The Effect of Project Work on Students’ Language Achievement

Abstract

Project-based instruction has been heralded as a most promising activity that can engagestudents into academic language and literacy skills. A growing body of evidence indicates that project learning supports the development of critical skills students must have to meet the demands of the 21st century. However, there is scanty research on project-based instruction in general and on its effect on language achievement in particular. This study reports on the findings of research carried out in an English for General Purposes (EGP)class in American University of Armenia. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of project work on students’ language achievement as well as to inquire into their attitudes towards project work. Based on the review of related literature a null hypothesis was proposed at the beginning of the study. The participants of the study were nineteen EGPstudents studying at American University of Armenia, ages ranging from 16 to 35.Thestudy was designed within the traditions of both qualitative and quantitative research.Of five instruments used in this study a pre -test, three achievement tests and open-ended questionnaire helped to obtain quantitative data and teacher observations and semi-structured interviewhelped to obtain qualitative data. Quantitative data wasanalyzed through the SPSS software package, via Mann-Whitney U Test, Friedman test and Wilcoxon SignedRanksTests, and qualitative data was firsttranscribedandthen analyzed. Through the analysis of the data obtained from the tests it was revealed that both groups, regardless of being assigned project work or not, performed equally during the achievement tests they were given during the ten week course, i.e. there was no significant difference in terms of language improvement between the experimental and control groups at the end of instruction. However, in the analysis of the questionnaire administered in the experimental group at the end of the classes, as well as he analysisof their responses to the interview questions it was found out that the students of the experimental group highly appreciate their experience of doing project viiiwork and working collaboratively with their peers. Theyfound it beneficial for their studiesand felt that it contributed greatly to their language achievement.