Chapter 7 The Teaching of the Language Subjects

Chapter 7

The Teaching of the Language Subjects

Mark Jones  M. Delgado                                                                              BSEd II - English

K to 12 Program is an educational program that covers Kindergarten and 12 Years of Education. It provides sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills among students.  Language is defined as a system of words or signs use to express thoughts and feelings to each other.  There are 3 languages that are used as a medium of instruction namely; Mother – tongue which is introduced in Grade 1 to Grade 3 and Filipino and English which is on the other hand introduced in Grade 4 to Grade 10 (except in the subject Filipino and English). Mother – tongue Based multilingual Education is education in several languages based on the mother tongue. The beginning language of teaching mother tongue, termed as language 1 (L1). This leads to the learning of a second language, called Language 2 (L2) and a third language called Language 3. In the Philippines, Language 1 may differ across the country. The end goals of MTB – MLE are cognitive development, academic development, and second language development that results to a lifelong learning communication competence.

Learning Area Standard of MTB-MLE

            This is what the DepEd Curriculum Guide of MTB-MLE states: Use Mother Tongue appropriately and effectively in oral, visual and written communication in a variety of situations and for a variety of audiences, contexts and purpose including learning other context subjects and languages, demonstrative appreciation of various forms of literary genres and take pride in one’s cultural heritage.

Key Stage Standard

           

            The DepEd K-12 Curriculum Guide spells out the standards for each learning areas in each key stage. The key stages referred to are at the end of grade 3, at the end of Grade 6 and at the end of Grade 10. Mother Tongue as subject is taught only until Grade 3, hence has only one key stage standard, at the end of Grade 3.

            By the end of Grade 3 students will enjoy communicating in their first language on familiar topics for a variety of purposes and audiences using vocabulary and phrases; read L1 texts with understanding and create their stories and texts in L1.

Guiding Principles for Teaching and Learning in MTB-MLE

1.    Effective language learning proceeds from the known to unknown.

2.    Language learning, and all other kinds of learning for that matter, is an active process.

3.    Successful language learning focuses on meaning, accuracy and fluency not either fluency or meaning or accuracy but both meaning, accuracy and fluency.

4.    The second language known as the L2, should be taught systematically to the learners can gradually transfer skills from the familiar language to the unfamiliar one.

Bridging is the process of “transitioning from learning one language to another. It also refers to the use of L1 as the initial medium of instruction, gradually introducing increasing amounts of instruction in L2, until either L1, or both L1, and L2 are used as media of instruction.

There are two kinds of transition in the bridging program:

1. Early-exit transition – The mother tongue or L1 is the medium of instruction (MOI for 2-3 years, then switch to L2 and or L3 as MOI and 2)

2. Late-exit transition – The mother tongue or L1 is the medium of instruction for 5-6 years or more, then switch to L2 and or L3 as an MOI.

The Teaching of Filipino Language

The end goal of the k-12 curriculum is the development of a “buo at ganapna Filipino na may kapaki-pakinabangnaliterasi (wholistically developed and functionally literate filipino).

The teaching of Filipino contributes to the formation of the students to have:

1.    Communicative competence

2.    Reflective and Critical Thinking

3.    Literary Appreciation

The 5 Macro skills in Teaching Filipino

—  Pakikinig (Listening)

—  Pagsasalita (Speaking)

—  Pagbasa (Reading)

—  Pagsulat (Writing)

—  Panonood (Viewing)

The learning Area/ Program Standard (Pamantayan ng Programa)

This describes the intended outcomes that are expected to be realized in the teaching of Filipino as a subject in the entire K-12 Curriculum.

Key Stage Standards (PangunahingPamantayan ng Bawat Yugto)

These are the intended outcomes of Filipino teaching at each key stage in the whole stretch of the K-12 Curriculum Guide.

The Teaching of English in the K- 12 Curriculum

            The end goals of English Language Teaching are: first, Communicative competenceis the students’ ability to understand and use language appropriately and correctly to communicate in authentic situations. The other one is Multiliteracieswhichimplies that the text is not the only way to communicate.

The six main processes that form part of the core of english language teaching are:

—  Construction

—  Spiral progression

—  Integration

—  Interaction

—  Contextualization

—  Learner-centered instruction

Learning Area Standard

                        The learner demonstrates mastery of basic skills in the English Language arts, communicates appropriately, fluently and orally and writes for a variety of purposes in different social and academic context at his/her level while carrying out real life tasks as necessary to cope with the demands of a functionally literate and competent, local, national and global citizen.

Communicative Competence: The Goal Of Language Teaching (Mother – tongue, Filipino, English)

Communicative competence is the learner’s ability to understand and use language appropriately to communicate in authentic (rather than simulated) social and school environments.

Four Aspects of Communicative Competence

Michael Canale and Merrill Swain (1980) identified four components of Communicative Competence and these are:

1.    Grammatical competence

2.    Sociolinguistic competence

3.    Discourse competence

4.    Strategic competence

Grammatical Competence

Is concerned with mastery of the linguistic code (verbal or non- verbal) which includes vocabulary knowledge as well as knowledge of morphology, syntactic, semantic, phonetic, and orthographic rules.

Components of Grammar

1.    Morphology – the study of the internal structure of words;

2.    Syntax – the arrangement of words in sentence;

3.    Semantics – the study of meaning of linguistic expression;

4.    Phonetics – a branch of linguistic that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech or –in the case of sign .

5.    Orthography – the methodology of writing a language; it includes rules of spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, word breaks, emphasis, and punctuation.

Sociolinguistic Competence

This refers to possession of knowledge and skills for appropriate language use in a social context.

Discourse Competence

This is so-called interactional competence that includes textual and rhetorical competence.

Strategic Competence

This refer to “ a speaker ability to adopt his/her use of verbal or non-verbal language to compensate for communication problems caused by the speaker’s lack of understanding of proper grammar that used or insufficient knowledge of social behavioral and communication gaps.

The Principles of Language Learning

Cognitive Principle

—  Anticipation of Reward- Learners are motivated to perform by the thought of a reward, tangible or intangible, long or short-term.

—  Meaningful Learning- Providing a realistic context to use language is thought to lead to better long term retention, as opposed to rote learning.

—  Automaticity- This is subconscious processing of language for fluency.

—  Strategic Investment- Success in learning is dependent on the time and effort learners spend in mastering the language.

—  *Intrinsic Motivation- The most potent learning “rewards” to enhance performance are those that stem from the needs, wants and desires within the learner (Brown, 1994).

Linguistic Principles

—  Native Language Effect- A learner’s native language creates both facilitating and interfering effects on learning.

—  Communicative Competence- Fluency and use are just as important as accuracy and usage.

—  Interlanguage- In second language learning, learners manifest a systematic progression of acquisition of sounds and words and structures and discourse features.

Socioaffective Domain

—  Language-Culture Connection- Learning a language also involves learning a complex system of cultural customs, values and ways of thinking, feeling or acting (Brown, 2000).

—  Self-Confidence- This is self-esteem or “I can do it” principle.

—  Risk- Taking- Students who are self-confident take risks and accomplish more.

—  Language Ego- “the identity a person develops in reference to the language he or she speaks” – Alexander Guiora

           
Approaches, Methods and Activities in Language Teaching

Nothing is taken as gospel; nothing is thrown out of court without being put to the test. This “test” may always change its mechanics, but the fact remains that the changing winds and shifting sands of time and research are turning the desert into a longed-for oasis.” (Brown, 2004)

The Designer Methods

1.    Community Language Learning

This is an effectively-based method. This reflects Carl Rogers’ view of education in which learners in a classroom are regarded as a “group” rather than a “class” in need of certain therapy and counselling.

2.    Suggestopedia

      This grew from Bulgarian psychologist GeorgiLozanov’s view that the human brain could process great quantities of material if simply given the right conditions for learning, among which are state of relaxation and giving over of  control to the teacher.

3.    The Silent Way

This method capitalized on discovery learning. If the learner discovers or creates rather than remembers and repeats what is to be learned.

Total Physical Response

This method demands listening and acting. The teacher is the ‘director’ and the students are the ‘actors’ (Asher, 1977).

The Natural Method

In this method it is believed that learners would be benefited if production is delayed until speech emerges.

Communicative Language Teaching

The primary goal of CLT is for students to acquire proficiency through pragmatic uses of the target language in speaking, listening, reading and writing. To make that happen, teachers make informed use of authentic materials and contexts.

Principles of Communicative Language Teaching

1. Learner-Centered Teaching

2. Cooperative Learning-

3. Interactive Language Education

4. Whole Language Education

5. Content-centered Education

6. Task-based Learning

Reflection

            I have learned different concepts present in this chapter because for me, it is composed of ambiguous concepts and highly obscure thoughts. But I tried my very best to understand every details for I know this will help me for my future references. First, I have learned that there are three languages that we are concerned with in language teaching in the K to 12 Curriculum, namely Mother Tongue, Filipino and English. Mother Tongue is the medium of instruction used in all learning areas from Kindergarten to Grade 3. Filipino is introduced in the first grading of Grade 1. It will be taught beginning in the second semester of Grade 1. English is introduced in the third quarter of Grade 1. In short, both Filipino and English are gradually introduced as a subject beginning with oral fluency in Grade 1.

            I was also acquainted with what MTB – MLE is. It is an education in several languages based on the mother tongue. The beginning language of teaching and learning is the mother tongue. It has also the two main goals these are, Lifelong Learning and Communicative Competence. Lifelong Learning as the name implies, it is the learning that pursued throughout life. Whilst, communicative competence is the learner’s ability to understand and use the language appropriately to communicate in authentic situations. I also learned the Learning Area standard of MTB – MLE and Key Stage Standard, the Principles of Learning Language, different competencies and such.

            I have internalized that, at present, I still can’t fully understand how the language learning process works in our brain, and why our ability of learning first languages and seconds are different. Linguists have posed various theories to explain their observations from related studies. Among them, Chomsky’s theory has gained much attention. He argues that our ability to learn a language is innate, and there is a universal grammar at the base of the structure of all existing languages, which enables infants to learn whichever language they are immersed in. Second language acquisition is a subconscious process that resembles the process of infants acquiring their first languages. It does not require knowledge of grammar and structure.

            In connection to the Chapter 6, I believe that teachers should use a variety of methods and that students should practice the target language in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Using a variety of activities and technology will engage the students in the lesson as they have chances to practice the various competencies. Also, applying the use of prepositions to geography will help them produce comprehensible language when discussing travel plans or giving directions, for example. In further lessons, students will apply the physical features to human characteristics, and eventually write a short essay about where they would choose to visit or live, and why. This relates the principle that students should connect content to real life situations inside and outside of the classroom.