Name of Teacher: SALVADOR D. ODONZO JR.

LAC ID: FEBMS-005

School: Francisco E. Barzaga Memorial School Cluster: I

MODULE 2: MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCIES (MELCs)

Lesson 1: Background, Rationale, and Development of MELCs

ACTIVITY 1.

Answer the following reflective questions in your Study Notebook: 

1. The closure of schools around the world due to the global pandemic posed serious challenges on
the delivery of quality basic education. As a teacher, what do you think are the fundamental
concerns in terms of curriculum standards that need to be addressed in order to ensure learning
continuity? Cite a specific example. Do you think these concerns could be solved by teachers
alone? Why or why not?  

The techniques used by teachers during instruction like lectures and discussions, time
allocated for instructions on the different learning areas, teachers’ attitudes and personal beliefs
related to the curriculum. Another concern is the curriculum materials like textbooks, modules,
worksheets and electronic media to be used to ensure learning continuity.

Parents, and community involvement can help teachers to focus more on the task of
teaching learners. Having more contact and involvement with the stakeholders and parents, we
teachers can learn more about the pupils’ needs and home environment, which is information that
we can apply toward better meeting their needs.

2. Even prior to the spread of COVID-19 that eventually led to the closure of schools nationwide, the
congested curriculum has been a perennial problem of teachers (Andaya, 2018). This is perceived
to be one of the hindering factors on the poor performance of Filipino learners. Do you agree with
this observation? Why or why not?

Yes, I do believe that one contributing factor why we have poor performance of Filipino
learners is the congested curriculum. Too many subjects and competencies squeezed into a short
period of time, other activities in school like programs, online reports, seminars during school
days, and lack of text books, these factors strongly contribute to the poor performance among our
Filipino learners.

ACTIVITY 2.  

Familiarize yourself with the course reading on the Development and Design of the MELCs.  After
going through the document, provide a brief and concise response to the following guide questions.
Write your answers in your Study Notebook. 

1. What are the general and specific purposes of the development of MELCs?
 They serve as one of the guides for teachers as they address the instructional needs of
learners while ensuring that curriculum standards are maintained and achieved. Furthermore, the
MELCs intend to assist schools in navigating the limited number of school days as they employ
multiple delivery schemes by providing them ample instructional space.

2. How does curriculum review aid in the identification of essential learning competencies? 

The curriculum review focused on articulation within and across learning areas of grade
levels, led our academic experts to identify the gaps, issues and concerns. Moreover, areas for
improvement that would enhance the learning engagement, experience and outcomes were also
identified, and consequent solutions were recommended. The result of which is the
identification of the prerequisite knowledge and skills needed to prepare the students, pupils for
essential learning competencies.

3. What is the difference between essential learning competencies and desirable learning

competencies? 

Essential learning competencies were defined as what the students need, considered
indispensable, in the teaching-learning process to build skills to equip learners for subsequent
grade levels and consequently, for lifelong learning. On the other hand, desirable learning
competencies were defined as what may enhance education but may not be necessary in
building foundational skills.

4. How were the most essential learning competencies identified? What were the decisions made
in order to trim down the number of the essential learning competencies further? 

The Department collaborated with stakeholders from ACTRC, during which the descriptor –
ENDURANCE – was considered the primary determining factor. A learning competency is
considered enduring if it remains with learners long after a test or unit of study is completed or
if it is useful beyond a single test or unit of study.

A learning competency is retained if it satisfies the endurance criterion which greatly

contributes to life-long learning and is a prerequisite skill to the next grade level. Two or more
learning competencies are merged or clustered if they have the same objective or learning
intention and can therefore be combined into one comprehensive learning competency.
However, learning competencies are removed/dropped due to the following reasons:

 They are too specific (and the articulation is similar to that of a learning objective).

 They are deemed appropriate to be introduced in an earlier quarter or grade level or

moved to a later quarter or grade level.

 They are recurring.

 They are subsumed in another learning competency.

5. What is the importance of the MELCs in ensuring the delivery of quality instruction? 

To address the challenges of the current pandemic but is also part of the Department’s
long-term response to the call of SDG4 to develop resilient education systems, most especially
during emergencies.
 ACTIVITY 3.  

Prepare a copy of your learning area’s original K-12 Curriculum Guide and corresponding list of
MELCs.  

Go to the sections of the curriculum guide and MELCs that are relevant to your instructional needs.
Copy and accomplish the following table in your Study Notebook and compare the two documents to
determine which learning competencies were retained, dropped, or merged.  

K-12 LEARNING COMPETENCIES MELCs

Merged/ Clustered EN2VIIIc-13.1 Recognize that some words Recognize that some words may have
mean the same (synonyms) & the same (synonyms) or opposite
EN2VIIIc-d- 13.2 Recognize that some (antonyms)
words have opposite meaning (antonyms) meaning
Retained EN2LC-IIIf-g-3.15 Recognize the difference EN2LC-IIIf-g-3.15 Recognize the
 between “made-up” and “real” texts listened difference between “made-up” and
to “real” texts listened to
EN2LC-IIIh-3.1 Identify important details in EN2LC-IIIh-3.1 Identify important
expository text listened details in expository text listened
EN2LC-IIIi-j-2.6 Retell and/ or reenact EN2LC-IIIi-j-2.6 Retell and/ or
events from a story reenact events from a story
EN2OL-IIIc-d-1.2 Participate in choral EN2OL-IIIc-d-1.2 Participate in
speaking and echo reading of short poems, choral speaking and echo reading of
rhymes and stories with repeated patterns and short poems, rhymes and stories with
refrains in English repeated patterns and refrains in
English
EN2OL IIIe-f-1.1 Listen and respond to EN2OL IIIe-f-1.1 Listen and respond
texts to clarify meanings heard while to
drawing on personal experiences texts to clarify meanings heard while
drawing on personal experiences
EN2OLIIIa-b-3.3 Talk about texts Talk about texts identifying major
identifying major points and key themes points and key themes
EN2RCIVe-2.16 Use clues to make and Use clues to answer questions, clarify
justify predictions before, during and after understanding and justify predictions
reading (titles, pictures) before, during and after reading (titles,
pictures, etc)
Dropped EN2LCIIIa-2.4 Use an understanding of
characters, incidents and settings to make N/A
predictions
EN2BPKIIIa-b-4 Identify the common terms
in English relating to part of book (e.g. cover, N/A
title page, etc.)
EN2BPKIIIb-2 Identify title, author and
N/A
book illustrator and tell what they do
IIIb-1.2 Give the beginning sound of each
N/A
consonant (c, r, n,b, g, p)
EN2AKIIIc-1.2 Give the beginning sound of
each N/A
consonant (d, j, w, v, z, y)
EN2GIIIb-1.3 Use different kinds of
sentences: declarative (telling) and N/A
interrogative (asking)
EN2GIIIc-1.6 Recognize punctuation marks
N/A
(period, question mark)
EN2VIIId-j-20 Give the meaning of short e
N/A
words
EN2GIIId-2.4 Use common nouns in simple
N/A
sentences
EN2GIIIf-9.2 Use the use of a/an + noun N/A
ACTIVITY 4.  

In your LAC Session, discuss and share your answers to Activities 1-3 in this lesson. Discuss any
questions about the MELCs that need clarification as well. Share your thoughts and let your co-teachers
articulate their insights regarding your questions. Jot down all the insights shared in the discussion,
including your own, in your Study Notebook. 
 Lesson 2: Unpacking and Combining MELCs into Learning Objectives 

ACTIVITY 1.  

Familiarize yourself with the course reading on Unpacking and Combining the MELCs. After reading
the document, provide a brief and concise response to the following guide questions in your Study
Notebook: 

1. What is the importance of unpacking and combining the MELCs? 

To systematize learning activities and effectively address the varying needs of learners and
the challenges of instructional deliveries.

2. What considerations must be taken in unpacking and combining the MELCs? Explain each. 

Alignment on the Content and Performance Standards - The MELCs are not a departure
from the standards-based design, which is one of the main features of the K to 12 Curriculum. In
fact, there are no MELCs without the content and performance standards.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills - It is worth noting that the identified MELCs cater to
higher order cognitive demands. As such, lower cognitive demand may be considered first in
creating learning objectives. This ensures that prerequisite knowledge and skills that would
enable the achievement of MELCs, and eventually the content and performance standards, are
addressed.
Logical sequence of learning objectives - Since the intention of unpacking the MELCs is to
provide systematic learning experiences for learners, it is incumbent that the unpacked learning
objectives follow a logical sequence.
 3. Do all the MELCs need to be unpacked or combined? Why or why not?

Yes. To achieve the content and performance standards expected in various learning
domains and to master needed skills necessary in each grade level.

ACTIVITY 2.  

1. Form a group of four members within your LAC, preferably with fellow teachers in your respective
learning area.  
2. Using the curriculum guide and a list of the MELCs, choose MELCs in the first quarter and unpack
these into learning objectives.  
3. Each team will present their unpacked learning objectives. Discussion and processing will follow
each presentation. Suggestions and insights from each group will be considered in enhancing the
learning objectives.  

Repeat the above process but instead of unpacking, each team will now combine at least two MELCs
of their choice. Group deliberation will be observed in order to arrive at a consensus.  Discuss and jot
down the synthesis of the presentations in your Study Notebook.

ACTIVITY 3.  

Submit your Activity 2 Outputs to your LAC Leader. Make sure to keep a copy of your outputs.