Republic of the Philippines

LA CARLOTA CITY COLLEGE

La Carlota City, Negros Occidental
Telefax (034) 4602-303; Email: lcctcollege@yahoo.com
http://www.lacarlotacitycollege

The significance of the four macro-skills in conducting a remedial instruction class:

Why should it be implemented in Philippine classrooms?

“In Partial Fulfillment of the Course

English 32: Remedial Instruction in English”

Trillanes, Roxanne Joy A.

BSEd English 2E

July 31,2023
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 Republic of the Philippines
LA CARLOTA CITY COLLEGE
La Carlota City, Negros Occidental
Telefax (034) 4602-303; Email: lcctcollege@yahoo.com
http://www.lacarlotacitycollege

Abstract:

This paper examines the significance of the four macro-skills in conducting a remedial instruction class here in the
schools of the Philippines,focusing on how these skills could have a significant impact on learning outcomes and promote
student growth. At this time, based on World Bank estimates, learning poverty in the Philippines is at 90.9 percent as of
June 2022. Learning poverty is defined as the percentage of children aged 10 who cannot read or understand a simple story.
"If we don’t do a massive academic recovery program, we will see a much worse number for our assessments because
during the pre-pandemic, it was already dismal," Gatchalian said. (With a report from Leonel Abasola/PNA) These students
faced numerous learning and comprehension obstacles, including a lack of exposure to face-to-face classes because of the
past pandemic. This research also aims to investigate why it should be implemented in Philippine classrooms. It addresses
possible issues and offers suggestions for enhancing the remedial class's efficiency and caliber. Incorporating evidence from
reviews, research, and news, this study demonstrates that the four macro-skills play a huge role in conducting an effective
remedial instruction class.

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 Republic of the Philippines
LA CARLOTA CITY COLLEGE
La Carlota City, Negros Occidental
Telefax (034) 4602-303; Email: lcctcollege@yahoo.com
http://www.lacarlotacitycollege

In order to assist learners who are falling behind compared to other students in a particular academic subject,
remedial instruction is a crucial component of the school system. These courses or lectures provide particular instruction
and focused attention to close gaps in knowledge, thereby enhancing students' general academic performance. This term
paper's major goal is to investigate or discover the significance of the four macro-skills in conducting a remedial instruction
class, why they should be implemented in Philippine classrooms, and the benefits they might offer to students who are
having academic difficulties.

Because so many children experienced learning difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, remedial programs are
growing throughout the world. Younger children's remedial programs typically concentrate on subjects such as math and
reading. Programs for older children could cover additional subjects, including social studies and scientific research.

Remedial instruction focuses on academic weaknesses that may form obstacles to learning. It can be given one-on-
one or in groups. It aims to close the educational gap among students and what is expected of them. The advantages of
remedial lessons may include laying the groundwork for more in-depth study of a subject. They review the four macro-skills
—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—which make up the fundamental competencies.

When we learn a language, a subject, or, in our case, take remedial instruction classes, there are four macro-skills
that we need for successful learning: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It is important for us to learn and use these
four skills in order to comprehend and learn our lessons. We usually listen first, then we learn to speak, then we learn how
to read, and lastly, we learn how to write.

The first macro-skill, listening, is giving attention to a sound or action. When listening, a person hears what others
are saying and tries to understand what it means. The second macro-skill is speaking, it is the delivery of language through
the mouth. The third macro-skill is Reading, it is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc.,
especially by sight or touch. Lastly, Writing, it is a cognitive and social activity involving neuropsychological and
physical processes and the use of writing systems to structure and translate human thoughts into persistent representations
of human language.

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 Listening and speaking are oral skills. Reading and writing are literacy skills. Each week teachers should include
some activities which focus on developing the students’ oral skills (e.g. pair and group interactions and games) and some
activities which focus on literacy skills (e.g. reading and analyzing texts and then students write their own).

The four skills can also be grouped another way. Listening and reading are receptive skills since learners need to
process and understand language being communicated to them in spoken or written form. Speaking and writing are known
as productive skills since learners need to produce language to communicate their ideas in either speech or text. (Teaching
Language, 2021)

What is the significance of the four macro-skills in conducting a remedial instruction class? These skills play an
important role in conducting a remedial instruction class as they enable people to convey their thoughts clearly across a
variety of contexts and audiences. Each skill has a specific use and advances a language learner's overall competency. For
instance, reading enables people to learn new things, whereas writing enables them to share their thoughts and opinions.
Speaking and listening are crucial for establishing connections with others and participating in social activities. Furthermore,
mastering the aforementioned skills may culminate in more fulfillment and possibilities in personal as well as professional
settings.

But that is not all. The four macro-skills are vital for academic achievement since they are needed for understanding
educational materials, composing research papers, attending classes, and engaging in class discussions. Students who excel
in these fields are more likely to fully understand, remember, and achieve success in their studies. Employers place a great
value on good communication abilities, and the four macro-skills are necessary for success in the workplace, especially for
us future educators. Strong reading, writing, listening, and speaking abilities make us future educators better able to
comprehend and carry out job obligations, work with our co-educators, and interact with students and their parents. The
four macro-skills are crucial for personal development as well as academic and professional success. They can aid people in
communicating more clearly, comprehending and empathizing with others, and having meaningful connections with
individuals from different communities. The four macro-skills help improve cultural awareness and understanding. People
can learn about many cultures and viewpoints and develop a broader awareness of the world through reading, writing,
listening to, and speaking in other languages.

Why should the four macro-skills be implemented in the Philippine classroom? It is crucial to implement the four
macro-skills in Philippine schools for a number of reasons. The advancement of English proficiency is the primary reason.
English serves as one of the primary languages in the multilingual nation of the Philippines. Students can increase their
proficiency in English by working on the four macro-skills, which will give them more chances in the global community. The
second is getting ready for college. Success in the many English-taught degree programs offered in the Philippines requires
mastery of the four macro-skills. The classroom can better prepare pupils for higher education by using these abilities. Third
on the list is workforce readiness. The four macro-skills are crucial for effective interaction in the workplace and are

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required by many companies in the Philippines. Students are more prepared for success in the workforce by learning these
skills in the classroom. Fourthly, improve critical thinking. The four macro-skills are crucial for critical thinking as well as
linguistic ability. Students are exposed to a range of ideas and perspectives through writing, listening, speaking, and reading
activities, which could further develop their critical thinking abilities. Lastly, there is the promotion of cultural
understanding. The Philippines is a multicultural nation, and teaching students the four macro-skills can help them
appreciate and comprehend other cultures. Students can develop greater openness and empathy for others by learning
about numerous backgrounds and viewpoints through the use of writing, listening, speaking, and reading exercises.

The four macro-skills are not just four simple skills that are needed to be taught in school; they serve as a guide or
assistant to students in facing their future endeavors. The four macro-skills are significant when conducting a remedial
instruction class. And its implementation in Philippine classrooms should be fully supported to help our youth. Students
who struggle with these abilities could find it challenging to comprehend and remember information, express themselves
clearly, and interact with others.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the four macro-skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking—are crucial to
the success of a remedial instruction course. These skills are foundational and necessary for learning and academic success,
and they also contribute to the development of 21st century skills, cultural awareness, and professional development.
Developing these skills can improve academic performance, enhance personal development, prepare students for the
workforce, enhance digital literacy, and provide access to global opportunities.

Furthermore, including the four macro-skills in Philippine classrooms is critical for preparing students for
international rivalry. Being proficient in English, one of the official languages of the Philippines, can lead to higher learning
opportunities, job opportunities, and cross-cultural interactions. Students can improve their English proficiency and their
readiness for success in a global environment by developing these abilities in the classroom. Overall, the application of the
four macro-skills in remedial instruction classes and classrooms in the Philippines can help kids progress academically and
personally while also fostering an accepting and culturally conscious community.

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 Republic of the Philippines
LA CARLOTA CITY COLLEGE
La Carlota City, Negros Occidental
Telefax (034) 4602-303; Email: lcctcollege@yahoo.com
http://www.lacarlotacitycollege

References:

ENGLISH 58: Language, culture and society. Module 1: Lesson 1: Language. The four macro-skills.

Teaching Language: Macro-skills. (n.d.). Teaching Language: Macro-skills.

https://www.indigoz.com.au/language/teachmacro.html

Listening - Wikipedia. (2018, December 5). Listening - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listening

What is Speaking? | Speaking | EnglishClub. (n.d.). What Is Speaking? | Speaking | EnglishClub.

https://www.englishclub.com/speaking/what-is-speaking.php#:~:text=Speaking%20is%20the%20delivery%20of,Listening

Reading - Wikipedia. (2013, June 20). Reading - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading

Writing - Wikipedia. (2022, October 1). Writing - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writing