Literature in the Kto 12 curriculum

MINI CRITIQUE By Isagani Cruz (The Philippine Star) | Updated November 22, 2012 - 12:00am

In the current (about to be old) basic education curriculum, literature is taught mainly as part of language courses, except for explicitly literature-oriented sessions on novels such as the Noli and the Fili. Because literature is taught as a particular form of language use, what makes a literary text literary is often ignored.The recent interest around the world in literature (emphasized in the STAR columns last Monday of Butch Dalisay and Krip Yuson) has made it clear that literature should be taught as literature and not only as an example of excellent language use. What is the role of literature in the new K to 12 curriculum? We can take a quick glance at the learning competencies and standards in the new curriculum to see if literature will finally be given its proper place in the education of our youth.

Creative writing is included in the curriculum now used for Kindergarten classes. Our children are going to be prepared to appreciate and even to produce literature from Day One of their stay in public schools.Songs, poems, and narratives are included among the texts that should be understood and appreciated by elementary school pupils.The K to 12 Curriculum Guide for English for Grades 1 to 3, for example, lists the following competencies:

“Describe literary elements of text including characters, plot (specific events, problem and solution), and setting.

“Describe characters (e.g., traits, roles, similarities) within a literary selection.

“Make simple inferences about thoughts and feelings and reasons for actions.“Identify key themes and discuss reasons for events.”

Florante at Laura, the Noli, the Fili, and some of the novels included in the 1997 Canon of Philippine Literature are still going to be read in Junior High School (Grades 7 to 10), as they are now.

The Competencies Matrix for Grades 7-10 for English lists skills such as the following:

“Identify dominant literary devices and figures of speech that add color and heighten meaning in the reading selection.

“Use specific cohesive and literary devices to construct basic literary and expository written discourse such as poetry, drama, fables, parables, myths, legends, personal essays, biographies, and vignettes.

“Ascertain the features of the reading selection that clarify its adherence to or dismissal of a particular tradition of literary production.

“Organize an independent and systematic approach to critiquing a reading selection.”

The last two competencies assume that literary history, literary theory, and literary criticism will be taught in Junior High School.

In the draft curriculum for Senior High School, there are two subjects explicitly focused on literature and not on language (they can be taught in any language).

In the Second Semester of Grade 11, a course called “Contemporary Regional Philippine Literature” has been proposed, which would focus on “critical discussion and appreciation of literary texts originally written and/or published in the 21st century in the region where the school is located.” The course is derived from the current college course called “Literatures of the Philippines.”

In the First Semester of Grade 12, a similar course called “Contemporary World Literature” has been proposed, which would focus on the “study of international literary texts originally written and/or published during the 21st century.” This course is derived from the current college course called “Literatures of the World.”

Why is literature being given much more attention now than in the past? Simply because literature has proven its worth in preparing what DepEd calls the “holistically developed Filipino with 21st century skills.”

DepEd breaks down this overall outcome of basic education into four verifiable types of skills: information, media and technology skills; learning and innovation skills; life and career skills; and effective communication skills.

Literature is a major factor in achieving these four skills.

Film and television shows, for example, which are major forms of media, all use literary techniques such as narrative, character, and theme. Newspapers also use narrative, particularly in feature articles and continuing news stories.

Literary writers are nothing if not innovators. They continually create pieces that have never been seen or read before. They explore and extend established forms of writing. They reinvent language with every literary text they write.

There is admittedly no chance of making big money if you pursue a literary career, unless your penname is J. K. Rowling or Bob Ong, but if you want to understand life itself, your best bet is to read literature. Remember that all the persons who changed the world loved literature — Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Jesus, Muhammad, Rizal, Freud, Marx, Einstein, Mao, Gates, Jobs.

Needless to say, writers are the best users of language. Literature is the benchmark for all effective communication.

Will knowing literature prepare a student for college?

The College Readiness Standards already approved and disseminated by CHED has a section on literature. CHED requires that, “after 12 years of pre-university education, a student wishing to enter college should be able to (among others):

“Analyze themes, structures, and elements of myths, traditional narratives, and classical and contemporary literature.

“Read a poem with proper pronunciation and appropriate emotion.

“Recite at least ten poems from memory.

“Identify the characters, setting, theme, conflict, and type of a work of fiction.

“Discuss literary devices, such as point of view and symbolism, used in a work of fiction.”

Yes, literature is very much in the new curriculum.