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Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

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As they take part in project experiences, students apply a range of literacy skills, such as "navigating a variety of texts, developing visual literacy skills, communicating new learning effectively," added Shawna Coppola (@ShawnaCoppola), an elementary literacy specialist.

Across the arc of a project -- from entry event to final presentation -- teachers can find opportunities to deepen students' literacy skills. They may also encounter challenges that will require deliberate scaffolding and troubleshooting.

"The best PBL literacy experiences," according the Myla Lee (@MyTLee3), a PBL coach and fellow member of the Buck Institute for Education National Faculty, "are where students are the creators, question askers, builders, and presenters of the written word." Here are some expert tips and recommended resources to help realize that vision.

Find the Right Texts

PBL puts students in the role of active inquirers. Their literacy skills get a workout in the process of asking good questions and seeking answers through research, interviews, observation, and other forms of investigation that may involve critical reading and careful listening.

How can teachers scaffold the research phase of a project for diverse learners? "The biggest challenge is finding a variety of reliable texts (written texts especially) that are accessible for all types of readers," acknowledges Shawna Coppola (@ShawnaCoppola).

Here are two resources recommended during #IRAchat to help curate reading materials and ensure that all students are actively engaged as readers and critical thinkers:

Newsela offers a menu of nonfiction articles from daily news sources, presented at five different reading levels. That means diverse readers, grades 3-12, can read about -- and be better prepared to think critically about -- timely issues such as climate change, Supreme Court decisions, or the public health response to Ebola

CommonLit offers teachers a free collection of articles of articles, short stories, poems, and historical documents, organized into cross-cutting themes such as "Justice, Freedom, and Equality." Intended for middle-school readers, materials are sorted into three reading levels. That means all students can engage with texts and contribute to discussions and other project activities. Stephanie Cardella (@cardella112) applauded the site's focus on "big ideas in text"

Leverage Tried-and-True Approaches

Many effective literacy techniques fit seamlessly into PBL. I've seen projects that incorporate readers' theater, literature circles, and writers' workshop, to name a few. "Workshop is a great structure that supports PBL," adds Myla Lee. "It is one way to help manage PBL daily."

The shift for many literacy teachers is thinking about when these practices best fit into the timeline of a project. When planning a project, ask yourself when students will have a specific "need to know," such as understanding a challenging text or developing an effective oral argument. Then plan for the appropriate literacy instruction to help them succeed.

Teach Discrete Skills

Support students by helping them master the specific skills that will contribute to project success.

That may mean a lesson on listening, says @SaraAnn2860, "because it truly is a skill that needs to be taught."

Peer critique, a staple of writers' workshop as well as PBL, is a process that students will need to learn through modeling and practice. "Even at the Kindergarten level," says @SaraAnn2860, students can learn to provide constructive criticism. (Veteran educator Ron Berger shows what that looks like in this popular video, "Austin's Butterfly.")

"Guiding students in evaluating sources" is an explicit PBL goal for @MayShasta. ( This post offers some strategies to help.)

Allow for Student Voice and Choice

Giving students voice and choice in PBL helps to increase engagement. When the focus is on literacy, voice and choice might mean "different genres around a common theme," suggests Ashley Roberts (@_my3boys). Julie May (@MayShasta) adds, "PBL gives ALL my students a seat at the table." For @SaraAnn2860, "meaningful learning is self-selected and personally driven to meet individual needs." Digital tools can expand the options for what students choose to produce and how they choose to engage with their audience.

Learn from Examples

What does PBL with a literacy focus look like in practice? The options are practically unlimited, but here are a few that illustrate the possibilities.

Amy Conley (@AmyKConley) advocates for PBL that is "service-based, student-driven, and all about inquiry." She shared an example in her recent blog post. Here's another example of writing as service, featured at the National Service-Learning Conference.

High Tech High shares seasoned advice on literacy in PBL, along with project examples.

Peacekeepers of Chicago, a seventh-grade project from Polaris Charter Academy, is an example of students reading, researching, writing, and publishing to accomplish a meaningful, authentic purpose--building a more peaceful community.

Literacy Today has curated more resources about PBL and literacy, including "Super Practical PBL Ideas."

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As they take part in project experiences, students apply a range of literacy skills, such as "navigating a variety of texts, developing visual literacy skills, communicating new learning effectively," added Shawna Coppola (@ShawnaCoppola), an elementary literacy specialist. Across the arc of a project -- from entry event to final presentation -- teachers can find opportunities to deepen students' literacy skills.

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The 3 principles of universal design for learning are well suited for a project-based learning environment. Many guidelines and suggestions to make learning more accessible to all students are rooted in project-based learning so that often, extra strategies and time put in to universal understanding is minimized. This isn't to say it can be neglected, there will always be students who struggle whatever the teaching style is, but this approach is more open ended and allows for greater student flexibility than a traditional direct instruction method.

Students have different ways of understanding information and those with special needs will me more inclined to understand when presented with material in heir own ways. During PBL, there are multiple avenues available to students for comprehending material if a few minor adjustments are made. Some students have learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, and might benefit from a video of a class discussion of a reading. While they struggle to understand the reading, they could miss the reflection. Watching a video of that reflection at home can help fill in some questions they might have had from the reading yet were not able to listen to it in class. The same approach would be useful for English learners as well. For students with sensory disabilities, videos, handouts of audio lessons, among other things, can be used to help with understanding.

One of the main components of PBL is to present the material to an audience. Due to the voice and choice that students have in PBL, many times they can choose their ideal way of presenting this material. In UDL, this is key because students with special needs have a variety of strengths and weaknesses that are likely more defined than other students. While it is ideal to have students work on both their strengths and weaknesses, students with special needs might not be able to present in more than one or two ways. PBL gives all students a choice in how to present their material and in doing so, assures that all students can participate in the lesson.

All students are motivated to learn in different ways. Some students work best in a spontaneous environment while other students need a strict, guided approach to daily lessons. With a bit of tweaking, PBL can offer both. For the student who thrives with spontaneity, maybe looking at the "need to know" list and asking the class which question they want to answer today would provide that spark. Other students who need order and a strict routine can be given a calendar of each daily objective throughout the project. In either instance, the teacher has prepared both of these in advance and just needs to pick on that is more tailored to the class. Many students enjoy working in groups, and those with special needs benefit from the social interaction group work provides. However, there are those students who cannot work in groups and would much prefer to complete their project alone. PBL is designed to be completed in groups, but it can certainly be completed individually.

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The 3 principles of universal design for learning are well suited for a project-based learning environment. Many guidelines and suggestions to make learning more accessible to all students are rooted in project-based learning so that often, extra strategies and time put in to universal understanding is minimized.

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Students can create a variety of projects in PE such as creating healthy lifestyle plans, research different age appropriate physical activities, researching injuries and preventions, or creating your own game using a skill or skills learned.

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*Cooperative Learning (Collaboration)
*Problem solving
*Modeling
*Hands-on activities
*Student-centered
*Reflection