1. How to Improve Communicative Skills through Project Based Activities at Domingo
Savio 9th Grade Students?
Dayana Cobo
Lina F. Carvajal
Linsay S. Doncel
Adriana P. Oliveros
University of Amazonia
English program
Florencia-Caquetá
2011

2. How to Improve Communicative Skills through Project Based Activities at Domingo
Savio 9th Grade Students?
This project is presented to
the teacher: Maritza Housset
DayanaCobo
Lina F. Carvajal
Linsay S. Doncel
Adriana P. Oliveros
University of Amazonia
English program
Florencia-Caquetá
2011

3. Index
1. Justification
2. Research Question
3. Objectives
3.1 general objectives
3.2 specific objectives
4. Theoretical framework
4.1 Content –Based Instruction
4.1.1 Learners Role
4.1.2 Teachers Role
4.2 The Language-Cultural Connection
4.3 Task Based
5. Methodology
5.1 Participants and Course Description
5.2 Place and Time
5.3 Strategies
6. Results
7. Conclusions
8. Anexos
9. References

4. INTRODUCTION
A foreign language is the most successfully acquired when learners are engaged
in its meaningful use. Language learning and content of subject matter could be
brought together within the content based instruction(CBI). The integration of
language and content involves the corporation of content material into language
classes. CBI is sometimes referred to as ´language across the curriculum´, and
has become increasingly popular as a means of developing linguistic ability.
Content can provide a motivational and cognitive basis for language learning since
it is interesting and of some value to the learner (Brewster, 1999). CBI combines
integrated teaching of all language skills and subject matter, which makes it can
appealing approach to English for specific purpose (ESP) courses, as at higher
levels language can be perfected through subject contents.
This project was conducted in order to explore various forms of CBI and integrating
the relevant content into the ESP classroom within a slightly different approach
with 10 grade at Domingo savior. They were between 14 and 15 years old. CBI can
be implemented by teaching English through subject content. Employing learners
„knowledge of subject, using task-based learning and holistic approach to language
instruction through up –date authentic materials and involving learners in the
meaningful usage of language allows learners to develop their linguistic ability in
the target language. Learners´ responses and self- assessment of successful/
unsuccessful experiences in CBI activities are being presented and discussed.

5. 1. JUSTIFICATION
Through this project we as an English Students tried to put into practice a new way
to teach with the intention to acquire a new technique that is based not only on
teaching grammar in the same way, using a book, a pen and teaching the rules on
the board; this is using information around us with content, giving to student an
input and in this way teach them the grammar and make them to used their four
skills in order to have an output.

6. 2. RESEARCH QUESTION
2.1 Main Question
The main question for this project was the following:
How to improve communicative skills through project based activities at Domingo
Savio 9th grade students?

7. 3. OBJECTIVES
3.1 General Objective
In this project thegeneral objective was:
To encourage students to know more about United States culture using English in a
communicative way developing the four skills.
3.2 Specific Objectives
 To look student´s attitudes forward this project.
 To analyze the use of skills by students in the activities.
 To give students adequate materials and tools to improve their knowledge
about United States.
 To realize if the content based, task based and project based activities
taught by the teachers are appropriate for the students.
 To use key structure which allow students describe typical food, dance and
cloth.
 To practice commands and orders that let students respond in order to
dance.

8. 4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
This project was framed inside definitions of Content-based instruction, task-based
and project-based.
4.1 Content –Based Instruction
According to Brinton, Snow and Welsh (1989) is the integration of content learning
with language teaching aims. More specifically, it refers to the concurrent study of
language and subject matter, with the form and sequence of language presentation
dictated by content material. Such an approach contrasts sharply with many
practices in which language skill are taught virtually in isolation form substantive
content.
When language becomes the medium to convey informational content of interest
and relevance to the learner, then learner are pointed toward matters of intrinsic
concern. Language takes on its appropriate role as a vehicle for accomplish a set
of content goals. A recent surge of research and material on CBI has given us new
opportunities and challenges. Content based classrooms may yield an increase in
intrinsic motivational and empowerment, since students are focused on subject that
is important to their lives. Students are pointed beyond transient extrinsic factors,
like grades and test, to their own competence and autonomy as intelligent
individuals capable of actually doing something with their new knowledge.

9. Challenge range from a demand for a whole new genre of textbooks and other
materials to the training of language teachers to teach the concepts and skills of
various disciplines, professions and occupations, and/or to teach in teams across
disciplines.
According to Freeman (2000) content based instruction using content from other
disciplines in language courses is not a new idea for years, specialized language
courses have include content relevant to a particular profession or academic
discipline. The especial contribution of content based instruction is that it integrated
the learning of language with the learning of some other content, of often academic
subject matter. It has been observed that academic subject provided natural
content for language instruction such observation motivated the language across
the curriculum movement for native English speakers in England which was
launched in the 1970s to integrated the teaching of reading and writing into all
other subject areas. Of course when student study academic subjects in a non-
native language they will need a great deal of an assistance in understanding
subject matter texts; therefore, there must be clear language objectives as well as
content learning objectives. Because the language objectives are directed by the
text content based instruction night fully fits in with the other methods.
Principles:
The subject matter content is used for language teaching purpose.
Teaching should build on student‟s previous experience.

10. Jack C. Richards and William A. Renandya state that: Content Based instruction
has been used in variety of language learning context, thought is popularity and
wider applicability have increased dramatically since the early 1990s numerous s
practical features of CBI make and appealing approach to language instruction :
To stimulate student to think and through the use of the target language.
It employs authentic reading materials which require students not only
understand information but to interpret and evaluate it as well.
It provides forums in which student can respond orally to reading and lecture
materials.
Students learn a variety of language skills which prepare them for the range
of academic tasks they will encounter.
According to Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers CBI has a role in other
curriculum design, language curriculum skills should also be taught in the content
subjects and not left exclusively for the English teacher to deal with.” Every
teacher, an English teacher like other cross-disciplinary proposals”
IMERSION EDUCATION – The foreign language is the vehicle for content
instruction it is not the subject of instruction.
APPROACH – Learning and teaching are realized as central priority.

11. 4.1.1 Learners Role
GOAL- Learners to become autonomous so that they come to “understand their
own learning process and take charge of their own learning from the very start”
CBI is “learning by doing “
Active role in several dimensions.
4.1.2 Teachers Role
Teachers must be knowledgeable in the subject matter and able to elicit that
knowledge from their students.
Teacher have to keep context and comprehensibility when they planning
and presentation.
They are responsible for selecting and adapting authentic materials for use
in class.
They become needs analysts.
4.2 The Language-Cultural Connection
Language and culture are intricately intertwined. Any time you successfully learn a
language, you will also learn something of the culture of the speakers of that
language.

12. This principle focuses on the complex interconnections of language and culture.
“Whenever you teach a language, you also teach a complex system of cultural
costumes, values, and ways of thinking feeling and acting”.
Classroom applications include the following:
1. Discuss cross-cultural differences with your students, emphasizing that no
culture is better than another, but that cross-cultural understanding is an important
facet of learning a language.
2. Include among your techniques certain activities and materials that illustrate the
connection between language and culture.
3. Teach your students the cultural connections, specially the sociolinguistic
aspects.
4. Screen your techniques for material that may be culturally offensive.
5. Make explicit to your students what you may take for granted in your own
culture.
4.3 Task Based
According to Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers Task –Based Language
Teaching (TBLT) refers to an approach based on the use of tasks as the core unit
of planning an instruction in language teaching. Some of its proponents present it
as a logical development of Communicative Language Teaching since it draws on

13. several principles that forms part of the communicative language teaching
movement from the 1980s.
Activities that involve real communication are essential for language
learning.
Activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks
promote learning.
Language that is meaningful to the learner supports the learning
process.
Nunan (1989) offers this definition:
The communicative task is a piece of classroom work which involves learners in
comprehending, manipulating, producing, or interact in the target language while
their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form. The task should
also have a sense of completeness, being able to stand alone as a communicative
act in its own right.
Task-based training identified several key areas of concern:
1. Analysis of real world task-use situations
2. The translations of these into teaching ,tasks descriptions
3. The detailed design of instructional tasks
4. The sequencing of instructional tasks in classroom training/teaching

14. METHODOLOGY
4.2 Participants and Project Description
This project was developed with9thgrade students at Domingo Savio high school in
Florencia. There were 19 students; they are about 14 and 15 years old, 6 men and
13 women.
This project was developed during some hours in the morning and it was necessary
to meet students in the afternoon in order to organize the activities.
Expo American culture was a project where students prepared some activities in
order to show some important aspects of this country.
In order to students use the target language in a different classroom environment,
they performed history, typical food, clothes and dancing of united states where
English was practiced and used as the principal way to communicate.
4.3 Place and Time
Expo American culture was worked at Domingo Savio High school a private
institution in Florencia, this institution is located at Torasso neighborhood, and this
school has a high English level because it has English emphasis. It lasted a week
since November, 15th until November, 18th taking 4 hours per day.

15. 4.4 Strategies
Teachers showed students general information about United States culture trough
slides, photocopies, videos, pictures and readings in order reinforce their previous
knowledge with the intention to make other activities based on the information given.

16. 5. RESULTS
At theend of expo American culture project, students performed different activities in
the following way:
One of the students was conducting whole program, 3 studentsstarted presenting
general information about United States, in this activity they talked about principal
presidents, important days, important places and currency and money then, another
6 students organized a fashion show where, modeled somesuits from different states
Hawaiian, hip hop,country clothes and the most used clothes by American women
also, 5 studentsmade a cooking program where showed how to make hamburger
finally, 6 students performed a country dance showing principal movement from this
dance.
In those activities students learnt a lot vocabulary related from each activity because
they were meaningful and attractive for them in the way that most of information was
easy to understand and comprehensible.

17. 6. CONCLUSIONS
The integration of language and content teaching is perceived by the European
Commission as “an excellent way of making progress in a foreign language”. CBI
effectively increases learner‟s English language proficiency and teaches them the
skills necessary for the success in various professions. With CBI, learners gradually
acquire greater control of the English language, enabling them to participate more
fully in an increasingly complex academic and social environment.

18. 7. ANEXOS
During this project someevidences were taken, such as videos, pictures, lessons
plans, and slides.

42. 8. REFERENCES
Brinton, D. (2003). Content-based instruction. In D. Nunan (Ed.), practical
English language teaching (pp. 199-224). New York: McGraw Hill.
Brinton, D. M., Snow, M. A., &Wesche, M. B. (1989). Content-based second
language instruction. New York: Newbury House.
Grabe, W., &Stoller, F. L. (1997). Content-based instruction: Research
Foundations. In M. A. Snow, & D. M. Brinton(Eds.), The content-based
classroom: Perspective on integrating language and content (pp. 5-21).
NY: Longman.
Snow, W.A.(2001). Content-based and immersion models for Second and
foreign language teaching. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a
Second or Foreign Language (3rded.) (pp. 303-318). Boston, MA:
Heinle&Heinle.