Most people think of intelligence in terms of IQ scores and grades. But there’s a lot more to intelligence than just book smarts. There are many different types of intelligence, and each person has their unique blend.
That’s why it’s so important for schools to consider their students’ different learning styles. When teachers can adapt their teaching methods to meet each student’s needs, it helps improve academic achievement and promote a lifelong love of learning.
One way to do this is by contextualizing the curriculum. For example, if you’re teaching a history lesson on the Philippine Revolution, you could discuss how the ideas of liberty and independence are still relevant today.
Contextualizing the curriculum can help students see how their studies are relevant to their lives, making them more engaged and motivated to learn. It also helps them to make connections between different subject areas, which can deepen their understanding of the material.
To help your students get the most out of their education, take the time to contextualize the curriculum.
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What Is Contextualizing Curriculum and Why Is It Important
Contextualizing curriculum means placing the material being taught in a specific context. When teachers contextualize the material, it can help students to make connections between what they are learning in school and the world around them. It can help to boost academic performance and foster a lifelong love of learning.
There are several reasons why teachers need to contextualize the curriculum:
- By contextualizing the material, teachers can help students see how the information they are learning applies to their lives. It can help make learning more relevant for students and encourage them to take an interest in their schoolwork.
- Teachers contextualizing the material can help students develop a deeper understanding of the concepts they are studying. Students can also better understand and apply this knowledge to their future academic pursuits.
- Contextualizing the curriculum can help students to develop critical thinking skills.
By making connections between different concepts and analyzing information, students can learn how to think critically about what they are learning. This valuable skill will serve them well in their future academic and professional endeavors.
There are several different ways that teachers can contextualize the curriculum. One way is to use real-world examples when teaching concepts. For instance, if a teacher is teaching about the water cycle, they could discuss how it works in relation to a real-world event such as a flood or hurricane.
Additionally, teachers can assign projects that require students to apply what they have learned in class to a real-world problem. For example, students might be tasked with researching the environmental impact of a proposed development project in their community. By contextualizing the material in this way, students can learn how to apply what they are learning to solve real-world problems.
Contextualizing the curriculum can be a valuable tool for teachers to use in their classrooms. By helping students see how the material they are learning applies to their lives, teachers can encourage them to take an interest in their schoolwork and develop a deeper understanding of the concepts they are studying.
Additionally, contextualizing the curriculum can help students to develop critical thinking skills that will serve them well in their future academic and professional endeavors.
How to Contextualize Curriculum in Your Classroom
There are several ways that you can contextualize the curriculum in your classroom. One way is to tie current events and news stories with your teaching. You can also use examples from your students’ own lives or the lives of people they know.
You can also connect what you are teaching with other subjects that you are teaching. When teachers take the time to contextualize the curriculum in their classrooms, it can help students understand and learn the material better.
The Benefits of Contextualized Learning
There are several benefits to contextualized learning. For starters, it can help students to understand why they are learning what they are learning. When teachers connect the material to students’ lives, they can understand its importance.
In addition, contextualized learning can help students to understand complex concepts better. By relating these concepts to things they are already familiar with, teachers can make them more accessible and less daunting. Finally, contextualized learning can also help students to develop critical thinking skills. By thinking about how the material relates to their lives, students are forced to dig deeper and analyze what they are learning.
All in all, there are many benefits to contextualized learning. When teachers take the time to contextualize the material they teach, it can help students improve their academic achievement, understand complex concepts, and develop critical thinking skills. In other words, it’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Examples of How to Contextualize Curriculum in Different Subjects
Science
For example, teachers can discuss how water is used in everyday life when teaching about the water cycle. They can also talk about how water is essential for growing plants and keeping people healthy.
Social Studies
Social studies is another subject that can benefit from contextualization. When teaching about ancient civilizations, for example, teachers can connect the material to modern-day cultures. They can also discuss how different cultures have shaped our world today.
Math
Math can be contextualized in a variety of ways. For example, when teaching fractions, teachers can talk about how fractions are used in everyday life. They can also discuss how fractions are used to measure different quantities.
The Importance of Student-Teacher Collaboration When Contextualizing Curriculum
One of the essential aspects of contextualizing curriculum is student-teacher collaboration. When teachers and students work together to understand the material being taught, it can help improve academic achievement. By discussing the material and sharing their ideas, students and teachers can better understand the context of the material and how it relates to their lives.
In addition to student-teacher collaboration, another essential aspect of contextualizing curriculum is ensuring that the material is relevant to students’ lives. When students see how the material they are learning is relevant to their lives, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to learn. It can help to improve academic achievement by providing students with a real-world context for the material they are learning.
Finally, ensuring the material is accessible to all students is also essential. When teachers take the time to ensure that all students have access to the material, it can help to promote equity and inclusion in the classroom. It can help improve academic achievement by providing that all students have an equal opportunity to learn.
By student-teacher collaboration, making sure the material is relevant to students’ lives and ensuring that the material is accessible to all students, teachers can help to improve academic achievement in their classrooms.
Contextualized Curriculum in the Philippines
The Department of Education (DepEd) defines contextualization as educational processes relating the curriculum to a particular setting, situation, or application area to make the competencies relevant, meaningful, and valuable to all learners.
One way in which DepEd is working to promote contextualized curriculum is through its K to 12 programs. This program is designed to provide students with a well-rounded education that will prepare them for success in college and beyond. The K to 12 program includes several subjects that are taught in a contextualized manner, including history, geography, civics, and economics.
In addition to the K to 12 programs, DepEd has also developed several other initiatives to promote contextualized curriculum. These initiatives include teacher training programs, curricular materials, and assessment tools. DepEd plans to continue expanding these initiatives to provide more students with access to quality education.
DepEd Philippines is committed to expanding access to this curriculum so that more students can benefit from it. With the proper support, the contextualized curriculum has the potential to transform education in the Philippines.
Conclusion
Now that you know how contextualizing curriculum can help improve academic achievement, it’s essential to take the time to learn more about this process.
In our next article, we will explore specific techniques teachers can use to contextualize material meaningfully for students.
We hope you will join us as we continue this conversation and share your ideas about how best to teach students in today’s world.
How to Cite this Article
Llego, M. A. (2022, September 1). How to Contextualize Curriculum for Improved Academic Achievement. TeacherPH. Retrieved September 1, 2022 from, https://www.teacherph.com/contextualize-curriculum/
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