Project-Based Learning | Teach A Tutorial

What is Project-Based Learning?

Simply put, project-based learning is a teaching strategy where the students learn the necessary language skills to perform a given task... or project assigned by the teacher. The point of PBL is designed to mimic a real life situation where the students would need to communicate in an authentic way.

The Task:

This lesson would be useful for entire classes, summer camps, or 1-on-1 students. You will ask your students to describe to you a step-by-step process or tutorial about how to do something simple. Follow the tutorial below for ideas as well as Jesse's example tutorial.

The Demo

It's always recommended to do an example of whatever you ask the students to do in class. This does a few things:

1. Helps the students have a clear idea of what they should do.
2. Gives them a little added motivation because they saw that you did one first.
3. Leads by example.

In Jesse's example tutorial, he teaches you how to spin a pen around your thumb. This is a simple action that nearly anybody can learn how to do, and it can be given by using clear step-by-step instruction.

Lesson Plan

LESSON: Create a Tutorial (video)
OBJECTIVES:a. To give accurate instruction to do something b. Build useful vocabulary and fluency expressions c. Learn how to make better photographs
LEVEL:Teens or Adults (Blue Belt or Above)
TIME:20-30 minutes
ACTIVITY: Class Structure
·      Choose if you want this project to be group or individual
·      Introduce the topic and your tutorial (or Jesse’s from the video lesson)
·      Work through the worksheet and have students assess their Instagram or Gallery photos using the vocabulary.
·      Teach the expressions for giving instruction and have students use the worksheet when they prepare their tutorial.
TIPS:
·      Keep the intended audience in mind. If the intended audience is IG (vertical), less than a minute. If it’s YouTube or Facebook, 2-4 (horizontal) minutes.
·      Give students time to work through the language.
·      Students can write a script or an outline with target sentences.
·      Less is more. The idea is for students to work through how to explain these with little instruction or input from the teacher.
Good luck! Let me know how it works for you and if you have any special touches that I can try in my classes:

Classroom Work

I. Shooting Video: Vocabulary
Shot (n)/ To shoot –
The frame (n) –
To draw the eye –
Right third (n) –
Left third (n) –
Top third (n) –
Bottom third (n) –
The center (n) – 
 
Use the “rule of thirds”

Photo (a)

Photo (b)

Discuss the questions below
What does the “rule of thirds” mean? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where is the eye drawn in photo (a) (b)? _______________________________________
Which direction is the person in picture (b) facing? ____________________________
Why is it important for that person to face that way in the photo? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
II. Expressions and Vocabulary from Jesse’s tutorial on “How To Flip Your Pen Around Your Thumb.” Write a sentence from your presentation for the expressions that you use
First, take…
(Ex. First, take the pencil in your normal writing hand.)
_____________________________________________________________________
Your writing hand (n)
(Ex. Hold the pen in your writing hand.)
_____________________________________________________________________
Be sure to…
(Ex. Be sure to hold the pen near the back so it has enough room to spin.)
_____________________________________________________________________
Loosely (adv)
(Ex. Hold the pen loosely with three fingers.)
_____________________________________________________________________
You don’t want to… because…
(Ex. You don’t want to hold it in the middle because you won’t have enough room.)
_____________________________________________________________________
 
Write8 additional words or expressions that are important for your tutorial.
(Ex. Your writing hand, to hold something loosely, do the same motion, etc.)
 

 
Tutorial Ideas: 
 
How to tie your shoes
How to make a paper airplane
How to do a card trick
How to read
How to repair something
How to build something
How to cook something
How to draw something
How to do a move in a sport
<Your ideas>
 

Evaluation:
FLUENCY (Am I communicating clearly and coherently?)                  /10
VOCABULARY (Am I using proper and appropriate vocabulary?)    /10
PRESENTATION (Is the video look and sound presentable?)           /10
 

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Easter Egg Lessons:

Creativity - Students will get a chance to actually create something similar to things that they may have seen on YouTube.

Instagram - They will be able to improve their Instagram game, learning about photography.

What else can you find?

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