Marcos Benevides

The sudden rise of generative AI and high-quality editing and translation software has disrupted educational practices across many fields. In language teaching, traditional modes of instruction and assessment, such as essay-writing, homework assignments, and tests are being rethought, and program priorities re-evaluated. 

One solution that has emerged, and which seems to be particularly promising, is PBLT, or project-based language teaching. In PBLT, “projects” can be defined as a sequence of connected tasks, which are completed over an extended period of time such as several weeks or a full semester, and which culminate in an overarching outcome that is above any particular task. 

This approach can bypass or interrupt many AI-based exploits—while at the same time allowing for the constructive use of such technology if desired. For example, “Create a podcast series” can be a PBLT project, which could comprise tasks such as “Brainstorm topic ideas,” “Research topics,” “Write a script,” “Review a partner’s script,” “Record your episode,” “Upload episodes” (etc.), where the ultimate outcome is that a real-world-like podcast series has been created.

This workshop will explore these and other practical ideas on how to set up projects in the ELT classroom, using principles from task-based language teaching. In particular, teachers will get a solid grounding on how to perform a learner needs analysis, how to sequence tasks, and how to assess student achievement.

Bio 

Marcos Benevides is an associate professor at J. F. Oberlin University, founder/publisher of Atama-ii Books, and author of several award-winning coursebooks. Most recently, his co-authored book Widgets Inc.: A task-based course in workplace English won the 2019 ELTon Award for Course Innovation. His other ELT publications include Fiction in Action: Whodunit (Abax), which received both an ELTon and the Duke of Edinburgh English Book Award; the Choose Your Own Adventure™ graded reader series; the Atama-ii Multi-path graded reader series; and many others. His research interests include PBLT, TBLT, ER, & BBQ. He lives in Tokyo.