Service Learning in EFL Following the Sout and Guide Movements’ Methodological Approach

Abstract

[eng] This dissertation investigates service learning (SL), its usefulness in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching and the role Scout and Guide methodology may have in designing an SL project. SL seems to be a rather popular proposal among researchers in Spain, which is reflected by the existence of numerous and highly detailed research papers, guides, and tools, among other resources as well as by the presence of SL projects across the country. In this context, EFL may be a subject which students could benefit significantly from provided that the projects are organized sensibly. Thus the need to resort to the scouting and guiding world, especially given how SL is a structural practice in this type of non-formal education as well as many other techniques which may also be favourable when applied in formal education. After reviewing the ideas of different authorities in the fields of SL, EFL and both scouting and guiding to understand each discipline slightly better and establish nexus among them, a proposal for several context-based SL projects has been set. While the proposal is entirely theoretical and has not been applied in any existing institution, the easiness of creating SL projects for EFL and how Scout and Guide methodology can be moulded into the projects seems to imply that the dissertation’s objectives are positively met.