5 Project-Based Learning Ideas
Project-based learning (PBL) can transform language classrooms by engaging students in authentic tasks that mirror how we use speaking and writing in the real world. Unlike traditional language exercises, PBL gives learners a purpose for communication beyond “practicing English” – they tackle projects where English is the medium to achieve real outcomes. This approach is student-centered and often more motivating: students gain autonomy and see English as a tool for real communication, not just a school subject. In this post, we’ll explore five project ideas tailored to secondary students, adult ESL learners, and EAP (English for Academic Purposes) contexts. Each project is based on common speaking or writing tasks people encounter today – from social media to academic presentations – and we’ll discuss how to structure them, tips for facilitation, ways to adapt for different proficiency levels, digital tool suggestions, and ideas for evaluation. Let’s dive in!
Project Idea 1: Social Media Campaign Project
In today’s world, much of our writing and speaking happens on social media – whether it’s crafting posts, creating videos, or engaging an audience online. In this project, students become content creators for a cause or theme. They will plan and execute a mini social media campaign, developing posts and possibly video or audio content to share a message.
Structure:
Planning: Students choose a campaign topic – it could be a social issue, school event, product, or hobby interest. They identify an audience and platform. Have them research similar real-life campaigns for inspiration.
Content Creation: Students create a series of posts or multimedia content. For example, they might write a set of micro-blog posts or tweets, design an infographic with text, record a short promotional video, etc. Encourage drafts and peer feedback at this stage.
Launch/Presentation: Instead of actually posting publicly, simulate the campaign in class. For instance, use a class blog or Padlet wall to publish their posts for classmates to see. Each team can present their campaign concept and walk the class through a few sample posts or play their created media. This gives a speaking opportunity – presenting the campaign – alongside the written component.
Facilitation Tips:
Set clear guidelines for content length and appropriateness, as students might get carried away with creative visuals over substance. Remind them the goal is to communicate clearly in English.
Use examples of successful simple campaigns as models so they understand what a good post looks and sounds like. Providing a model helps reduce blank-page anxiety for lower levels.
Encourage collaboration: if in teams, define roles so everyone contributes. Use the language classroom as a studio where students help each other with phrasing or design ideas, all in English.
Adapting for Different Proficiency Levels:
Lower-level learners (A2–B1): Simplify the project by focusing on fewer posts with very clear, concrete language. For example, A2-level students might create a single-page poster or a short announcement with basic sentences. Provide sentence starters and vocabulary banks to scaffold their writing. Speaking presentations can be brief – even just explaining their poster in a few sentences. Pairing students or teacher support during the presentation Q&A will help lower-level speakers cope with follow-up questions.
Higher-level learners (B2–C1): Let them tackle a more elaborate campaign with multiple posts across genres. At B2 or above, students can handle persuasive writing and nuanced language, so they could incorporate rhetorical questions, humor, or calls-to-action in their posts. Encourage them to engage audience emotion or curiosity. Their speaking presentation of the campaign can be more spontaneous – e.g. a live demo of a “campaign pitch” – since B2 learners can depart from a prepared text and speak more fluently about their ideas. You might require them to respond to live questions as part of the evaluation, which mimics real interactions online.
Suggested Digital Tools: Blogs for longer posts; Padlet or a private class Facebook group for sharing short posts or visuals in a feed-like format; Canva for designing professional-looking social media graphics; Flip for recording short video messages or stories with minimal technical fuss. These tools make it easy for students to create polished content and see each other’s work in a safe environment.
Evaluation: Use a rubric that balances language criteria and content creativity. For example, criteria could include Content Clarity & Organization, Language Use, Creativity/Visual Design, and Audience Engagement. You might assign more weight to language use to keep it an English project. Include an element of peer feedback: classmates can “like” and comment on each campaign post. This models real social media interaction and also lets you assess writing and reading skills. Finally, have students write a short reflection about what they learned doing the project – a great way to evaluate writing fluency and encourage self-assessment.
Project Idea 2: Podcast or Interview Project
The popularity of podcasts has skyrocketed in recent years, making them a common medium for speaking and listening in the real world. In this project, students produce a podcast episode or interview segment. This project integrates speaking and writing. It’s an engaging way for students to practice oral communication in a format many of them are already familiar with as listeners.
Structure:
Topic Selection & Research: Students choose a podcast theme relevant to your class or their interests. It could be an interview with a community member, a talk show among students on a hot topic, a language-learning podcast segment, or even a fictional storytelling. Guide them to pick something they can handle content-wise and which fits the time limits. They then research and brainstorm content. If it’s an interview, they must find a willing interviewee and prepare questions. If it’s a talk show or monologue, they outline the main points or story.
Script and Practice: Especially for lower levels, encourage writing a script or at least a detailed outline. Even at higher levels, some writing is needed – podcasts are a “triple threat” project that involve writing, reading/research, and speaking. Students write interview questions or the intro and outro of their show, maybe bullet points of what to cover. They should practice pronunciation and timing. You can have a rehearsal stage where they do a dry run and get feedback from peers or the teacher on clarity and volume.
Recording & Editing: On recording day, students use a simple recording setup. They record their episode – if it’s an interview, ideally in one take; if a monologue or narrative, they might record in segments. Light editing can be done with free tools like Audacity or online editors. For classroom purposes, extensive editing isn’t necessary; the focus is on intelligible speech and organization.
Sharing: Have a “listening party” in class. Play each podcast for the group. If possible, upload the audio to a class drive or a private podcast channel so students can also listen at home. Accompany the audio with any written materials: a title, a one-paragraph episode description or show notes written by the students, and perhaps a transcript.
Facilitation Tips:
Keep podcast segments short. A 3-5 minute recording per group is plenty for classroom projects. This forces students to be concise and not get overwhelmed.
Emphasize speaking skills: clarity of pronunciation, natural pacing, and expression. Since no visuals are present, students should use intonation and clear enunciation to maintain interest. Playing a short example clip of a simple podcast can illustrate this.
If students are nervous about speaking extemporaneously, allow them to script more and even read their script – it’s okay if it sounds somewhat scripted at first. Over time, they will become more confident and move towards spontaneity. Also, pair up shy students so they have a partner to talk to rather than doing a solo recording.
Manage the recording logistics: find a relatively quiet space or stagger recording times. You can also use apps like Flip to have students record audio/video messages if coordinating live recording is hard – Flip allows each student to upload a short recording from home or a quiet spot, which the whole class can then access.
Adapting for Different Proficiency Levels:
Lower-level (A2–B1): Start with a structured format. For example, an A2 group could do a simple interview: one student asks another a set of prepared questions. They can script both questions and answers to ensure grammatical correctness. The key is short, formulaic exchanges. Another idea is a “news report” where students write a short news piece and read it out. This is essentially reading aloud but still feels like a real-world task – a news broadcast. Keep vocabulary and grammar basic; focus on clear delivery. B1 students can handle more: perhaps a “language learning tips” podcast where they each share one tip in a roundtable format, using linking words they know. At this level, they might deviate from the script a bit. Provide sentence frames for opinions.
Higher-level (B2–C1): These learners can be given free rein to be creative. They might do a panel discussion podcast on a complex topic where each student on the team represents a different viewpoint. This requires them to improvise responses – a skill B2+ speakers are developing. Alternatively, they could produce an English-teaching podcast segment – for example, explaining an idiom or interviewing an international student about study tips. B2 speakers can typically handle follow-up questions and maintain a conversation spontaneously, so encourage an unrehearsed Q&A segment in the podcast. In writing, higher levels can produce fuller show notes or even a blog post to accompany the audio, summarizing the discussion – integrating more advanced writing skills.
Suggested Tools: Creating a podcast no longer requires a professional studio – “you have everything you need in your pocket,” as one educator notes. Smartphones can record voice memos of decent quality. For multi-speaker recordings, apps like Anchor let you record and even add music or sound effects easily. For editing, Audacity or GarageBand are free. If bandwidth allows, Zoom or other video conferencing tools can record audio calls. Finally, for sharing, you could create a private class channel on Anchor/Spotify or simply upload MP3 files to Google Drive/Classroom. If you want a more public-facing approach, consider entering a student podcast contest for motivation – e.g. the NPR Student Podcast Challenge is a well-known event that gives young podcast producers a real audience.
Evaluation: Develop criteria that cover both speaking and writing aspects of this project. For speaking, you might assess intelligibility, fluency, and delivery. Also consider content & organization – did they introduce the topic clearly, cover points logically, and conclude? For writing, if they produced scripts or show notes, you can assess those for grammar/vocabulary range and clarity. One approach is to have a peer review form during the listening party: each student fills a feedback sheet for at least one other group’s podcast, noting one thing they learned or liked, and one suggestion. This keeps listeners accountable and practicing writing brief constructive comments. You can incorporate these peer comments into the final evaluation. Lastly, consider self-evaluation: ask students to reflect on what was challenging about speaking on mic, and to identify one pronunciation or language feature they improved. This reflection ties the project back to language learning goals and can be very insightful. Using a rubric with analytic criteria will make expectations clear. For example, a teacher who has used PBL suggests creating separate rubrics for the process and the final product – you might grade their preparation and the final recording quality. Rubrics ensure transparency and help students understand where to focus.
Project Idea 3: Classroom Debate or Panel Discussion Project
Being able to articulate ideas in discussion and persuade others is a vital real-world skill – think of workplace meetings, community forums, or academic discussions. This project centers on a debate or panel discussion, giving students a platform to practice persuasive speaking and argumentative writing. Debates are excellent for language learning because they require learners to organize their thoughts, listen critically, and respond – all in the target language. They also naturally integrate writing, since students will prepare arguments and possibly write position statements or reflection essays.
Structure:
Topic Selection: Guide the class to choose a debate topic that is relevant and sparks interest. It could be a serious issue or a fun one. What matters is that it’s debatable – a yes/no or pro/con question. You can even relate it to something from coursework. Ensure the topic is not too emotionally charged or culturally sensitive to avoid discomfort, though a little controversy is motivating.
Research & Writing Preparation: Divide students into two sides or into multi-member panels. Each side researches arguments to support their stance. This is where writing comes in: they should write down their main arguments, ideally as a short argumentative essay or bullet list. For instance, each student can be responsible for one supporting point, which they write out with evidence. You might ask for a brief position paper from each side. Emphasize using discourse markers and persuasive language they’ve learned. Students can also prepare rebuttals by anticipating the other side’s arguments and writing counterpoints.
Debate Format: Decide on a structured format and explain it clearly. A simple format could be: Opening statements, Rebuttal , then Open floor or Q&A, and finally Closing statements. For a panel discussion, you could have 3-4 panelists each share their perspective in turn, then an audience Q&A. Assign roles like moderator to enforce time and turn-taking. It’s a good idea to have preparation time before each segment of the debate for teams to gather their thoughts. Every student should speak at least once, so if teams are large, break the debate into segments where different members take different points.
Debate Day: Arrange the room so that opposing teams face each other. The moderator introduces the topic and rules, then students carry out the debate. Encourage civil discourse – remind them to listen and not interrupt. They should also practice respectful language for disagreeing as part of the learning. The audience can have an active role too: you might allow them to pose a question or vote on the winner at the end, which keeps everyone engaged.
Post-Debate Reflection: After the debate, debrief as a class. Discuss which arguments were strongest or what was challenging. Often, doing a quick writing reflection consolidates the experience – for example, ask each student to write a short paragraph on which side they personally agree with and why, or what new idea they learned from the other side. This again ties in writing practice.
Facilitation Tips:
Provide language support: Before the project, teach or review functional language for debating: expressing opinions, agreeing/disagreeing , asking for clarification, etc. Also equip them with filler phrases to gain time. If students have these in their toolkit, the speaking part will go more smoothly.
Model a mini debate: Consider demonstrating a quick debate with another teacher or with student volunteers on a very simple topic to show how it works. Alternatively, show a short video clip of a debate.
Encourage note-taking: During the debate, students can take notes when the other side speaks. Appoint a team leader or two who will particularly focus on noting points to rebut. This is great listening practice. It also mirrors real meetings where taking notes is essential.
Time management: Stick to the time limits strictly. This actually benefits language learners – it forces them to be concise and not ramble. Use a timer and cut off speeches that go over. It trains them to plan their speaking within a timeframe, a useful skill for exam settings and real life.
Safe environment: Some students may feel nervous arguing. Emphasize that the debate is a friendly exercise and not personal. If assigning sides arbitrarily, remind them that debating requires seeing both sides of an issue – a valuable skill. In fact, research shows debating can foster empathy and open-mindedness by exposing students to multiple perspectives.
Adapting for Different Proficiency Levels:
Lower-level (A2–B1): For less proficient students, simplify! Choose concrete topics where they can rely on simpler vocabulary. You might structure it more as a structured discussion than a fast-paced debate. For example, pose a question like “Which is better for learning – books or computers?” Have each group prepare 2-3 basic points. Instead of an open rebuttal, you could have a moderated Q&A: e.g. the moderator asks each side a couple of prepared questions, so they respond rather than spontaneously argue. Give them time to write down their answers before speaking. Also, allow reading of notes – fluency might not be high at this level, so it’s fine if they read their prepared sentences as long as we understand them. CEFR B1 speakers “can express their opinion on familiar topics clearly but may struggle in formal debate” – so keep it familiar and supportive. One way to include writing for lower levels is to have them jointly write a simple persuasive paragraph for their side before the debate, using it as their script. Even A2 learners can write a short list of reasons with help and read them. This ensures they produce some English output at their level.
Higher-level (B2–C1): At these levels, students can handle more complex and abstract topics – possibly controversial social issues or academic propositions. Encourage them to use a variety of persuasive techniques to make arguments more compelling. You can introduce the idea of rebutting politely and conceding points which C1-level speakers should practice for nuanced discourse. Because B2+ learners can follow extended arguments and respond spontaneously, you can incorporate an unstructured segment: for example, after formal rebuttals, allow a 5-minute free-form discussion where students can jump in. This mimics real panel discussions or meetings. For writing at higher levels, you could require each student to write an individual argumentative essay on the topic after the debate, integrating points from both sides. Debates have been proven to improve students’ writing of arguments as well as speaking, so it’s a perfect lead-in to a writing assignment. EAP students especially can benefit by, say, debating an academic controversy and then writing it up as a short paper with a thesis and supporting paragraphs.
Suggested Tools: Surprisingly, technology is not strictly necessary for an in-class debate – it can be done with just paper notes and a timer. However, a few tools can enhance the experience:
Online Research: Ensure students know how to use web search to find facts to support arguments. Part of the project can be evaluating sources, which is a critical skill today.
Collaborative Docs: Tools like Google Docs or Microsoft OneDrive let each team collaboratively build their argument outline or write group statements. This way the teacher can also peek in and give feedback in real time via comments.
Presentation Aids: If you want, allow students to use a single slide or poster to list their main points during their speech – this can help audience follow along and gives writing practice in summarizing points. PowerPoint or Canva could be used to make a quick visual.
Debate Timing Apps: There are simple stopwatch apps or specialized debate timer apps that display green/yellow/red lights as time counts down. This adds a professional touch and helps practice time awareness.
Recording: If feasible, audio- or video-record the debate. This isn’t for assessment necessarily, but for reflection. Students can watch themselves afterward to self-critique speaking habits. If privacy is a concern, keep recordings internal to the class.
Evaluation: A debate project should be evaluated on both the oral performance and the preparation. Possible evaluation components:
Speaking skills during the debate: Consider using a rubric that looks at argument content, organization, language use, and delivery. For instance, you might give a score for use of persuasive language or connectors, since one goal is to practice those.
Teamwork and Participation: If it’s a group effort, you can have a criterion for how well they collaborated and whether all members spoke. Perhaps include a quick post-debate peer evaluation where team members rate each other’s contributions to ensure fairness.
Written component: If students submitted written arguments or an essay, grade those with your usual writing criteria. Debates are excellent for practicing argumentative writing – in fact, debate activities inherently promote organization in writing and speaking. You could specifically note if they used points from the debate effectively in their essay.
Reflection: Optionally, assign a small credit for their reflection post-debate. It might be just completion-based, but it rewards them for thinking about their learning.
It’s often wise to use rubrics for clarity. For example, the British Council’s teaching resources suggest using analytic rubrics for projects, listing criteria and even assigning different weights to them. You might decide the speaking performance is, say, 60% of the project grade and written aspects 40%. Make this transparent. A rubric could look like: Argument Content, Language Accuracy, Speaking Delivery, Team Collaboration, Written Outline/Essay, etc., adjusted to what you value. By explicitly evaluating both speaking and writing, you reinforce to students that both skills matter in this task.
As a final engaging touch, you might recognize the “winning” team if it was a debate. Even though the real win is skill development, a little competition can boost motivation. And remind students – in the real world, convincing others and clearly expressing ideas are huge advantages, so these debate skills will serve them beyond the classroom.
Project Idea 4: Professional Portfolio and Interview Project
For adult ESL learners and even secondary students nearing graduation, professional communication is a highly relevant real-world use of English. This project combines writing and speaking tasks that simulate the job-seeking process: students will create a simple professional portfolio and then participate in a mock job interview. This gives practice in formal writing conventions and spoken fluency in a high-stakes context – great for Business English or any class focused on career skills. Even EAP learners benefit, as many will seek internships or jobs where these skills are needed.
Structure:
Résumé/CV Writing: Teach the basics of résumé format in English – sections like Contact Info, Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills. Students then draft their own résumé. If they have no real work experience, let them be creative or base it on future aspirations. The key is writing concisely and using proper formatting. Provide samples so they can follow the style. This is a real-world writing task many will face, so motivation is usually high. You can also introduce LinkedIn as a modern CV – perhaps they can fill out a profile as an alternative format, though a written CV is good practice anyway.
Cover Letter or Personal Statement: Depending on the students’ needs, have them also write a short cover letter for a job or a personal statement for a university application. This is a more expansive writing task where they must use persuasive and descriptive language about themselves. It practices paragraph writing, tone, and tailoring content to an audience. The letter can be addressed to a hypothetical company or a real one if they have a target job in mind. Again, showing models and useful phrases will scaffold this.
Mock Interview Prep: Once their documents are ready, move to speaking. Teach common job interview questions. Students can work in pairs to brainstorm good answers and write notes. Emphasize not writing a script for answers word-for-word, but making point-form notes for key ideas or examples. It’s also worth practicing introductions, handshakes, and body language – all part of communication!
Role-Play Interviews: Set up mock interviews in class. One way is to have the teacher act as the interviewer for each student one-on-one in front of the class. Alternatively, students can pair up and take turns role-playing interviewer and candidate. If possible, recruit another teacher or guest to act as an interviewer for an added dose of realism. Each interview only needs to be ~5 minutes. The interviewer asks a set of 3-5 questions. The student responds as if it’s a real interview, trying to give full answers. Encourage use of specific examples in answers.
Presentation of Portfolio: You can also incorporate a mini-presentation: for example, each student could spend 2 minutes “pitching” themselves to the class. This can be done prior to interviews as practice.
Feedback and Discussion: After the interviews, debrief. Discuss common mistakes or particularly good answers observed. Peers can share feedback too. This reinforces speaking skills and peer learning. Finally, students revise their résumés or letters using feedback from the teacher, so they end the project with polished documents they might actually use.
Facilitation Tips:
Guest speakers or career center: If possible, involve outside resources. Maybe a career counselor can give a short talk on resume tips, or a local employer can come in to conduct a few interviews as practice. Hearing real-world expectations can make the task more authentic and taken seriously by students.
Use checklists: Provide a checklist for résumé content and for interview performance. Students can use these to self-check and peer-review before the “real” interview.
Mitigate anxiety: Interviews are nerve-wracking even for native speakers. To reduce stress, frame the first round as practice, not grading. You might do a low-stakes round in small groups first. For example, have students practice “Tell me about yourself” in groups of three and give each other warm feedback, before doing the formal mock interview. This builds confidence.
Adapt to context: If your learners are not job-focused, you can tweak the project to college admissions style or scholarship interview – still formal but more about academic achievements. For EAP, focusing on academic CV and statement might be more relevant if they aim for grad school. If they already have jobs, you could angle it as “performance review self-evaluation and meeting with your boss” as a twist. The format is similar: talk about your work, strengths, goals – just like an interview.
Adapting for Different Levels:
Lower-level (A2–B1): Focus on basic professional communication. At A2, writing a full cover letter might be too hard, but they can fill out a simple job application form. Many forms just require short answers: name, address, past jobs, etc. This still teaches writing conventions. For the résumé, perhaps they produce a very simplified CV or even just a list of skills and a short bio. You might supply templates with gaps: “Name: ___, Education: ___ (2015-2019)” to guide them. For the interview, practice very common questions and short responses. A2 speakers can handle formulaic responses about their personal history or routine tasks. They might memorize answers – that’s okay at this stage, as it builds confidence in phrases. Also, allow them to use notes in the interview if needed. The interviewer can simplify questions or repeat/rephrase to ensure comprehension. CEFR B1 learners can attempt a cover letter with guidance, and in interviews they start to express more complex ideas, but still keep it concrete and familiar. They may need time to pause and think during answers, which is fine.
Higher-level (B2–C1): These students can tackle a full professional portfolio. Have B2+ students tailor their résumé for a specific real job posting. This adds realism – they must decide what skills/experience that job needs and highlight those in their CV and cover letter. It trains reading comprehension too as they parse job requirements. Higher-level writing should focus on nuance: using powerful action verbs, avoiding repetition, and being persuasive yet concise in the cover letter. They can peer-review each other’s drafts, checking for formality and clarity. In the mock interview, push advanced learners to give structured answers. At C1, they should practice smooth fluency and even the art of self-promotion in English, which might be culturally new to some. You can throw in a tough question or two to simulate high-level interviews. Since B2/C1 speakers can handle more spontaneous language and complex sentence structures, you can expect them to speak with minimal hesitation and use appropriate professional vocabulary. For evaluation, you might even consider an extended interview format for high levels, such as a panel interview or asking them to give a short presentation in the interview about a project they did – something increasingly common in real hiring processes for advanced roles.
Suggested Tools:
Resume Templates: Tools like Canva or MS Word Resume Wizard have nice templates that make formatting easier. There are also free resume builders online that guide users through filling fields – useful for those who need more structure.
Email practice: Have students actually email you their cover letter and CV as if you were an employer. This gives practice in writing professional emails. You can review proper email style.
Video recording for interviews: If in-class interviews are not feasible, students can record a mock interview via Zoom or similar. Or use a platform like Flipgrid: you could post common interview questions as prompts, and students record their video answers. This asynchronous approach lets shy students practice in a controlled way and you can watch answers at your convenience. However, live interviews are preferable for spontaneity.
LinkedIn: If appropriate, introducing LinkedIn can be valuable. Students could create a LinkedIn profile as part of the project, which covers writing a summary about themselves, listing experiences – reinforcing resume skills in a modern format. This might be more suitable for adults.
Interview simulation apps: There are some apps/AI tools that simulate interview questions, but a simpler method is using a list of questions on Quizlet or a randomizer – click and a random interview question appears, to practice thinking on feet.
Evaluation: This project has multiple outputs, so break down the assessment:
Written Portfolio: Grade the résumé and cover letter for content, organization, format, and language. Is the CV clear and complete? Is the cover letter persuasive and free of major errors? You can use a checklist: e.g. CV contains required sections, uses parallel structure in bullet points, no first person in resume. For the cover letter, check paragraph structure, appropriate greetings/closings, and a polite, confident tone. At higher levels, you might also look for how well they targeted the letter to the “job.” Provide feedback comments that they can apply in real life.
Speaking: Use a rubric or score sheet. Criteria could include Communication Skills, Language Use, Fluency/Confidence, Content of Answers , and Professionalism. For instance, if a student answered “Tell me about a weakness” with a honest but appropriately phrased response, that shows both language skill and cultural competence. You might not heavily penalize minor grammar slips here if content and overall fluency are strong – after all, in real interviews communication is key, not perfection. On the other hand, if someone could not answer at all, that indicates a gap to work on.
Participation & Preparedness: You can also assign some points for completing drafts of the writing on time and participating in peer reviews or practice activities. This incentivizes the process, not just the final result.
If using self- or peer assessments, you might incorporate those qualitatively. For example, a peer who was the interviewer for someone can fill a short feedback form. This peer perspective can be shared but the grading should remain teacher-led to be fair.
Finally, the CEFR can inform expectations: e.g. a B1 learner might meet expectations by giving short, rehearsed responses with some searching for words, whereas a B2 learner is expected to maintain a conversation and respond to unexpected questions smoothly. Aligning your grading expectations with level descriptors ensures you’re fair. If a lower-level student successfully gave a basic self-introduction and answered straightforward questions, that’s a win at that level, even if they didn’t elaborate or ask the interviewer questions.
This project not only evaluates English skills but also imparts life skills – by the end, students walk away with a resume and practice in interviews, which is immediately applicable outside class. The confidence gained is often as valuable as the language itself. Teachers have noted that simulating real-life scenarios like job interviews allows students to “apply their language skills in realistic environments” and boosts their self-esteem for future encounters.
Project Idea 5: Academic Research Presentation Project
In an EAP context or any advanced secondary class, students are expected to engage in academic speaking and writing – reports, projects, presentations. This final project idea mirrors the common task of creating a research project and delivering it as an oral presentation with a written component. This encapsulates many real-world skills: researching and synthesizing information, writing a structured report or abstract, and speaking in a formal presentation or conference-style talk. For secondary or adult ESL, this can be framed as a “mini TED Talk” or a “science fair project,” depending on interests.
Structure:
Topic Selection & Proposal: Students choose a topic to investigate. It could be an academic subject or something from their personal interests that can be researched. To keep it focused, you might require a research question or a thesis statement early on. For example, “What are the effects of social media on language learning?” or “How did the Meiji Restoration impact Japan’s modernization?”. Have each student write a short proposal paragraph stating what they want to find out and how they plan to gather information. Approve topics to ensure they are neither too broad nor too narrow and have accessible sources in English.
Research Phase: Students gather information from various sources. Teach/review how to take notes and how to cite sources minimally. This phase boosts reading skills. You can incorporate a checkpoint where students submit an outline of their findings or an annotated bibliography of 2-3 sources they found, to make sure they’re on track and not just copy-pasting.
Written Report or Abstract: Depending on level and time, have them produce a written output of their research. Options: a full short report with introduction, body, conclusion; or a simpler route is a one-page extended abstract or summary of their findings. Another idea is to create an academic poster – a one-slide or one-sheet summary with bullet points, which is a common format in academia. The writing should include an introduction to the topic, some key details or data discovered, and a conclusion or answer to their research question. This exercise teaches them academic writing conventions like organizing ideas, using formal tone, maybe even including one citation. It’s great preparation for future essays or thesis writing.
Presentation Preparation: Students then plan how to present their research to the class. Emphasize that a presentation is not just reading the report aloud. They should distill the main points into a clear oral explanation. This involves deciding on a structure. They should design visual aids: typically a slideshow or an academic poster to display. Coach them on design – not too much text on slides, use images or charts if relevant, big fonts, etc. If making a poster, tools like PowerPoint or Canva can create a single slide poster. Each student rehearses speaking for a set time, say 5-10 minutes. Encourage them to practice with a classmate and get feedback on clarity and timing. As part of practice, have them anticipate questions the audience might ask and prepare answers, as Q&A is often the trickiest part for language learners.
Presentation Day: Organize this like a mini-conference or symposium. Students present one by one at the front with their slides/poster. You can also do it as a gallery walk if using posters: pin up printed posters or have laptops at stations, and small groups rotate to listen to each presenter explain their poster in a more interactive way. Each presentation slot includes audience questions at the end. Encourage the audience to ask at least one question each across the session – this keeps them engaged and gives presenters practice in impromptu speaking. It’s helpful to model a good question or have a few ready in case students are shy.
Follow-up: After presentations, you might have students peer-evaluate or vote on “best poster” or “most interesting topic” to celebrate good work. Also, tying it back to writing, you could assign a reflection or even a peer-review where each student writes a brief feedback paragraph on another’s project content.
Facilitation Tips:
Teach presentation skills: Many learners, even if fluent, have not formally learned how to give an effective presentation. Spend time on skills like making eye contact, using signposting language, not reading directly off slides, and handling nerves. Show a short clip of a strong presentation to discuss what they did well.
Use milestones: Manage the project with interim deadlines – e.g. “By next Monday, have an outline; by the following Monday, a draft of the report.” This prevents last-minute chaos and plagiarism issues. You can give feedback at each stage, which improves the final quality.
Diversity of topics: If possible, encourage each student to pick a distinct topic so the class presentations are varied. It keeps the audience interested and reduces direct competition. If class size is big and topics tend to cluster, you could allow similar themes but ensure each has a unique angle or research question.
Time management in presentations: If each talk is 10 minutes and you have many students, you may need to split presentation days or have some done as posters simultaneously. Keep a strict schedule. It’s good to assign a student or yourself as a timekeeper with flashcards. This also simulates real conferences where time is monitored.
Academic honesty: This is a chance to teach how to avoid plagiarism. Insist that students use their own words when writing and presenting. If they quote or take a definition, show how to say “According to [Source], …” in speech or use quotation marks in writing. Though it’s a language class, instilling this habit is valuable, especially for EAP learners who will write research papers.
Adapting for Different Levels:
Lower-level (B1 and high A2): This kind of project is challenging below intermediate levels because of the cognitive load. However, you can modify it. For example, make it a “Find the Facts” project on a very concrete topic. You could assign different groups very simple “research” questions that can be answered with basic English sources or prior knowledge, like “Research a famous person and present about their life,” or “Investigate an English-speaking country’s culture and present 5 interesting facts.” Essentially, it becomes more of a fact-sharing presentation than an analytical research. B1 learners can write a short report of maybe 1-2 paragraphs or just a set of notes, rather than pages. The focus can be on past tense or descriptive language – aligning with their language syllabus. Visuals can support their speaking. They can use cue cards to help remember their points when speaking – reading in a limited way is okay. A high A2 student might even do a show-and-tell style presentation about a hobby or a simple science experiment, speaking in simple sentences. CEFR A2 presentation descriptor: “Can give a short, rehearsed presentation on a familiar topic ... and can handle straightforward follow-up questions with help”. So for low levels, keep topics very familiar and let them rehearse thoroughly. Maybe skip the Q&A or have the teacher ask one easy question at the end.
Higher-level (B2–C1): This project shines for them. Expect B2+ students to engage in deeper research – perhaps even reading authentic academic articles or doing a small survey. They can be guided to practice more sophisticated writing: for example, teach how to write an abstract and have them produce one for their project, using impersonal tone and passive voice appropriately. They could also write a longer report. C1 students might incorporate a counter-argument or discuss implications, showing critical thinking. Presentation-wise, higher levels should focus on fluency and engaging the audience. Challenge them to speak with minimal notes, to maintain eye contact, and perhaps to incorporate a little interactivity if appropriate. Because B2 learners “can give a clear, detailed presentation on a wide range of subjects and expand on ideas with relevant examples”, push them to do exactly that: use examples, maybe include a short demo or visual prop if it suits the topic. Also, enforce a strict limit to prevent over-talking – conciseness is a skill too. If any students are at C2, you could have them handle a rigorous Q&A as well, fielding difficult questions spontaneously to truly mimic a thesis defense or conference scenario.
Suggested Tools:
Research Tools: Obviously, the internet is their main research source. You might introduce Google Scholar for more academic articles if suitable. For any sources, teach them to use translation wisely – reading in English for gist, not just translating whole chunks which tempts copy-paste.
Note-taking: Tools like Microsoft OneNote or Evernote can help organize research notes. Or just have them maintain a research journal on paper/in Word to track what they learn each session.
Writing: Microsoft Word or Google Docs for drafting the report/abstract. This is also a chance to show how to format a simple bibliography or use citation generators if you want to go that far.
Presentation Design: PowerPoint, Google Slides, or Canva are all great. If some students are tech-savvy, they might try Prezi for a more dynamic presentation. Ensure whatever they use, they know how to actually present with it. For posters, Canva and PowerPoint both can create posters; or even a large sheet of paper if doing low-tech – but digital is nice for ease of sharing.
Multimedia: Encourage use of images, charts, or even short video/audio clips in their presentation if it enhances understanding. For example, if a student researched a new technology, they might show a 30-second clip of it in action. Just caution them to keep multimedia brief and relevant.
Feedback Collection: If doing a gallery walk, you can use sticky notes physically or a tool like Padlet or Google Forms for the audience to submit questions or compliments for each presenter. For instance, a Padlet column per project where peers post comments – this creates a nice takeaway for each student to see what others thought of their work.
Evaluation: This project can be one of the more complex to grade because of multiple elements. Here’s how you might break it down:
Written Report/Abstract: Evaluate for content accuracy, structure, and language. If they cited sources, check that they did so minimally and appropriately. Plagiarism check if needed. If a poster, evaluate the content and clarity of text on it.
Oral Presentation: Use a rubric with components like Content Knowledge, Organization, Delivery, Language. Also, Visual Aids can be a criterion: was their slideshow/poster well-designed and helpful, or too cluttered? For timing, you could deduct marks if they are significantly under or over time, since following given time is an important skill.
Q&A handling: You may include a small criterion for how they handled questions – did they try to answer, and ask for clarification if needed? At lower levels, you might not include this, but at higher levels it’s a key skill.
Process: If you required a proposal, outline, or drafts, you can assign points for completing those steps. This encourages good work habits.
Peer/Self Evaluation: Some teachers include a reflection essay after the project, where students evaluate their own performance or what they learned. You can decide if that’s graded.
Use analytic rubrics so students can see their performance across different areas. For example, maybe a student’s content was great but delivery weak – they should know that specifically. Rubrics for PBL often include both the academic content and language skills, which is perfect here since you want to value both their research effort and their English usage.
If multiple teachers are available, you might invite another teacher to watch presentations and give an additional score or feedback, to add objectivity.
By completing this project, students practice the full cycle of academic work: planning, researching, writing, and presenting – a mini capstone experience. They learn to synthesize information and share it clearly, which is exactly what they’ll do in university or many professional settings. It’s also a chance for them to delve into a topic they care about, which can be highly motivating. You might find that even quieter students speak passionately when it’s about their chosen topic.
Generating Your Own Project Ideas
The five projects above are just a starting point – there are countless other real-world tasks you can transform into engaging language projects. How can teachers come up with new ideas for project-based learning in ELT? Here are some practical guidelines:
Start with Real-Life Communication Needs: Think about all the ways people use language outside the classroom. Ask yourself, “What do my students need or want to do in English in their lives or future?” This could be anything from writing product reviews online to participating in meetings, planning travel itineraries, or writing an academic essay. Once you identify a real-world task, you can design a project around it. For example, if many of your students love watching YouTube, a project could be to script and film an instructional YouTube tutorial. If students will study abroad, maybe a “University Survival Guide” writing project. By aligning projects with authentic purposes, you ensure relevance and motivation.
Consider Student Interests and Goals: No one knows your students better than you do. Use that knowledge to brainstorm projects. If you teach secondary school teens who are into pop culture, maybe a project like “English Through Drama” or creating an English school magazine. For adult learners in a business context, perhaps simulate a startup pitch project or a series of business emails and client presentation. EAP instructors might lean into mini-research projects like we discussed, or collaborative seminar discussions on course-related topics. The key is to make it personal and meaningful. Students are far more engaged when the project connects to something they care about or aspire to. You can even directly ask them for input: a small brainstorming session where students suggest project ideas can yield great results and give them ownership.
Map to Proficiency: To ensure the project is level-appropriate, consult CEFR descriptors or can-do statements for inspiration. The CEFR lists what learners at each level can handle – these can spark project ideas. For instance, A2 “can write short simple postcards” suggests a project of a postcard exchange with another class. B1 “can handle routine letters or emails” might lead to a pen-pal project or an email negotiation role-play. B2 “can write clear detailed texts on a wide range of subjects” opens possibilities for blogging projects or short story writing. And C1 “can give clear, detailed presentations on complex subjects” clearly aligns with the research presentation project or perhaps a debate tournament. The CEFR’s action-oriented approach encourages using language in realistic tasks and scenarios, which is exactly what PBL is about. By matching project tasks to can-do statements, you ensure that the project will stretch students just enough without overwhelming them, and you maintain clear objectives.
Mix Modalities: Many of the best projects combine speaking, writing, listening, and reading in a natural way. When brainstorming, ask how a potential project could include multiple skills. For example, a “Community Survey Project”: students design a questionnaire. Or a “Film Festival project”: students watch a film, write a review, then hold a round-table discussion about the films. Ensuring a mix means students get comprehensive practice and no one skill is overburdened. It also mirrors real tasks – rarely in life do we use skills in isolation.
Leverage Digital Tools and 21st Century Skills: Don’t shy away from technology – often it can inspire project ideas. Maybe you discover a platform like Glogster or Voicethread and realize you can build a project around it. Similarly, consider what 21st century skills you want to cultivate, and think of projects that inherently develop those. PBL is a great way to address these broader skills alongside language. For example, a collaborative blog or a class podcast series not only practices English but also teaches teamwork and tech skills.
Think Local and Authentic: Some of the richest projects connect with the local community or real events. Perhaps students interview local English-speaking tourists and create a tourist brochure for your town, or they volunteer and then write a reflection newsletter about it. Authentic audience is a powerful motivator – when students know someone beyond the teacher will read or hear their work, they often rise to the occasion. So identify a possible audience: another class, parents, a school blog, a partner school abroad, etc., and design the project so that the end product is for that audience. Even doing something like sending their letters to a real author or posting their reviews on a real website can make it feel “real”.
Use Existing Resources for Inspiration: There are many teaching communities and online resources where teachers share project ideas. Websites like Edutopia, TESOL blogs, and ELT forums often have case studies of successful projects. For instance, a teacher might blog about a “Humans of New York” adaptation in their school – you could adapt that to your context. PBLWorks and other PBL organizations offer project libraries. Don’t hesitate to modify and mash up ideas you find. Maybe you read about a science class growing a garden – an ESL twist could be students creating a how-to guide for gardening in English and making a vlog of plant growth. Any project can be linguistically enriched. Also, consider cross-curricular projects: collaborate with a subject teacher so that language students do a project that counts for both classes – e.g. an English-Geography project where students research a country in Geography class but produce an English travel brochure.
Plan with the End in Mind: When you have a raw idea, flesh it out by thinking of the final product first. Is it going to be a written publication, an event, a video, a speech? Once you know the end product, you can backward-plan the steps. This also helps ensure you cover necessary language input before they need it. For example, if the end is a debate, you know you must teach opinion language and practice some pronunciation of difficult words beforehand. If the end is a magazine, you’ll need to cover writing headlines and doing layout. With the end in mind, you can set clear milestones and scaffold the project effectively.
Be Flexible and Reflect: Finally, when implementing any project, be ready to adapt. PBL can be messy but that’s okay. After each project, reflect on what worked and what didn’t. Solicit student feedback too – they might tell you they loved making the podcast but wished for more time editing, or that the debate was fun but roles were unclear at first. Use that to refine future projects. Over time, you’ll develop a repertoire of go-to projects and the ability to spontaneously seize project opportunities.
In conclusion, project-based learning in ELT is all about making language a living tool, not just an abstract subject. Whether it’s through campaigning on social media, voicing a podcast, debating big ideas, preparing for a career, or researching like a scholar, students use English to do something meaningful. By choosing project themes that reflect common speaking and writing needs – and by structuring them with clear goals, support for various proficiency levels, and relevant tools – we set our learners up not only to improve their English, but also to gain skills and confidence for the real world. As teachers, we become facilitators and coaches, guiding them through these complex but rewarding tasks. Start with these ideas, tweak them for your context, and don’t be afraid to experiment. The excitement and growth you’ll see in your students will be well worth the extra planning. Happy project-making!
Sources:
Becky Winthrop (2024). Project Power! The why and how of project-based learning. Cambridge University Press ELT Blog – on student autonomy and engagement in PBLcambridge.org.
Varthana Education (2023). Top 10 Fun English Project Ideas for an Engaging Classroom – includes role-play simulations (e.g. job interviews) to practice real-world Englishvarthana.comvarthana.com.
Cypher Learning (2022). 6 Digital tools for project-based learning – suggests tools like Glogster, Voicethread, Padlet for student projectscypherlearning.comcypherlearning.comcypherlearning.com.
Jon Schwartz (2011). Using Blogs to Engage English-Language Learners. Edutopia – notes how authentic audience boosts student writing output and engagement in bloggingedutopia.org.
James Fester (2025). 4 Benefits of Using Podcasting as a PBL Project. Edutopia – argues podcasts cover writing, reading, speaking skills, and are easily scaled by age/leveledutopia.orgedutopia.org, with real-world impact when sharededutopia.org.
British Council TeachingEnglish (2015). Vicky Saumell: Using rubrics to assess projects – recommends weighting criteria (language use vs other skills) and having both process and product rubrics for PBLteachingenglish.org.ukteachingenglish.org.uk.
Edutopia (2023). Using Debate as an Educational Tool – lists benefits of classroom debate for speaking, writing, and critical thinking (e.g. practicing persuasive writing, structuring arguments)edutopia.orgedutopia.org.
OnTESOL (2020). Teaching Speaking Skills: Debates in the ESL Classroom – provides practical tips on running debates (topic selection, structure, etc.)ontesol.comontesol.com and emphasizes debates as fun, fluency-building activitiesontesol.com.
Council of Europe CEFR (2020). CEFR Companion Volume – descriptors for presentations and writing at various levels (e.g. A2: short rehearsed presentationapi.macmillanenglish.com; B2: clear, detailed presentation with supportapi.macmillanenglish.com; A2 writing: simple phrases and sentences with basic connectorsapi.macmillanenglish.com; B2 writing: clear, detailed text, essays with supporting detailapi.macmillanenglish.com).
TeacherAcademy.eu (2024). Project-Based Language Learning Guide – highlights need to understand students’ needs, levels, and motivations to choose the right project approachteacheracademy.eu, and the focus of PBL on real-world tasks and engagementteacheracademy.eu.