“Relevant aspects of an interactional or communicative situation”

“Utilizes students’ funds of knowledge and skills as a foundation for new knowledge”

“Giving new information in a way that is meaningful and purposeful to learners”

Things that are noncontextualized› Translations› Examples that are not relevant› Rules› Examples?

Meaningful to students lives Connects prior knowledge to new

learning Providing examples that are usable and

applicable to everyday life› Connect to prior knowledge› Communities› Life outside of school

Strengthens newly acquired knowledge Increases student engagement Research shows that connections make

learning more meaningful

Begin activities with prior knowledge and students’ lives› Community (local, family, community

norms)› Parent involvement

Vary activities by student preferences› Vary group size › Vary styles of conversation

Connections› Integrates language with other topics

Promoting language use, content and culture

Purposeful Students express themselves Negotiate meaning

Learning is more meaningful when language is used in an authentic and natural situation

Can reinforce curriculum Gives students new vocabulary “facts and skills presented in isolation

need more practice and rehearsal to be stored in the brain than does information presented in a meaningful context”

Can you think of any other ways that it could be beneficial?

Thematic Center› Webs, graphic organizers› Holistic

Reading, writing, listening, speaking Multiple Intelligences

Learn about your students, classroom, community etc.

Examples:› Solar system, fairy tale, etc.

L1 and L2 should be taught separately and not through direct translation

L2 learned in the same way as L1› L2 not accessed through translation of L1› Avoid transfer from L1› L1 does not interfere with L2› Functional language like expressions,

discourse markers and collocations may not be directly translatable

Give L2 a context instead of a translation› “Lost in translation”› Learn how to use L2 in different cultural,

regional, social or situational contexts› Give collocations a context through your own

authentic activities Odd one out- various situations Brainstorming- situations in which expression

would occur Fill-in exercise – manipulate abstract examples Dialogue - give context

Draw a web or graphic organizer