Defining and identifying what context is and its main characteristics. Compare and contrast the features of both contexts.

1. CURRICULUM AND
MATERIAL DESIGN
ASSIGNMENT 3
Presented by
MARIA ISABEL FIERRO LEAL
ANGELICA RAMIREZ
Teacher
DIANA UNIVIO

2. Objectives
 Defining and identifying what context is
and its main characteristics.
 Explaining the influence of the context
inside the curriculum design.
 Compare and contrast the features of
both contexts.

3. CONTEXTS
First context
Sixth graders from Maria
Auxiliadora School
Bogotá
Second context
Fifth graders from San
Alberto Magno School
Barranquilla
http://www.colsam.edu.co/web/index.phphttp://www.colegiomariaauxiliadoranorte.edu.co/

4. Target population
This context is made up of 22
sixth graders from Maria
Auxiliadora Norte School. All
students are women, because
the school offers education for
female population; Students’
ages range from 11 to 13
years. All the students were
born in Bogotá and currently
they live in neighborhoods
near to school. The 82% of the
students have relatives who
speak other languages like
English, German, Italian or
French.
First context Second context
Fifth grade at San Alberto
Magno School has 30 students
17 girls and 13 boys their age
average is 9 – 11 years old, all of
them are from Barranquilla, they
are extremely friendly and like to
talk a lot, their culture is totally
different from people of Bogotá
and other regions of Colombia.
The teacher is from Barranquilla
as well; he has been working as
an English teacher for 10 years.
The majority of students have
lived in Barranquilla all their lives.

5. Similarities and differences of target
population
 Although our contexts are different, there is a
significant aspect to highlight, and it is the
fact that all students are from the context
where they study. This makes their classroom
is accentuated by the characteristics of their
own culture. It is worth highlighting the fact
that the people of Bogota are more reserved,
while the people of Barranquilla are extremely
friendly , spontaneous and like to talk a lot.
 On the other hand the first context is
integrated by girls and the second one is a
mixed school what determines the
relationships among students.
Target population

6. Physical settings
Maria Auxiliadora Norte
School is located at Cra. 8G #
166-70. Currently, the school
offers courses from preschool
to eleventh grade. Its physical
setting is organized, safe and
clean and has large green
areas where students can
play in break times.
Regarding classrooms are
lighting and big enough for all
the students. All of them have
technological resources
(video beam, tablet) that can
be used in any class.
First context Second context
San Alberto Magno school is
located at Cra. 3c Nº 91-71 in
Barranquilla, The physical part of
the school includes: one small
classroom for each grade, an
audiovisual room with video
beam, computer´s lab (20
computers), one TV, cafeteria,
teacher's lounge, four restrooms
and a playground.
Every classroom has electrical
lighting and air conditioning
since the climate in Barranquilla
is very hot during the day.
This school offers pre-school,
basic primary, basic secondary
and vocational media.

7. Similarities and differences in physical
settings
 Both schools are Catholic and private
institutions.
 Regarding classrooms, in both schools are
lighting but in San Alberto Magno school the
classrooms are small for the total of students in
each grade.
 Teachers have access to technological
resources like video beam, Internet and
computers.
 The climate makes a big difference since in
Bogotá is not necessary to have air
conditioning in Barranquilla is a must have it or
at least have a fan to teach classes .
Physical settings

8. Other Stakeholders
Maria Auxiliadora Norte
School is a private institution
and its administrators are the
Daughters of Mary Help of
Christians, known as Salesian
Sisters. The school follows St.
John Bosco’s philosophy who
was the religious community
founder.
The school also has the
support of parents, who are
professionals and are very
interested in their daughters’
education.
First context Second context
The school San Alberto Magno
was Founded by the
Dominican Friars of the
Province of St. Louis Bertrand of
Colombia; the philosophy of
the school has as its main goal
the integral education of
children and young people by
educating them for life, to be
agents of change in the family,
in society and in the
community.
It is a private school lead by
Dominican friars who are in
charge of the administrative
part of the school .

9. Similarities and differences of
stakeholders
 The two schools belong to religious
communities like the Dominican Friars of the
Province of St. Louis Bertrand and the
Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
 This common characteristic makes schools
educate their students on human and
Christian values.
 One difference is that at San Alberto Magno
the majority of Parents are not professionals.
Other Stakeholders

10. Nature of course
and Institution
The school’s pedagogical
approach is developing of
the thinking skills in order to
enhance the students’
cognitive abilities and its
vision is to be recognized on
2018, as a high quality
institution for its education in
values, the study of English as
a second language and the
development of basic
communication skills. For this
reason, the learning process
of English as a second
language is very important for
the school.
First context Second context
At the San Alberto Magno
School, teachers are
organized in different
departments that represent a
specific area of learning
which are led by a
coordinator; there are 7
departments, but surprisingly
there is not an English
Department even though this
subject is been teaching at
the school.
Furthermore there is only one
English teacher at the school
who teaches English from 4th
grade to 11th grade.

11. Similarities and differences in the nature
of courses and Institutions
 In the first school, María Auxiliadora Norte-Bogotá,
there are three English teachers; one for
preschool, other for primary and other for high
school. And it vision is to be recognized on 2018,
as a high quality institution for the study of English
as a second language.
 The second school, San Alberto Magno in
Barranquilla doesn’t have an English Department
and furthermore there is only one English teacher
for all the grades in elementary and high school.
 At San Alberto Magno school there is not an
establish English curriculum since it is under
construction by the English teacher.
Nature of course
and Institution

12. Teaching resources
The English teacher has
technological resources
available in the 6th grade
classroom. Sometimes she
uses the video beam to
project some videos to help
her students to enhance their
listening and speaking skills.
The teacher also uses the
textbook “Flash on English 1”
which has been proposed for
this course and complements
it designing her own material
like worksheets and
flashcards.
First context Second context
In fifth grade the teacher
proposes the themes and
activities by following the
book “side by side” , students
don´t have the book , they
copy from the board all the
grammar and the activities.
Sometimes teacher gives
copies to carry out the
activities.
The technological resources
are not always available
since they have to be used
by others grades at the
school.

13. Similarities and differences in teaching
resources
 Maria Auxiliadora Norte school has many
technological resources available for all
teachers. These resources are video beams,
computers, tablets, tape recorders and
Internet.
 Although, at San Alberto Magno school there
are some technological resources not always
they are available, since most of the time (the
video beam and the tape recorder) are
taken to be used in high school. More over
students don´t have an English book and they
have to copy everything from the board.
Teaching resources

14. Classes time
Sixth graders have 6 hours of
English subject per week.
English classes are held from
Tuesday to Friday. Usually, the
classes are implemented at
the early hours of the school
day, and only on Fridays, the
English class is after lunch.
First context Second context
At San Alberto Magno school
students only have 2 hours of
English during the week since
there is only one teacher for
this subject in Elementary and
high school, that´s why
students have a beginning
English level.

15. Similarities and differences in classes
time
 Maria Auxiliadora Norte school
guarantees a wide time intensity for
English class, since sixth graders have 6
hours of English class per week.
 San Alberto Magno School offers a High
School diploma with emphasis on analysis
and programming computers, for that
reason the intensity of English classes
during the week is low since their priority is
technology classes.
Classes time

16. 1. After analyzing your context does anything
stand out that will be a major resource or
constraint in developing your course?
I believe that Maria Auxiliadora Norte school
guarantees students a good learning process of
English because the school offers its students the
possibility of having an almost personalized process
and the opportunity to use many resources that foster
a meaningful learning of English as a foreign
language. In other words, I emphasize as positive 3
characteristics of my context: the wide time intensity
for English classes, the facility for the use of
technological resources and the intention of the
school to promote learning English as a second
language.
Questions
First context

17. The major resource in San Alberto Magno School is the
teacher’s effectiveness in teaching that influences
greatly fifth grade students motivation to learn English,
according to the results obtained in the questionnaires
and interviews students demonstrate engagement in
performing activities when they understand teacher´s
instructions for example teacher Oscar gives instructions
using simple structures, physical demonstrations, eye
contact and gestures to let students comprehend
meaning what makes students have a good attitude in
relation to learning a second language.
Questions
Second context

18. On the other hand what constraints in
developing the course at San Alberto Magno
school is that during the week students only
have 2 hours of English thus, they don´t have
enough time to complete activities propose in
class and to practice English, also the lack of
teaching resources is another problem teacher
have to deal with.
This context information is really important since
it helps me to identify the description of the
students, to realize anticipated problems, to set
the learning objectives according to the
student´s needs and to check the resources
available.
Questions
Second context

19. 2. Can you identify particular challenges that
you will need to address in order to design a
successful course?
As a particular challenge that I need to address in order to
design a successful course is to have in mind student's
interests, their level of proficiency and the type of activities
they like to develop, because only in this way the course
will be suitable for my target population.
Questions
First context

20. Taking into account that students are from Barranquilla
what makes them have an innate way of being that
represents people who born in this Caribbean region, I
have realized that they like to talk a lot and interrupt class
constantly, this is what makes me think that the space and
the seating arrangement students have in the classroom
are really important to carry out the activities teacher´s
plan to do, in this context students don´t have enough
space and they are always sitting in narrow rows for all the
activities, for that reason it can be a challenge since it is
necessary first, that students be aware that their behavior
affects others in the context (classroom) they interact daily
and second that the school assigns an appropriate
classroom for the total of the students fifth grade has.
Questions
Second context