The objectives of this study are threefold. First, it seeks to demonstrate that lessons in EFL contexts, such as those in Japan, where classroom instruction is primarily mediated through the learners’ mother tongue, Japanese, should be structured as project-based learning (PBL) units with clearly articulated goals and outcomes. Second, the study examines the compensatory role of elementary-level supplementary reading input in addressing the limited exposure and interaction afforded by government-approved textbooks in Japanese elementary schools. Third, the study investigates the development of positive learner attitudes through the use of teacher-rewritten picture books, as measured by pupil questionnaires administered at the conclusion of each lesson in an eight-hour instructional unit.

The theoretical underpinnings of this research draw on multiple frameworks: Vygotsky’s concept of cooperative learning within the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD); Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, emphasizing the necessity of comprehensible input; Long’s Interaction Hypothesis, which underscores the importance of feedback and the negotiation of meaning; Swain’s Output Hypothesis, which highlights learner production as essential for noticing gaps; Larsen-Freeman’s advocacy of iterative rather than repetitive activities to ensure effective practice; and Legutke and Thomas’s validation of project-based learning as a means of fostering learner autonomy and sustained engagement.

To investigate the pedagogical potential of picture books, the graded reader, The Little Red Hen, limited to a 100-headword vocabulary, was selected as the core text. The story features four characters; Little Red Hen, Cat, Duck, and Goose, and unfolds across ten scenes in which the protagonist attempts to grow wheat in order to bake bread, with no cooperation from her peers until the bread is baked and is ready to eat, when they all say, “I can help!” This picture book was chosen according to such criteria as (1) illustrations must unambiguously support the narrative, and (2) situations must be presented concretely and explicitly. However, the original text proved to be too demanding for pupils exposed to English only twice per week (70 hours per year). The teacher, therefore, rewrote the story in a conversational style, as its characteristic brevity, full of interactive exchanges, increased clarity, comprehensibility, and learner enjoyment. After each lesson, pupils completed a questionnaire evaluating their experience across dimensions such as interaction, collaboration and goal awareness. The original four-point scale was consolidated into a two-point scale, categorizing responses as either positive or negative.

The findings indicate two principal conclusions. First, project-based learning can foster autonomy and sustained motivation, as pupils reported a strong sense of accomplishment by the end of the unit. Second, picture books constitute effective teaching resources: they provide comprehensible input, stimulate meaningful interaction, and support cooperative learning. Overall, the study contributes to the field of foreign language pedagogy by showing that rewritten picture books embedded in project-based learning units can supplement comprehensible input and serve as powerful tools for overcoming input limitations, fostering collaborative learning and cultivating positive learner attitudes in EFL elementary school classrooms.

Keywords: Project-based teaching，Rewriting，English Picture Books，Japanese Government-Approved Teaching Materials and Textbooks, Independent Reading, Sustained Motivation.