K 12

K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum

Starting School Year 2012-2013, Baguio City National High School will be introducing the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program to its incoming First Year students. In this regard, the First Year level shall now be called Grade 7.

POLICY GUIDELINES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GRADES 1 TO 10 OF THE K TO 12 BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM (BEC) EFFECTIVE SCHOOL YEAR 2012-2013
(DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2012)

1. Effective School Year (SY) 2012-2013, the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) shall be implemented starting with the roll-out of Grades 1 and 7 in all public elementary and secondary schools. Private schools are enjoined to do the same.
2. Schools are challenged to implement the guidelines in creative and innovative ways, for the curriculum can be localized without compromising the philosophy of total learner development.

IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES OF GRADES 1 TO 10 TO ENHANCED BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM
(Excerpts from Enclosure No. 1 to DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2012)

A. Design of the Curriculum

The overall design of Grades 1 to 10 curriculum follows the spiral approach across subjects by building on the same concepts developed in increasing complexity and sophistication starting from grade school. Teachers are expected to use the spiral/progression approach in teaching competencies.

B. Desired Outcomes of Grades 1 to 10 Program

The desired outcomes of grades 1 to 10 program are defined in terms of expectancies as articulated in the learning standards. In general terms, students are expected at the end of Grade 10 to demonstrate communicative competence; think intelligently, critically and creatively in life situations; make informed and values-based decisions; perform their civic duties; use resources sustainably; and participate actively
in artistic and cultural activities and in the promotion of wellness and lifelong fitness.

These general expectancies are expressed in specific terms in the form of content and performance standards.

Content Standards as Benchmarks of Knowledge and Skills

The content standards define what students are expected to know (knowledge: facts and information), what they should be able to do (process or skills) with what they know, and the meanings or understandings that
they construct or make as they process the facts and information. Thus, the content standards answer the question: “What do students want to know, be able to do, and understand?”

These expectations are unpacked in the Curriculum Guide in terms of learning competencies which can be adopted in the teaching-learning plan as instructional objectives.

The content standards are stated in broad terms, i.e., “students are expected to demonstrate understanding of…” so that teachers, on the one hand, can differentiate how students will manifest their understanding, and students, on the other hand, can have the option to express their understanding in their own way. Thus, students are not just expected to understand, but they should be able to demonstrate or provide evidence of that understanding. Evidence-based understanding, therefore, makes the content standards measurable.

Performance Standards as Benchmarks of Transfer of Learning

The performance standards define the expected proficiency level which is expressed in two ways: students should be able to use their learning or understanding in real-life situations; and they should be able to do this on their own. Students are expected to produce products and/or performances as evidence that they can transfer or use their learning in real-life situations.

The performance standards answer the questions: “What do we want students to do with their learning or understanding?” and “How do we want them to use their learning or understanding?”

C. Nomenclature/Learning Area and its Description (Grades 7-10)

There are eight learning areas comprising the core curriculum each of which is described in the following matrix:

Nomenclature/Learning Area	Description
Integrated Language ArtsEnglish/Filipino	Ang Filipino ay naglalayong malinang ang (1) kakayahang komunikatibo at (2) kahusayan sa pagunawa at pagpapahalagang pampanitikan ng mga mag-aaral. Lilinangin ang makrong kasanayan (pakikinig, pagsasalita, pagbasa, pagsulat at panonood) sa tulong ng iba’t ibang dulog at pamamaraan tulad ng Komunikatibong Pagtuturo ng Wika (KPW), Pagtuturong Batay sa Nilalaman (PBL) ng iba’t ibang akdang pampanitikan at Pagsasanib ng Gramatika sa Tulong ng iba’t ibang Teksto (PGRT), at isinasaalang-alang din ang pagsasanib ng mga pagpapahalang pangkatauhan sa pag-aaral at pagsusuri ng iba’t ibang akdang pampanitikan.
Science	This course deals with the basic concepts in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth/Space Science. Every quarter presents the different science disciplines across grade levels in increasing complexity. The course is focused on the development of awareness and understanding of practical everyday problems that affect the learners’ lives and those around them.
Mathematics	It includes key concepts and principles of number sense, measurement, algebra, geometry, probability and statistics as applied, using appropriate technology, in critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, communicating, making connections, representations and decisions in real life.
Araling Panlipunan	Ang asignaturang ito ay naglalayong tumalakay sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas gamit ang sipi ng mga piling primaryang sanggunian mula sa iba’t ibang panahon at uri; at magpamalas ng malalim na pang-unawa sa mga pangunahing kaisipan at mga napapanahong isyu sa pag-aaral ng kasaysayan, pamahalaan, kultura at lipunan ng mga rehiyong Asyano; kasaysayang pandaigdig at napapanahong isyu; at ang kaisipan at napapanahong isyu sa ekonomiks at pambansang pagunlad.
Technology & Livelihood Education	Technology and Livelihood Education (TIE) provides an enriched general education that will prepare our graduates for higher education, world of work and lifelong learning. The integration of Entrepreneurship concepts such as Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECS), Environment and Market (E & M), and Process and Delivery prepares the students for gainful employment and to set up their own business in the areas of Agri-Fishery Arts, Industrial Arts, Home Economics, and Information and Communication Technology.
Music, Art, Physical Education & Health (MAPEH)	This learning area covers four (4) major components namely: Music, Art, Physical Education and Health. • Music and Art deal with the study of man’s aesthetic expression through sounds (music) and visuals (art) mirroring the sentiments and ideas of society and culture, and contributing to the development of individual and collective identity. It is designed to be student-centered, based on spiral progression, and grounded in performance-based learning focused on appreciation and application where basic fundamentals are further reinforced. The program design empowers the learners to effectively correlate Music and Art to the study of Philippine Culture, as influenced by history, the culture of its neighbors, and the effects of globalization and the advancement of information technology. Physical Education and Health promote the development of active and healthy lifestyle.Physical Education focuses on five strands namely: body management, movement skills, games and sports, rhythm and dance and physical fitness. Each strand is sequentially developed across grade levels including activities that are varied and ageappropriate to address the needs and interest of learners.The Health program deals with physical, mental, emotional, social, moral and spiritual dimensions of health that enable learners to acquire essential knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to promote good nutrition, prevent and control diseases, substance use and abuse, and reduce health-related risk behaviors and injuries with the view to maintaining and improving personal, family, community, national and global health.
Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP)	Ang Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao ay naglalayong malinang at mapaunlad ang kakayahan ng mga magaaral sa moral na pagpapasya at paggawa ng mga pasyang batay sa idinidikta ng tamang konsensya. Apat na tema ang nililinang sa paraang expanding spiral mula Kindergarten hanggang Grade 10: (a) Pananagutang Pansarili at Pagiging Kasapi sa Pamilya, (b) Pakikipagkapwa at Katatagan ng Pamilya, (c) Paggawa Tungo sa Pambansang Pag-unlad at Pakikibahagi sa Pandaigdigang Pagkakaisa, at (d) Pagkamaka-Diyos at Preperensya sa Kabutihan. Ang nilalaman at istraktura ng Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao ay nakaangkla sa dalawang disiplina: Eithics at Career Guidance. Ang Etika ay ang siyensya ng moralidad ng kilos ng tao. Ang Career Guidance ay ang paggabay sa mag-aaral na magpasya ng kursong akademiko o teknikal-bokasyonal na tugma sa kanyang mga talento, kakayahan at aptitude at mga trabahong kailangan sa ekonomiya kakayahan at aptitude at mga trabahong kailangan sa ekonomiya.

D. Medium of Instruction (Grades 7-10)
English or Filipino is used from Grade 4 to 10. Both languages are taught from Grade 1 to 10. The matrix below shows the specific medium of instruction per learning area and per grade level.

Nomenclature/Learning Area	Medium of Instruction
Filipino	Filipino
English	English
Science	English
Mathematics	English
AP	Filipino
TLE	English
MAPEH	English
EsP	Filipino

E. Time Allotment

The time allotment for each subject is the minimum period for class interaction. The learning time can be extended to include off-school learning experiences at home or in the community for transfer of learning to real-life situations as provided for in the curriculum. The outputs of such off-school learning experiences are usually in the form of products and performances which shall be monitored and credited accordingly.

Nomenclature/Learning Area	Time Allotment
Filipino	4 hours
English	4 hours
Science	4 hours
Mathematics	4 hours
AP	3 hours
TLE	4 hours
MAPEH	4 hours
EsP	2 hours
Total	29 hours

A one-hour period for Homeroom/Guidance Program is provided for the weekly meeting between the teacher-adviser and the class.
However, for grades 7 to 10 a separate period for Independent/ Cooperative Learning ranging from two to four hours weekly may be provided as open time for learning in order to give students the option to learn on their
own and/or with others those topics, content, or processes that they can handle by themselves. The provision of a separate period for independent and cooperative learning (i.e., on top of their adoption by teachers as a
teaching strategy or instructional activity) is an option that schools might wish to consider for classes that can benefit the most from such class programming.
F. Assessment and Rating of Learning Outcomes

The assessment process is holistic, with emphasis on the formative or developmental purpose of quality assuring student learning. It is also standards-based as it seeks to ensure that teachers will teach to the standards and students will aim to meet or even exceed the standards. The students’ attainment of standards in terms of content and performance is, therefore, a critical evidence of learning.

The assessment shall be done at four levels and shall be weighted as follows:

Level Of Assessment	Percentage Weight
Knowledge	15%
Process or Skills	25%
Understanding	30%
Products/Performances	30%
	100%

The levels are defined as follows:

1. “Knowledge” refers to the substantive content of the curriculum, the facts and information that the student acquires.
2. “Process” refers to cognitive operations that the student performs on facts and information for the purpose of constructing meanings and understandings.
3. “Understanding” refers to enduring big ideas, principles and generalizations inherent to the discipline, which may be assessed using the facets of understanding.
4. “Products/Performances” refers to real-life application of understanding as evidenced by the student’s performance of authentic tasks.

Levels of Proficiency

At the end of the quarter, the performance of students shall be described in the report card, based on the following levels of proficiency:

• Beginning- The student at this level struggles with his/her understanding; prerequisite and fundamental knowledge and/or skills have not been acquired or developed adequately to aid understanding.
• Developing- The student at this level possesses the minimum knowledge and skills and core understandings, but needs help throughout the performance of authentic tasks.
• Approaching Proficiency- The student at this level has developed the fundamental knowledge and skills and core understandings and, with little guidance from the teacher and/or with some assistance from peers, can transfer these understandings through authentic performance tasks.
• Proficient- The student at this level has developed the fundamental knowledge and skills and core understandings, and can transfer them independently through authentic performance tasks.
• Advanced- The student at this level exceeds the core requirements in terms of knowledge, skills and understandings, and can transfer them automatically and flexibly through authentic performance tasks.

The level of proficiency at which the student is performing shall be based on a numerical value which is arrived at after summing up the results of the student’s performance on the various levels of assessment. The numerical values are as follows:

Level of Proficiency	Equivalent Numerical Value
Beginning	74% and below
Developing	75-79%
Approaching Proficiency	80-84%
Proficient	85-89%
Advanced	90% and above

What shall appear in the report card is not the numerical value, but the equivalent level of proficiency, abbreviated as follows:

B    for Beginning;
D   for Developing;
AP for Approaching Proficiency;
P   for Proficient; and
A   for Advanced.

At the end of the four quarters, the Final Grade for each learning area shall be reported as the average of the four quarterly ratings, expressed in terms of the levels of proficiency. The general average shall be the average
of the final grades of the different learning areas, also expressed in terms of levels of proficiency with the numerical equivalent in parenthesis.
Promotion and retention of students shall be by subject. Students whose proficiency level is Beginning (B) at the end of the quarter or grading period shall be required to undergo remediation after class hours so that they can immediately catch up as they move to the next grading period. If by the end of the school year, the students are still at the Beginning level, then they shall be required to take summer classes.
As a matter of policy every learning deficiency should be bridged even for those students whose level of proficiency is above the Beginning level.
Honor students shall be drawn from among those who performed at the Advanced Level.
The total time daily does not include off-school learning experiences that teachers may require outside of school hours for the production of products and performances as evidence of transfer of learning.