Republic of the Philippines

NORTHERN ILOILO STATE UNIVERSITY

Concepcion Campus
D. B. Oñate Street, Poblacion, Concepcion, Iloilo
nipscconcepcion@nipsc.edu.ph

LESSON 2: TEACHING FOR MEANING AND ACCURACY

Lesson Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, students are expected to

 understand and differentiate teaching for meaning and accuracy

 know and differentiate the most common teaching methods in language instruction-whole-to-
part, part-to-whole, and balanced method:
 analyze various instructional activities: and
 create instructional activities using the competencies from DepEd's Curriculum Guide of Mother
Tongue

Introduction

When you teach the language macro skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and viewing, you are
responsible in helping the learners build the competences (and confidence) In using these macro skills
meaningfully and accurately. This is called as a "balanced teaching method".

According to Malone (2000), a balance teaching method allows learners to successfully learn a language
by;

Focusing on the parts of the language (teaching for accuracy); and Focusing on the whole text (teaching
for meaning)

Teaching for Accuracy

Accurate reading requires students to be able to pronounce written words correctly. Correct
pronunciation of a word allows the young reader to access its meaning from their existing oral
vocabulary – the words they use and recognise in spoken language. Accurate word reading is
dependent on the ability to decode words efficiently and the process of ‘orthographic
mapping’. Briefly, when we decode a word, we use knowledge of the relationships between
letters (graphemes) and speech sounds (phonemes) and blend them together in the correct
order to form a word. Initially, students do this in a conscious way, sound by sound — ‘sounding
the word out’. After they have decoded a word multiple times and stored it in their memory, it
becomes a ‘sight word’, according to Ehri’s definition: familiar words that can be accessed by
memory.

Teaching for accuracy in Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB MLE) involves
focusing on language precision and correctness while considering the cultural and linguistic
context. Here are key strategies:

1. Language Structure: Emphasize the correct usage of grammar, syntax, and sentence
structure in the mother tongue. Provide clear explanations and examples to help
students understand the rules.
2. Vocabulary Development: Foster a rich vocabulary by introducing and reinforcing words
in context. Encourage students to use words accurately, expanding their language
repertoire.
3. Pronunciation and Phonetics: Pay attention to accurate pronunciation and phonetics.
Use listening and speaking activities to refine students' pronunciation skills, ensuring
they communicate clearly.
4. Spelling and Writing Conventions: Teach spelling rules and writing conventions specific
to the mother tongue. Incorporate regular writing exercises to reinforce accurate
spelling and proper sentence construction.
5. Cultural Sensitivity: Integrate cultural elements into language instruction, ensuring that
accuracy extends to cultural nuances and expressions. This helps students communicate
with cultural authenticity.
6. Correct Usage of Idioms and Expressions: Teach idiomatic expressions and common
phrases within the cultural context. Ensure students understand when and how to use
them accurately.
7. Interactive Language Practice: Engage students in interactive language activities such as
dialogues, debates, and discussions. This allows them to practice accurate language use
in communicative situations.
8. Feedback and Correction: Provide timely and constructive feedback on students'
language use. Offer corrections with explanations, encouraging them to learn from
mistakes and refine their language skills.
9. Modeling Language Accuracy: Model accurate language use through your own
communication. Serve as an example for proper pronunciation, grammar, and
vocabulary, creating a language-rich learning environment.
 10. Assessment for Language Accuracy: Design assessments that specifically evaluate
language accuracy. Include tasks that require students to demonstrate their
understanding of grammar rules, vocabulary usage, and proper language conventions.

Teaching for accuracy in MTB MLE not only ensures linguistic correctness but also supports the
preservation and appreciation of the mother tongue. It contributes to effective communication
while maintaining cultural authenticity.

Teaching for Meaning

Teaching for meaning involves strategies that prioritize students' understanding and
comprehension of the content being taught. This approach goes beyond rote memorization,
emphasizing deep comprehension, critical thinking, and the application of knowledge. Key
aspects of teaching for meaning include:

1. Relevance: Connecting lessons to real-life scenarios or students' experiences to make

the content meaningful and relatable.
2. Contextualization: Placing concepts in a broader context to help students understand
how they fit into the bigger picture.
3. Active Engagement: Encouraging active participation, discussions, and activities that
prompt students to think critically and apply their understanding.
4. Application of Knowledge: Focusing on how students can apply what they learn to solve
problems, make decisions, or create something new.
5. Conceptual Understanding: Emphasizing the underlying concepts and principles rather
than just memorizing facts, fostering a deeper level of understanding.
6. Questioning Techniques: Using open-ended questions that stimulate thinking,
encourage reflection, and prompt students to explore different perspectives.
7. Interdisciplinary Connections: Integrating content from different subjects to show the
interconnectedness of knowledge and promote a holistic understanding.
8. Varied Instructional Methods: Employing a mix of instructional methods, such as hands-
on activities, group discussions, and multimedia, to cater to diverse learning styles and
enhance comprehension.
9. Feedback and Reflection: Providing constructive feedback that helps students
understand their strengths and areas for improvement, fostering a culture of continuous
learning.
10. Assessment for Understanding: Designing assessments that go beyond testing
memorization, evaluating students' ability to apply concepts, analyze information, and
demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the material.
Teaching for meaning aims to develop students who not only grasp the content but also can
critically think about, apply, and appreciate the knowledge they acquire. It lays the foundation
for lifelong learning and encourages students to see the relevance of education in their lives.

Summary

Malone (2001) compared the three teaching methods that are used in teaching language i in
the early years: the Part-to-Whole, the whole-to-Part, and the Balanced Methods.

Dr. Susan Malone began her career in mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB MLE)
in Papua New Guinea (PNG) under the auspices of SIL International, a non-governmental
organization. Review her abbreviated curriculum vitae. More information about Dr. Malone’s
focus and approach can be found in our blog post, “Redirecting the Spotlight.”

Part-to-Whole is a teaching method in which instruction begins with the most basic unit of
language learning and works up to more complex aspects of language learning. More attention
is given to skill-development through drills, and less attention is given to constructing meaning
through language. For example, the teacher provides premium in the practice of forming
letters, spelling words, and copying text.

On the other hand, the Whole-to-Part teaching method emphasizes the Importance of the
learners' understanding of the context in which the language is used. This teaching method
emphasizes the importance of meaning, construction in the learners' use of his or her language.
The use of Big Book activity is to make the learners understand the story with the aid of the big
Book.

Balanced Method is the combination of the two methods described above. Below are selected
Instructional activities that are believed to be examples of the use of the balanced method.

Assessment

Let us check your understanding of teaching for meaning and accuracy. Read and understand
the enumerated actual language classroom activities. Identify the focus of the instruction. Write
(TA) in the blank if the activity highlights accuracy, and (TM) if the activity highlights meaning.

1. A student is shown a sequence of pictures and she will be asked to tell the story.

2. A student draws a picture of her favorite place and she tells the class about it.
3. A student follows dotted lines to form letters.

4. A student matches the sound to its letter counterpart.

Try to identify the activity that is being described in nos. 1 to 3. Use the list shown below.

a. shared reading

b interactive read aloud

c. guided reading

d. independent reading

e. shared writing

Activity description Write your answer here

1.Teachers select a Big Book that is

slightly above the level of most students
in the class. Teachers and students read
out loud, together. Often, the text
contains rhyming words or patterns that
are predictable for students to read with
the teacher. The teacher can cover up
certain parts of the text (a letter, a word,
or a phrase) to have students predict
what makes sense based on the skill
being covered.

2.The students will read the same

book appropriate to their reading level.

The teacher introduces the book, points
out vocabulary words and allows the
students to do a picture walk. Then,
students wil have to read the book on
their own, at their own pace while the
teacher listens and assists. The teacher
prepares a compre hension check
afterwards.

3.The class collaboratively creates a

written work. The teacher models the
writing and the students help in
composing it The teacher models a
range of skills like grammar, phonics,
punctuation, spelling and the writing
process itself.
References:

https://chat.openai.com/c/e8539909-b882-4ad4-bab7-dd8c77431fbc

Alata, E.J.P., Ferrer, R.M, Lim, J.M.A, Santos, A.M.P. V., Content and Pedagogy for Mother Tongue,
edition 2020, Rex Book Store Inc. (RBSI) pages 65-69, retrieved on February 07 2024