Effects of project based learning on speaking abilities of non english major Chinese students
Non English major Chinese students have serious problems with speaking English since they are in the teacher centered class and fail to have opportunities to use English. In the present study, projectbased learning (PBL) as a student centered, instructional approach was integrated into the English classroom in the Chinese context. The study investigated the effect of PBL on non English major students' speaking ability, and students' opinions on PBL in Kaili University. Eighty students participated in this study. The data of the present study were collected via the speaking pre posttest, the questionnaire and the semi structured interview. The quantitative data was analyzed by t test and descriptive statistics. The qualitative data was analyzed by the analysis method adapted from O'Connor, Gibson (2003) The results revealed that PBL had positive effects on non English major students' speaking ability and students' opinions. Moreover, other unexpected outcomes were reported positively, for instance, the development of technology skills. Therefore, the findings of the current study may benefit colleges and universities which have problems in instructing English speaking skill in China. Additionally, the findings of the present study may provide valuable information for the researchers who are interested in cooperating PBL into their teaching.