REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
REGION VI- WESTERN VISAYAS
DIVISION OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
DISTRICT OF BINALBAGAN I
S.Y.2020-2021
STUDY NOTEBOOK
LEARNING DELIVERY MODALITIES COURSE 2
MODULE 2 (THE MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCIES)

MA. KHULYN C. ALVAREZ

TEACHER I

LESSON 1- ACTIVITY 1

Answer the following reflective questions in your Study Notebook.

1. The closure of schools around the world due to the global pandemic posed serious
challenges on the delivery of quality basic education. As a teacher, what do you think are the
fundamental concerns in terms of curriculum standards that need to be addressed in order to
ensure learning continuity? Cite a specific example. Do you think these concerns could be
solved by teachers alone? Why or why not?
Answer:

The disruption caused by Covid-19 has force the education to adopt in a new
normal sitting. It also posed serious challenges on the delivery of quality of basic
education. Real change in education comes with changes in the content that
teachers teach, students learn and the instructional methods that teachers use. Both
curriculum and instruction in turn are shaped by expectations about the kinds of
educational outcomes that students should manifest by the time they graduated to
ensure learning continuity.
First, to ensure learning continuity and to achieve curriculum standard prescribe
by the Deped, the teachers should be equipped with enough knowledge or skills to
apply the different standard. Teachers should be skilled in choosing assessment
methods appropriate for instructional decisions, skilled in developing assessment
methods, administering, scoring and interpreting the results of both externally-
produced and teacher produce assessment methods, skilled in communicating
assessment results to students, parents and other educators.
Second, streamlining of K-12 curriculum into the Most Essential Learning
Competencies (MELC), using the different learning modalities in the new normal
education and implementation of the LCP or Learning continuity plan. By
streamlining the learning competencies to the most essential, we will be able to
focus more on the learning activities and resources, while having sufficient time for
coverage and mastery. Through the adaptation of different learning modalities,
teachers must be able to deliver the learning and have options on how to give proper
education to the Filipino learners.
These concerns should not only be solved by teachers but as well as by the help
of our school head, supervisor and other stakeholders.

2. Even prior to the spread of COVID-19 that eventually led to the closure of schools
nationwide, the congested curriculum has been a perennial problem of teachers (Andaya,
2018). This is perceived to be one of the hindering factors on the poor performance of Filipino
learners. Do you agree with this observation? Why or why not?
Answer:
 The congestion of the curriculum affects the performance of pupils that result or
may lead to underperformance among pupils. The increasing demands on the
curriculum, teachers and students to such a degree that either they fail to teach the
basics and essentials in our schools or we offload a lot of these to outside of school
time. The curriculum becomes overloaded and education is the first casualty.
I do agree that congested curriculum result to poor performance among students.
Not only do we now have to contend with the problem of an overloaded curriculum, the
constant demands change teaching practices and adaptation to new and apparently
improved forms of pedagogy and so forth mean that there is a growing sense of
frustration with constant change in many schools.
However, in school environment that are disadvantaged, poorly resourced and
poor staffed, the effects of an overloaded curriculum and the desire to keep up with this
or the latest techniques and pedagogy or technology may lead to genuine crisis.

LESSON 1- ACTIVITY 2

Familiarize yourself with the course reading on the Development and Design of
the MELCs. After going through the document, provide a brief and concise response to
the following guide questions. Write your answers in your Study Notebook.

1. What are the general and specific purposes of the development of MELCs?
Answer:

In the Philippines, ensuring the welfare of more than 27 million learners in basic
education alone requires indomitable commitment especially amidst this crisis.
However, UNESCO reiterates its stand in spite of the circumstances: “Education cannot
wait. If learning stops, we will lose human capital.” Meeting the needs of the most
vulnerable populations during these times is essential to achieving SDG4 (UNESCO,
2017).
The Department echoes UNESCO’s belief that educational quality, access, and
system strengthening cannot be compromised in times of crisis (UNESCO, 2017) and
that doing the opposite will negatively affect human capital. Thus, the Department of
Education affirms its commitment to sustaining the delivery of quality, accessible,
relevant, and liberating Philippine basic education services anchored on the Sulong
Edukalidad framework. It will continue to strive to produce holistic Filipino learners with
21st century skills. Consequently, the Bureau of Curriculum Development ensures that
learning standards are relevant and flexible to address the complex, disruptive, volatile,
and ambiguous impact of COVID-19 in the Philippines particularly in the basic education
sector.
Working on the said premise, the Department came up with the Most Essential
Learning Competencies (MELCs) to be used nationwide by field implementers for SY
2020-2021. The release of the MELCs is not just a response to addressing the
challenges of the current pandemic but is also part of the Department’s long-term
response to the call of SDG4 to develop resilient education systems, most especially
during emergencies.

2. How does curriculum review aid in the identification of essential learning competencies?
Answer:

The Department, through the Bureau of Curriculum Development–Curriculum

Standards Development Division, in collaboration with the Assessment Curriculum
and Technology Research Centre (ACTRC), started working on the identification of
essential learning competencies in the middle of 2019 as part of its review of the
intended curriculum. Bureau specialists, academic experts, and field implementers
worked together to reach a consensus regarding the criteria to be used and
mechanisms to adopt in determining these competencies.
 Initiated by Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones, the K to 12 curriculum reviews is
not just meant to fulfil one of the provisions of Republic Act 105333 to review the
curriculum, but is also part of her continuing commitment to ensure quality, relevant,
and liberating education. After the four phases of curriculum review are completed, the
Secretary will convene the Curriculum Consultative Committee to present the findings
as provided for in Section 6 of the same Republic Act.
The review focused on articulation within and across learning areas and grade
levels, which led to the identification of gaps, issues, and concerns. Moreover, areas
for improvement that would enhance the learning engagement, experience, and
outcomes were identified and consequent solutions were recommended.

3. What is the difference betweenessential learning competencies and desirable learning

competencies?
Answer:
Essential learning competencies were defined as what the students need,
considered indispensable, in the teaching-learning process to build skills to equip
learners for subsequent grade levels and consequently, for lifelong learning. On the
other hand, desirable learning competencies were defined as what may enhance
education but may not be necessary in building foundational skills.
As the Department anticipates the challenges in employing various schemes in
the delivery of the learning standards due to COVID-19, the number of the identified
essential learning competencies per quarter were further reduced, thus the term “most
essential learning competencies.”

4. How where the most essential learning competencies identified? What were the decisions
made in order to trim down the number of essential learning competencies further?
Answer:

In determining the criteria for the selection of the MELCs, the Department
collaborated with stakeholders from ACTRC, during which the descriptor –
ENDURANCE – was considered the primary determining factor. A learning competency
is considered enduring if it remains with learners long after a test or unit of study is
completed or if it is useful beyond a single test or unit of study. Examples of such
learning competencies include research skills, reading comprehension, writing, map
reading, and hypothesis testing, which are essential in many professions and in
everyday life (Reeves, 2002; Many & Horrell, 2014). The Department then identified the
MELCs across all learning areas through the application of these understandings.
Necessary in this process is the decision whether a learning competency is to be
retained, merged, dropped, or rephrased.

5. What is the importance of the MELCs in ensuring the delivery of quality instruction?
Answer:

The MELCs can be used under similar circumstances as a mechanism to ensure

education continuity (curriculum dimension). However, releasing the MELCs does not
downplay the standards set by the K to 12 curriculum guides. Rather, they serve as one
of the guides for teachers as they address the instructional needs of learners while
ensuring that curriculum standards are maintained and achieved. Furthermore, the
MELCs intend to assist schools in navigating the limited number of school days as they
employ multiple delivery schemes by providing them ample instructional space.

LESSON 1- ACTIVITY 3

Prepare a copy of your learning area’s original K-12 Curriculum Guide and
corresponding list of MELCs.
Go to the sections of the curriculum guide and MELCs that are relevant to your
instructional needs. Copy and accomplish the following table in your Study Notebook
 and compare the two documents to determine which learning competencies were
retained, dropped, or merged.

K-12 Learning MELCs

Competencies
a. Visualizes,represents
Merged/ Clustered and counts numbers from 0
(Math 6- Q2) to 100 using a variety of
materials and methods.
b. identifies the number that
is one more or one less from
a given number.
1. is able to
recognize, represent,
and order whole
numbers up to 100
and money up to
PhP100 in various
forms and contexts.

a. regroups sets of ones into compares two sets using the

Retained sets of tens and sets of tens expressions “less than,”
(Math 6-Q2) into hundreds using objects. “more than,” and “as many as”
b. compares two sets using and orders sets from least to
greatest and vice versa.
the expressions “less than,”
“more than,” and “as many
as” and orders sets from least
to greatest and vice versa.
illustrates addition as
Dropped “putting together or n/a
(Math 6- Q2) combining or joining sets”.

LESSON 1- ACTIVITY 4

In your LAC Session, discuss and share your answers to Activities 1-3 in
this lesson. Discuss any questions about the MELCs that need clarification as
well. Share your thoughts and let your co-teachers articulate their insights
regarding your questions. Jot down all the insights shared in the discussion,
including your own, in your Study Notebook.

*(Done sharing with the group during the LAC Session)

LESSON 2- ACTIVITY 1

Familiarize yourself with the course reading on Unpacking and Combining the
MELCs. After reading the document, provide a brief and concise response to the
following guide questions in your Study Notebook:

1. What is the importance of unpacking and combining the MELCs?

Answer:

It is important to unpack and combine the MELCs in order to

sytematize learning activities and effectively address the varying needs of
learners and the challenges of instructional deliveries.
 2. What considerations must be taken in unpacking and combining the MELCs? Explain
each.
Answer:

a. Alignment on the content and performance standard.

The MELCs are not a departure from the standards- based design,
which is one of the main features of the K-12 Curriculum. In fact, there are no
MELCs without the content and performance standards.

b. Prerequisite knowldege and skills

It is worth noting that identified MELCs cater to higher- order
cognitiveDemand may be considered first in creating learning objectives. This
ensures that prerequisite knowledge and skills that would enable the
achievement of MELCs, and eventually the content and performance standards,
are addressed.

c. Logical sequence of learning objectives

Since the intention of unpacking the MELCs is to provide systematic
learning experiences for learners, it is incumbent that the unpacked learning
objectives follow a logical sequence.

3. Do all the MELCs need to be unpacked or combined? Why or why not?

Answer:

Yes, All the MELCs need to be unpacked and combined because it intend to
provide instructional space among field partners/implementers to deliver quality
instruction amidst the limited learning modalities and shortening of the school year.
Likewise, the release of the MELCs does not confine teachers in navigating the
peculiarities of the learning landscapes. Just like in the pre-COVID years, you are highly
encouraged to unpack the curriculum standards into learning objectives through the
MELCs, in order to systematize learning activities and effectively address the varying
needs of learners and the challenges of instructional deliveries.

LESSON 2- ACTIVITY 2

1. Form a group of four members within your LAC, preferably with fellow teachers in your
respective learning area.
2. Using the curriculum guide and a list of the MELCs, choose MELCs in the first quarter
and unpack these into learning objectives.
3. Each team will present their unpacked learning objectives. Discussion and processing
will follow each presentation. Suggestions and insights from each group will be consider
in enhancing the learning objectives.

Repeat the above process but instead of unpacking, each team will now
combine at least two MELCs of their choice. Group deliberation will be observed in
order to arrive at a consensus. Discuss and jot down the synthesis of the presentations
in your Study Notebook.
LESSON 2- ACTIVITY 3

Submit your Activity 2 Outputs to your LAC Leader. Make sure to keep a copy of your
outputs.

*(Submitted the output to the LAC Leader)