Project-based Language Learning in China: A Literature Review

Project-based language learning (PBLL) has great potential for language education because PBLL would be able to make learning relevant, personalized, and engaging. This is particularly true under today’s circumstances where language learners’ are expected to reach the five goals in areas of communication, cultures, comparison, connection and communities as put forward by the ACTFL (www.actfl.org). This paper presents a content analysis of 39 PBLL research studies published between 2002 and 2017 in the English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) context in China. The studies were collected from the two most frequently used Chinese academic journal databases—CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and Wanfang Data. This paper presents a synthesis of the PBLL approach as applied in EFL instruction in China, discusses the research results, gaps, and future directions for PBLL research and pedagogy.