PAMANTASAN NG LUNGSOD NG VALENZUELA

Maysan Road corner Tongco Street, Maysan, Valenzuela City

Facilitating Learner - Centered Teaching

Localization and Contextualization

CERVANTES, Ralph Raymond G.

BSEd Major in English Language and Literature 2-1
Professor Rheydith G. Conte
The Localization and Contextualization as the Pinnacle of Learning and Teaching:
Embarking These Two Paramount Concepts in The Classroom

Curriculum content relevance is a critical aspect of quality education. Promoting a

localized and contextualized curriculum is a technique to encourage this relevance in
many local, social, and cultural settings. It is a fundamental part of education,
government, and management decentralization. Our 1987 Philippine Constitution
specifies this principle, particularly Article XIV Section 14, and likewise, the same right is
reflected in the DepEd’s mission statement. Contextual information is knowledge or skills
that make it easier to use information, communicate effectively, and solve problems when
people are in a different setting than usual. The Philippines is the third most populated
country in Asia-Pacific Region, with more than 100 million residents. Population density
is 220% of its neighbors, making it an urbanized nation with a large number of poor people
who cannot afford formal education. Consequently, there is a need for contextualization
and localization because these learners will experience tremendous success once they
learn how to speak the Filipino language and other regional languages, not just the
English language. Besides that, many Filipino expatriates who work and live abroad have
significant difficulty communicating with their foreign counterparts due to the lack of
English language proficiency or communication skills. As a result, these expatriates
experience frustration and low self-esteem; they feel alienated and isolated from their
host communities because they cannot speak English well. They are unable to apply
their knowledge effectively or communicate with others. In countries such as Canada,
where multiculturalism is encouraged, expatriates need a good grasp of the English
language to be effective in their jobs. With this knowledge, contextualization and
localization will help Filipinos enhance communication skills for them to communicate
faster with other nationalities without losing their sense of identity.

The significance of contextualization and localization in the schools in the country

is that the Filipino language is a vernacular language taught in a group setting. It is not
just English as a second language but also one of the many regional languages. This
means that the students are exposed to Filipino culture and heritage when exposed to
their own local and national languages. It is an entirely different culture that leaves them
confused or unexposed about other cultural beliefs, values, traditions, and lifestyles
outside of their own. Some students might not even learn how to speak Filipino well
without contextualization and localization because they have no exposure to its use in the
classroom or outside their homes. Acquiring a new language can be done through
contextualization when learning differs from the native language. This process is
applicable for both written and spoken communication; it helps establish a connection
with the reader or listener on their terms rather than what we find comfortable or
convenient for ourselves. Being able to utilize different languages and resources, the
student can express their thoughts better. Students who are learning English as a second
language benefit from contextualization and localization when exposed to new types of
vocabulary, grammar structure, and communication styles. This process enhances their
ability to communicate and become more culturally competent. As a result of this
exposure, students become better prepared for real-life situations; they learn how to
survive in different language contexts.

The purpose of all teaching methods should be the same—helping learners

achieve their goals by improving their skills. Because contextualization is a part of the
process and is used in every aspect of teaching, it enables the learning process. It allows
learners to understand different cultures better so that they can understand other people
better. The two things are also essential in developing greater empathy and allowing for
better communication. In order to be able to contextualize and localize effectively in our
students, we need first to understand what these terms mean. The meaning of
contextualization and localization is derived from the fact that they are used in different
contexts throughout the teaching process. "Contextualization" ensures that the student
has knowledge of different cultures as well as their values. In meaningful and relevant
contexts, contextualization presents a lesson based on experience and real-life events.
At the same time, "localization" is used during the learning process to interact with
different cultures and understand how people perceive them and their behaviors. It is also
the process of modifying and linking curricular material and teaching and learning to local
conditions, environment, and resources. In prevalent discretion, both adhere to the
flexibility, fitness, creativity, relevance, and adaptation of the lesson to student and
education requirements.
 Many families are concerned about the "culture shock" that their children will
experience when they go to different countries. Some people believe that learning the
local language will help lessen this culture shock, but some say it is essential for students
to learn all of the cultures in their new community. It cannot be easy to filter this opinion
depending on where you live, but one thing is for sure: contextualization and localization
are integral aspects of education in the Philippines. Contextualization is similar to
globalization – it is the "theory or practice of adapting a product or content for different
audiences." Moreover, that is precisely what contextualization does in the educational
world — localizing lessons and information for different groups of people. In the
Philippines and other countries, different cultural groups are comprised of different
languages. The variety is just as diverse as those in the United States; some people
speak Tagalog and English. This is necessary because by not taking these facts into
account when teaching students, educators may be missing out on the understanding of
lessons by their students. Understanding how to contextualize and localize lessons is
fundamental in bilingual communities (which include many parts of the Philippines). This
is because students must understand instructions in both their native language and the
foreign language. With localization, learners must be able to use correct language
appropriate to the topic and context, which can vary from country to country. In the
Philippines and throughout the world, there are many different ways that teachers can
contextualize and localize their lessons. By adding a variety of cultural elements to
lessons, teachers can teach content in a meaningful way to all students.

When teaching English language learners, we have one main goal: to help them
achieve various goals by improving their skills; contextualization and localization are
critical. Knowing about all these factors would allow us to reach this goal faster and more
effectively. One of the essential contextualization features is that it gives students
opportunities to learn about and interact with different cultures. Students are expected to
be exposed to other cultures in the community, multicultural settings, and the classroom.
They are expected to interact with individuals from different cultures during their school
time and after-school activities. They should also learn how to conduct themselves in
different social, cultural, or situational contexts. With contextualization, students need to
comprehend new concepts and apply them to different situations to better prepare
themselves for real-life situations outside of their classrooms or educational institutes.
Contextualization and localization are two terms that are commonly used in educational
settings. Both have different meanings with different implications on how teachers and
students should approach learning. Teachers need to know these terms because it is
their role to help students acquire the skills they need by contextualizing or localizing them
depending on how they learn these skills. Contextualization allows learners to understand
various perspectives of people from different cultures while applying knowledge acquired
through education and experience. This process also prepares them for real-world
situations to better express themselves with different people from various backgrounds.
These two concepts should always come before learning standards and competencies.
Because concepts and materials were blatantly localized and contextualized in some
instances, localization and contextualization undermine the objective of the teachings,
resulting in misled and late learning. Instructors should be flexible and inventive when it
comes to applying localization and contextualization in the classroom. Such ideas were
established and adopted in academia to ensure that the curriculum reacts, conforms,
reflects, and is adaptable to meet students' needs, particularly 21st-century students who
require holistic and competent development. Sometimes we more fully understand the
concepts by linking them to notions that can be promptly surmised, appreciated, and
related in our life. However, quality standards and relevant education should always be
regarded and not be jeopardized for localized and contextualized lessons. Students
should consistently achieve effectively the "who, what, where, when, and why" and "how"
in their learning.
References:

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Enhancing Learners’ Performance. Academia.edu. Retrieved from
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Dodong, D. (2014, May 1). Localization and contextualization. Slideshare. Retrieved from
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Pecson, R. (2014, June 1). Localization and Contextualization in Teaching K-12 Social
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contextualization-in.html

Policarpio, P. (2018). Teaching Grammar Using Localized Instructional Materials among

Multilingual Learners. Researchgate. Retrieved from
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ad

Torres, R. (2015, August 20). Localization and Contextualization: Bringing Relevant

Concepts in the Classroom. Pressreader. Retrieved from
https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/sunstar-
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Visconde, L., Lasaten, R. (2018, August 18). Effects of Contextualized and Localized
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