How to structure the text of the justification.

This section of your paper has a specific objective: Justify the relevance and purpose of your
project. Having that in mind, your text must be written in an argumentative way, with enough information
that supports why your project is important, necessary and pertinent. In that sense, you must describe the
problem you decided to study (in the case of a research) or the learning phenomenon you decided to
explore (in the case of classroom project). Then, you need to explain the problem/phenomenon from a
general to a specific perspective. Next, you have to argue that there is a “gap” that requires to be filled, and
that your proposal could be a solution for filling it. To do so, you have to demonstrate why your
proposal/study is worth being considered. Finally, you must demonstrate the relevance of your
proposal/study for the field of study, for the society and for the institutions. After this, you present your
teaching and learning objectives as a consequence of what you have presented as the gap and the
relevance. The text would be framed like this:

JUSTIFICATION

Introductory sentence that leads the reader to logically identify the area to which the problem or
phenomenon belongs. Sentence that states what the problem/phenomenon is. Sentence that provides a
brief, but complete definition of the problem/phenomenon, supported by at least two sources (these two
sentences can be combined in a single complex or compound complex sentence). Between one or three
sentences that contextualize the problem/phenomenon historically; it means that you must describe for
how long the problem/phenomenon has been studied or explored and its evolution. One or two sentences
that describe the importance of the problem/phenomenon in the field/area of study (e.g. bilingual
education, second language acquisition, communicative competence, teacher education, among others).

Introductory sentence that announces how important the problem/ phenomenon is for English
language teaching and learning worldwide, in Colombia and in the region. Sentence(s) that relates the
problem/phenomenon with ELT in particular continents or countries where most studies have been
conducted. Sentence(s) that relates the problem/phenomenon with Colombian policies, documents or
projects, highlighting the importance of this issue for such aspects (policies, documents, projects, etc.).
Sentence(s) that relate the problem/issue with regional programs, projects, policies, among others.

Linking sentence between previous information (context) and the content of this paragraph, which
is the explanation of the problem/phenomenon in the field of interest, in the society, in national and local
public education and for English teachers and users. Sentence(s) that explains to what extent the field of
interest (ELT) considers the problem/phenomenon as an issue that requires exploration or research.
Sentence(s) that explains why this problem/phenomenon affects the society (language users, educational
institutions, enterprises, governments, etc.). Sentence(s) that explains why this problem/phenomenon
affects national and local public education. Finally, sentence(s) that explains why this problem/ phenomenon
affects English or primary teachers and students. [All the explanations must be supported with relevant
statistics, press articles, empirical studies, quotes from an authority, etc.]

[According to what you just presented, link that with the gaps you identified by writing this
paragraph. Here you must demonstrate the necessity of conducting an implementation/research that helps
deal with the problem/issue]

Sentence that tells the reader that based on the previous information, specific problematic aspects
have been identified. Sentence(s) that presents and supports the first gap, related to what has not been
tried yet (techniques, strategies, methodologies, policies, etc.), what has not been considered in the studies
reviewed (key population, key methodologies, focus of the studies, context, etc.) or the lack of

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exploration/research. Sentence(s) that presents the gaps in national and local policies, plans or curricula
regarding the problem/phenomenon. Sentence(s) that presents the results of other proposals (techniques,
strategies, studies) for dealing with the problem/phenomenon, highlighting the weak or ineffective ones.

Sentence that tells the reader how important it is to help fill the gaps previously presented with a
proposal/study like yours. Sentence that describes briefly your proposal/study. Sentence that explains why
this proposal/study was chosen among other possible alternatives. Sentence that explains why your
proposal/study may contribute to filling gaps in the field of interest or related studies. Sentence that
explains why your proposal/study may contribute to filling gaps in national and local policies, plans or
curricula. Sentence that explains how critical statistics or figures already presented could be impacted with
your proposal/study. Sentence that explains why your proposal/study may contribute to the teaching of
English in the school where you are going to conduct the project and the learning of English of the target
students of your project.

[Based on what you have presented, state the purpose of your study, specifying the achievements
you aim to get in terms of the field of interest, your professional growth as a teacher, institutional benefits
and learners’ expected outcomes]

Sentence that tells the reader that based on the possible benefits of your proposal/study, you will
present the purpose of your project. Sentence(s) that states the purpose of your proposal/study in terms of
scientific expected goals (what you intend to obtain for contributing to the field of ELT). Sentence(s) that
states the purpose of your proposal/study in terms of your own professional expected goals (what you
intend to develop, reinforce, gain, learn or reflect on as a teacher). Sentence(s) that states the purpose of
your proposal/study in terms of institutional expected goals (what you intend to obtain for contributing to
school/place where you will conduct the project). Sentence(s) that states the purpose of your
proposal/study in terms of learners’ expected goals (what you expect that target participants learn, develop,
reinforce, improve, reflect on, or discover as English users). Consequently, the objectives of this project are:

Teaching objectives: [State the main teaching objectives based on the theoretical, professional
and institutional purposes previously presented in the form of a verb phrase in infinitive form]

 Xxxxxxxxxx
 Xxxxxxxxxx
 Xxxxxxxxxx

Learning objectives: [State the main learning objectives based on the learners’ purposes
previously presented and expected attitudinal responses in the form of a verb phrase in infinitive form]

 Xxxxxxxxxx
 Xxxxxxxxxx
 Xxxxxxxxxx

Designed by Sandro Echeverry, UTP, 2015©