CONTEXTUALIZATION

byBea Pody

What is contextualization? Connection of school to students’ lives Connection to students’ experiences Connection to students’ homes Connection to students’ communities

abstract information = boredom

Building Blocks1. existing knowledge2. meaningful activities3. local norms4. application of knowledge5. community-based activities6. parent involvement7. variety of activities8. variety of styles

1. Existing Knowledge Build on knowledge that students

already have agriculture (seasonal workers) hunting, fishing (rural) street smarts (inner city) alternate use for tools (low income) meta-cognitive language skills (English

learners) geography (immigrants) existing academic knowledge personal experience

2. Meaningful Activities learn something that can be used in

real life tutor younger students help senior citizens sponsor a meaningful event raise funds while applying learned skills get involved in a good cause teach a class help the underprivileged

3. Local Norms different gender roles different view of age

majority/minority reverence for elderly children’s role

prioritization money moral and ethical values religion

4. Application of Knowledge overcoming idea that

academics have no use in everyday life

make connections between academic knowledge and community

demonstrate benefits for student, school, family and community

5. Community-based Activities find out interests reach out for potential partners spell out purpose and terms of joint effort work out kinks share positive results examples: mentoring at elementary

schools, translation services for immigrants, entertainment through chorus, orchestra or marching band performance, reading to senior citizens, grounds improvements, collection of toys and clothing, work in soup kitchens, etc.

6. Parent Involvement syllabus and welcome letter create a website publish regular newsletter hold parent-teacher dinner conferences hold family fun nights call parents e-mail parents put out surveys calls to action (volunteering) keep good records

7. Variety of Activities• student preference• collective• cooperative• individual• competitive• right-brained vs. left-brained

geared• visual, auditory and kinesthetic• opportunities to demonstrate

special talents (music, art, acting)

8. Variety of Styles Conversation & participation to include

cultural preferences, such as: co-narration call-and-response choral

Subject Area: German II Objective: Virtual Trip to Germany

Building Blocks Application

existing knowledge

Personal travel experience, German I weather and clothing vocab, German geopolitics , knowledge from other subject areas (math, physics, geography, history)

meaningful activities Virtual trip, internet search, plan a trip, stay in a budget, team work

local norms Dollars, Fahrenheit, Avoirdupois system

application of knowledge Celsius, Euros, decimal system, family trip

community-based activities Contact travel agency

parent involvement Find old tickets, boarding passes, chauffeur students to travel agency

variety of activities Dialogue, hands-on, matching, PPT (more during entire project)

variety of styles Oral, visual, kinesthetic

Scenario

This is the first day of a 6-week project called “Virtual Trip to Germany”

This project is conducted together with German III (they share a block and a classroom) whose curriculum calls for “Youth Hostels and Camping”, another concept foreign to all but one or two students in any given level.

For actual scenario see Word document

Sources Web Site

Web link Berkeley Graduate School of Education, University of California. (n.d.). Making      lessons meaningful. In CREDE (the Crede five standards for effective      pedagogy). Retrieved February 9, 2010, from Berkeley Graduate School of      Education, University of California website: http://crede.berkeley.edu/