22 Gunungkidul. The theories of Contextual Teaching and Learning are explained as
follows:
a. The Nature of Contextual Teaching and Learning
Muslich 2007 defines the foundation of philosophy in Contextual Teaching and Learning CTL is constructivism, which emphasizes that learning
is not only memorizing but also reconstructing or constructing new knowledge and new competence through facts or proportion which they experience in their
life p. 41. The knowledge and the competence can be constructed maximally if the learning process is done contextually. Johnson 2002 described CTL as
system of instruction based on the philosophy that students learn when they see meaning in academic materials and they see meaning in schoolwork when they
can connect the new information with their prior knowledge in their own pace p. 3. According to Muslich 2007, CTL is a learning concept which helps the
teachers in relating the materials and the students’ real life and encourages the students to make a relation between their existing knowledge and its application in
their daily life p. 41. COR Center for Occupational Research in America as cited in Muslich
2007 spells out five underlying concepts to understanding the concepts of CTL p. 41-42. Those concepts are abbreviated as REACT which stands for Relating,
Experiencing, Applying, Cooperating, and Transferring. REACT is described as follows:
23 1
Relating is learning through the real life and real experience contexts. Learning should be used to relate daily life situation and new information to
be understood or solved. 2
Experiencing is learning in the exploration contexts, discovery, and creating. It means knowledge which has been gotten is based on a critical thinking
process through inquiry cycle. 3
Applying is learning in the form of applying the learning result to application and practical needs. The learners apply the concept and information to their
future life. 4
Cooperating is learning in the form of sharing various information and experiences, responding, and communicating.
5 Transferring is the learning activity which uses knowledge and experience
based on new context to get new knowledge and new learning experience. In this study, Contextual Teaching and Learning is an approach which is
used to help the eighth grade students of SMPN 2 Ponjong Gunungkidul to connect their recent information and their previous knowledge then apply them in
the real context in form of communicative speaking.
b. The Principles of Contextual Teaching and Learning
Contextual Teaching and Learning has basic principles that should be considered while implementing it in the learning situation. Muslich 2007 states
seven principles of Contextual Teaching and Learning p. 44. The following are those principles:
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