Gatchalian on K-12 curriculum review: address issues on mother tongue, 'spiral progression approach'

While the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to review the basic education curriculum for 2022, Senator Win Gatchallian pointed out the need to address concerns on the implementation of the "spiral progression approach" and the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) policies mandated by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 or the K to 12 Law (Republic Act No. 10533).

Under the MTB-MLE program, instructions, teaching materials, and assessment shall be in the regional or native language of learners from Kindergarten to Grade 3. From Grade 4 to Grade 6, Filipino and English shall be gradually introduced through a language bridge program. These two languages become the primary languages of instruction at the secondary level. The spiral progression approach allows the logical progression from simplistic to complicated ideas where learners revisit topics or subjects several times throughout their school career.

A workshop for teachers organized last year by Gatchalian and non-government organization Synergeia Foundation evaluated the spiral progression approach and the MTB-MLE.

Based on the results of the workshop, there were few or no teachers who were trained to teach all the branches or areas of a subject. Science teachers, for example, were only trained to teach in one area of expertise rather than the different branches of the subject such as Chemistry, Biology, and Physics. When it comes to the MTB-MLE, among the difficulties identified in the workshop were inadequacy of learning materials and teacher training on the use of the mother tongue and transitioning to the second language.

Other studies also pointed to gaps of the MTB-MLE and the spiral progression approach. A 2018 study by Philippine Normal University (PNU) showed that the spiral progression content is not concentrated and extensive, while requiring the need for competent and highly qualified teachers as well as sufficient facilities.

A 2019 discussion paper from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) revealed that among the challenges of the MTB-MLE program are inadequate teacher and school preparation and dearth of textbooks and learning materials.

"Bagama't maganda ang layunin ng mother tongue policy at spiral progression approach, maraming pagkukulang sa pagpapatupad ng mga ito. Sa ating pag-reporma sa curriculum, kailangan nating punan ang mga pagkukulang na ito upang matiyak nating nakatutulong ang mga polisiyang ito sa pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral," said the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.

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Mga isyu sa K-12 curriculum resolbahin bilang paghahanda sa 2022 - Gatchalian

Ngayon at nirerepaso na ng Department of Education (DepEd) ang basic education curriculum na balak simulang ipatupad sa 2022, binigyang diin ni Senador Win Gatchalian na dapat tugunan ang mga isyu sa pagpapatupad ng "spiral progression approach" at Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) na mandato sa ilalim ng Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 o ang K to 12 Law (Republic Act No. 10533).

Sa ilalim ng MTB-MLE program, dapat gumagamit ng regional language o kinalakihang wika ang pagtuturo, teaching materials, at assessment ng mga mag-aaral mula Kindergarten hanggang Grade 3. Mula Grade 4 hanggang Grade 6 naman, ang parehong Filipino at English ay unti-unting gagamitin sa pamamagitan ng language bridge program. Ang mga wikang ito ay sila ring gagamitin sa high school.

Kapag sinabing "spiral progression approach," ang pinag-uusapan dito ay isang sistema ng pagtuturo kung saan magsisimula sa simpleng ideya, paksa at unti-unting ginagawang kumplikado habang binabalik-balikan ng mga mag-aaral habang pataas sila nang pataas ng antas ng pag-aaral para mas maging pamilyar sa kanila ang aralin.

Para masuri ang MTB-MLE at spiral progression approach na pawang ipinapatupad na sa ngayon, nagsagawa ng workshop noong isang taon para mga guro si Gatchalian sa tulong ng non-government organization na Synergeia Foundation.

Ayon sa naging resulta ng workshop, kakaunti o halos walang guro ang may training para magturo ng maraming sangay ng isang subject na naaayon sa sistema ng spiral progression approach. Sa kaso ng mga Science Teachers, halimbawa, wala silang sapat na pagsasanay o training para magturo ng iba't ibang sangay ng Science tulad ng Biology, Chemistry, at Physics. Pagdating naman sa MTB-MLE, ilan sa mga natukoy na problema ang kakulangan ng sapat na learning materials at teacher training sa paggamit ng mother tongue.

May ilang pag-aaral ding tumutukoy sa mga pagkukulang ng parehong MTB-MLE at spiral progression approach. Sa isang pag-aaral ng mga mananaliksik mula sa Philippine Normal University (PNU) ukol sa paggamit ng spiral progression sa Chemistry, napag-alamang kulang sa tuon at lawak ang nilalaman ng mga aralin gamit ang spiral progression. Idiniin din ng pananaliksik ang pangangailangan para sa sapat na pasilidad at mga kwalipikadong mga guro.

Ayon naman sa isang discussion paper mula sa Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), kabilang sa mga hamon sa programa ang kakulangan ng kahandaan ng mga paaralan at mga guro, pati na rin ng mga textbooks at learning materials.

"Bagama't maganda ang layunin ng mother tongue policy at spiral progression approach, maraming pagkukulang sa pagpapatupad ng mga ito. Sa ating pagreporma sa curriculum, kailangan nating punan ang mga pagkukulang na ito upang matiyak nating nakatutulong ang mga polisiyang ito sa pagkatuto ng mga mag-aaral," pahayag ng Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.