CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE

I Introduction

This chapter presents the related literature and studies after the thorough and in-

depth search done by the researchers. A literature review provided context for the

proposed study and demonstrated why it was important and timely to study this

phenomenon (Rudestam & Newton, 2007). While educational transformation takes

place at all different levels, a closer look was needed to address how students react on

the implementation of the elective classes with curriculum reform. Understanding the

participants in the implementation was significant to this study.

This literature review contains of three contains:

 The first section contains the explanation of the Six special program in

foreign languages.

 The second section contains the screening process and admission

 The studies and literature connect to the present study

Six Special in Foreign Language

According to the Department of Education (DepEd), the Six Special Program in

Foreign Language is an offer to all public secondary schools nationwide. It is

implemented to provide learners with oppurtunities that will make them both

locally and internationally competitive. The said program helps learners develop

skills in listening, reading, writing, and viewing that are the fundamental in

acquiring communicative competence in a second foreign language.

Department of Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla clarifys that the special

program is open to Grades 7 10 12 who have demonstrated competence in

English and Filipino that are based on learners’ National Achievement Test (NAT)

results- and are capable of learning another foreign language,

“By the way ang mga kukunin lang natin na mga estudyante pala ay yung meorn

mastery ng English at Filipino. Hindi tayo kukuha ng mga estudyante na basta-

basta lamang merong interes o gusto. Idi-develop natin yung skills nila sa
listening, reading,writing and speaking or course. Yun kasi ang competenece na

kailangan ng isang bata para magkaroon ng second foreign language competency”

-DepEd Undersecretary, Annalyn Sevilla

Also in addition, Education Secretary Leonor Briones (2018) stated the following

, ’”the subject Filipino “remains to be in the core subjects in basic education while the

Panitikan Filipino subject serves as springboard for discussion of grammar lessons and

a way of strengthening the Filipino identity and culture. Additionally, Filipino continues to

be the medium of instruction for Araling-Panlipunan and Edukasyon sa Pagkakatao.

Aside from Filipino, the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) is also

being implemented in Kindergarten, Grade 1,2, and 2 in all public schools.”

The 1987 Philippine constitution also says that “government shall take steps to

initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as a medium of official communication and as a

language instruction in the educational system”.

Screening process and admission

By the statistics collected by DepEd, up to date there 10,526 SPRL students

nationwide-3,531 students of which are in Spanish language classes, 3,020 in

Japanese classes, 2,280 in Chinese classes, 1,112 in French classes, and 583 in

German classes.

There shall be at least one class per grade level with a maximum of 35 students

per class. This may vary with the enrolment and other attributes in each school.

Related studies and literatures

High School electives are typically courses that fall outside of the main core

academic subject areas (English, math, history, science and foreign language). These

courses are not required, but a student chooses to take them. Electives may reflect a

teen’s interests, introduce or improve skills, or be directly related to a future career.

Electives do not require as much time or work as a core course, but should include

educational content. If a letter grade will be given for the elective, a method of

evaluation should be decided prior to the beginning of the course (HSLDA organization

1983).
 The perceptions that students have in the classroom can be instrumental in the

development and restructuring of what that classroom could look like in the future. How

districts learn to develop the relationship with the student population, and begin to utilize

them as a partner in curriculum transformation, could strengthen the sustainability of

any curriculum reform initiative (Douglas D. 2013)

Elective programs can play a large role in our schools’ goals in preparing our

students for college and career. Being able to select classes reflects the same process

that they will see again in college (Wolpert-Gawron 2018)

“Prioritize multi-regional utility” Philippines should have treated it as Filipino as

English or Tagalog because it used to be the language of the intelligentsia and

language of the Philippine Revolution, hence should be integrated as a core part of the

basic education from Kindergarten or Grade 1. (Joseph A 2018)

Apart from the students , some parents and guardian of students have second thoughts

on the said Special Program. Some were questioning its necessity and other questions

its effectiveness.

Among the foreign languages implemented is Chinese according to the study

“The effective strategies of Implementing Chinese Elective Course in Senior High

Schools states that “The effectiveness of Chinese elective courses in senior high schoo
is low, and there are many reasons for this. It is our further reflection and study.

Therefore, the research on the effectiveness of the implementation of Chinese Elective

courses in high school cannot be proposed from only one aspect. It should be explored

and thought from all aspects”