Module 2

Task: Discuss the items comprehensively

1. What is the baseline of implementing the K-12 curriculum in English?

One of the most important educational changes in the nation is the K–12 Basic
Education Program, which was recently implemented. If introduces initiatives that
are meant to boost and enhance the country's basic education system. It aims to
give Filipino students the knowledge and expertise they need to be ready to face
the challenges of the twenty-first century. By ensuring that it is suitable,
responsive, and relevant to the learners, it will bring the basic education system
in the Philippines up to par with the worldwide standards.
The curriculum seeks to assist students in developing highly developed reading
abilities that will enable them to comprehend that the English language is the
most often used form of communication in trade, the arts, the sciences,
mathematics, and the global economy. Additionally, the curriculum aims to make
sure that students comprehend how the English language is a dynamic social
process that adapts to and reflects social conditions that are changing as well as
how English is inextricably linked to values, beliefs, and ways of thinking about
ourselves and the environment in which we live. Learners that possess
multiliteracy abilities will be able to recognize and respect sociocultural variety
and comprehend how context, purpose, and audience all affect the meaning of
any type of communication.
2. Why the Department of Education gives emphasis on the development of macro
skills in K-12 curriculum?
The principles of language acquisition, learning, teaching, and assessment serve
as the foundation of the K–12 Language Arts and Multiliteracies Curriculum. All
languages are interconnected and dependent on one another. Learning other
languages is strengthened and supported by proficiency in the first language.
The foundation for the growth of both the first language and the second language
is provided by the acquisition of sets of abilities and implicit metalinguistic
knowledge in one language (common underlying proficiency, or CUP). Therefore,
any CUP growth that occurs in one language will have a positive impact on the
other language (s). This idea helps to explain why learning new languages gets
simpler and simpler over time that the students can easily enhance their
listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Language acquisition and learning is an active process that begins at birth and
continues throughout life. It is continuous and recursive throughout students’
 lives. Students enhance their macro skills and language abilities by using what
they know in new and more complex contexts and with increasing sophistication
(spiral progression). They reflect on and use prior knowledge to extend and
enhance their language and understanding. By learning and incorporating new
language structures into their vocabulary and using them in a variety of contexts,
students develop language fluency and proficiency. Positive learning experiences
in language-rich environments enable students to leave school with a desire to
continue to extend their knowledge, skills and interests.
3. Is the language learning process designed by DepEd effective in developing and
enhancing the macro skills of the learners?
All topics in grade schools are taught in the mother tongue, with the exception of
Filipino and English. Yes, even in math and science. As a result, when students
enter high school, they find it difficult to adjust to their subjects where the
language of instruction has changed to English. When I first met my students
back in high school when I volunteered as a remedial English student teacher, I
experienced a range of emotions.
At first, I initially assumed that they couldn't read a word because they were
intimidated by me. Later, though, as I listened to them strain to read every word
of the paragraph I had given them to read, I started to wonder how they had been
promoted to high school without even knowing how to recognize a single letter.
Yes, there are students who are alphabet-illiterate. At the time, I felt like dealing
with kindergarten students. They hardly memorize the letters from A to E, which
is the toughest part. Instead of teaching them how to read and comprehend what
they have read, we only finished to memorize the English alphabet at the end of
the school year. I'm not sure who should take the blame in such situation—a high
school student who doesn't know any alphabetic letters.
But as a teacher-to-be, I suggest that Grade School teachers should focus on
their students individually. They should recognize their students' individual
capabilities especially their macro skills, which need to be developed and
nourished. They should also balance the languages utilized for instruction,
particularly for the topics and terminologies that should be taught in English so
that the students will not experience culture shock when they enter high school.
4. Enumerate and discuss 3 appropriate activities for Speaking, Listening, Reading,
and Writing in English of the K to 12 Curriculum. Crop the curriculum guide
(Grade 7-10) for citation.
Here are some activities you can introduce in class for active listening
with integration with other skills (Developing the Macro Skills in a
Competence Based Curriculum, p.5)
1. Dual dictation
Ask students to get into pairs to write a dialogue. When student A is
speaking, student B should write down what they are saying and vice
versa. When they have finished the conversation, they should check
what each other has written and put the two sides of the conversation
together. You could then ask students to perform their dialogues
again to the rest of the class, or to swap with other pairs.
2. Class memory quiz
Ask one student at a time to go to the front of the class. Ask the rest
of the class to ask them any questions they like (as long as they are
not too personal!),
e.g.
What is your favourite colour/food/band?
What did you have for lunch?
Which country would you most like to visit?
Try to make a note of some of the answers. When all of the students
(or half of the students, if you have a large group) have been
interviewed, explain that you are going to hold a quiz about the class.
Get the students into small teams and ask them to put their hand up if
they know the answer to a question, e.g.
Which student likes Oasis?
What is Marie's favourite food?
Which two students would like to be famous actors?
Award a point to the first team to answer correctly. This game can be
a lot of fun, and encourages students to listen to each other.
3. Listen for lies
Divide the class into two teams A and B. Ask one student at a time to
come to the front of the class and read aloud a passage which you
have chosen, e.g. a story or newspaper article. Then ask them to
read it aloud again, but to make some changes. Each time a lie (or
change) is read out, the students must stand up. The first team to
stand up gets a point. This game requires students to listen carefully
and encourages them to remember important information and details.