1. Workshop: Contextualizing Language in the English Classroom
Kelley Pierce
English Language Fellow
Cali BNC
June 2017

3. Workshop Goals
Participants will discuss the meaning, and purpose of contextualizing language in the English classroom and explore ideas for practical activities.

4. Workshop Outline Part I. Warm-up and Discussion
Part II. Contextualizing Language (CL)
What is CL?
Why is CL?
Part III: How-to Examples of CL
Part IV: Action Plan: Create a short activity
Part V: Reflection on CL

5. Introductions In small groups please discuss the following: Name
Teaching Context (age, number of students, proficiency level)
What kind of activities do you do in your class to teach English?
What topics in English do you teach?
Is the language contextualized?
If so, how?

6. What does it mean to contextualize language ?
Contextualization is the meaningful use of language for real communicative purposes.
It helps students understand how language users construct language in a given context.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language”

7. What does it mean to contextualize language ?
Language learning in context in the classroom can be expressed in such ways as:
Working with real or simulated situations.
Paying attention to the physical setting of the exchange.
Knowing the purpose of the exchange.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language”

8. What does it mean to contextualize language ?
Language learning in context in the classroom can be expressed in such ways as:
using language that accounts for the roles of the participants.
using socially acceptable norms of interaction.
paying attention to medium, tone, genre, and register.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language”

9. What does it mean to contextualize language ?
Important elements of CL:
Real Life Situations
Authentic Materials
Previous Knowledge
Mixing Content and Context
Problem Solving Situations

10. Questions so far?

11. Why is contextualizing language in the classroom important?
A contextualized approach to instruction also supports the use of integrated skills, and pair and group work.
It can foster a deeper level of use of the language, especially when the themes and topics are high-interest and motivate students.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” pdf.

12. Why is contextualizing language in the classroom important?
Language is constructed through a blend of purpose, situation, and social needs.
Classroom learning experiences that incorporate these dimensions are more likely to lead to better learning outcomes.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” pdf.

13. Why is contextualizing language in the classroom important?
Contextualizing Language in the classroom allows students to:
learn to problem solve common situations in a new way.
search for meaning in their own learning process.
use various types of real resources to gather information.
integrate new knowledge/skills into already existing knowledge.

14. Why is contextualizing language in the classroom important?

15. Questions so far?

16. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
Teachers can contextualize language instruction by organizing the content of the language curriculum according to themes or topics.
These themes or topics work best when they are threaded throughout the course of study.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” pdf.

17. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
Examples of Activities that Contextualize Language:
Research on Internet
Conducting Surveys
Asking each other questions from a book.
Encouraging Dramatization
Poster Presentations

18. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
Examples of Activities that Contextualize Language:
Storytelling
Student Presentations
Games
Songs and Chants

19. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
ACTIVITY #1 TOPIC OR THEME: Brands and consumerism (warm-up) Students (Ss) work in 2 groups. Go around the classroom asking each other what brands they usually buy (Clothes and electronic devices). Ss report findings and rate the brands from 1 to 5 on a chart on the board.

20. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
ACTIVITY #2 TOPIC OR THEME: Vacations (pre-task)
Ss work in groups of 4 and decide their favorite place in Colombia to go for a class trip:
What to do? What to visit? How much money they should bring? How to travel? What to take? Ss present a poster with their plans in front on the class.

21. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
ACTIVITY #3 TOPIC OR THEME: Clothes (post task) Ss role play a conversation at the mall. S1=mom or dad buying clothes for teenage son/daughter. S2=son /daughter wants to buy some wild clothes the parent/s do not like.

22. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
ACTIVITY #4 TOPIC OR THEME: Frequency adverbs (while task) Teacher (T) has students ask and answer questions from the corresponding exercise in the book about the frequency that certain people do every day activities. T calls on different students for the answers one by one.

23. How-to: Ways to Incorporate CL in English the classroom?
ACTIVITY #5 TOPIC OR THEME: Computers (pre task) T sets situation: She needs to buy a new laptop. T asks for Ss advice on what brand, model, etc. to buy. T delivers catalogues to Ss in pairs or groups. Ss write suggestions on the board. Ss work together to debate on the best 3 of the suggestions. Then as a class choose 1.

24. Discussion
Do all of the activities incorporate CL? Which activity do you like the best? Why? Which activity do you like the least? Why?

25. Reflection-Contextualizing Language
How are the activities that we discuss related to contexts and content areas? 

What kind of language could naturally evolve as an extension of the activities and context? 

How might the activities be adapted for different ages? Different topic areas? Levels?
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” pdf.

26. Other Possible Themes and Materials
Transportation
Housing
Food
Shopping
The weather
Other?
Authentic Materials:
Bus schedules, maps
Ads, plans, photos
Realia, catalogues, logos
Shopping lists, bags, logos
TV programs, magazines
Other?

27. Action Plan Step 1 Think again about your own class(es).
What are some themes or topics already in your curriculum that your students enjoy and are motivated to know more about?
Can you identify, or ask your students to help identify, some related or new themes or topics?
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” pdf.

28. Action Plan Steps 2-4 Step 2
By yourself or with a peer, design a portion (for example, a 15-minute segment ) of a lesson that includes the use of some of the techniques and activities you listed.
Step 3
Share your plan with your group. Explain what activities would come before and after your segment. Get ideas and feedback from your group.
Step 4: Try it with your class.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” pdf.

29. Reflection: Contextualizing Language
Reflection Questions: Can you imagine using CL in your classroom? Why? Or Why not?

30. References http://ELTJ.OxfordJournals.org/content/47/12.short
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” pdf.
Retrieved from Shaping the Way We Teach English, Module 1, “Contextualizing Language” video
Images
Bloom’s Taxonomy

32. Thank you for participating!