Language Arts

In the Philippines, fluency in English is often seen as a sign of intelligence, given its status as a
global language. While English proficiency can be advantageous, it's important to recognize that it's
more than just a measure of intelligence.
I believe that teaching English in elementary school provides a strong foundation for future leaders.
It equips children with a valuable communication tool, making them better prepared for global
opportunities. Additionally, English proficiency can open doors to competitive job prospects
worldwide.

When I was in elementary school, I struggled to understand the importance of English. I often
wondered, 'bakit ko ba kailangang aralin ang english eh pinoy naman ako?'

As I grew older, I realized that English proficiency is essential for global competitiveness. It's not
just about opportunities outside the Philippines; even here, many jobs require English skills. That’s
why I'm grateful to my elementary school teachers for pushing me to learn English and making it an
enjoyable experience instead of a burden.

Lastly, we must also debunk the theory of ‘english = smart’. English is a language to be learned,
along with its culture. By mastering English, we can become more globally competitive and
connected.

FIRST LECTURE

Principles of Language Arts

Principle No. 1
Give Priority to Sounds:
● The sounds of English should receive priority.
– Sounds should be given their due place in the scheme of teaching. Teacher should be very
careful that correct and standards pronunciation is given from the smallest unit of sounds.

Principle No. 2
Present language is Basic Sentence
Patterns:
● Present, and have the student's memories, basic sentence patterns used in day-to-day
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conversation.
– From small utterances the students can easily pass on the longer sentences. Every language
follows certain basic patterns, especially on the syntactic level of language instruction.

Principle No. 3
Language Patterns as Habits:
● Real language ability is at the habit level. It does not just mean knowing about the language.
Make language patterns as habit through intensive pattern practice in variety of situations.
Repetition is one principle in language learning. E.g green car (nauuna description)

Principle No. 4
Imitation:
● Imitation is an important principle of language learning.
– No learner by himself ever invented language. Good speech is the result of imitating good
models. The model should be intelligible. To a language teacher, using poetry in teaching is a
common practice.

Principle No. 5
Controlled Vocabulary:
● Vocabulary should be kept under control. Vocabulary should be taught and practiced only in
the context of real situations. This way, meaning will be clarified and reinforced.

Principle No. 6
Graded Patterns:
● "To teach a language is to impart a new system of complex habits, and habits are acquired
slowly." (R.Lado, 2013) So, language patterns should be taught gradually, in cumulative
graded steps. This means the teacher should go on adding each new element or pattern to
previous ones. New patterns of language should be introduced and practiced with vocabulary
that students already know. (Spiral approach, teach simple things at first, gradual learning)

Principle No. 7
Selection and Gradation:
SELECTION
● Selection of the language material to be taught is the first requisite of good teaching.
Selection should be done in respect of grammatical items and vocabulary and structures.
Selection of language items should involve frequency (how often a certain item or word is
used) range (in what different contexts a word or an item can be used) coverage (how many
different meanings a word or an item can convey) availability (how far an item is convenient to
teach) learnability (how far an item is easy to learn) teach ability (how far an item is easy to
teach - in the social context). (Paulit ulit or pataas frequency nang pag gamit para maalala
nila, proper selection of material)
GRADATION
● Gradation of the language material means placing the language items in an order. Grading
involves grouping and sequence.
● Grouping concerns (i) the gystem of language, and (ii) its structures.
(i) Phonetic Grouping - grouping according to sounds.
(ii) Lexical Grouping - grouping according to lexical situations.
(iii) Grammatical Grouping - grouping according to similar patterns.
(iv) Semantic Grouping - grouping according to meaning.
(v) Structure Grouping - grouping in the structures means how the selected items fit one into the
other-the sounds into the words, the words into phrases, the phrases into the clauses and
sentences, and the sentences into the context.

Principle No. 8
The Oral Way:
● Experts believe that the oral way is the surest way to language learning. Prof. Kittson rightly
observes, "Learning to speak a language is always the shortest road to learning to read and
write it." Prof Palmer also writes, "We should refrain from reading and writing any given
material until we have learned to use its spoken form."

Principle No. 9
Priorities of Language Skills:
● Listening (with understanding), speaking, reading and writing are the four fundamental skills.
Listening and speaking are primary skills, while reading and writing are secondary skills.
Reading and writing are reinforcement skills. They reinforce what has been learnt through
understanding and speaking. In fact, understanding and speaking speed up the reading
process. Writing should be introduced after reading.

Principle No. 10
Multiple Line of Approach
● "The term multiple line implies that one is to proceed simultaneously from many different
points towards the one and the same end. We should reject nothing except the useless
material and should be selected judiciously and without prejudice all that is likely to help in
our work". In teaching a language, it implies attacking the problem from all fronts.

Principle No. 11
Language Habit through Language
Using:
● A language is best learnt through use in different contexts and situations. Prof. Eugene A.
Nida rightly observes, "Language learning means plunging headlong into a series of
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completely different experiences. It means exposing oneself to situations where the use of
language is required."

Principle No. 12
The 'Spiral' Approach:
● The 'spiral' approach language should be followed. Previously taught vocabulary and
structures should be reintroduced in subsequent unit whether logical or possible.

Principle No. 13
Use Mother Tongue Sparingly:
● The mother tongue should be sparingly and judiciously used during teaching English. Of
course, at the early stage some explanation will have to be given in the pupil's mother tongue.
Student mustn't use their mother tongue in the classroom.

Principle No. 14
● The mother tongue is learned easily because there is a natural environment for learning it
from the very beginning, the child listens to his parents, and he rises and sleeps with the
same language.

Principle No. 15
● The principle emphasizes acquiring skills by doing. Two learners of the same group and age
may differ a lot because of their practice, so students should be motivated for self-
indulgence.

6 PSYCHOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING ENGLISH

Principle 1
Motivation
– Motivation is an important factor in language learning, particularly in learning a second
language.
– It creates interest as well as the need to learn the language in hand. If the need for the
language we use is felt, it is learnt easily.
– Pupils' interest can be aroused in a number of ways, and language learning can be made
increasingly interesting and attractive.

Principle 2
Immediate Correction
– Do make corrections. Corrections make all the difference. They help in improving pupils'
responses. But remember, when corrections are made, they should be made immediately.
Principle 3
Reinforcement
– Immediate reinforcement is an important principle. It has been experimentally proved that
reinforcement of correct responses helps in better learning.

Principle 4
• Frequent Review
Frequent review and re-entry of the same material is necessary for retention.

Principle 5
• Correct Responses
It is an important psychological principle that classroom ativities should strengthen the language
skills. The techniques used by the teacher of English should encourage the maximum rate of correct
responses.

Principle 6
• Practice in Everyday Situations
A language is best learnt when its need is felt in everyday situations.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THEK-12 CURRICULUM VS THE MATATAG

● MATATAG stands for MAkabagong curriculum na napapanahon, TAlino na mula sa isip at puso,
Apang na humarap sa anumang. hamon sa buhay, Galing ng Pilipino nangingibabaw sa
mundo.
● The MATATAG K10 Curriculum focuses on fundamental skills, decongested curriculum,
balanced cognitive demands, clearer articulation of 21st century skills, reduced learning
areas for key stage 1, intensified values education and strengthened peace education, on a
par with international standards, and lessens the number of learning areas in order tersimplify
the current K-12 curriculum. Also, it promises a balanced set of cognitive derrands that will
enable learners to acquire higher-order thinking abilities as their grade level advances.
● VP Duterte claimed that the country's basic education delivery system was damaged by the
current curriculum's overload of lessons and subjects. This was underlined when the
MATATAGK-12 curriculum was introduced. About 70% of the present curriculum will be
removed from the new curriculum, and learning competencies will drop from over 11,000 to
about 3,600 in order to fevote more time on what DepEd dubbed "foundational skills for a
better learning outcome." The K-10 curriculum currently in use has seven designated learning
areas. These include Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (Humanities), Araling Panipunan (Social
Studies), Mother Tongue, Filipino, English, Mathematics, and MAPEH.
● The early curriculum's seven learning areas will now only have five: Makabansa,
Language.Reading and Literacy, Math, and Good Manners and Right Conduct.
 ● The "Language" and "Reading and Literacy" subjects that are studied independently by first-
graders are related to the development of strong literacy abilities that are necessary for
learning other subjects. In Grade 2, these two subjects will then be English and Filipino.
Science will be added when a pupil is in the third grade. GMRC will now be called Values
Education, and new topics like Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) and MAPEH will be
added for grades 4 through 6. These are the ones that the learners will bring that even if he is
done studying in one grade, he will take it to the next grade. He will never forget it. The “play-
based approach" to kindergarten education will be followed, with formal topics starting only
in the first grade.
● The "Language" and "Reading and Literacy" subjects that are studied independently by first-
graders are related to the development of strong literacy abilities that are necessary for
learning other subjects.
● In Grade 2, these two subjects will then be Erglish and Filipino. Science will be added when a
pupil is in the third grade. GMRC will now be called Values Education, and new topics like
Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) and МАРЕН will be added for grades 4 through 6.
These are the ones that the learners will bring that even if he is done studying in one grade,
he will take it to the next grade. He will never forget it.
● The "play-based approach" to kindergarten education will be followed, with formal topics
starting only in the first grade
● Undersecretary Michael Wesley Poa, a spokesman for the Department of Education
(DepEd),stressed that the new curriculum retains mother tongue instruction as specified by
the K-12statute. According to him, the development of oral language skills for communication
in a language that learners will comprehend will be emphasized in language curricula, which
is crucial for the development of basic abilities. Stated differently, the mother tongue will
continue to be utilized as a teaching tool but will not be taught as a topic.

K-12 MELC