CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING (CTL)
CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING (CTL)
- History of Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL)
Behaviorism and constructivism are theories that be implemented before the CTL. The behaviorists such as E.L. Thorndike suggested that learning occurs because there is a link between stimuli and responses through reward. Meanwhile, people that have applied this theory in the teaching process found that their students do not explore themselves through their environment. The activities applied in this theory do not require students to think critically. As a result, they tend to be passive in order to only fulfill what is required from the teachers. Later, another theory develops, called constructivism theory. This theory views learning is where the students construct their own understanding based on prior knowledge and experience and apply them in a new situation. Constructivism calls for active participation from the students.
However, people might have found the theory have some weaknesses. Thus, they develop new theory called CTL. The Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) is rooted from the previous theory constructivism and cognitive theories and where it totally contradicts to behaviorism theory. CTL provides the means for reaching other learning goals that require higher-order thinking skills. It is promoted for the new learning strategy
- Definition of CTL
Berns and Erickson (2001) define CTL as conception of teaching and learning that helps teachers relate subject matter or content to real world situations; and motivates students to make connections between knowledge and its applications to their lives. It is a focus on the context of what we teach from the students’ point of view. CTL also emphasizes on learning by doing. The students will learn better if they also get involved in the class activities. In contextual learning theory, learning occurs only when students (learners) process new information or knowledge in such a way that it makes sense to them. CTL emphasizes the learning process through “constructing” not memorizing and teaching is not only a process of transferring knowledge to the students.
Another definition promoted by Johnson (2002:25) is that CTL is an educational process that help student see meaning in the academic subject with the context of their daily lives, that is, with the context of their personal, social, and cultural circumstances. To achieve this aim, it covers the following eight components: making meaningful connections, doing significant work, self-regulated learning, and collaborating, critical and creative thinking, nurturing the individual, reaching high standards, and using authentic assessments. In other word, when we talked about context, most people say that it is related to their social life. In the classroom teaching, CTL means teacher should present the student real world inside the classroom.
- Principles of CTL
In implementing CTL in the classroom, the teachers shall not miss out 7 principles underlying CTL. The seven principles include as follows:
1. Constructivism
Constructivism is the process of constructing new knowledge in students’ cognitive structure based on experience and previous knowledge they have. According to constructivism, the experience is met by the outside, but constructed by and from within oneself. Therefore, the experience is formed by two important factors i.e. the object becomes the subject of observation and ability to interpret the object.
2. Inquiry
That is, the learning process is based on a search and discovery through a process of thinking in a systematic way. Knowledge is the result of the process of finding itself instead of considering a number of facts. Thus, in the planning process, materials are not to be memorized but are stimulated that allows students to find their own materials to be understood.
3. Questioning
Learning is to be basically asking and answering questions. To ask can be regarded as a reflection of the curiosity of every individual, while answering the questions reflects a person’s ability in thinking. In the learning process, teacher does not submit the information for granted, but the lure for students to find themselves. Since questioning has very important role, because through the questions teachers can guide and lead students to find any material that is learned.
4. Learning Community
In CTL, learning can be done through study groups. Students are divided into groups whose members are heterogeneous. The teachers might combine slow and fast learners. Let each other learn in their group, who quickly pushed to help the slow learners.
5. Modeling
Modeling is an example to demonstrate something that can be imitated by every student. For example, the teacher gives examples of how to pronounce an English word.
6. Reflection
Reflection is the process of straightening out the experience has been learned done by re-organizing events or events that have gone through the learning. Through reflection on learning experiences, that will be included in students’ cognitive structure that will eventually become part of the knowledge that has been formed.
7. Authentic Assessment
Authentic assessment is the process where the teachers gather information about the students learning progress. This assessment is needed to determine whether students are actually learning or not. It is whether the knowledge of student has its positive impact to both intellectual and mental development in their lives.
- Implementation in Language Teaching
The teachers’ role in CTL is to plan, implement, reflect, and revise lesson. As teachers in CTL is regarded as facilitator, organizer of the teaching/learning/assessment process, role model, learning mentor, content specialist, and knowledge distributor. Activities that could be implemented in CTL involve problem-solving task. The problem based learning generates students to think critically to find the answer as well as learning. The students are encouraged to identify and evaluate existing knowledge and skill resources and then to make the best possible use of them. The students can begin with either a real or a simulated problem. Students then use critical thinking skills to lead them to a systematic approach of inquiry and to address the problem or particular issue.
The conclusion is that CTL requires the teachers to be much more as facilitator. This is the time where students learn by doing what is around them. The teacher could give them problem solving task and encourage the students to make the best possible of skill resources. As CTL is also rooted cognitive theory, thus the students are expected not only memorizing the material, but also trying to implement the knowledge in the context of daily life.
REFERENCES:
Baker, E.D., Hope, L., and Karandjeff. K. 2009. Contextualized Teaching & Learning: A Faculty Primer A Review of Literature and Faculty Practices with Implications for California Community College Practitioners. Retrieved on November 15, 2012 from http://www.cccbsi.org/Websites/basicskills/Images/CTL.pdf
Berns, R.G. and Erickson, P.M., 2001. Contextual Teaching and Learning:Preparing Students for the New Economy. Retrieved on November 15, 2012 from http://www.cord.org/uploadedfiles/NCCTE_Highlight05-ContextualTeachingLearning.pdf
Hersh, S. B., & Sears, S. J. (2001). Contextual teaching and learning: An overview of the
project. In Contextual teaching and learning: Preparing teachers to enhance student success in the workplace and beyond, 376, pp. 1-19. Ohio: ERIC Clearinghouse
Hudson, C.C., and Whisler. V.R. ____ .Contextual Teaching and Learning for Practitioners.Retrieved on November 15, 2012 from http://www.iiisci.org/journal/cv$/sci/pdfs/e668ps.pdf
Johnson, E.B. 2002. Contextual Teaching and Learning: What It Is and Why It.s Here to
Stay. Thousand Oaks: Corwin Press,Inc.
Ketter, C.T, and Arnold, J. 2003. Implementing Contextual Teaching and Learning:
Case Study of Nancy, a High School Science Novice Teacher. Retrieved on November 15, 2012 from http://www.citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.200.5642&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Wijarwadi, W. 2008. The Effectiveness of Contextual Teaching and Learnign in Teaching
Speaking : An Experimental Study at the First Grade Students of SMAN 1 Ciputat Academic Year 2007/2008. Thesis. Jakarta: Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University
Satriani, I., Emilia, E, and Gunawan, M. 2012.Contextual Teaching and Learning Approach to Teaching Writing. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, Vol. 2 No. 1, July 2012, pp. 10-22. Retrieved on January 1, 2013 from http://www.ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/IJAL/article/download/70/36
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