Designing and Implementing Authentic Inclusive Projects for Collaborative Learning in EFL Classrooms

This study examines the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PBL) as an instructional strategy to enhance language acquisition and social integration among students with special needs in an inclusive English as a Foreign Language setting. Conducted in a private school in Milagro, Ecuador, the research involved 15 students from diverse grades and with various disabilities, utilizing a mixed-methods approach combining pre-tests, post-tests, surveys, and classroom observations to assess linguistic progress and social engagement. Findings indicate that PBL facilitated notable improvements in vocabulary recognition, pronunciation, and communication skills while fostering confidence and peer collaboration. Results indicate that PBL improved vocabulary recognition, pronunciation, and communication skills while fostering confidence and peer collaboration. Initial challenges included students’ hesitancy in group tasks and reliance on their mother tongue, but scaffolded instruction and structured peer interactions mitigated these barriers. The study highlights the importance of differentiated instruction and inclusive project design, emphasizing peer support as a catalyst for participation. Although the small sample size limits the findings, they suggest that well-structured PBL can enhance both linguistic and social competencies. Future research should explore long-term effects, teacher training strategies, and resource accessibility to optimize PBL for inclusive English as a Foreign Language education.