FOSTERING 21ST-CENTURY SKILLS-CRITICAL THINKING AND COLLABORATION)-THROUGH PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PBL) IN YOUNG LEARNER EFL CLASSROOMS
Abstract
Foreign Language education for young learners is shifting from only vocabulary memorization to holistic skill development. This thesis explores the integration of Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a core pedagogical framework to foster 21st-century skills—specifically critical thinking and collaboration—among young EFL learners (ages 7–10) in Uzbekistan. By shifting the classroom dynamic from teacher-centered to inquiry-based, PBL provides contextualized language learning environments. The study proposes a structured model for primary school PBL integration and discusses its implications for language fluency and social-cognitive development.
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