NORTHERN LUZON ADVENTIST COLLEGE

School of Teacher Education

Subject: Teaching Multigrade Classes

Module 1: Multigrade Education: Legal Bases, Meaning, Challenges

I. Introduction
This module discusses the legal bases of Multigrade Education in the Philippine System
of Education. It provides an in-depth understanding of its features and significance that will lead
future educators in embracing multigrade teaching and its principles in preparation of a
multigrade teaching-learning plan.

II. Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, you must have:
a. Provided the various meaning of multigrade education,legal bases and concepts of
multigrade education.
b. Reflected on previous educational experiences.
c. Recognized the desired outcomes as embodied in the Vision Mission and Objectives
of NLAC and the School of Teacher Education.

III. Integration Of Faith

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given
to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey all that I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-19

IV. Integration of Values (Awareness Approach)

The success of realizing the millennium development goal in education is by
appreciating and embracing multigrade education.

V. Topics

Multigrade teaching is an important and appropriate way to help nations reach their
internationally-mandated Education for All targets and national Millennium Development Goals
by providing good quality education to children who are often neglected by their education
system because they live in small, poor, and remote communities. More importantly, it is an
approach that can help schools in these communities and teachers in these schools serve their
students better by providing them an education that is both good quality and relevant to the
community in which they live.
Many teachers in Asia and the Pacific – teachers such as you – need to teach students
from more than one grade in one classroom. And many – in Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia,
the Philippines, Viet Nam and elsewhere – are already doing so and the approach being used is
known as multigrade teaching.
In the Philippines,the Seventh Day Adventist Church has implemented numerous
successful multigrade classes in many of its mission schools in the country.The Department of
Education is also implementing multigrade classes in many divisions in the country.

Multigrade teaching involves the teaching of students from different grade levels in one
classroom.This requires teachers to develop skills in handling different students’ behavior and
in addressing their needs and interests.
Multigrade classes refer to one class of students, in which there are two or more groups,
each performing at different competence, or grade levels.Sometimes this is called – a
‘combination class’ (if there are only two grades) in the Philippines. In other countries,
multigrade classess can also be called
Vertically grouped, Family grouped or Multiaged classes.

The prime reasons for multi-grade classes may be placed into four major categories:
 Low (or reduced) community population, possibly due to migration, or an increased
death rate;
 Poor economic conditions, resulting in inadequate teaching resources;
 The persistence of cultural practices which would impede the attendance of students at
school;
 Geographical location of the school, which may be in a remote, inaccessible vi//age;
 Some students may be mentally challenged, and there are no provisions for special
education nearby.

Communities benefit from multi-grade classes as they probably:

 Increase the levels of functional literacy and numeracy in the community;
 Create opportunities for post-primary choices;
 Prepare students for secondary level education.

Functions and Roles of Multi-grade Teachers

 As Field/Action Researcher
 As Teacher/Learning Facilitator
 As Community Liaison/Resource Person
 As Social Worker/Counsellor
 As Evaluator
 As Material Designer
 As Para-Professional Trainer
 As Government Extension Worker
 As Quality Controller
 As Surrogate Parent
 As Representative of Cultural, Moral and Political Values
Seeing Challenges as Opportunities

All teaching offers challenges, and as a multigrade teacher you have specific things to think
about to ensure you get the best out of the students in your class. These challenges and the
opportunities they present include:

 Taking advantage of diversity within and between groups

Handling one grade with students from diverse family backgrounds,
ethnic/linguistic traditions, and socio-economic circumstances and with different ability
levels (and some with experience in pre-school programmes and some without) is
difficult enough. Combining more than one grade in a multigrade context is even more
of a challenge. This requires not only specialized content knowledge and teaching-
learning methods but also personal values which respect and welcome diversity in the
classroom. What is important to understand, however, is that such diversity should be
seen not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity for providing better quality
education for all your students.

 Balancing time and multi-tasking

The secret to being a successful multigrade teacher is to balance your time
effectively. This is a challenge when addressing the different learning needs of groups of
and individual students, but preparing a variety of activities that keep all groups of
students engaged in the multigrade environment is an opportunity to develop new and
more effective teaching practices.

 Engaging your students and keeping them focused on learning

The secret to being a successful multigrade teacher is to balance your time
effectively. This is a challenge when addressing the different learning needs of groups of
and individual students, but preparing a variety of activities that keep all groups of
students engaged in the multigrade environment is an opportunity to develop new and
more effective teaching practices.

 Breaking your isolation as a multigrade teacher

As many multigrade schools are in geographically remote locations, you might
feel isolated as a multigrade teacher. This makes it difficult to keep aware of the best
practices and developments in other schools like your own – and more broadly
elsewhere in your education system. But such a context makes it important to find
innovative ways to break this isolation. Groups of similar schools in a geographic area
can create a cluster to organize regular and frequent meetings. The local community can
be involved in generating and sharing resources and support for your school.

Legal Bases
The Multigrade Program in the Philippine Education (MPPE) was launched in 1993
through Deped Order 83 and subsequently in 1997,the Department issued Order No.96 to
support the implementation of the MPPE.
 1. The purpose and objectives of this revised guidelines are:
2. To provide a framework for more effective implementation of the multigrade education
program which set directions for providing access to education and achieving higher
learning outcomes.
3. To make multigrade schools the most important learning centers for Filipino learners in
the remote and disadvantaged communities in the region.
4. To ensure that multigrade school receive the kind of services they deserve by taking into
account thev interest and needs of teachers and learners;and
5. To encourage stronger community-school partnership to take initiatives for the
improvement of schools.

 Policy/Issuance DECS Order No. 38, s. 1993 - “Improving Access to Elementary Education
By Providing Complete Grade Levels in all Public Elementary Schools Through
Combination and/or Multigrade Class”
 DECS Order No. 96, 1997 - “Policies and Guidelines in the Organization and Operation of
Multigrade Classes”
 DECS Order No. 91, s. 1997 - “Special Hardship Allowance for Multigrade Teachers”
 DECS Order No. 27, s. 2000 - “Institutionalization of Community Support Scheme (CSS)
as one of the Best Practices of the MPPE”
 DepEd Memo No. 404 s. 2004 - “Dissemination of the Training Video on Multigrade
Instruction”
 DepEd Memo No. 245 s. 2007 - “2007 Search for Multigrade Teacher Achiever”
 DepEd Memo No. 155, s. 2008 - “Awarding Ceremony for the 2007 Search for
Multigrade Teacher Achiever”
 DepEd Memo No. 289 s. 2008 - “National Training-Workshop for Trainers on Multigrade
Instruction”

REFERENCES:

Brewer. (2015).The Power of Small School The Journal of Adventist Education 77:3(October-
November2015):3 http://circle.adventist.org/files/jae/en/jae201577030302.pdf

Department of Education Order 81 series of 2009. “Strengthening the Implementation of the

Multigrade Education Program in Philippine
Education”http://www.deped.gov.ph/orders/do-81-s-2009
Kim,G.J.(2013),Practical Tips For Teaching MultigradeClasses.Embracing
 Diversity:Toolkit for Creating Inclusive,Learning Friendly Environments
Specialized Booklet 4. UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for
Education,Bangkok , Thailand
http://jefeus.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/3/7/4837811/220101e.pdf

Mathot, G. (2001). A Handbook for teachers of multi-grade classes: improving performance at the
primary level . Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000125919