Michael Smith
Lesson Plan: The Cinema
Adults and Role-play Lesson Plans
Project-based learning provides English learners with an opportunity to apply English in
simulated or actual real-world situations. Participation in project-based learning encourages
students to apply their English knowledge in the four language modalities: listening, speaking,
writing, and reading. As a student-centered process, communication with other English as a
foreign language learners and potentially native speakers of English prompts student learning
through English application and encountering and overcoming gaps in knowledge. The instructor
functions as a facilitator to guide and assist students as they encounter problems and attempt to
solve them. A distinguishing characteristic of project-based learning is the creation of a product,
such as a presentation, report, or brochure (Starr, 2005).
Many aspects of group project-based learning reflect real-life work experiences and expectations
of adult learners. The cooperative nature of projects necessitates students to communicate in
English about distribution of responsibilities, negotiation, planning, organization, and other skills
(Moss and Van Duzer, 1998). These are important and highly-valued skills in the workplace,
therefore it can be encouraging for adult learners to see how practicing their English skills
translate into benefits for the workplace and personal growth.
There are three phases for project-based work: selecting topics, making plans and doing research,
and sharing results with others (Moss and Van Duzer, 1998). Adult learners are often self-driven,
learn English for personal or professional benefit, and can carry life and work stressors into the
classroom (Harmer, 2007). Classroom activities should limit their connection to life stressors
through creative applications. An example that utilizes workplace skills and the three phases
would be a project based related to new movies in a class of adult learners that regularly visit the
cinema. The first phase, selecting topics, allows students some agency in their education to
express interests and preferences for material and projects in the classroom, thereby enhancing
their engagement. The instructor understands the students have an interest in movies in the
theater and asks the students to create a movie idea by filling in the following areas: genre,
setting, lead actor, and main conflict (i.e. a cheating spouse, a flood, war).
Students are then requested to separate into groups of three or four. They are asked to take on the
role of movie businessmen who need to pick one movie idea in their group that they believe will
be the most popular. Students need to write down three reasons why they think that movie idea
will be the most popular. This activity requires students to review each other’s work, discuss
ideas, and write down justifications. In this stage students are actively exchanging and
negotiating data to reach an agreeable perspective to organize and plan their reasoning. Finally
students will be asked to present their product, or movie idea, to the other groups of the class and
explain why they believe the selected movie will be popular. Phase three of this example allows
students to receive feedback from their peers and have a potentially entertaining experience.
Heading: A New Hit!
Class profile: There are 12 adult learners aged 28-54. The language ability of the
students is a B1 average, and their primary language is Korean. The students
Michael Smith
are taking the English course electively, however it is encouraged by their
workplaces.
Lesson topic and the skill or system used: The lesson utilizes a project-based
learning approach.
Materials needed: List what you need – 12 copies of a short 2 paragraph movie
review appropriate to the students level will be needed, along with a whiteboard,
computer, computer projector, and four black markers.
Student-centered objective: By the end of the lesson students will understand
basic movie terminology, be able to negotiate and discuss movie ideas with
fellow students, and present their chosen idea to the class.
Assumptions: I assume my students can understand the level of material
provided and can comfortably express opinions on what makes a movie popular.
Potential problems and solutions: Confident students in the classroom may
dominate group discussion and movie idea selection. Ideas behind movie
popularity may introduce stereotypes and biases to the classroom setting that will
have to be addressed.
The project-based learning lesson A New Hit! Incorporates the three phases of projectbased learning and the PPP lesson plan: presentation, restricted practice, and
production.
5 Minutes: The instructor will write down on the whiteboard and explain important
vocabulary that will be in the sample reading. After the explanation of each vocabulary
word, along with an example in a sentence, the students will be asked to repeat the
words. The vocabulary words include: hit, genre, setting, lead actor, and conflict.
(Presentation)
5 Minutes: One short movie clip will be shown and students will be asked to properly
answer questions using the vocabulary words. (Practice)
10 Minutes: Copies of a short two paragraph movie review will be passed out to
students. Students will be asked to take turns reading the sentences aloud. The teacher
will ask the students a few questions to measure understanding. (Practice)
10 Minutes: The instructor will explain the movie idea activity and write down the
following guidelines for movie ideas: genre, setting, lead actor, and conflict. Students
will then create their own movie idea. (Practice)
15 Minutes: The instructor will ask students to form groups of three. The instructor will
inform the students to pretend to be movie businessmen/women who want to create a
big hit. They will discuss each other’s movie ideas and select one they think can be a
Michael Smith
big hit. Then they must provide three reasons why they think their selected movie will be
a big hit. (Practice)
15 Minutes: Each group will present their movie idea to the class and explain why they
think it will be a big hit. (Production)
References:
Harmer, Jeremy (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Fourth edition. Pearson.
Moss, D., & Van Duzer, C. (1998). Project-Based Learning for Adult English Language
Learners. ERIC Digest.
Starr, L. (2005). Project-based and problem-based learning. Retrieved from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/virtualwkshp/virtualwkshp002.shtml