Contextualization in the teaching of Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH)

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, contextualization has emerged as a powerful approach to make learning more meaningful, relevant, and responsive to students’ diverse cultural, social, and environmental backgrounds. This study explored the contextualization of teaching strategies in Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) among selected secondary school teachers at Lambunao National High School, Iloilo, for the School Year 2024–2025. Utilizing a combination of case study and phenomenological approaches, the study aimed to investigate the specific contextualization strategies used by MAPEH teachers, the challenges they encountered, the coping strategies they employed, and the instructional outputs derived from these experiences. Ten MAPEH teachers, purposively selected based on set inclusion and exclusion criteria, participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the transcribed narratives. Findings revealed that contextualization strategies included the integration of indigenous games, cultural music and arts, festival-based lessons, and localized health practices. Challenges encountered were categorized into time constraints, lack of materials, limited teacher familiarity with local traditions, and student resistance to traditional content. In response, teachers demonstrated resourcefulness through adaptive instruction, use of DIY materials, modification of activities, and incorporation of student-led cultural inquiry. The study also highlighted tensions between traditional beliefs and scientific health instruction, which teachers addressed through dialogue and culturally sensitive teaching. The research affirms the value of culturally responsive pedagogy in fostering learner engagement, identity affirmation, and educational equity. It recommends institutional support through training, curriculum flexibility, and resource provision to sustain meaningful contextualization in MAPEH instruction. Ultimately, the study contributes to the ongoing discourse on localized curriculum development in multicultural and resource-constrained educational contexts.