Investigating the Project-based Learning Implementation and its Impact on EFL Learners’ Achievements: Fourth Year Learners at Moufdi Zakaria Middle School as a Case Study

Abstract

Thecurrent study is an attempt to explore teachers‟ awareness and implementationof the project-based learning as a practical teaching method, and its effective impact on EFL learners‟ achievements in the Algerian middle schools, namely Moufdi Zakaria School at Tiaret. Besides, the research endeavors to identify the impediments which may preclude the effective execution of the project-based learning. For the sake of gleaning enough data in connection with the issue under investigation, the study relies on a mixed method, viz. both qualitative and quantitative research tools were used. Asemi –structured interview, conducted with five middle school teachers and questionnaires were directed to eighty middle school learners. The findings reveal that the project-based learning has a positive effect on fourth year middle school learners, though some reticence has been felt on the part of some teachers as regards its implementation and the underpinning objectives of the competency-based approach tenets. It is worthy to highlight that the project-based learning does not require teachers‟ insightful knowledge only, but many other factors are concerned with its appropriate implementation and effective impact on EFL learners‟ both cognitive and metacognitive skills development; viz. learners‟ motivation and commitment and the availability of the necessary working resources. After, seventeen years of introducing the project-based learning in the EFL syllabi, it is noticed that Middle school English teachers still seemto do their best to render possible the materialization of the objectives of the accredited approach; Competency-based Approach. Yet, being in the blur for insightful theoretical knowledge lack, middle school teachers are expecting better sustainment of their pedagogical and professional concerns.