Language

- the basis of all communication and the primary instrument of thought.

- is governed by rules and systems (language conventions) which are used to explore and
communicate meaning.
- is central to the peoples’ intellectual, social and emotional development and has an essential
role in all key learning areas.

Thinking, learning, and language are interrelated.

- It defines culture which is essential in understanding oneself (personal identity), forming
interpersonal relationships (socialization), extending experiences, reflecting on thought and
action, and contributing to a better society.

Language is the foundation of all human relationships.

- relationships are established on the ability of people to communicate effectively with each
other.

Our thoughts, values and understandings

- developed and expressed through language. This process allows students to better
understand the world in which they live and contributes to the development of their personal
perspectives of the global community.

People use language to make sense of and bring order to their world. Therefore, proficiency in the
language enables people to access, process and keep abreast of information, to engage with the
wider and more diverse communities, and to learn about the role of language in their own lives, and
in their own and other cultures.

II. GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The K-12 Language Arts and Multiliteracies Curriculum

- anchored on the following
● language acquisition
● learning
● teaching
● assessing principles.

All languages are interrelated and interdependent

- Facility in the first language (L1) strengthens and supports the learning of other languages
(L2). Acquisition of sets of skills and implicit metalinguistic knowledge in one language
(common underlying proficiency or CUP) provides the base for the development of both the
first language (L1) and the second language (L2). It follows that any expansion of CUP that
takes place in one language will have a beneficial effect on the other language(s). This
principle serves to explain why it becomes easier and easier to learn additional languages.

Language acquisition and learning

- an active process that begins at birth and continues throughout life. It is continuous and
 recursive throughout students’ lives.

Students enhance their 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 repertoire
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.

Learning requires meaning.

- We learn when we use what we know to understand what is new.
● Start with what the students know; use that to introduce new concepts. They use
language to examine new experiences and knowledge in relation to their prior
knowledge, experiences, and beliefs. They make connections, anticipate possibilities,
reflect upon ideas, and determine courses of action.

Learners learn about language and how to use it effectively,

- through their engagement with and study of texts.
● The term ‘text’ refers to any form of written (reading and writing), oral (listening and
speaking) and visual communication involving language

The texts through which students learn about language are wide-ranging and varied (brief
conversations to lengthy and complex forms of writing)

The study of specific texts

- the means by which learners achieve the desired outcomes of language, rather than an end
in itself.

Learners learn to create texts of their own and to engage with texts produced by other people.
Successful language learning involves viewing, listening, speaking, reading and writing activities

Language learning should include a plethora of strategies and activities that help students focus on
both MEANING and ACCURACY.

Language learning
involves,
● recognizing, accepting, valuing and building on students’ existing language competence,
including the use of non-standard forms of the language, and extending the range of
language available to students.

Through language learning

learners develop,
● functional and critical literacy skills.
 - They learn to control and understand the conventions of the target language that are
valued and rewarded by society and to reflect on and critically analyze their own use
of language and the language of others

An effective language arts and multiliteracies curriculum satisfies the following principles

1. Develops thinking and language through interactive learning.

● focuses on engaging students in activities that promote both critical thinking and language
skills. This means using discussions, group work, and hands-on projects to help students
learn and express themselves better.

2. Develops communicative competence and critical literacy.

- By focusing on these areas, students become better communicators and more thoughtful
readers.
● Communicative Competence - Improve their ability to express themselves clearly and
understand others in different situations, using the right words and tone.
● Critical Literacy - Learn to analyze and question texts, understanding their purpose and the
ideas behind them, so they can think deeply about what they read and hear.

3. Draws on literature in order to develop students’ understanding of their literary heritage.

● means students read different stories and texts to understand the history and culture behind
them, which helps them appreciate where their own stories come from.

4. Draws on informational texts and multimedia in order to build academic vocabulary and strong
content knowledge.
● help students learn important vocabulary and gain knowledge about different subjects. This
approach helps them understand complex ideas and communicate effectively in various
academic contexts.

5. Develops students’ oral language and literacy through appropriately challenging learning.
● helps students improve their speaking and reading skills by providing learning activities that
are just the right level of difficulty. This ensures they are challenged but can still succeed,
which boosts their confidence and abilities.

6. Emphasizes writing arguments, explanatory/informative texts and narratives.

- focuses on teaching students how to write different types of texts, w/c helps students
express their thoughts, share knowledge, and be creative in their writing
● Arguments: Making a case for their opinions.
● Explanatory/Informative Texts: Sharing information clearly.
● Narratives: Telling stories.

7. Provides explicit skill instruction in reading and writing.

● This means students receive step-by-step guidance on how to improve their abilities in both
areas, helping them become better readers and writers.

8. Builds on the language, experiences, knowledge and interests that students bring to school.
 ● means lessons connect to what students know and enjoy, making learning more relevant
and engaging for them.

9. Nurtures students’ sense of their common ground in using language/s for communication as
present or future global citizens to prepare them to participate in
school and in civic life.
● helps students understand how to use language to communicate with others, preparing
them to be active participants in school and their communities. This approach encourages a
sense of connection with people from different backgrounds, helping them become
responsible global citizens.

10. Assesses and reflects the students’ ability to interpret and/or communicate in the target
language.
● regularly checks how well students can understand and use the target language. This means
assessing their skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening to see how effectively they
can communicate.

III. NEEDS OF THE LEARNERS : THE CONTEXT

The generation born after the year 1994 until 2004 is referred to as Generation Z. This is the first
generation to be born with complete technology.
They were born with,
● PCs
● mobile phones
● gaming devices
● MP3 players and the ubiquitous Internet.

They do not know life without technology. Hence, they are often termed as digital natives and are
extremely comfortable with technology. They can email, text and use computers without any
problems. In addition, members of
Generation Z can understand and master advancement in technology. Unfortunately, this reliance on
technology and gadgets has had a negative effect on the members.
● They rather stay indoors and use their electronics than play outdoors and be active.
● They are leading a sedentary life that can result in health problems later on.

For them,
> social media platforms are a way to communicate with the outside world.

They are not bothered about privacy and are willing to share intimate details about themselves with
complete strangers. They have virtual friends and for them hanging out with friends means talking to
them over the cell phones, emails and text messages. However, at the same time, this generation is
considered to be creative and collaborative and will have a significant impact on the way companies
work when they join the workforce.

Members of Generation Z are adept at multitasking.

- They can text, read, watch, talk and even eat simultaneously.
However, this has also led to reduced attention span leading to what psychologists call acquired
attention deficit disorder.

This generation is unable to analyze complex data and information as they cannot focus for very
long. While we don’t know much about Gen Z yet...we know a lot about the environment they are
growing up in.
> This highly diverse environment will make the grade schools of the next generation the most
diverse ever.
● Higher levels of technology will make significant inroads in academics allowing for
customized instruction, data mining of student histories to enable diagnostics and
remediation or accelerated achievement opportunities.

Gen Z kids will grow up with a highly sophisticated media and computer environment and will be
more Internet savvy and expert than their Gen Y forerunners.

IV. OUTCOMES
The ultimate goal of the Language Arts and Multiliteracies Curriculum is to produce graduates who
apply the language conventions, principles, strategies and skills in
(1) interacting with others,
(2) understanding and learning other content areas, and
(3) fending for themselves in whatever field of endeavor they may engage in.

1. Communicative Competence
- is a synthesis of knowledge of basic grammatical principles, knowledge of how language is
used in social settings to perform communicative functions, and how knowledge of
utterances and communicative functions can be combined according to the principles of
discourse.

Communicative competence is classified into the following competencies.

A. Grammatical/Linguistic Competence
- means the acquisition of phonological rules, morphological words, syntactic rules, semantic
rules and lexical items.

B. Sociolinguistic Competence
- refers to the learning of pragmatic aspects of various speech acts, namely, the cultural
values, norms, and other sociocultural conventions in social contexts.
● They are the context and topic of discourse, the participant’s social status, sex, age, and
other factors which influence styles and registers of speech.
> Since different situations call for different types of expressions as well as different beliefs, views,
values, and attitudes, the development of sociolinguistic competence is essential for communicative
social action.

C. Discourse Competence
 - is the knowledge of rules regarding the
● cohesion (grammatical links)
● coherence (appropriate combination of communicative actions) of various types of
discourse (oral and written).

> Sociolinguistic rules of use and rules of discourse are crucial in interpreting utterances for social
meaning, particularly when the literal meaning of an utterance does not lead to the speaker’s
intention easily.

D. Strategic Competence is to DO with the knowledge of verbal and non-verbal strategies to

compensate for breakdown such as self-correction and at the same time to enhance the
effectiveness of communication such as recognizing discourse structure, activating
background knowledge, contextual guessing, and tolerating ambiguity.

2. Multiliteracies
Multiliteracies (multi-literacy practices) recognize that there are many kinds of literacy at work within
our society.

These include,
Traditional Literacy practices using texts as well as new literacy practices using texts of popular
culture such as films.

Social Literacy
-encompasses how we communicate and exchange meaning in our society while professional
literacy links with the notion of literacy for school or the workplace.

The curriculum aims to,

● help learners acquire highly-developed literacy skills that enable them to understand that
English language is the most widely used medium of communication in Trade and the Arts,
Sciences, Mathematics, and in world economy.

● help learners understand that English language is a dynamic social process which responds
to and reflects changing social conditions, and that English is inextricably involved with
values, beliefs and ways of thinking about ourselves and the world we dwell in.

Through multi-literacy skills,

- Learners will be able to appreciate and be sensitive to sociocultural diversity and understand
that the meaning of any form of communication depends on context, purpose and audience.

IV. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The world is now in the “Knowledge age” where the challenge of education is to prepare learners to
deal with the challenges of the changing world.

Students in this age must be prepared to,

● compete in a global economy
 ● understand and operate complex communication and information systems
● apply higher level thinking skills to make decisions and solve problems.

The Language Arts and Multiliteracies Curriculum (LAMC) addresses these needs. This is the
rationale why Mother Tongue, Filipino and English follow a unified framework which allows easy
transition from acquiring and learning one language to another.

The curriculum has five (5) components.

Each component is essential to the learners’ ability to communicate effectively in a language leading
them to achieve communicative competence and multiliteracies in the Mother Tongue, Filipino and
English.

The diagram on page 2 shows that the heart and core of LAMC is making meaning through language
and aims to develop graduates who are communicatively competent and multiliterate.

Component 1 ( LANGUAGE LEARNING PROCESS)

>illustrates learning processes that will affect acquisition and learning of the language.
>It explains the HOW of language learning and therefore serves as guiding principles for language
teaching.

Component 2 (EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE USE)

>describes knowledge and skill areas which are essential to effective language use (understanding
of cultures, understanding language, processes and strategies) which will be developed through
language arts (macro-skills).

Component 3 (MAKE MEANING THROUGH LANGUAGE)

>shows the interdependence and interrelationships of the macro-skills of the language
● listening, speaking and viewing;
● reading, viewing and responding;
● writing and representing
and the development of thinking skills
● critical thinking
● creative thinking
● metacognition
allowing students to make meaning through language.

Component 4 (HOLISTIC ASSESSMENT)

>explains the holistic assessment of the Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum which serves as
feedback of its effectiveness to students, teachers, school administrators, and curriculum
developers.

Component 1 ( LANGUAGE LEARNING PROCESS)

For effective language acquisition and learning to take place, language teachers must be guided by
the six (6) language teaching principles. These principles explain the natural process of language
development.
1. Spiral Progression
Skills, grammatical items, structures and various types of texts will be taught, revised and revisited
at increasing levels of difficulty and sophistication.
>This will allow students to progress from the foundational level to higher levels of language use.

2. Interaction
Language learning: situated in the context of communication (oral and written).
Activities: simulate real-life situations of varying language demands (purposes, topics, and
audiences) will be employed.
> This will help students interact with others thereby improving their socialization skills.

3. Integration
The areas of language learning,
● the receptive skills
● the productive skills
● grammar and vocabulary
= will be taught in an integrated way, together with the use of relevant print and non-print resources,
to provide multiple perspectives and meaningful connections.

Integration may come in different types either implicitly or explicitly (skills, content, theme, topic, and
values integration).

4. Learner-Centeredness
Learners: center of the teaching-learning process.
Teaching: differentiated according to students’ needs, abilities and interests.
>Effective pedagogies will be used to engage them and to strengthen their language development.

5. Contextualization
Learning tasks and activities: designed for learners to acquire the language in authentic and
meaningful contexts of use.

For example, lessons will be planned around learning outcomes, a theme, or a type of text to help
learners use related language skills, grammatical items/structures and vocabulary appropriately in
spoken and written language to suit the purpose, audience, context and culture. Learning points will
be reinforced through explicit instruction and related follow-up practice.

6. Construction
Making meaning is the heart of language learning and use. Learning tasks and activities: designed
for learners in such a way that they will have time to reflect on and respond to ideas and information.
Learners: will be provided with sufficient scaffolding.
(they will be able to reach their full cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor potentials and become independent learners who are good consumers and
constructors of meaning.)

Component 2 (EFFECTIVE LANGUAGE USE)

There are three major applications of the macro-skills of the language
● Understanding of Cultures
● Understanding Language
● Processes and Strategies

They are described as the knowledge and skill areas which are essential to effective language use
demonstrated through the language macro-skills.

1. UNDERSTANDING CULTURES
> Learning language through,
● text types
● literary appreciation
=exposes learners to different cultures of the world, including one’s culture.

> Learners develop,

● sociolinguistic
● sociocultural understandings
and apply them to their use of the language (Mother Tongue, Filipino, and English).

Sociolinguistic understanding
-refers to appropriate language use.
It is defined (in this document) as taking into account the social significance of linguistic forms and
the linguistic implications of social facts.

Language is a complex social practice that reflects and reinforces shared understandings about
appropriate actions, values, beliefs and attitudes within a community. These shared understandings
determine not only what is communicated and when and how it is communicated, but also who does
the communicating. These collectively constitute the sociolinguistic features of language.

Sociocultural understanding
-refers to knowing about the language speaking communities. It means taking into account the non-
linguistic features in the life of a society.

Learners broaden their frame of reference beyond their own social and cultural experiences.
● They gain insights into different values and belief systems and acknowledge the cultural
contexts which underpin them.
● They make sense of the social fabric of the target language community.
● They understand that the natural and physical environments – as well as the social,
economic, historical and political environments – influence the language speaking groups
and their cultural traditions.

2. UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE
-Learners apply their knowledge of the system of the language to assist them to make meaning and
to create meaning.
-They come to recognize the patterns and rules of the language which emerge as they interact with a
plethora of texts (literary and informational) to make meaning.
-They apply this knowledge and understanding to create their own spoken, written and visual texts.

Differences in language systems are expressed in a variety of ways: for example, in grammatical
differentiations, variations in word order, word selection, or general stylistic variations in texts. By
comparing the system of the language with the systems of other languages, students understand
that each language is different, but has identifiable patterns within its own system.

3. PROCESS AND STRATEGIES

-Learners select from a repertoire of processes and strategies by reflecting on their understanding
of the way language works for a variety of purposes in a range of contexts. They deliberate on how
they use language and apply different language strategies, depending on their purpose, context and
audience.

They (the learners),

> use language as a way of coming to grips with new ideas, resolving difficulties or solving problems.
> use strategies such as brainstorming and
discussion as a way of developing ideas.
> experiment, take risks and make approximations with language as a way of developing their
language skills.
> clarify what they need to know when seeking information for particular purposes.
> use key-word searches and their understanding of the conventions of informational texts such as
tables of contents, headings, indexes, forewords and glossaries as aids in locating information.
> assess the usefulness of information for particular purposes.
> treat information and ideas critically and evaluate information in terms of its reliability and
currency.
> make notes and graphic representations of information and combine information from different
sources into a coherent whole by summarizing, comparing and synthesizing.

Learners reflect on ethical considerations in the use of ideas and information.

> recognize the importance of attributing sources of ideas and information, and of presenting or
representing ideas and information in ways which are not misleading.
> use quotation and sourcing conventions appropriately.
> take into account the possible effects of and responses to the presentation of ideas and
information.

Component 3 (MAKE MEANING THROUGH LANGUAGE)

Language
● is the major instrument in communication (oral and written)
● the heart of which is the exchange of meaning.

Language learning,
focus: on guiding students make meaning through language for different purposes on a range of
topics and with a variety of audiences.
Students must be,
> able to adapt to various situations where communication demands greatly vary.
The,
● skills
● grammatical items
● structures and various types of texts
~ will be taught, and revisited at increasing levels of difficulty and sophistication.
> This design allows students to progress from the foundational level to higher levels of language
use.

The Language Arts and Multiliteracies Curriculum (LAMC) is composed of five (5) intricately
intertwined and integrated sub-strands
● listening
● speaking
● reading
● writing
● viewing
> that serve as building blocks for understanding and creation of meaning and for effective
communication across curricula (Matrix 1).

The revised curriculum re-organizes the Integrated Language Arts Curriculum according to the
content standards that must be met by all students at the end of basic education. This is not
inconsistent with the proposed 5 sub-strands of the Language Arts and Multiliteracies Curriculum
(LAMC) but fleshes out the areas that children need to learn and that teachers need to teach in
greater detail. Below is the matrix that presents the spread and alignment of the language and
literacy domains with the 5 sub-strands.

Coherence with the Basic Education Program Goals

1. The K-12 languages curriculum ensures that processes and products of learning actively foster
and contribute to the achievement of the basic education program goals.

2. Competencies are spiraled across the curriculum and year levels. Upper level courses will focus
on writing, comprehension and study strategies.

3. Content includes print and electronic texts that are age, context and culture appropriate.

Component 4 (HOLISTIC ASSESSMENT)

Assessment is an important aspect of learning and teaching. It should be effectively used to

support the holistic development of our pupils.

Our assessment practices should go beyond summative evaluation and move towards a more
holistic approach.

Holistic assessment
-refers to the ongoing gathering of information on different facets of a child from various sources,
with the aim of providing qualitative and quantitative feedback to support and guide the child's
development.
-informs our teachers of their teaching practices and guides them in the design and delivery of
student learning. It will also enable parents to support their children's development and growth.

Characteristics of Assessment
1. Proximity to actual language use and performance
Assessment procedures should be based,
> on activities that have authentic communicative function rather than ones with little or no intrinsic
communicative value.
These activities are based on actual performance in authentic situations which the learner is likely to
encounter in his or her daily life.

2. A holistic view of language

Assessment procedures are based,
> on the notion that the interrelationships among the various aspects of language,
● phonology
● grammar
● vocabulary, among others cannot be ignored.
Also, the four skills of language
● listening
● speaking
● reading
● writing
are seen to be parts of a structurally integrated whole.

Assessment approaches should be used for communication and self-expression. Assessment also
takes into account the whole learner and his or her social, academic, and physical context.

3. An integrative view of learning

Assessment attempts to capture the learner’s total array of skills and abilities. It measures language
proficiency in the context of specific subject matter.

Assessment procedures are based

> on the idea that various aspects of a learner’s life, both academic and personal, are integral to the
development of language proficiency and cannot be ignored. These dimensions include not only
processes such as acquiring and integrating knowledge, extending and refining knowledge, and
using knowledge meaningfully, but also issues such as varying student attitudes towards learning.

4. Developmental appropriateness
Assessment procedures,
> set expectations that are appropriate within the,
● cognitive
● social
● academic development of the learner.
This characteristic of assessment makes it particularly valuable for second language learners who
come from culturally diverse backgrounds and who may have atypical educational experiences.

5. Multiple referencing
Assessment,
> entails obtaining information about the learner from numerous sources and through various
means.

For students,
- assessment should allow them to see their own accomplishments in terms that they
understand and, consequently, allows them to assume responsibility for their learning.

For parents,
- Assessment should allow them to share in the educational process, and offers them a clear
insight into what their children are doing in school.

For teachers,
- The primary advantage of assessment is that it provides data on their students and their
classroom for educational decision-making.
In addition, it reports the success of the curriculum and provides teachers with a framework for
organizing student’s works.