FS 1 EPISODE 3

Focus on Gender, Needs, Strengths, Interests, Experiences Language,

Race, Culture, Religion, Socio-economic Status, Difficult Circumstances,
and Indigenous Peoples

OBSERVE, ANALYZE, REFLECT

Activity 3.1

Observing differences among learners' gender, needs, strengths,

interests, and experiences: and differences among learners' linguistic,
cultural, socio-economic, religious backgrounds, and difficult
circumstances.

The learners' differences and the type of interaction they bring surely
affect the quality of teaching and learning. This activity is about observing and
gathering data to find out how student diversity affects learning.

To realize the Intended Learning Outcomes, work your way through these
steps:

Step 1. Observe a class in different parts of a school day

(beginning of the day, class time, recess etc.).

Step 2. Describe the characteristics of the learners in terms of age,

gender, and social and cultural diversity.

Step 3. Describe the interaction that transpires inside and outside

of the classroom.

Step 4. Interview your Resource Teacher about the principles and

practices that she uses in dealing with diversity in the classroom.

Step 5. Analyze the impact of individual differences on learners'

interactions.

The observation form is provided for me to document my observations.

OBSERVE

An Observation Guide for the Learners' Characteristics

Read the following carefully before you begin to observe. Then write your
observation report on the space provided on the next page.

1. Find out the number of students. Gather data as to their ages, gender,
racial groups, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.

Observation Report

Name of School Observed: Abucay National High School

Location of the School: Abucay, Pilar, Sorsogon

1 section consists of 35 students 15 boys and 20 girls. They have different
religion namely Iglesia Ni Cristo, Born Again and most of them are Roman
Catholic. The students are actively participating to the discussion. They share
their different ideas and opinions to the class. They like to ask question to their
teacher for any clarifications. They also have unity inside the classroom by
helping each other to one’s difficulties to cope up any concepts.
 The students know how to respect their teacher and other personnel
inside the schools. Teacher also giving them a good relationship and treated
every learner equally. The students have their groups inside and outside the
classroom. They group themselves according to their interests where they have
the same likes and dislikes and they share problems with each other.

During Class:

1. How much interaction is there in the classroom? Describe how the

students interact with one another and with the teacher. Are there groups
that interact more with the teacher than others.
 The student communicates with their teacher to share their ideas
through their actively participation on the class. There are some
students who asked questions to the teacher while others are
taking down notes. The students interact respectively and politely,
they use “Po” and “Opo” when they are talking and asking
something to their teacher. As I observed I found out that there is a
boundary between the teacher and in the student in a very nice
way, because the students knew how to use polite words when
interacting with their teachers and other personnel in their school.
On the other hand, the students interact with their classmate in a
very comfortable manner, very ease and with no hesitations. There
are students or groups of students who interact mostly with their
teacher.
2. Observe the learners seated at the back and front part of the room. Do
they behave and interact differently.
 In my observation, students behave and interact differently
depending on their location inside the classroom. Students who
seated in front are more tend to be active in listening to what
teacher is discussing because they might be the first one who can
notice by the teacher if they do other matters which is not related to
the lesson. Those at the middle row has the average energy for
participating in the class discussion but for those at the back they
find it difficult to understand what the teacher discussing because
they are more likely distracted by different activities they are doing
which is not related to what they should be listening to.
3. Describe the relationship among the learners. Do the learners cooperate
with or complete against each other?
 The relationship among the learners is very light and jolly. They
accept each other’s ideas and thoughts. They do not quarrel on
their different point of views and beliefs but rather accept and
understand each other. The students cooperate with one another
especially during group works, even though there are few members
each group which is not participating. They have ways to
encourage the other member who stay in one corner without
sharing ideas through asking if they have additional opinions or
ideas. If there are instances that they compete with one another,
they consider it as a form of a friendly competition. And also, I saw
that if there is one student who makes mistakes like pronouncing
wrong of word some of the students laughing on it. But if their
seatmates cannot answer the questions, they help them to answer
the question given by the teacher. The learners show warm and
 supportive relationships. As an observant, I can even feel the
comfort inside the room.
4. Who among the students participate actively? Who among them ask for
most help?
 The students who listen very well and who take down notes, they
are the type of students who participate actively because you can
how much they interested to the discussion. Sometimes they also
ask question to their teacher if they have a clarification. On other
hand, the students who do not listen and keeps on chatting with
their seatmates are the students who mostly needed a help.
5. When a student is called and cannot answer the teacher's question, do the
classmates try to help him? Or do they raise their hands, so that the
teacher will call them instead?
 The teacher usually called the students who keep on chatting with
their seatmates and the other students who keep on doing other
matters which is not related to the discussion. When a student is
called and can’t answer the teacher’s question, some of their
classmates try to help him/her by whispering the correct answer
and there are also students who will raise their hands so that they
will be the one to be called. They show their unity inside the
classrooms which is good because they have care to one another.
But also, it can consider as a disadvantage to one student who
being taught by his/her classmate because he/she will continue
misbehaving during the class. He will be more complacent because
he/she knew that his/her classmates always there to help him/her
when their teacher ask question again. And that student will never
on his/her own.
Outside Class:

1. How do the students group themselves outside class? Homogeneously,

by age? By gender? By racial or ethnic groups? By their interests? Or are
the students in mixed social groupings? If so, describe the groupings.
 As I observed, the students are grouped the mixture of boy and
girls. There is also a group which is composed of all girls and boys.
They group themselves depending to their interest. In all girls, they
like to do girly things like talking about the romantic books being
red, Korean drama they done to watch and others things. While in
all boys, they like to talk about the online games and also, they like
to play altogether like mobile legends. In the mixture of boys and
girls they have same interest like in the sports.
2. Notice students who are alone and those who are not interacting.
Describe their behavior.
 Based on my observation, those students who is a loner is
somewhat a shy type and they often talk. They usually focus on
their gadgets when break-time and they prefer to be on a one side
of the classroom. Those students who are not interacting are just
almost the same to the loner students. Non interactive students are
also often to talk, less friends and prefer doing things in their own.

Interview the teachers and ask about their experience about learners in
difficult circumstances. Request them to describe these circumstances and how it
has affected the learners. Ask about the strategies they use to help these
learners cope.
 Ask the teachers about strategies they apply to address the needs of
diverse students due to the following factors:

 Gender, including LGBT

 Language and cultural differences
 Difference in religion
 Socio-economic status

OBSERVATION REPORT

Name of the School Observed: Abucay National High School

School Address: Abucay, Pilar, Sorsogon

According to the teacher I interviewed which tells us about their

backgrounds, the students are different in their own way. They differ in what
family they belong (rich, average, poor), according to their gender, the language
and culture they have, their religions and their individual socio-economic status.
The interaction with peers occurs are where they belong in which they find the
same backgrounds. There are some students that are very participative. The
high and low achievers are different. High-achievers are those who are active in
the class discussion. They do the task faster and creatively. They love to interact
with their teacher. On the other hands, the low achievers are the type of student
who stayed in the corner and remained silent. Sometimes they also interact with
their teacher. They take time to do a certain task. And sometimes, they depend
on their group mates in making such activities.

The teacher provides right assistance to those students who needed

support the most. She is very approachable to her students so that the students
will not have any hesitation ask her any help. Even though the teacher focuses to
the student who needed support the most but of course she will never forget the
other students. The teacher treated them equally in other ways.

ANALYZE

1. Identify the person who plays key roles in the relationship and interactions
in the classrooms. What roles do they play? Is there somebody who
appears to be the leader, a mascot/joker, an attention seeker, a little
teacher, a doubter/pessimist?
What makes the learners assume these roles? What factors their
behavior?
 All of the students have their role inside the classroom which is to
learn and actively participating to the class discussion. But there
are some of the students appear to be the leader who reminds the
class to be quite and respect the person who talks in front. There
are some mascot/jokers which always do or talk funny things when
they feel that all in the classroom is getting bored. And there is
some an attention seeker because they answer their teacher’s
question very outstanding and they also the one who always have
an idea. Of course, above all the students the teacher is the one
who have that entire role to get his/her students all attentions.
2. Is there anyone you observed who appear left out? Are students who
appear "different?" Why do they appear different? Are they accepted or
rejected by the others? How is this shown? What does the teacher do to
address issue like this?
 Yes, they were accepted by others, this is shown by making them
feel that they belong to the group. And they consider their new
 ideas and as an asset for their group. For this kind of student’s
issue, the teacher gives them group activities to give the students
the time to interact and know with each other and to make them
realize not just their own but also their classmates’ weaknesses
and strengths that will cope and fill each other’s differences.
3. How does the teacher influence the class interaction considering the
individual differences of the students?
 The teacher shows a good relationship to her students. She always
gives good feedback to every answer of the students by
considering their all answer is correct. She always considers all the
ideas given by her students which make the students feel that they
belong and it help to boost their confidence. The teacher also did
show any favoritism among the class or she didn’t give a special
treatment any of the students.
4. What strategies does the teacher use to maximize the benefits of diversity
in the classroom? How does the teacher leverage diversity?
 The strategies teacher used to maximize the benefits of diversity in
the classroom are, the teacher facilitate conducive learning and
classroom environment that promotes sense of belonging, mutual
respect and value for others’ opinions, building a good relationship
with the students, letting their students explore their strengths and
understanding in multiple ways and eliminating stereotype biases
and myths about students by knowing them as individuals. The
teacher leverage diversity in such a way that, he/she already know
how to handle the diversity in his/her next students. They also
leverage them to have better ideas or strategies to cope up with
such kind of diversity lurking in his/her classrooms.

REFLECT

1. How did you feel being in the classroom? Did you feel a sense of oneness
or unity among the learners and between the teacher and the learner?
 When I’m in the classroom, I already feel that I’m already a teacher.
The students are not being distracted even though that I am there
as an observer. I can feel a sense of oneness or unity among the
learners and between the learners and the teacher because of their
active interaction with each other on how learner share ideas and
on how teacher facilitate with them. And I can see to the learner
their eagerness to strive hard so that they can learn a certain topic.

Activity 3.2

Observing Differences among Learners with Disabilities, Giftedness,

and Talents

OBSERVE

An Observation Guide for the Learners' Characteristics

Read the following carefully before you begin to observe. Then write your
observation report on the space provided.

1. Observe the class to see the differences in abilities of the learners.

2. Try to identify the students who seem to be performing well and those that
seem to be behind.
 3. Validate your observations by asking the teacher about the background
and needs of the learners.
4. Observe the behavior of both regular students and those with special
needs. Note their dispositions, pace in accomplishing tasks, interaction
with the teacher, and interaction with others.
5. Observe the teacher's method in addressing the individual learning needs
of the students in his/her class.

Observation Report
Name of the School Observed: Abucay National High School
Location of the School: Abucay, Pilar, Sorsogon
As I am observing the class, I noticed the different abilities of every
learner. There are students who are listening attentively to the teacher and they
do everything to gain more knowledge. But there are some students who shown
that they don’t have an interest that why they are not paying attention to any
discussing. The ability of the students depends on how they show interest in
such thing.

I noticed that those students seated near the board or in the first row are
very attentive to the discussion and participates more. While those who seated at
the back have their own other matters which is not related to the discussion. But
there are some who stay quite in their seats.

According to the teacher which tells us about their backgrounds, the

students are different in their own way. They differ in what family they belong
(rich, average, poor). The interaction with peers occurs are where they belong.
There are some students that are very participative. The high and low achievers
are different. High-achievers are those who are active in the class discussion.
They do the task faster and creatively. They love to interact with their teacher. On
the other hands, the low achievers are the type of student who stayed in the
corner and remained silent. Sometimes they also interact with their teacher. They
take time to do a certain task. And sometimes, they depend on their group mates
in making such activities.

The teacher provides right assistance to those students who needed

support the most. She is very approachable to her students so that the students
will not have any hesitation ask her any help. Even though the teacher focuses to
the student who needed support the most but of course she will never forget the
other students. The teacher treated them equally in other ways.

ANALYZE

1. Did your observation match the information given by the teacher?

 My observation is the same to the information given by the teacher.
I certainly identify those students who can perform well and who did
not. The behavior of the students helped me to identify the well
performing learner who those attentively participate to the class
discussion and they always have an excellent answer every time
the teacher ask question not just one subject but all different
subjects. I also able to identify those students which is not so good
to the class by means of when the teacher asks a particular
question they wouldn’t be able to answer the question and they
choice to stay on their seats and remain silent.
2. Describe the differences in ability levels of the students in the class? What
practices or strategies are done or should be done to differentiate
instruction to meet the needs of the learners.
  Those students who performed well in the class have the ability to
easily cope up with the lesson. They can easily get an answer to
every questions of the teacher. On the other hand, those students
who performed not so well it takes a longer time for them to cope
up any concepts. And takes time for them to answer the question of
their teacher. Even though it takes a longer time for them to
understand a certain subject matter but still they can cope up and
can-do other students’ doings.
3. Describe the methods used by the teacher in handling students'
differences abilities. How did the students respond to the teacher? Did the
teacher use differentiated instruction? If yes, describe how.
 The teacher used both student-centered and teacher-centered.
Student-centered by means when teacher makes the students as a
center of the discussion and teacher guides every answer of the
students. The teacher includes the asking of questions of the
students and makes students as the source of the information.
Teacher-centered by means when teachers as the source of the
information and she have the authority inside the classroom.
REFRLECT

1. Recall the time when you were in elementary or high school. Recall the
high and low achievers in your class. How did your teacher deal with
differences in abilities? Was your teacher effective?
 When I was in elementary my teacher use to treat us fairly. She is
very approachable and focuses to help the students who can’t cope
up the listen. She gives example for a certain concept for us to
understand much better. She called either the high or low
achievers, she given a chance to every student to answer her
question. I think it is the right thing that must an elementary do
because an elementary grade level is the stage where the students
start to gain knowledge and develop their abilities.
While when I was in high school my teacher also used to treat
us fairly. She is approachable but not like my elementary teacher
she is not focuses anymore to the one who can’t cope up. She also
gives examples to a certain topic. She usually asks the students if
they have any clarification or questions and ask for summarization
of the discussion by written or oral examination. Sometimes my
teacher called the high achiever students but she also gives chance
to those low achievers one.
2. What dispositions and traits will you need as a future teacher to meet the
needs of the learners?
 I think the disposition and trait that I will need as a future teacher
are: approachable, approachable in a way that my students are
comfortably or freely asks me questions for that all of their
clarifications about a subject matter will be cleared, and another
trait is kind but strict, kind in a way that the students will not be
afraid to me and make a good impression to me as a good teacher
but strict in a way that, between teacher and students there is
always limitation where in if the student exceed the line he or she
will be disciplined.
Activity 3.3

Observing The School’s Experiences of Learners Who Belong to

Indigenous Groups.
OBSERVE

An Observation Guide for the Learners' Characteristics

Read the following carefully before you begin to observe. Then write your
observation report on the space provided.

If you are watching videos you searched, instead of actually visiting a school,
have this question in mind as you are watching the videos. You can try to get in
touch with the creator of the videos and interview them too.

1. Before you observe, read about the specific IP group in the school you will
visit. Know their norms and customary greetings. This will help you blend
in the school community and interact with respect.
2. Observe and note the different parts or areas of the school environment.
How are learning spaces arranged?
3. What activities do they do in these different areas of the school?
4. Who are the people who manage the school? Who are involved in
teaching the learners?
5. Observe how the teaching-learning process happens. Describe the
learning activities they have and the teaching strategies that the teacher
uses.
6. Describe the interaction that is taking place between the teacher and the
learners, among the teachers, and in the school in general.
7. What instructional materials and learning resources are they using?
8. Interview the teacher or principal about the curriculum. Find out the
curriculum goals. You can use the questions found on the Analysis part of
this activity.
Observation Report
Name of the School Observed: School in Mountain Village of Tenous in Lake
Sebu in Southern Philippine Island
As I read about the article about the Indigenous people online, I learned
the education of the T’boli tribe. It’s barely passable to vehicles but every day,
boys and girls of elementary age walk this way to get to school here in the far-
flung mountain village of Tenuous, in Lake Sebu in the Southern Philippine island
of Mindanao. The school is a tattered hut with small wooden tables and chairs.
There is a two-room concrete shelter, which serves as both a library and the
school coordinator’s office. This community school is the second home for some
90 kids of the T’boli tribe, one of the largest indigenous people’s groups in
southern Philippines. The school seeks to preserve the culture of the tribe by
inculcating in the children the importance of knowing their cultural identity and
rich heritage.

According to Juliana a student from Tenous, to maximize their learning,

they are allowed to learn in their mother tongue. And because of that it builds a
good understanding between them and their teacher. The teacher uses a
chalkboard and visual aids as instructional material and learning resources. Most
of their topics is all about their culture and tradition because they want to
preserve their culture by passing all the knowledge about their tribe’s culture and
tradition to the young generation. Aside from that they also have Filipino and
English subjects, this can help them to adopt in the modern academic studies.

ANALYZE

Curriculum Design, Answer each question based on your

Competencies, and Content observation interview data.
1. Does the school foster a sense of Yes, because most of the topics they’re
belonging to one's ancestral domain,
a deep understanding of the
community's beliefs and practices?
Cite examples
2. Does the school show respect of
the community's expression of
spirituality? How?
3. Does a school foster in the
indigenous learners a deep
appreciation of their identity? How?
4. Does the curriculum teach skills
and competencies in the indigenous
learners that will help them develop
and protect their ancestral domain
and culture?
5. Does the curriculum link new
concepts and competencies to the
life experience of the community?
6. Do the teaching strategies help
strengthen, enrich and complement
the community's indigenous
teaching-process?
7. Does the curriculum maximize the
use of the ancestral domain and
activities of the community as
relevant settings for learning in
combination with classroom-based
sessions? Cite examples.
8. Is cultural sensitivity to uphold
culture, beliefs and practices,
observed and applied in the
development and use of instructional
materials and learning resources?
How? (For example, Culture bearers
of the Indigenous Peoples are
consulted.)
being taught to them are all about their
Tribe’s culture, practices, beliefs and
traditions and that is to preserve their
tribes. Example of this is the students are
being taught about the different types of
their tribe’s ritual and dances.
Yes, the school shows respect to the
community’s expression of spirituality by
before starting the class they will have
first a prayer, a prayer which the T’bolis
have.
Yes, the school fosters in the indigenous
learners a deep appreciation of their
identity by teaching the student on how
important their own culture, practices,
beliefs and traditions for that is their own
unique identity.
Yes, through the teaching of, on how
important their tribe’s culture, practices,
beliefs and traditions are. By that means
they will be motivated to pass it also to the
young generation.
Yes, because they are also allowed to
meet new people which can help them to
learn new way of life that will become
useful for their life experience in the
community.
Yes, even though their process of
education is not formal, they are able to
learn little by little and gained enough
learning and knowledge to enrich and
complement the community's indigenous
teaching-process.
Yes, because the students are not just
studying inside the four corners of their
classroom, they are also studying outside
to learn from their environment.
Yes, because the teachers are very
responsible for teaching their student
about their Tribe’s culture, practices,
beliefs and traditions. They also used
instructional materials and learning
resources that is fitted to what they are
teaching that is also present in the
community.

9. Do assessment practices consider Yes, the assessment practices consider

community values and culture?? community values and culture by,
How? students are required to demonstrate their
tribe’s ritual, dances or play instrument as
their practical activity.

10. Do assessment processes Yes, because creativity is present to their

include application of higher order assessment processes which include in
thinking skills? the higher order thinking skills. They have
the sense of leadership that obligates
them to pass all of their knowledge to the
young generation
 What do you think can still be done to promote and uphold the indigenous
people’s knowledge system and practices and rights in schools?

 I think we should include the indigenous knowledge to be taught

and learned in the regular school. By this many will be inspired to
learn about the different types of tribe’s culture, practices, beliefs
and traditions. Also, the indigenous community needs to have fund
support to the government for them to construct school facilities
and materials for their education. We cannot disregard indigenous
peoples; knowledge for they are our nation’s unique identity.

REFLECT

Reflect based on your actual visit or videos that you watched.

1. What new things did you learn about indigenous peoples?

 I learned that, an Indigenous study is an important subject.
It's about broadening the human story, and ensuring all cultures are
recognized equally. It is also an excellent choice for students who
want to play their part in creating a safe and more prosperous world
for all peoples.
2. What did you appreciate most from your experience in visiting the school
with indigenous learners? Why?
 I appreciate more about, on how they value and loved their own
culture, practices, beliefs and traditions, because it’s all that matters
to treasure what you have and be proud of it because you know
that it is a gift from your ancestors and having that gift makes all of
you unique and have your own identity.
3. For indigenous learners, as future a teacher, I promise these three things:
 I am going to respect their culture, practices, beliefs and traditions. I
will treat them equally without biases because I know that we are all
equal.
 I am going to support advocacy that promotes the indigenous study
to be part of the study in regular schools.
 I am going to make them feel that they are belong that they are not
to be left behind.

SHOW Your Learning Artifacts

With the principle of individual differences in mind, what methods and

strategies will you remember in the future to ensure that you will be able to meet
the needs of both the high and the low achievers in your class? Make a collection
of strategies on how to address the students' different ability levels.

 In the future as I will be teaching in the next generation. One of the

strategies that I will use is treating my students fairly. I will not move
on to the next topic, if the low achiever learners didn’t understand to
previous lesson. I will not also discriminate both of them that can
make their self confidence down. I will treat them fair because all of
them deserve equal treatment.
 In order to cope up with individual differences, we should be aware
of the student diversity so that we can prepare ourselves to meet
the student’s expectations from the teacher.
LINK Theory to Practice

Directions: Read the items given below and encircle the correct answer.

1. Which statement on student diversity is CORRECT?

A. The teacher must do his/her best to reduce student diversity in class.
B. The less the diversity of students in class, the better for the teacher
and students.
CC. The teacher should accept and value diversity.

D. Student diversity is purely due to students' varied cultures.

2. Which student thinking/behavior indicates that he/she values diversity?
A. He/She regards his culture as superior to other's cultures.
B. He/She regards his culture as inferior to other's cultures.
CC. He/She accepts the fact that all people are unique in their own way.
D. He/She emphasizes the differences among people and disregard their
commonalities.
3. What is a teaching-learning implication of student diversity?
A. Compare students.
BB. Make use of a variety of teaching and assessment methods and
activities.
C. Do homogeneous grouping for group activities.
D. Develop different standards for different student groups
4. All are features of the Indigenous Peoples Education Curriculum, EXCEPT
A. Affirms and strengthen indigenous cultural identity
BB. Makes education exclusive to the indigenous culture
C. Revitalizes, regenerates and enriches IKSPS and indigenous
languages
D. Anchors the learning context on the ancestral domain, the community's
world view, and its indigenous cultural institutions
5. All are best practices in using learning resources for indigenous learnees,
EXCEPT
AA. Culturally generated learning resources only include indigenous groups
artifacts, stories, dances, songs, and musical instruments.
B. The language used in instructional materials, especially in primary
years, which highlight mother tongue, is consulted with the indigenous
community.
C. Cultural sensitivity and protocols are observed un development and
use of instructional materials
D. The indigenous community's property rights are upheld in publishing
learning resources.
6. All are best practices for assessment in Indigenous Peoples Education
Framework, EXCEPT
 A. Including the practice of competencies in actual community and family
situations
B. Applying higher-order thinking skills and integrative understanding
across subject areas
C
C. Using international context in the assessment standards and content
faithfully without modification
D. Including community-generated assessment process that are part of
indigenous learning system
7. Read the following comments by the teacher. Which of these comments
will most likely make a child try harder, rather than give up?
A. Sinuwerte ka ngayon dito sa test, ha?
B. Hindi ka talaga magaling dito sa paksang ito, 'no?
C. Nakikita ko na kailangan mong maglaan ng mas mahabang panahon
C
sa paksang ito para lubos mong maunawaan ito.
D. Nahihirapan ka sa paksang ito. Maari kitang tulungan.
8. Which of the following demonstrates differentiated instruction?
AA. The teacher groups the learners by their ability level and makes the
groups work with the same topic but assigns different task appropriate
for each group to accomplish
B. The teacher divides the class into three heterogeneous groups and
assigns the same activity for each group to work on.
C. The teacher groups the learners by their ability level and assigns
different content topics for the groups to work on.
D. The teacher groups learners by ability levels and assigns each group a
different tack on the same topic, and then requests three different
teachers, each to assess one of the groups
9. Which teaching practice gives primary consideration to individual
differences?
AA. Allowing children to show that they learned the stages of mitosis in a
waw where they feel most comfortable.
B. Allowing children to show that they learned the stages of mitosis in a
way where they feel most comfortable except lecturing.
C. Preparing two different sets of examination, one for the fast learners
and another for the slow learners.
D. Applying two sets of different standards