Speaker
Description
In learner-centered ESL instruction, fostering autonomy and creativity is essential to meaningful language development. This presentation introduces a classroom-based model that integrates extensive reading with student-selected creative projects, supervised by teachers and aligned with textbook themes. Students independently choose English texts—fiction or nonfiction—that resonate with their interests, then design a creative response project to reflect their understanding. These projects may take various forms, such as digital presentations, podcasts, posters, dramatic dialogues, or multimedia storytelling.
To ensure coherence and learning outcomes, teachers monitor topic selection and guide students in aligning their projects with curricular goals. This approach blends extensive reading and project-based learning theories, and was implemented with Vietnamese secondary ESL students over one academic term. It supports vocabulary development, reading fluency, writing skills, and spoken expression, while promoting learner ownership and engagement.
Classroom observations, student reflections, and project assessments demonstrated clear gains in language proficiency, creative thinking, and motivation. Participants reported increased confidence, autonomy, and pride in producing language-rich projects connected to meaningful themes.
The session offers a practical framework for integrating extensive reading with monitored, self-directed creative work. Attendees will receive adaptable resources such as reading guides, project scaffolds, feedback forms, and assessment rubrics to implement this model in their own contexts.
Biography
Nguyen Thi Thuy Dung is a teacher of English and teacher trainer at Ha Tinh High School for the Gifted, Vietnam. She earned her B.A. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Hue College of Foreign Languages in 2010. In 2016, she was awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to pursue graduate studies in the United States and completed her M.S. in TESOL at Florida International University in 2018. Ms. Dung has been involved in numerous English language teaching projects and conferences in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and the U.S. She has taught students from diverse linguistic, cultural, and educational backgrounds across a range of settings—from low-resource classrooms to advanced academic environments. Her professional interests include practical and innovative teaching techniques, computer-assisted language learning, intercultural competence development, and the adaptation of teaching materials to fit diverse learner needs.
