If you could travel abroad next year, where would you go?

Why do you choose such destination?

Is there anything you want to see or play in this destination?

Can your children give you a clear choice and reasons when you ask them these questions?

Well, the children at YWIES Beijing can.

Not only the answers they can give you, but also, they have a very clear overall plan for the country they chose. This is the recent Project-Based Learning at YWIES Beijing. Why do we have Project-Based Learning?

In addition to the study of academic courses and interest courses, we also focus on extending project-based teaching activities at YWIES Beijing. this project was an authentic, engaging way for students to gain a variety of knowledge and skills.

To deep dive the knowledge and skills that students at YWIES BEIJING have learned, let's take a look at the recent project-based classes.

Project-Based Learning --- Travel Expo

As a way to give students hope for future travel experiences, Mrs. B, the English teacher, decided students would gain knowledge and skills in a fun and meaningful way, by accepting the challenge of persuading Grade 5 and Grade 3 students to visit their researched country.

Travel Expo：How to guide young learners to conduct an effective research for a country?

Students started with the guiding question from Mrs. B of, “What can you see, eat, and do in different tourist destinations?” 

They discussed the answer to this with their peer and parents about destinations they had visited.  Next, students enjoyed a speed -dating with books about different countries. After reviewing more than 10 countries, each group selected 1 country to research. 

In their research, students included: places to see, things to do, food to eat, pictures and interesting facts. Students used library books, iPad, and interviews as resources. 

The challenges young learners come across in PBL:

For some, working in a group was frustrating because they felt some members of the group did not work as hard as others. Students were reminded that in the real world, you often have to work with others. Therefore; school is a good time to practice being flexible and building strong character. 

Some groups really impressed their teachers, by finding unusual reasons for visiting a country, such as: In Australia, there are blue penguins, or in Mexico, there is a delicious spicy sauce called “Mole” that people put on meat.

Presentation of Travel Expo

It was time to put their display together. Students were given the choice to present their finding visually however they wanted. Some groups chose to make a poster, other groups made an iMovie. A few ambitious groups made a poster and an iMovie!

Our children not only need to show their own videos and posters, which shows their academic and research skills? They also develop their soft skills in the learning. For instance, they need to learn how to convince other teams.

Students developed the skills needed to persuasively pitch their ideas to an audience. They learned several persuasive devices including: repetition, alliteration, rule of three, and fact and opinion. Additionally, they learned that strong communicators, use voice, tone, gestures, and pace to get their point across. 

At the end of the activity, the audience individually voted for which country they hope they will visit in the future and stated their reason.

The project ended with students reflecting on the project and the role they play. Each student self- assessed their strengths and challenges. They also completed a group assessment.

At YWIES BEIJING, Project-Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.