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.