Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) teaching is currently situated within a context of global expansion, characterised by the need to develop communicative competences in increasingly multilingual and multicultural environments. Within this framework, language pedagogy has evolved from approaches focused on content transmission toward models that prioritise meaningful language use and the development of real communicative skills.

The communicative approach, consolidated through the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages [1], proposes that language learning should be action-oriented, viewing learners as social agents who use language to interact in specific contexts. However, the effective implementation of this approach in primary education requires methodologies that align with learners’ developmental characteristics, enhance motivation, and promote active participation.

In this regard, Project-Based Learning (PBL) emerges as a particularly suitable methodology, as it integrates linguistic, cultural, and competence-based content within meaningful tasks. PBL allows for overcoming the traditional fragmentation of the curriculum, fostering a holistic view of learning and promoting the active construction of knowledge.

Several studies have highlighted that PBL contributes to improving student motivation, meaningful learning, and the development of key competences [2,3]. In the field of SFL, its application is especially relevant, as it enables the contextualization of language learning in situations that are close to students’ realities.

This study aims to analyse and provide a theoretical foundation for a didactic program based on PBL for teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language in primary education, offering evidence of its effectiveness and its potential as a transferable model for other educational contexts. Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) teaching is currently situated within a context of global expansion, characterised by the need to develop communicative competences in increasingly multilingual and multicultural environments. Within this framework, language pedagogy has evolved from approaches focused on content transmission toward models that prioritise meaningful language use and the development of real communicative skills.

Research Design

This study is framed within a Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology, an approach that combines the systematic design of educational interventions with their implementation and analysis in real-world contexts. DBR is particularly appropriate in the field of language education, as it allows for the generation of both theoretical insights and practical solutions that can inform teaching practices in authentic settings [4].

The study adopts a qualitative, descriptive-interpretative design focused on the analysis of a didactic intervention specifically developed for a particular educational context. Rather than aiming for statistical generalisation, the research seeks to achieve an in-depth understanding of the teaching and learning processes that emerge during the implementation of the proposed methodology [5]. This perspective is consistent with the epistemological foundations of DBR, which emphasise contextualised knowledge and iterative refinement.

The research process followed several phases. First, a design phase was carried out, in which the didactic proposal was developed based on theoretical principles derived from communicative language teaching, sociocultural constructivism, and Project-Based Learning (PBL). This phase involved the selection of objectives, content, methodological strategies, and assessment tools aligned with the characteristics of the target group.

Second, the implementation phase took place in a real classroom setting, allowing the observation of how the intervention functioned in practice. During this stage, data were collected through qualitative instruments such as systematic observation, field notes, and analysis of student-produced artefacts [6,7]. These sources provided rich information on student engagement, interaction patterns, and language use.

Finally, an analysis and reflection phase was conducted, in which the data collected were interpreted considering the theoretical framework. This phase aimed to identify strengths, limitations, and areas for improvement in the design, contributing to the refinement of the proposal and its potential transferability to other educational contexts.

Overall, the DBR approach adopted in this study enables a dynamic relationship between theory and practice, allowing the continuous adjustment of the instructional design and supporting the development of innovative and context-sensitive pedagogical models.

Educational Context and Participants

The intervention was conducted in an American educational institution where Spanish is taught as a foreign language within the regular school curriculum. The school is characterized by an international and multicultural environment, in which students are exposed to diverse cultural perspectives, although opportunities for authentic linguistic immersion in Spanish outside the classroom remain limited [8]. This context makes the classroom the primary space for language exposure and use, thereby increasing the relevance of well-structured and meaningful pedagogical interventions.

The participants in the study were a group of sixth-grade primary school students (aged 12–13) with an initial A1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). At this level, learners are expected to understand and use basic everyday expressions, introduce themselves, and interact simply if interlocutors speak slowly and clearly. However, their communicative competence is still limited, particularly in terms of spontaneous oral production and interaction [9].

The group presented a heterogeneous profile in terms of learning pace, motivation, and prior exposure to foreign languages. While some students had previous experience learning additional languages, others had minimal contact with languages other than English. This diversity required the implementation of inclusive teaching strategies capable of addressing different needs and promoting equitable participation.

Another relevant feature of the context is the limited exposure to Spanish outside the classroom, which restricts opportunities for natural language acquisition. As a result, it becomes essential to design learning experiences that simulate authentic communicative situations and provide meaningful opportunities for input and output in the classroom.

Furthermore, the participants' age implies specific cognitive and affective characteristics that must be considered in instructional design. Students at this stage benefit from dynamic, interactive, and engaging activities that foster motivation and sustained attention. Consequently, the use of Project-Based Learning (PBL), combined with gamification and cooperative work, responds to these developmental needs and supports a more effective learning process [10].

In summary, the educational context and participant profile justify the selection of an active, student-centred methodological approach aimed at maximising engagement, facilitating meaningful learning, and promoting the development of communicative competence in Spanish as a foreign language.

Design of the Didactic Proposal

The didactic program is structured around the project entitled “A Journey through Spain in 10 Stages,” conceived as a virtual tour through different representative Spanish cities. This design responds to the need to integrate linguistic and cultural content within a coherent and meaningful framework, thereby promoting contextualised and functional learning.

Each of the ten stages is organised as an autonomous yet interconnected didactic unit, ensuring an appropriate progression of content. Within each stage, different components of communicative competence are integrated: specific vocabulary (related to travel, gastronomy, culture, and daily life), basic grammatical structures at the A1 level (present tense, common verbs, basic agreement), and essential communicative functions (introducing oneself, describing places, expressing preferences, and asking simple questions).

The design of activities follows a clear task-based sequence. First, an activation phase is introduced, in which prior knowledge is elicited through visual stimuli or guiding questions. This is followed by a presentation and guided practice phase, where students engage with new linguistic content. Subsequently, a production phase is implemented, in which learners apply their knowledge in meaningful communicative tasks, often through cooperative work. Finally, each stage culminates in a final task that integrates the acquired learning, such as oral presentations, travel diaries, or descriptive tasks [11].

This approach facilitates not only the progressive acquisition of content but also the development of transversal skills such as autonomy, collaboration, and problem-solving. Furthermore, the thematic coherence of the project contributes to maintaining student motivation throughout the intervention.

Teaching Methodology

The methodology adopted in this proposal is grounded in the principles of active, student-centred learning, in line with the communicative approach and Project-Based Learning. In this context, students assume a leading role in constructing their own learning, while the teacher acts as a guide, facilitator, and mediator of the educational process.

Cooperative learning constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of the intervention. Students are organised into small heterogeneous groups, which promotes interaction, knowledge exchange, and the development of social skills. This type of organisation also allows for attention to diversity, as students can support each other in completing tasks.

The proposed activities are designed to foster real language use in meaningful contexts. Priority is given to communicative tasks that require comprehension and production with a specific purpose, thus avoiding purely meromictic learning. Among the most relevant activities are role-playing, simulations of everyday situations, descriptions of places, and oral presentations.

Furthermore, the methodology incorporates elements of gamification with the aim of increasing student motivation. The use of game dynamics, symbolic rewards, and challenges contributes to creating a positive and participatory learning environment. This approach is particularly effective in early educational stages, where motivation plays a crucial role in learning.

Another important aspect is attention to different learning styles and paces. The variety of activities (visual, oral, written, and digital) allows adaptation to students’ needs, promoting inclusive teaching.

Teaching Resources

The selection of teaching resources plays a fundamental role in the development of the proposal, as it facilitates content comprehension and enhances the teaching-learning process. In this study, a combination of traditional and digital resources was used to provide a varied educational experience adapted to the students’ context.

Among traditional resources, visual materials such as maps, images of cities, monuments, and cultural elements stand out, along with worksheets specifically designed for each stage of the project. These materials help contextualise learning and support vocabulary acquisition.

On the other hand, digital tools constitute a key component of the intervention. Platforms such as Kahoot, Wordwall, and Edpuzzle are used to reinforce content, assess student progress, and promote active participation. These tools introduce interactive dynamics that increase motivation and provide immediate feedback.

Additionally, audiovisual resources such as videos and digital presentations contribute to improving listening comprehension and bringing students closer to the sociocultural reality of the Spanish-speaking world. The integration of these resources promotes multimodal learning by combining different channels of information.

It is important to note that the selection of resources was guided by pedagogical criteria such as appropriateness to the students’ level, relevance of the content, and accessibility. Furthermore, priority was given to materials that foster active participation and autonomous learning.

Overall, the combination of traditional and digital resources enriches the teaching-learning process and adapts it to the demands of contemporary education.

Assessment

Assessment in this didactic proposal is conceived as a continuous, formative, and comprehensive process, aligned with the principles of the communicative approach and Project-Based Learning. Rather than being understood as an exclusively summative mechanism, assessment is intended to support the learning process, providing meaningful information to both the teacher and the students regarding progress and difficulties.

A formative assessment approach is adopted, allowing for ongoing adjustment of the pedagogical intervention. Data collection is carried out through various instruments, including systematic observation, the use of rubrics, and the evaluation of tasks and final products. Direct classroom observation enables the teacher to assess aspects such as participation, interaction in the target language, and learning attitudes, while rubrics ensure a more objective and transparent evaluation of student performance.

Final tasks at the end of each stage play a key role in the assessment process, as they allow for evaluating the level of content acquisition in meaningful contexts. These tasks integrate different language skills and require the practical application of acquired knowledge, thus promoting authentic assessment.

Self-assessment and peer assessment are also incorporated as strategies to foster student reflection on their own learning. Through these practices, learners develop greater awareness of their strengths and areas for improvement, promoting self-regulation.

The use of digital tools such as Kahoot and Wordwall also contributes to the assessment process by providing immediate feedback and facilitating error identification in a dynamic way. These tools also allow for the collection of performance data that can be used to guide teaching.

Overall, the proposed assessment system seeks not only to measure learning but also to enhance it, becoming a key element in the development of communicative competence in the SFL classroom.

The results show a significant improvement in student motivation, reflected in increased participation and engagement in learning activities. Project-Based Learning (PBL) enabled the contextualization of learning, facilitating language acquisition in real and meaningful situations. An increase was observed in the frequency of spontaneous oral interactions and in students’ willingness to take communicative risks, a key aspect at initial proficiency levels.

Concerning communicative competence, students demonstrated progress in three dimensions: (a) basic linguistic competence (use of simple present structures and thematic vocabulary related to travel and culture), (b) sociolinguistic competence (appropriate use of greetings, politeness formulas, and introductions), and (c) pragmatic competence (ability to perform communicative functions such as describing, asking questions, and expressing preferences). These developments were evident in the final tasks of each stage, where students integrated content into outputs such as short oral presentations, digital posters, and interaction simulations.

From the perspective of participation, systematic observation records and rubrics revealed a sustained increase in student engagement throughout the sessions. Cooperative learning promoted shared responsibility and co-regulation of learning. Additionally, improvements were identified in time management and task organisation within groups, particularly from the third stage of the project onwards.

The integration of gamification tools (Kahoot, Wordwall, Edpuzzle) contributed significantly to content reinforcement and learning consolidation. Immediate feedback facilitated self-regulation and enabled early identification of errors. Furthermore, performance data from these platforms showed an upward trend in response accuracy and speed, suggesting a progressive internalisation of content.

In terms of meaningful learning, the connection between language and culture emerged as a key factor. Contextualising learning through a journey across Spain encouraged the activation of prior knowledge, curiosity, and interest in the content. Students were able to establish connections between cultural elements (gastronomy, monuments, traditions) and language use, reinforcing the functional nature of learning.

From a theoretical perspective, the results align with the sociocultural approach to learning [12], highlighting the central role of interaction and mediation by both teachers and peers in knowledge construction. Similarly, coherence can be observed with the principles of task-based language teaching [13], where language use as a means to achieve real communicative goals enhances acquisition.

Comparatively, the findings are consistent with previous research highlighting the positive impact of PBL on motivation and performance in foreign language learning [2,3]. Likewise, literature on gamification [14] supports the effectiveness of these tools in increasing engagement and providing formative feedback.

However, several limitations were identified. First, the time required for planning PBL activities is considerable, which may hinder its implementation in contexts with high teaching loads. Second, student heterogeneity requires continuous differentiated attention to ensure equitable participation. Finally, the absence of a control group limits the possibility of establishing causal comparisons.

Based on these findings, several pedagogical implications can be drawn: (a) the need for specific teacher training in PBL and formative assessment, (b) the importance of integrating culture as a central element of the SFL curriculum, and (c) the potential of digital tools to support continuous feedback processes. Future research could incorporate mixed methods designs and more objective measures of linguistic progress to strengthen the validity of the findings.

This study has provided an in-depth analysis of the potential of Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a methodology for teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL) in primary education, demonstrating its capacity to promote meaningful, contextualised, and student-centred learning.

The findings indicate that the implementation of a PBL-based didactic program contributes significantly to the development of communicative competence, particularly at initial levels such as A1. The integration of authentic tasks linked to real cultural contexts supports not only the acquisition of linguistic content but also intercultural understanding, a key component in foreign language education.

Furthermore, the combined use of active methodologies and digital tools enhances student motivation and participation, creating a more dynamic and inclusive learning environment. Gamification emerges as an effective strategy for reinforcing content and facilitating formative assessment.

From a pedagogical perspective, this study highlights the importance of designing coherent, flexible, and context-sensitive teaching proposals in which students take an active role in their own learning process. Teachers, in turn, must act as mediators, facilitating knowledge construction and promoting meaningful interaction.

However, the implementation of PBL also presents challenges, including the need for greater time investment in planning, specific teacher training, and adaptation to diverse educational contexts. These aspects must be considered to ensure the feasibility and sustainability of this methodological approach.

In terms of future directions, further research is needed to explore the impact of PBL on language learning through mixed methods approaches, as well as its application in different educational levels and sociocultural contexts.

In conclusion, Project-Based Learning emerges as an effective and relevant methodology for teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language in primary education, providing a solid framework for educational innovation and the improvement of teaching and learning quality.

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