced classes 99

of information stimulated valuable communicative interaction until agreement was reached on the need to produce a booklet for disabled tourists which would be called The Good Wheelchair Guide. (See Appendix B.) Any workshop sessions, while sounding impressive in theory, in practice require organization and discipline on the part of the students, methodical and careful looking up of addresses and telephone numbers, crossreferencing skills, and checking each others spelling and written language. The group of 13 organized themselves into smaller groups, which began sorting material into manageable sections, typing drafts, producing maps to locate certain items, and arranging the typography and final layout. The teachers role is vital at this stage, as the initial enthusiasm has probably begun to wane, and the amount of work to be done can be daunting. So the teacher needs to steer, encourage, and maintain impetus. In this particular group I was fortunate in having a typist, whose professional approach to presentation was invaluable, and a camera enthusiast who took photographs to insert in the booklet. Materials for the final product also need to be readily available at a reasonable cost, and although printing a logo on the cover proved beyond us, we were able to persuade a local printer to print off the cardboard covers for us free of charge. Nevertheless, many hours were spent photocopying, cutting, and binding the booklet in such a way that it could lie flat on someones knees without needing to be held open. Once a finished product is in sight and success reasonably assured, it is necessary to consider how the group can exploit the publicity likely to arise from outside interest in such a venture. It is possible to establish contacts with a variety of outside agencies which might be willing to publicize the work. (See Appendix C.) In my own case the follow-up proved fruitful and extremely encouraging as the students could see the spin-off of their own efforts. What has proved useful for further work of this kind, however, has been the rate at which the media take an interest, and it was disappointing that most of the students left before the majority of the feedback started. Copies were sent to various newspapers and magazines, TV studios, and radio stations, and letters and articles were translated and sent to the students own countries. Enormous pleasure was generated in the group by a telex from Switzerland requesting ten copies of the booklet, and by an invitation from BBC Bristol to record a short interview for transmission at a later date. This interview advertised the availability of the booklet, which was offered free of charge to the public. In addition, a feature in the local newspaper ensured further requests by letter and telephone from both individuals and organizations, such as tourist offices and voluntary agencies, and even letters of congratulation on the students achievement. Furthermore, BBC Nationwide made a short film using the guide as a basis, and two students took part in the film. Requests for a reprint at a later stage have also raised the prospect of further work. From this overview of one groups project, it is possible to consider general criteria applicable to other projects carried out in different situations on different themes. It seems that project work develops along three planes: the language plane, the student plane, and the teacher plane. On the first of these it is essential that the envisaged project operates within the students language learning capacity, and that the accompanying language development has a direct bearing on the need to attain language objectives. Secondly, the project must satisfy the students perception of what is relevant and likely to be of use and interest to outside agencies, and
100
Diana Fried-Booth

must have flexibility for students to be creative and innovative as the project proceeds. A tangible end-product within reach and produced by the individual and the team is the strongest possible motivating factor. And thirdly, the teacher must act as co-ordinator and instigator, and her/his commitment and leadership must be such that the students will feel willing to make the sustained effort required in order to produce a final polished article. The onus is on the teacher to ensure that all relevant and necessary facilities for publication are available, and if necessary to seek expert professional opinions from outside to supplement her/his own expertise. A certain degree of time-tabling flexibility is also necessary to allow students to make their own arrangements where appropriate, and the group dynamics of the entire working situation need to be sufficiently positive over the time period to achieve the end-product. (See Appendix D.) For example, within my group of 13 it became noticeable in the final stages that certain members of the group had begun to flag and to detach themselves from the group commitment, but this was balanced by the majority, who, if anything, increased their workload. The aim was to produce a guide for the disabled tourist, and this was achieved largely, I believe, for the following reasons: enthusiasm for the original concept; the practical nature of the objective to be attained; the relevance of, and perceived need for, the related language work; the degree of satisfaction achieved by each individual; and the interest shown by the outside world in the end-product, apart from the language objectives which had been established before the course. Project work for the advanced language learner, however, provides no easy option. The practical pitfalls are numerous, and the choice of a worthwhile project, bearing in mind learners language needs, relevance and authenticity, is difficult to define. The teacher, having once established a project theme, needs the ability to envisage and keep in mind the final objective, and must provide support from beginning to end to achieve the objective within the time allotted. Diligent attention to minute detail, encouragement and total participation can, however, have rewarding results on a variety of levels.
Received
The author

May 1981

After graduating, Diana Fried-Booth taught English in Ghana, returning to take up a research assistants post in Rural Communications at Reading University. She has worked in the West Midlands on language resource centres in primary schools, and integration schemes for immigrants in the secondary sector. She is

an examiner and author for the Cambridge TEFL examinations, and contributes to the Test Development & Research Unit in Cambridge. She joined the Bell Educational Trust in 1976, where she is involved with teacher training and currently directs the presessional course at Bath.

Prqect worh with advarued

classes

101

Appendix

Appendix

TRANSPORT
BY TRAIN TO BRISTOL

MUSEUMS ABBEY

&

SIGHTSEEING
It is accessible with someone who pushes the wheelchair. Possible to go in with 2 other people who can carry the wheelchair down the steps. 0therwise it is not permitted.

GUILDHALL High Street Tel: 61111

4 big steps at the front door. (There is another entrance but there are some steps as well) Disabled people can go md use the lift but they need at least 2 people to help them and they (2 people) have to guarantee to help them in the case of a fire. It is better to inform the receptionist of arrival. Possible. They have a lift for disabled people and the staff is very helpful in case you need any help (to get through the museum etc.).

Thereare 3 or

HOLBURNE MUSEUM Sydney place Tdt 66669

POSTAL MUSEUM 51, Great Pu1teney Street

Not possible. Many (small) steps to go into the museum.

Appendix

The GoodWheelchair Guide

For most of Baths tourists, deciding how to spend their time, which hotel to stay in and so on is just a matter of looking through the local paper, Out West, tourist handouts, Egon Ronay, and the wealth of other guide books. But if youre confined to a wheelchair, there are other considerations which the standard guides rarely touch on. A set of steps or a narrow doorway can make the difference between being able to go somewhere and being out on your ear. And even in this, the International Year of the Disabled, facilities for wheelchairs are still the exception rather than the rule, which makes for a lot of wasted journeys. A group of 13 foreign students learning English at the Bell School of Languages in Weston Road, Bath, decided to contribute to the Year of the Disabled and help Baths disabled tourists. For their special project last term, they borrowed a wheelchair from a local doctor and travelled around Bath to see how accessible the tourist spots were to a wheelchair. The result is a 29-page booklet, The Good Wheelchair
102 Diana Fried-Booth

Guide to Bath, which gives the lowdown on hotels, restaurants, places of entertainment, shops, museums, and everyday services. It doesnt try to make any social comment, being a down-to-earth-guide-but reading it might wake people up to the unnecessary, silly problems the wheelchair-bound have to live with. For every place they visited, the students wrote down exactly what problems they had with the wheelchair: entrance door difficult to open and close, access at back door, toilets upstairs; they also put down useful snippets like whether staff will help out, whether you should phone first, whether you will need someone to help you. My only criticism is that some sections are less than comprehensive -only live pubs are mentioned; but on guesthouses, museums, and services, the coverage is good. Definitely a useful addition to the limited information available for the disabled, tourist or otherwise; and full marks to the Bell School for showing that an educational project can produce something constructive. Cathy Warren Out West, No. Out West 14, May 14-27 1981

Chart

showing

proportion

of time

on various activities and their sequence during the project

Research internatiot> approx. timetable allocation already established Research facilities available Establish who to be involved outside school

material availablr

b P a ii b

Arrange facihtics and information from outside bodies Prepare equipment . Meet students Approach students Discuss ornanization Students receive background information required

Tutors watching and co-ordinating

brief

Analyse results Practice and presentation of rquired language Synthesize material Editine Typing

Printine review with students Follow up wtth outside agencies

I IO

I 20 30

17
Synthrsirmg, analysing and writing skills
I

40

50 % of total time for component

60 parts ofproject

70

80

90

100