Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Cordillera Administrative Region
Division of Abra
Tayum Difstrict
DON MARCOS ROSALESELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Patucannay, Tayum, Abra

Study Notebook
LEARNING DELIVERY MODALITIES COURSE 2

MODULE 2:
Most essential learning
competencies (MELCs)

MARILENE G. FIGARES
Teacher 1

MARILENE G. FIGARES
Teacher 1
LESSON 1: BACKGROUND, RATIONALE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF MELCS

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 address in
order to ensure learning continuity? Cite a specific example. Do you think these concerns
could be solve by teachers alone? Why or why not?

Answer:
As a teacher, I believe that narrowing down the learning competencies has become a big
factor in order to cope up amidst to this pandemic. No face-to-face learning, so how can we
achieve the competencies. In order to achieve this the Department of Education congested
the learning competencies. For example, the bulk competencies are unattainable of learners
because there is no direct learning from the teacher, they have to learn at their own space.
Teachers cannot solve these concerns alone, but with the collaboration and cooperation from
parents and stockholders, we can solve it.

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 perceive 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:
Yes, I agree. The congested curriculum has been the main concern of teachers. There is
no mastery of the skills among learners because of so many competencies to work on. Lack
of focus to the skills causes confusion and misunderstanding.
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?
The Department came up with the Most Essential Learning Competencies
(MELCs) to be use nationwide by field implementers for SY 2020-2021 to cope up with the
challenges. 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. What is the difference between essential learning competencies and desirable learning
competencies?
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.

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

The MELCs were identified according to the gaps, issues and concerns across learning
areas and grade levels. The decisions were made due to the limited number of school days
and the absence of face-to-face instructions at this time of pandemic. Hence, narrowing down
the learning competencies is the best option the DepEd has come up with.
 4. What is the importance of the MELCs in ensuring the delivery of quality instruction?
The MELCs serves as a guide for teachers in delivering quality of education to
learners. Without it there will be confusion as to what needs to be taught and achieve.

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 TO 12 LEARNING
MELCS
COMPETENCIES

1. Nasasabi na ang bawat bata Naiuugnay ang tungkulin at

ay may kinabibilangang gawain ng mga bumubuo ng
komunidad komunidad sa sarili at sariling
pamilya.
2. Nasasabi ang batayang AP2KOM-Ic-4
MERGED/CLUSTERE
impormasyon tungkol sa
D sariling komunidad:
pangalan ng komunidad;
lokasyon ( malapit sa tubig
o bundok, malapit sa bayan), mga
namumuno dito, populasyon, mga
wikang sinasalita, atbp
Naipaliliwanag ang kahalagahan Naipaliliwanag ang
ng “komunidad” AP2KOM-Ib-2 kahalagahan ng “komunidad”
RETAINED
AP2KOM-Ib-2

Nasasabi ang pagkakapareho at

pagkakaiba ng sariling n/a
DROPPED komunidad sa mga kaklase
AP2KOM-Ii-
9
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.

LESSON 2: UNPACKING AND COMBINING MELCS INTO LEARNING OBJECTIVES

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?

By unpacking and combining the MELCs, we now have a clear path forward. The teacher
may now unpack the MELCS into more specific learning competencies to ensure that learner
attains the necessary knowledge, skills and values.

2. What considerations must be taken in unpacking and combining the MELCs? Explain
each.

In unpacking the MELCs into learning objectives, you need to consider the following:

 Alignment on the Content and Performance Standards - The MELCs are not a
departure from the standards-based design, which is one of the main features of
the K to 12 Curriculum. In fact, there are no MELCs without the content and
performance standards.
 Prerequisite knowledge and skills - It is worth noting that the identified MELCs
cater to higherorder cognitive demands. As such, lower cognitive demand 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.
 Logical sequence of learning objectives - Since the intention of unpacking the
MELCs is to provide systematic learning experiences for learner, 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?
Of course, unpacking the MELCs are essential in order to have a systematic learning
activity so that the competencies needed by the learners are not congested or repetitive.

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 considered 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.
UNPACKING OF MELCs SAMPLE:

MELC LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Naipaliliwanag ang kahalagahan ng Naibibigay ang kahalagahan ng komunidad
“komunidad” AP2KOM-Ib-2
Naipaliliwanag ang kahalagahan ng
komunidad

COMBINING MELCs SAMPLE:

QUATER CONTENT STANDARD PERFORMANCE MELCS

STANDARD
I Demonstrates Able to recognize, Visualizes and
understanding of represent, compare, represents numbers
whole numbers up and order whole from 0-1000 with
to 1000, ordinal numbers up to 1000, emphasis on
numbers up to 20th, ordinal numbers up numbers 101 – 1 000
and money up to to 20th, and money using a variety of
PhP100. up to PhP100 in materials.
various forms and M2NS-Ia-1.2
contexts.