What do the Lecturers Think? EPIC Lecturers’ Perceptions of Implementing PBLL to Teach the Speaking Skills

Abstract

The increasing necessity for authentic communication in English among college and university graduates has generated an emphasis on communicative instruction in academic English courses. Teaching speaking skills via the Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) method is an example of this approach. While literature has mainly studied learner attitudes in pre-tertiary education, the current research attempts to explore the perceptions of lecturers who implemented PBLL regarding its effect on speaking. Eight lecturers at the exit level in an Israeli college were interviewed following the implementation of a PBLL session. Most of the accomplishments and the challenges mentioned in the interviews corresponded with the literature. The achievements included improving language skills and enhancing motivation and self-confidence, while being time-consuming was reported as a major challenge. Nevertheless, two outstanding results were revealed. First, students were able to give a public presentation in their target language. Second, lecturers’ perceptions of their role varied, ranging from mediation to minimal involvement, with the latter perception diverging from the PBLL theory. The insights from this research may serve as an incentive for both EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers and EPIC (English for Purposes of International Communication) lecturers to integrate speaking-focused PBLL into their curricula.