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Description
This study investigates the effectiveness of project-based learning (PBL) in developing communicative competence—identified as a core disciplinary skill—in Vietnamese high school English education. Implemented at a specialized high school, the study redesigned textbook “Project” activities into real-life tasks such as media campaigns, career interviews, and video production, aiming to cultivate authentic English usage and learner motivation.
A mixed-methods approach was employed, with data collected from 113 students through Likert-scale self-assessment questionnaires and student products. Seven data tables were constructed and analyzed using SPSS, achieving high internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.948). Communicative competence was assessed according to CEFR’s tripartite framework: linguistic (M=3.58), sociolinguistic (M=3.80), and pragmatic competence (M=3.58). Students reported clear gains in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, discourse organization, and interactional strategies. Motivation also increased, with post-project engagement averaging M=3.98 across behavioral, affective, and attitudinal dimensions.
The findings affirm that embedding communication goals into contextualized PBL tasks significantly strengthens students’ English proficiency, autonomy, and engagement. Notably, the research offers detailed quantitative evidence supporting the role of PBL in developing all three dimensions of communicative competence, positioning it as a viable model for enhancing disciplinary core skills in alignment with Vietnam’s 2018 General Education Curriculum.
Keywords: communicative competence, project-based learning, CEFR, core disciplinary skills, English language education
Biography
Nguyen Lam Quynh Nhu is currently working as a teacher of English at Ben Tre High School for the Gifted, Vietnam. With over 7 years of teaching experience, she has consistently sought to improve student engagement and learning outcomes through innovative teaching methods. Her work focuses on integrating project-based instruction into English lessons to develop students' communicative competence in meaningful and context-driven ways.
She has implemented several classroom-based projects aligned with the national curriculum, helping students apply English in real-life tasks such as interviews, presentations, and media production. Her recent action research investigates how project-based instruction supports the development of English communicative competence—one of the core disciplinary goals in secondary language education in Vietnam.
In addition to her teaching role, she actively participates in school-level academic initiatives and professional development activities. She is especially interested in building interdisciplinary connections between English and other subjects, such as science, to foster critical thinking and language use beyond the textbook.
She holds a degree in English Language Teacher Education and continues to seek opportunities to grow professionally and contribute to the development of English language teaching in Vietnamese high schools.
