In the course 21G.108 Chinese II (Streamlined), students engage in a project in which they interview family members or native speakers to learn about Chinese culture; they then create an online book and deliver an oral presentation based on that interview. Below, Min-Min Liang describes the nature and purpose of the interview project and how student performance on the project is assessed.
OCW: Who are the students in 21G.108? How much fluency do they typically have in Chinese at the start of the course?
Min-Min Liang: This course, along with 21G.107/157 Chinese I (Streamlined), forms the elementary level of the streamlined sequence, which is intended for students who, when they began the sequence at beginning level, had basic conversational skills (gained, typically, from growing up in a Chinese-speaking environment) but lacked a corresponding level of literacy. The focus of the course is on standard usage, on reading in both traditional and simplified characters, and on writing.
OCW: Aside from giving students a chance to practice their language skills, what are the intended outcomes of the interview project?
Min-Min Liang: One of the goals of my course is to help students gain a deeper knowledge of Chinese culture. I don’t just present information to students; I have students explore certain issues and cultural traits of Chinese culture so through comparison they can draw their own conclusions. The project facilitates that goal. Students are free to choose their own topics and interview any native speakers they choose, so the process not only provides an opportunity for an authentic interaction with native speakers but also helps students to explore the subject that they themselves want to know the best. Since students are free to choose any way to present their project in a written form and in an oral presentation, they are creating their own artifact. It can be as creative as they want to be. I also hope that through a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, they understand and appreciate more of the values that their parents hold.
OCW: In your view, what are the primary benefits of project-based learning as a pedagogical technique in language teaching?
Min-Min Liang: I believe that the primary benefit of project-based learning is to motivate students to learn beyond the textbook and teaching materials. Textbooks and teaching materials establish a foundation for literacy and provide information on Chinese culture and practices for students, but project-based learning allows students to build on that foundation to foster their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Since the project-based learning is a semester-long process, students can explore more and learn more about the topics they’re interested in. Through this process, students gain new knowledge and new vocabulary on their own and extend the horizon of the world they perceive. In other words, the learning is more individualized, and the progress of their learning is not just measured by the tests.
OCW: What is the purpose of the grading rubric you provide to your students?
Min-Min Liang: The rubric is a guide to help the students better understand my expectations for the project assignment. Clear instruction is important in teaching. I always give very detailed instructions and rubrics to explain any project content and purposes. Therefore, if students have any questions about the project, I will have a base to refer to and explain more to students if needed.
OCW: How does the oral presentation fit into the project assignment as a whole? What aspects of student learning does it ideally demonstrate?
Min-Min Liang: Writing Chinese and speaking Chinese are two different skills. In oral presentations, students need to summarize their project ideas and present them in a short period of time. They must be clear and effective and engage the audience at the same time. Therefore, in an oral presentation, it is crucial for the presenter to use correct grammar and pronunciation. Students will have to figure out the best way to show their project. This training is important because in real life, it is a critical skill to communicate one’s ideas clearly to others.
OCW: What would you like to share about the student projects for 21G.108 that we haven’t yet addressed?
Min-Min Liang: In my project instruction, I ask students to tape their conversation with their interviewee(s) and upload the recording onto Book Creator (the online tool we use for the project). Based on the interview conversation, they need to summarize the content of the interview and then write coherent paragraphs about it with proper conjunctions. I believe that the process of summarizing an oral interview into a written form is a critical skill. The process doesn’t only require speaking; it also involves listening, reorganizing content, and producing a written product with proper grammar. Every project that I design always practices listening, speaking, reading, and writing—all four skills.
