How Can Teachers Overcome Challenges in Project-Based Language Learning with Older Teens?

Following Emily Berry's insightful piece, "Project Power! The Why and How of Project-Based Learning," which highlights the benefits of this approach, we at PRODIREKT and Verbalists Education & Language Network believe it is crucial to address the specific challenges faced when implementing it with older teens. Project-based learning can indeed be a powerful tool, but overcoming obstacles beyond time management - especially related to balancing motivation and peer dynamics - remains a key concern for educators. How can we effectively manage these aspects to ensure that every student remains engaged and invested in the learning process?

Engaging older teens in language learning presents a unique set of challenges, particularly when it comes to keeping them motivated. While teens can exhibit great creativity and enthusiasm, they often struggle with short attention spans, varying interest levels, and the influence of peer pressure, which can hinder their willingness to participate. In this context, project-based learning offers an effective approach, giving students the opportunity to collaborate, apply their language skills in real-world scenarios, and take ownership of their learning. However, two significant hurdles emerge: maintaining consistent motivation across a diverse group of learners, and navigating the negative peer pressure that can cause students to shy away from active involvement.

For many teens, peer opinions are a powerful force, and the fear of being judged or ridiculed by classmates can lead to disengagement, especially in creative, project-based tasks that require vulnerability and experimentation. At the same time, varying levels of motivation within the class can disrupt group dynamics, leading to imbalances where some students dominate while others withdraw. Addressing these issues requires thoughtful strategies to not only enhance student engagement but also to create a supportive classroom environment where every learner feels empowered to contribute. Here are some thoughtful discussion points and strategies to address these issues:

1. Overcoming Short Attention Spans and Negative Peer Pressure

• Relevant and Real-World Projects: Teens are more likely to stay engaged if the projects resonate with their interests, hobbies, or future goals. Projects could involve creating content for social media, writing scripts for short films, or building websites—all of which have tangible real-world applications and can be shared with peers, making them more meaningful.
• Group Dynamics and Role Assignment: Breaking projects into smaller, manageable tasks with clear roles can help maintain focus. Rotating group leaders or roles within teams fosters responsibility and autonomy, keeping students more engaged. It also helps minimize negative peer pressure by creating smaller, supportive groups where students can feel safer to express themselves.
• Gamification: Turning projects into friendly competitions or game-like experiences can harness teens' competitive nature while making learning fun. A project-based language learning competition where teams create the best marketing pitch or ad for a fictional product, judged by classmates or teachers, could be highly motivating.

2. Balancing Motivation Levels Among Students

• Differentiated Goals: In a mixed-motivation classroom, it's important to set varying levels of project expectations based on students’ readiness and interest. Advanced students could be given more challenging tasks, such as leading the research or acting as team coordinators, while less motivated students can focus on simpler but equally important roles like contributing ideas or assisting with visuals.
• Peer Support and Mentoring: Pairing more motivated students with those who are less engaged can help foster a learning environment where motivation levels balance out. High-achievers can guide their peers, while less motivated students can gain from seeing the enthusiasm and dedication of their classmates.
• Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards: While fostering intrinsic motivation (personal satisfaction) should always be the goal, using external rewards like showcasing students' projects on a class blog, during an event, or as part of a school exhibition can boost engagement. Having tangible rewards for successful completion of projects, such as certificates or praise from external judges, can also stimulate participation.

3. Creating a Purpose for the Project

• Authenticity: Students are more motivated when they see the real-world value in what they’re doing. Projects that involve real audiences—whether it’s presenting to parents, sharing on social media, or presenting to another class—can elevate students' investment in the outcome.
• Choice and Autonomy: Providing students with a choice in their project topics (within limits) makes them feel more empowered. This can be managed by offering a narrowed selection of project themes, ensuring that students don’t feel overwhelmed but still have ownership over their learning.
• Cultural or Social Context: Projects tied to cultural exchanges, community involvement, or social issues are particularly motivating for older teens. For example, a project where students write and perform skits on current social issues in the target language could make the content both relatable and emotionally engaging.

4. Managing Diverse Motivation in Group Projects

• Structured Reflection and Feedback: Regular check-ins and reflection sessions allow students to discuss what’s working and what’s not in their project groups. This also helps teachers adjust groups or provide targeted support where motivation is lacking.
• Scaffolded Tasks: Providing scaffolds for students with lower motivation or skills ensures that they can still contribute meaningfully to the project without feeling overwhelmed. For instance, you might start with basic research tasks, with more motivated students working on creative aspects like design and presentation.

5. Long-Term Engagement through Positive Experiences

• Celebrate Achievements: Celebrate not only the best outcomes but also effort and creativity. Publicly acknowledging students' hard work, especially those who struggle with motivation, helps build a sense of achievement and can encourage future participation.
• Long-Term Projects with Ongoing Impact: Consider projects that carry over into future terms or school years, like the board game example mentioned. Knowing their work will have a long-lasting impact and be used by other students adds a level of prestige and pride that helps motivate students across varying levels of interest.

By combining these strategies, teachers can foster an environment where project-based learning becomes a motivational tool rather than a challenge, even with varying student engagement levels.

Contributor to This Article:

Rada Stojsin, Programs Manager and Young Learners Coordinator at PRODIREKT and Verbalists Education & Language Network , contributed valuable insights into project-based language learning for this article. Her expertise in program development helped address key challenges in engaging young learners.

PRODIREKT recruits world-class international educators and provides cutting-edge academic advising and professional learning opportunities. PRODIREKT’s innovative solutions for career and talent management offer a bridge between strategy and education, while our business group, Verbalists Education & Language Network, helps our individual and corporate clients achieve their objectives in international communication.