"Place-based education is the process of using the local community and environment as a starting point to teach concepts in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects across the curriculum. Emphasizing hands-on, real-world learning experiences, this approach to education increases academic achievement, helps students develop stronger ties to their community, enhances studentsappreciation for the natural world, and creates a heightened commitment to serving as active, contributing citizens. Community vitality and environmental quality are improved through the active engagement of local citizens, community organizations, and environmental resources in the life of the school. (Sobel 2005, 7)"Thus, PBE is implemented as a model that not only integrates content among curricula but also integrates what surrounds students and an actual application of the knowledge acquired in order to contribute to society. Now, it becomes relevant to state that learning must be a situated practice. Why a situated practice? Well, in my experience as a teacher and mostly as a student, your learning process shows better results when you experience something and not only hear it from the teacher. That learning becomes more significant and, in most cases, it does not happen inside a four-wall classroom but outside those walls.
Check a video about what it is mentioned above:
Although PBE is a growing model, it has been implemented in rural schools around the world showing with great results that classes under the PBE model enhance students' creativity and consciousness about their immediate context. Consequently, students develop an interest in offering solutions to local problems. However Place-Based Education is being used in other subjects such as Social Studies, Biology and Environmental Education. Now, how do you consider PBE can be implemented in English Language teaching? And equally important, how would it be implemented in a Colombian context?
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