RA 10533

In the English Curriculum Guide laid by the Department of Education

(DepEd) for the RA 10533: Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or
otherwise known as K to 12 System, the “Component 3: Making Meaning
through Language ” states the Language Arts and Multiliteracies
Curriculum (LAMC) is composed of five intricately intertwined and
integrated sub-strands (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and
viewing) as building blocks for understanding and creation
of meaning and for effective communication across
curricula.

The language arts domain are clearly aligned and integrated with the five sub
strands. These simply implies that while students are learning a spirally
progressing listening, reading, speaking, writing and viewing skills, they also
learn grammar, vocabulary, attitudes towards language, literacy and literature
, and study strategies. However, not all language art domains are integrated to
all the five sub-strands, the domains should fit the sub-strand for it to be
integrated as in the cases of phonological awareness – listening and book and
print awareness – reading.

The table above showing the funnelling of domains across the year levels of the K-
12 Basic Education, let us just emphasize the domains that are integrated
specifically in the secondary levels, i.e. 7-10 and 11-12. The domains that are still
integrated and enhanced until these specific levels are oral language, fluency,
writing and composition, grammar awareness and structure, vocabulary
development, reading comprehension, listening comprehension, attitude towards
language, literacy and literature, study strategies, and viewing.
The table simply implies that English language teachers should emphasize these
domains in the specific year levels they are highlighted to ensure that the
students doesn‟t only learn the sub-strands/macro skills but also these domains
that integral and imperative aspects of those sub-strands/macro skills

VIEWING AS A NEW MACRO SKILLS

Viewing skills
 The skill of Perceiving, examining, interpreting & constructing meaning From visual images and is
crucial to improving comprehension of print & non-print materials.
 It is Imperative that both speakers & listeners critically assess audiovisual inputs and make meaning
from them.

Materials
 drawings
 photographs
 videos
 Multimedia

Main implication of viewing as the novel macro skill is the establishmend of another literacies;

1. Media Literacy
 the ability to access, analyze & evaluate media and technology information that involves moving
images and sound effects.
2. Visual Literacy
 refers to the power of giving meaning and building up similar messages for visual images.

VIEWING AS A NEW MACRO SKILLS

•viewing components & fundamental principles.

• Understands & Interprets
- understanols a interprets visual images
- messages meanings (visual presentations)
• Analyzes & critiques
- Students will analyze and critique the significance of visual images, messages & meanings.

TYPES OF VIEWING

1. Visual Perception
 The ability to perceive & interpret visual stimuli accurately. It incluedes recognizing shapes colors,
patterns, and other visual elements.
2. Visual Discrimination
 The ability to differentiate between visual stimuli & identify their unique characteristics. It involves
comparing & contrasting visual elements to make distinctions.
3. Visual Interpretation
 Involves understanding & making meaning from visual information. It includes analyzing & interpreting
visual cues, symbols & representations to exact relevant information.
4. Visual Analysis
 This refers to the ability to analyze & evaluate visual information critically. It involves identifying the
purpose, message & intended audience of visual media & examining its effectiveness.
5. Visual Literacy
 The ability to understand, interpret & create visual messages. It includes understanding the principles
of design, visual media in communication.

THE CONNECTION OF MACRO SKILLS WITH VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR, AND LITERATURE

VOCABULARY

Refers to the words and phrases that a person knows and uses in a particular language. It includes both the
meaning and usage of words and is crucial for understanding and expressing ideas.

GRAMMAR

Set of rules and principles that govern the structure and formation of sentences in a language. It includes
the arrangement of words, the formation of tenses, the use of articles, and other grammatical elements.

LITERATURE

Compilation of works simply made up of language which is either spoken or written. Written works of
artistic value, such as novels, poems, plays, and short stories.

Macro skills, referring to the broader language abilities, are interlinked with vocabulary, grammar, and
literature. Vocabulary enriches language expression, grammar provides structure and coherence, while
literature enhances comprehension, cultural understanding, and nuanced communication. Together, they
form the foundation for proficient language use across listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Listening: Understanding spoken language relies on recognizing and comprehending a broad range of
vocabulary.
Speaking: Expressing ideas effectively requires a diverse vocabulary to convey meaning accurately.
Reading: Comprehending written text involves recognizing and interpreting a variety of words within
different contexts
Writing: Effective writing depends on using a rich vocabulary to articulate thoughts and convey information
clearly.

MACRO SKILLS TO GRAMMAR

Reading about the rules could enhance one’s grammatical ability which in turn enhances one’s grammar
usage when speaking or writing.

Listening: Proper grammar aids in understanding spoken language by providing the structure and
organization needed to interpret information accurately.
Speaking: Using correct grammar ensures clear communication and helps convey ideas in a coherent
manner.
Reading: Understanding grammar enhances comprehension of written text, enabling readers to grasp the
intended meaning and nuances.
Writing: Proficient grammar usage is essential for conveying ideas effectively in written form, promoting
clarity and coherence in the written expression.

MACRO SKILLS TO LITERATURE

Information about literature could be acquired through reading, listening, and viewing and could be
expressed in another perspective through writing and speaking.

Listening: Appreciating the beauty of spoken stories or poetry is heightened when you grasp the meanings
behind the words and the emotions they convey.
Speaking: Discussing literature becomes more engaging when you can articulate your thoughts using a
diverse and expressive range of words.
Reading: Immersing yourself in a book is more rewarding with a strong vocabulary, allowing you to fully
comprehend the subtle nuances and imagery in the writing.
Writing: Crafting compelling stories or essays is enriched by a varied vocabulary, enabling you to paint vivid
pictures and evoke emotions in your readers.

NOTE:
The mutualism among these aspects infers that teaching a language, specifically in macro skills, should
focus not only on enhancing those skills but also using it as the foundation of enriching other aspects of
language. Particularly in vocabulary, grammar, and literature— the pillars of language.
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

Communicative competence is referred as the “ability to use language, or to communicate, in a culturally

appropriate manner in order to make meaning and accomplish task with efficacy and fluency through
extended interactions.”
(Tarvin, 2014, p,6).

As defined in DepEd’s English Curriculum Guide, communicative competence is the “synthesis of

knowledge of basic grammatical principles, knowledge of how language is used in social settings to
perform communicative functions, and how knowledge of utterances and communicative functions can be
combined according to the principles of discourse. “this is actually sub-categorized into:

Grammatical/Linguistic Competence
 The acquisition of phonological rules, morphological words, syntactic rules, semantic rules and lexical
items.

Sociolinguistic Competence
 Learning of pragmatic aspect of various speech act, namely, the cultural values, norms, and other
sociocultural conventions in social contexts. The are contexts and topic of discourse, the participant’s
social status, sex, age, and other factors which influence style and registers of speech. Since different
situations call for different types of expressions as well as different beliefs, views, values, and attitudes,
the development of sociolinguistic competence is essential for communicative social action.

Discourse Competence
 The knowledge of rules regarding the cohesion (grammatical links) and coherence (appropriate
combination of communicative actions) of various type of discourse are crucial in interpreting
utterances for social meaning. Particularly when the literal meaning of an utterance does not lead to
speaker’s intention easily.

Strategic Competence
 To do with the knowledge of verbal and non-verbal strategies to compensate for breakdown such as
self-correction and at the same time to enhance the effectiveness of communication such as
recognizing discourse structure, activating background knowledge, contextual guessing, and tolerating
ambiguity.

Therefore, as discussed by (Tarvin,2014), there are five implication of inculcating communicative

competence in teaching English as the Second Language:

 Speakers must have the ability to use the language itself, i.e, grammatically possible and feasible
locutions;
 Speakers must demonstrate the inclusion of the socio-culture component of cultural appropriateness;
 Speakers must be able to make meaning, not just mere memorization or discrete point tests;
 Speakers must use language in effective ways to accomplish task in a facile, almost unconscious
manner; and
 Speakers must achieve these task in social interactions wherein the have the skills and understanding
to decide and encode messages with appropriate socio-cultural intent.

In summary, the communicative competence demands not only the command of language but also the
social and culture context of the environment where the communication takes place in order to
communicate safely and effectively.