5.1: UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL CULTURE

On a short bond paper, prepare a two-page interview essay on the following points: • advantages of teaching MotherTongue as a subject for both the learners and the teacher; • challenges or problems encountered; • solutions that were created so far to address the problems; and • further recommendations to better achieve the goals of MTB-MLE.

Content Criteria for Grading the interview Essay 20 points The essay is clear, focused, and provides relevant evidence, examples, and details to support the central theme.

Sentence Fluency

Organization

Conventions 10 points Writing is easy to follow. ,v 10 points The organization enhances the central idea of the essay. 5 points Observes correct grammar and mechanics

Lesson Synthesis:

For you, what do you foresee as challenges or difficulties that you will encounter when you teach MotherTongue as a learning area? Prepare to share your insights to the class.

LESSON 3

Lesson Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students are expected to: • understand the framework of the MTB-MLE; • gain deeper insight on the MTB-MLE curriculum; • draft a proposal on refinements/improvements of the curriculum; and suggest ways of integrating MTB-MLE issues into the curriculum. Instructional Materials Needed: MotherTongue Curriculum Guide

Learning Activities:

I. ACTIVATE

As a class, discuss what "curriculum framework" means and its purpose. Create a simple graphic organizer in the box below that will encapsulate your understanding of a curriculum framework based on your discussion. Use your own words as much as possible.

II. ANALYZE and ABSTRACT

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Form a group with four members. Your task this time is to understand the Department of Education's curriculum framework for Mother Tongue as a learning area. Before your task, it is crucial that we have a common knowledge of frameworks, specifically what a curriculum framework is.

A framework, when used in any context, implies a means of organizing and managing content in systematic ways. With this, we can define a curriculum framework as the one responsible in regulating the content of the curriculum; it sets the parameters, directions, and standards for curriculum policy and practice.

With your seatmate, try to make sense of the MTB-MLE Curriculum Framework shown below. Discuss the questions that follow afterwards.

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1. What are the current and relevant issues in relation to our Philippine curriculum?

2. With the curriculum framework shown above, do you think these issues will be addressed?

3. What are the teaching and learning priorities of the framework that set the foundation of the framework?

Prepare for a class discussion.

III. APPLY

With a partner, your last task for this lesson is to prepare a two-page position paper that will discuss the following: 1. What needs to be improved (if any)? 2. How does the MTB-MLE curriculum support/complement (or contradict) first and second language acquisition theories? 3. If you will be given the chance to improve the framework, what changes will you incorporate? Try to re-create the MTB-MLE framework based on your suggestions. Please refer to the Curriculum Guide for MotherTongue.

Criteria for Grading Position Paper Content and Development 30 points The paper takes a strong and well- defined position with adequate support

Organization and Structure

Grammar and Mechanics 10 points The structure of the paper is clear and easy to follow

10 points Rules of grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling are followed

Lesson Synthesis:

Make sure to share your significant insights from your position paper to the class. As a class, agree on common points that your class thinks should be improved in the MotherTongue curriculum framework.

Lesson Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students are expected to: • grasp the essence of constructivist learning theory; • relate the constructivist learning theory with learning a language; and • formulate methods for teaching MTB through the constructivist approach. Instructional Materials Needed: Sample lesson plan from Mother Tongue as a learning area

Learning Activities:

I. ACTIVATE

Your fundamental responsibility as a teacher is to guarantiee that learning takes place in your classroom. As a teacher, given this task, it is requisite that you have basic knowledge of how students learn. There is a number of learning theories that demonstrate how individuals, especially young learners, learn. The five major learning theories are listed below. a. Behaviorism _______________________________________________________ b. Cognitivism___________________________ c. Constructivism_______________ ■ ______________________ __________ d. Humanism___________________________________________________ _____ e. Connectivism______________________ _______________________________

Your task is to find a basic description of each learning theory. Share your answers to a seatmate.

II. ANALYZE and ABSTRACT

Take time to read the information below about constructivist learning theory, the learning theory being championed by the Mother Tongue curriculum.