LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET IN 21ST CENTRURY LITERATURE FROM THE

PHILIPPINES AND THE WORLD

Quarter 1 – Week 5

Learner’s Name: _______________________Year/Section: __________Date: ___________

I. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

MELC 3: Discuss how different context enhance the text’s meaning and enrich the reader’s
understanding.
Specific Objectives:
• Explain the literary, biographical, linguistic and sociocultural contexts of literary text. •
Discuss the importance of these various contexts to enhance the text meaning. • Relate
one’s perspective to the time the text is written to enrich understanding of literary texts.

II. Learning Concept

In reading literature, you are able to find rich cultures, beliefs and language of different
authors. As a 21st century learner, you encounter literary text which challenge your understanding. In
this activity, you will find out that learning the biographical, linguistic and sociocultural contexts can
enhance the text meaning and enrich your understanding of a certain literary work.

Learning these various contexts will lead you to appreciate literary piece and authors.
Eventually, this will help you to show more sympathy to every person you meet knowing that they
may have similar or different experiences.

Biographical context requires the readers to analyze the life and experience of the author to
understand the literary text. It is essential for readers to understand the author’s background.
Understanding the author’s life can help you understand his or her work thoroughly. This can
happen by reading the author’s biography or autobiography.
Here are biographical strategies that you may use:
✓ Research on what the author believes in and also what he or she does not.
✓ Analyze how the author’s belief system is reflected in his or her work.
✓ Look at the author’s other works and analyze if there is a pattern with regard to the theme
that is indicative of his or her life and beliefs.

Sociocultural context requires the reader to analyze the social, economic, political, and cultural
standpoint of the literary text. It is also important to note the year or period a literary text was
written for readers can be able to identify the historical or significant events that took place in that
year which add to the readers’ understanding of the text.
In reading using sociocultural context, you will examine the factors that affect the writing of the
literary text and how the work was received by the readers during the time it was written. Here are
some guide questions that you may answer when you are reading literature through the
sociocultural context:
What is the relationship between the characters or speakers in the text and their society? How does
this story reflect the nation? What does this say about the country and its inhabitants? Linguistic
context requires the readers to analyze the language, form and structure of the text. Reading
through a linguistic context focuses on the language used in the literary work and how it is used to
convey meaning.
The following are some strategies you may use to read a text through the linguistic context:
✓ Analyze the diction or choice of words in the text.
✓ Examine the text use of sentences, clause, phrases, lines cuts, etc.

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✓ Observe the use of figurative language.
 ✓ Analyze the mood and tone of the text.
✓ Observe the text’s overall structure.
✓ Analyze the content of the text.

In explaining your analysis of a literary piece such as poem, you may use a simple poem analysis
essay by Liza Erpelo, 2009:

• Introduction – provide the necessary background in 3-5 sentences: title of poem, poet’s name/
any relevant biographical facts, and summary of poem’s subject or topic. In your thesis
sentence, identify the literary element(s) to be analyzed and the approach or direction of the
analysis.

• Body Paragraphs- the number of paragraphs will be based on the number of elements you
analyze and the number of claims that you make.

• Conclusion- your concluding paragraph should begin by echoing your major thesis without
repeating the words literally. It should broaden from the thesis statement to answer the “so
what?” question your reader may have after reading your essay. Reflect on how your essay
topic relates to the poem as a whole. Evaluate how successful the author is in achieving his or
her goal or message. Give a personal statement about the topic. Connect back to your creative
opening. Give your opinion of the poem’s value or significance.
Sources: Cuevas, Regine. 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World Unit 1: Contextual Reading
Approaches. https://www.academia.edu/37827038/21st_Century_Literature
from_the_Philipines_and_the_World_Unit_1_Contextual_Reading_Approaches

III. Learning Tasks

Practice Task 1
Can you name some of our Filipino writers?
Do you know that one of the most notable Filipino writers is Virgilio Almario aka Rio Alma.
He is a National Artist for Literature and has won several awards for his works.

Rio Alma came from a family of peasant farmers in the province of Bulacan, near Manila. His
collection of criticism Ang Makatasa Panahon ng Makina (The poet in the Age of Machines) is one of
the founding works of modernist criticism in Tagalog. He is well known as a scholar in the national
language and a promoter of literature. His poetry covers a broad range of forms, and is often
exuberant in expression and passionate in its sympathy for the poor and the working class. His earlier
works ranged from expansive free verse to sonnets, but his more recent work emphasizes formal
convention. He founded the Children’s Communication Center (publisher of Adarna Books), conducts
the long-running poetry clinic,

Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Arte (Lira), has been

executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA), and is currently dean of the college of liberal arts at UP. He
was conferred the order of National Artist for Literature in 2003.

Below is a poem written by Rio Alma entitled “Typhoons,”

(2005). He tells of the “perennial tempests” that visit the land, as he
finds himself waking with full amazement to be greeted by clear
Daylight with each new morning.

Source:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgilio_S._Almario#/media/file
%3AVirgilio_Almario_2019 _(cropped).jpg

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Typhoons (An Excerpt)
Rio Alma
 (translated by Marne Kilates)

The typhoons’ episodes of terror are yearly:

Berserk wind and shattered glass
Streaming from the mouth of a thousand serpents,
Smoke of dark crystal billowing
From beyond the ancient shoulders of the bristling land.
The heavens crawl with crackling electricity
And the verdicts of thunder are without forgiveness or pity.
There were nights
When we were children watching
And listening for the keening
And whiplash of wet, demented monsters:
Turning wildly, they tore every roof,
They toppled and smashed every wall and post;
The drains and canals choked,
The distressed bamboo begged for mercy.
We shut out eyes
At the final rumbling rape
Of our prostrate crops, the helpless land.
Tightly we shut our eyes,
Tightly, ever tightly…
Only to wonder in the morning
What power of sun expunged
And expelled these armies of the night.

Check Your Understanding

This time let us test how well you your comprehension works by answering the following
questions. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper.
1. What is the event that the author was talking about in his poem?
__________________________________________________________________________
2. Where do you think did the story happen? Ex. City or rural area, etc.
__________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the words that caught your attention? Why?
__________________________________________________________________________

4. Can this story happen in real life? Why do you say so?
__________________________________________________________________________

5. In what way the incident in the poem similar or differ from your own experience?
__________________________________________________________________________

Source: Mendoza, P.B & Silva, M. (2016) 21ST Century Literature from the Philippines and the World. St. Andrew’s
Publishing House. Plaridel, Bulacan. Accessed June 30, 2020 https://www.scribd.com/document/412634387/21st-Century
Literature-of-the-Philippines-and-of-the-World-1/A

Practice Task 2
Learning is nice, right? You have learned the reasons why studying literary text through its
biographical, linguistic and sociocultural context can enhance your understanding of a text.

Now, I think it is time for you to describe the previous poem in a deeper sense to improve
your understanding of the text.

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Biographical Context
Knowing a short background of Rio Alma, explain the biographical context of the poem
“Typhoon” through a five-sentence paragraph.

Rubric for Evaluation of the Paragraph

Points Value 5 3 1 Total

Content/Ideas Writing is confident Writing is Writing is limited

and clearly focused. purposeful and in communicating
Relevant details focused. Piece knowledge, with
enrich writing contains some no central purpose
details

Organization Writing includes Writing is Writing is

strong beginning, confused and disorganized with
middle and end. loosely no closure.
organized.

Mechanics Consistent standard A few errors Some errors is

English usage (1- 2), but none usage (3-4),
There are no errors in: major, in usage, spelling,
spelling, spelling, capitalization and
capitalization, and capitalization, punctuation.
punctuation. and
punctuation.

Total Points

Modified rubric from source:

https://mesacc.edu/~paoih30491/RubricParagraphAssignment.html Linguistic Context

In what way the striking words from the poem that caught your attention adds to the meaning
of the literary text? You may present your discussion of your answers through a five-sentence
paragraph, a short video or audio clip. Should you wish to make a video or audio clip, indicate your
choice in your answer sheet.

Rubric for Evaluation of the Video/Audio Clip

Points Value 5 3 1 Total

Content Logical and Some logical Shows no

interesting content content is not easy organization of
to follow content

Originality The product shows a There is little No evidence of

significant evidence evidence of new new thought
of originality thought or
inventiveness

Design Focus was excellent Better audio and Poor audio and
throughout and audio video quality video components.
quality was loud and
clear at all times.

Total Points

Modified rubric from source:https://www.houstonisd.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=

117048&dataid=79783&FileName=VideoRubric.pdf
 Sociocultural Context

What attitudes, beliefs and experiences of Filipinos are reflected in the poem especially during
a natural calamity like typhoons? How do these enrich your understanding of the literary text read.

TYPHOONS __________________________________________
_________
__________________________________________
_________
__________________________________________
IV. Assessment: Poem Analysis _________
Filipinos during natural calamity like typhoons

Explain the biographical, linguistic and sociocultural contexts and discuss how they enhance
the text meaning and enrich your understanding of the excerpt. You may write you analysis essay on a
sheet of paper. Please be guided with the questions below.

1. What language/s did the author use in the selection? Does it help you understand the text
meaning?
2. Does the title suggest another meaning?
3. Does the selection tell you a story?
4. Does the text address an issue about gender, race and politics?
5. Does the poem reflect Filipino attitudes?

CoŇotations (An Excerpt)

Paolo Manalo

1. I’m lie tripping right now I have suitcase fever.

2. Dude, man, pare, three people can be the same.
3. Except he’s not who he says he is, pare. He’s sneeze like Chinese blood:
Ha Ching!
4. Naman, it’s like our Tagalog accent, so they won’t think we’re all airs; so much weight it means
nothing naman.
5. Dude, man, pare, at the next stop we’ll make buwelta. So they can see we know how to look where
we came from.
6. It’s hirap kaya to find a connection. Who ba’spuwede to be our guide?
7. Dude, man, can you make this areglonaman?
8. Make it pabalot kaya in the mall. So they can’t guess what you’re thinking. That’s what I call a
package deal.

Rubric for Poem Analysis Essay

Criteria 10 points 7 points 4 points Total

Content Main points to Three or more Less than

be argued are main points are three main
well related but one points and
 stated. may lack details /or poor
Supporting development
details are of ideas.
concrete

Organization Logical Clear organization Ideas seem to

progression of but one idea seem randomly
ideas with a clear out of place. arranged.
structure that
enhances the
main point

Mechanics The essay is free The essay has two The essay
of mechanical or three have five or
errors: mechanics more
errors: mechanics

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capitalization, Punctuation, errors:
spelling, punctuation spelling, punctuation,
capitalization. spelling,
capitalization.

Total Points

Modified rubric from source:

https://laredo.instructure.com/courses/1330618/files/61449407/download?wrap=1

Mendoza, P.B & Silva, M. (2016) 21ST Century Literature from the Philippines and the World. St.
Andrew’s Publishing House. Plaridel, Bulacan. Accessed June 30,2020
https://www.scribd.com/document/412634387/21st-Century-Literature-of-the-Philippines-and-of-the
World-1/A
Cuevas, Regine. 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World Unit 1: Contextual
Reading Approaches. Quipper Limited 2018. Accessed June 30,2020.
https://www.academia.edu/37827038/21st_Century_Literature_from_the_Philipines_and_the_World_
Unit_1_Contextual_Reading_Approaches
Jose Rizal’s poem about Josephine Bracken. Accessed June 28 http://www.joserizal.ph/pm15.html
Erpelo, L. (2019). Poetry Analysis. Retrieved from: Accounts.smccd.edu/pdf. June 28,2020.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgilio_S._Almario#/media/file%3AVirgilio_Almario_2019_(cropp
ed).jpg

Prepared by:

Syrah Deuna, Gatbo NHS

Quality Assured by:

Anne E. Mancia and Cleofe D Ariola - Sorsogon City Division

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