What is CTL?

Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL) is one of the promising approaches that helps students to
understand the use of language in meaningful situations. It is effectively used for real communication
purposes. It is useful for helping students to discover meaningful connections between ideas and
practical usage based on context.
What are the reasons for using CTL for teaching English?
Based on Shaping the Way We Teach English, the reasons for using Contextual Teaching Learning
are:
Language is constructed through a blend purpose situation, social needs. Classroom learning
experiences that incorporate these dimensions are more likely to lead to better learning outcomes.
A contextualized approach to instructions also supports the use of integrated skills and pair and
group work.
It can foster a deeper level of use of the language.
Thus, we can conclude that in teaching English as a second language Contextual Teaching language
will help the students to understand what they are learning and how that knowledge will be used. It will
motivate teachers to set design teaching to consist of many different forms of experience for students
that focuses on the applied integrated skills usage. Teachers can create fun learning activities that
accommodate diverse ways of learning.
What are its effects for students?
Students brains will be stimulated to develop patterns and create meaning based on contextual
usage.
Students will be highly motivated in applying language in real-life situations.
Students will experience applying English in relevant contexts.
Students will experience interactive activities in team work and pairs that enhance the connectivity
between them.
Students will gain confidence to use English in their day life.
How can teachers apply CTL in the classroom?
An appropriate approach used will make teaching English as a Second Language easier. It will help
teachers to reach goals in the classroom. It will also help students to learn English effectively based
on the context. Contextual Teaching Learning (CTL) is one of the effective approaches in teaching
English for non native speakers. Teachers can design lesson plans based on the contextual teaching
learning approach. The relevant materials used will give opportunities for students to experience how
to apply their knowledge gained in real application. The various methods can be used depending on
the focus theme. For instance in teaching procedural text, teacher can set cooking class that will give
students equal opportunities to use vocabularies in context. Students will experience using their
language while they cook in real. If the main material is about posters, we can ask the students to
make posters based on the theme; e.g about indonesian cultural events, then they can promote the
event in front of the audience, their classmates. Everyone will have equal opportunities to speak up in
their presentations, and the audience can also be more active and question them about things dealing
with the events promoted. It will be so effective for students to discover the meaningful connection
between expressions learned and practical usage, based on context. Thus, the teacher can set

interactive classroom activities through group work, presentations, games, role playing, and singing.
Learning English will be so fun if students experience various attractive activities using CTL
(Contextual teaching Learning) approach. This approach will be so affective for them to learn English
easily. Teacher can set the materials using CTL based on the theme in the curriculum. Using CTL,
learners will facilitate to learn English more fun because teacher set challenging activities both
outdoor and indoor. Thus, the students will be so motivated in using English in practical usage.
Here some examples how to apply CTL for fun activities.
Cooking class
Puppet show
A story book
Event promotion
Cooking class
The material is procedural text. Teacher can set cooking class as a students project to
practicing some expressions how to show the ways of making things based on the context.
Teacher gives them how to make certain food as a topic. Each group should pick different
food to be presented. Students will experience how to apply the theory learned while they
present how to cook something. Everyone has equal opportunities to speak up. Cooking class
is very useful for students to explore their ability. Students will be so happy because they can
use English in context. Students will experience interactive activities in team work and pairs
that enhance the connectivity between them.
Puppet show
Puppet show is an appropriate choosen material for students to make them interested in learning
grammar more. It gives a lot of chance for students to use past tense in real communication in telling
narrative stories. They will experience fun practical English grammar in context. Besides, they will
learn how to tell narrative stories in puppet show, Indonesian culture of telling story. This chosen
project will so useful and helpful for students to improve both their speaking and writing abilities.
Students will experience applying English in relevant contexts.
A story book
One of creative projects for students which offers a lot of fun is a story project. It will be so challenging
for students because they not only made up stories but also draw pictures presenting the story made.
It will help them to write narrative text in relaxing situation. Students will experience how to use
English grammar in practical usage. They can hone their creative thinking because of making stories
up. Students brain will be stimulated to develop patterns and create meaning based on contextual
usage.
Event promotion
The topic is about posters. Students get an event promotion project, about Indonesian cultures. They
get opportunities to create creative works with their groups. They will draw pictures, set the events,
and promote it based on the posters made. It will encourage them to communicate actively with
others. It also increases their confidence to speak English. Students will be highly motivated in
applying language in real-life situations.

PATTERN AND INSTRUCTION STAGES OF CTL

Suppose at one day a teacher will teach his students about daily activity. Competency that must be
reached is student ability to comprehend function and usage of tenses. So, to reach the competency
must be formulated a few of the indicator of study result:
student can explain about daily activities;
student can formulate the tenses that related to the daily activities;
student can explain the kind of tenses;
student can explain the pattern of tenses;
student can explain using of tenses;
student can arrange a conclusion about tenses;
To reach goal competence above, with CTL the teacher must do the following stages: a. Introduction
(1) Teacher explain the competency that must be reached and also
use of instruction process and how importance of instruction material that will be studied.
(2) Teacher explain instruction procedure of CTL:
students are divided into a few group suitable with amount of
student;
every group is assigned to do exercises that is given by
teacher;
every group arrange resume about tenses.
b. Core
Teacher makes answer and question about assignment that must be done by every group.
c. Closing
Teacher and student or each group discuss about materials that have been explained or taught by
teacher.
The following is CTL approach through Lesson Plan as applying and instruction implementation plan and
practices.