MODULE 2: MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING

COMPETENCIES (MELCs)
After having been introduced to the course in Module 1, you will now begin
this course by gaining an understanding of the Most Essential Learning
Competencies (MELCs). We hope that you will be able to strengthen your
understanding through this Module.
In this Module, the development of the MELCs will be discussed, and how
these can be unpacked and combined in planning and designing your lessons.

MODULE OBJECTIVES 

By the end of this Module, you will be able to:

1. explain the background and development of the MELCs
2. unpack the MELCs
3. combine related competencies into learning objectives

MODULE CONTENT 

Lesson 1. Background, Rationale, and Development of MELCs

Lesson 2. Unpacking and Combining MELCs into Learning
Objectives LAC Session 2

ESTIMATED TIME REQUIRED 

3 hours

*LAC Sessions are included in the activities but may be optional as determined by the
LAC members under the guidance of the LAC Leader

Module 2: Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)

LESSON 1: BACKGROUND, RATIONALE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF MELCS

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to familiarize yourself with the background,
rationale, and development of MELCs. In this session, you will be able to:
1. identify the background and basic process of the identification and development
of the MELCs
2. make sense of the function of MELCs as an educational response to a
global health crisis
3. appreciate the MELCs as support for teachers during this time

Key Topics/Concepts
curriculum standards; essential learning competencies; desirable
learning competencies; enduring knowledge

Resources Required
3 Development and Design of MELCs
3 Your learning area’s original K-12 Curriculum Guide and corresponding list
ofMELCs
3 Study Notebook

ACTIVITY 1. Answer the following reflective questions in your Study Notebook:

1. The closure of schools around the world due to the global pandemic posed serious
challenges on the delivery of quality basic education. As a teacher, what do you
think are the fundamental concerns in terms of curriculum standards that need to be
addressed in order to ensure learning continuity? Cite a specific example. Do you
think these concerns could be solved by teachers alone? Why or why not?

The techniques used by teachers during instruction like lectures and

discussions, time allocated for instructions on the different learning areas, teachers’
attitudes and personal beliefs related to the curriculum. Another concern is the
curriculum materials like textbooks, modules ,worksheets and electronic media to be
used to ensure learning continuity.
Parents, and community involvement can help teachers to focus more on the
task of teaching learners. Having more contact and involvement with the stakeholders
and parents, we teachers can learn more about the pupils’ needs and home
environment, which is information that we can apply toward better meeting their
needs.

Module 2: Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)

 2. Even prior to the spread of COVID-19 that eventually led to the closure of schools
nationwide, the congested curriculum has been a perennial problem of teachers
(Andaya, 2018). This is perceived to be one of the hindering factors on the poor
performance of Filipino learners. Do you agree with this observation? Why or why
not?

Yes, I do believe that one contributing factor why we have poor performance of
Filipino learners is the congested curriculum. Too many subjects and
competencies squeezed into a short period of time, other activities in school like
programs, online reports, seminars during school days, and lack of text books,
these factors strongly contribute to the poor performance among our Filipino
learners.

ACTIVITY 2.

Familiarize yourself with the course reading on the Development and Design of the
MELCs. After going through the document, provide a brief and concise response to the
following guide questions. Write your answers in your Study Notebook.

1. What are the general and specific purposes of the development of MELCs?
They serve as one of the guides for teachers as they address the instructional
needs of learners while ensuring that curriculum standards are maintained and
achieved. Furthermore, the MELCs intend to assist schools in navigating the limited
number of school days as they employ multiple delivery schemes by providing them
ample instructional space.

2. How does curriculum review aid in the identification of essential

learning competencies?
The curriculum review focused on articulation within and across
learning areas of grade levels, led our academic experts to identify the
gaps, issues and concerns. Moreover, areas for improvement that
would enhance the learning engagement, experience and outcomes
were also identified, and consequent solutions were recommended.
The result of which is the identification of the prerequisite knowledge
and skills needed to prepare the students, pupils for essential learning
competencies.

3. What is the difference between essential learning competencies and

desirable learning competencies?
Essential learning competencies were defined as what the students need,
considered indispensable, in the teaching-learning process to build skills to equip
learners for subsequent grade levels and consequently, for lifelong learning. On the
other hand, desirable learning competencies were defined as what may enhance
education but may not be necessary in building foundational skills.

Module 2: Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)

 4. How were the most essential learning competencies identified? What were
the decisions made in order to trim down the number of the essential
learning competencies further?
The Department collaborated with stakeholders from ACTRC, during which the
descriptor – ENDURANCE – was considered the primary determining factor. A
learning competency is considered enduring if it remains with learners long after a
test or unit of study is completed or if it is useful beyond a single test or unit of study.

A learning competency is retained if it satisfies the endurance

criterion which greatly contributes to life-long learning and is a prerequisite skill to the
next grade level. Two or more learning competencies are merged or clustered if they
have the same objective or learning
intention and can therefore be combined into one comprehensive learning
competency. However, learning competencies are removed/dropped due to the
following reasons:

 They are too specific (and the articulation is similar to that of a learning
objective).
 They are deemed appropriate to be introduced in an earlier quarter or grade
level or moved to a later quarter or grade level.
 They are recurring.
 They are subsumed in another learning competency.

5. What is the importance of the MELCs in ensuring the delivery of quality instruction?
To address the challenges of the current pandemic but is also part of the
Department’s long-term response to the call of SDG4 to develop resilient education
systems, most especially during emergencies.

ACTIVITY 3.

Prepare a copy of your learning area’s original K-12 Curriculum Guide and corresponding
list of MELCs.

Go to the sections of the curriculum guide and MELCs that are relevant to your
instructional needs. Copy and accomplish the following table in your Study Notebook and
compare the two documents to determine which learning competencies were retained,
dropped, or merged.

Module 2: Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)

ENGLISH 2
QUARTER 3
 K-12 LEARNING COMPETENCIES MELCs
MERGED/ CLUSTERED EN2VIIIc-13.1 Recognize that some words mean Recognize that some words may have the
the same (synonyms) & same (synonyms) or opposite (antonyms)
EN2VIIIc-d- 13.2 Recognize that some words meaning
have opposite meaning (antonyms)

RETAINED EN2LC-IIIf-g-3.15 Recognize the difference EN2LC-IIIf-g-3.15 Recognize the

between “made-up” and “real” texts listened to
EN2LC-IIIh-3.1 Identify important details in
expository text listened
EN2LC-IIIi-j-2.6 Retell and/ or reenact events
from a story
EN2OL-IIIc-d-1.2 Participate in choral speaking
and echo reading of short poems, rhymes and
stories with repeated patterns and refrains in
English
EN2OL IIIe-f-1.1 Listen and respond to
texts to clarify meanings heard while
drawing on personal experiences
EN2OLIIIa-b-3.3 Talk about texts identifying
major points and key themes
EN2RCIVe-2.16 Use clues to make and justify
predictions before, during and after reading (titles,
pictures)
difference between “made-up” and “real”
texts listened to
EN2LC-IIIh-3.1 Identify important details
in expository text listened
EN2LC-IIIi-j-2.6 Retell and/ or reenact
events from a story
EN2OL-IIIc-d-1.2 Participate in choral
speaking and echo reading of short poems,
rhymes and stories with repeated patterns
and refrains in English
EN2OL IIIe-f-1.1 Listen and respond to
texts to clarify meanings heard while
drawing on personal experiences
Talk about texts identifying major points
and key themes
Use clues to answer questions, clarify
understanding and justify predictions
before, during and after reading (titles,
pictures, etc)

DROPPED EN2LCIIIa-2.4 Use an understanding of

characters, incidents and settings to make N/A
predictions
EN2BPKIIIa-b-4 Identify the common terms in
English relating to part of book (e.g. cover, title N/A
page, etc.)
EN2BPKIIIb-2 Identify title, author and book
N/A
illustrator and tell what they do
IIIb-1.2 Give the beginning sound of each
N/A
consonant (c, r, n,b, g, p)
EN2AKIIIc-1.2 Give the beginning sound of each
N/A
consonant (d, j, w, v, z, y)
EN2GIIIb-1.3 Use different kinds of sentences:
N/A
declarative (telling) and interrogative (asking)
EN2GIIIc-1.6 Recognize punctuation marks
N/A
(period, question mark)
EN2VIIId-j-20 Give the meaning of short e words N/A
EN2GIIId-2.4 Use common nouns in simple
N/A
sentences
EN2GIIIf-9.2 Use the use of a/an + noun N/A

ACTIVITY 4.

In your LAC Session, discuss and share your answers to Activities 1-3 in this lesson.
Discuss any questions about the MELCs that need clarification as well. Share your
thoughts and let your co-teachers articulate their insights regarding your questions. Jot
down all the insights shared in the discussion, including your own, in your Study Notebook.

Good job! You are now done with Lesson 1. Proceed to Lesson 2 to learn how
to unpack and combine the MELCs into Learning Objectives.
Module 2: Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)
LESSON 2: UNPACKING AND COMBINING MELCS INTO LEARNING OBJECTIVES

In this session, you will familiarize yourself with unpacking and combining MELCs into
Learning Objectives. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
1. understand the vital considerations in unpacking and combining MELCs
2. unpack and combine sample MELCs
3. affirm that unpacking and combining MELCs provide curricular flexibilities to field
implementers

Key Topics/Concepts
unpack; curriculum standards; essential learning competencies; content standards;
performance standards

Resources Required
3 Unpacking and Combining the MELCs
3 Your learning area’s original K-12 Curriculum Guide and corresponding list of MELCs
3 Study Notebook

ACTIVITY 1.

Familiarize yourself with the course reading on Unpacking and Combining the MELCs. After
reading the document, provide a brief and concise response to the following guide questions
in your Study Notebook:

1. What is the importance of unpacking and combining the MELCs?

To systematize learning activities and effectively address the varying needs of
learners and the challenges of instructional deliveries.

2. What considerations must be taken in unpacking and combining the MELCs?

Explain each.
Alignment on the Content and Performance Standards - The MELCs are not a
departure from the standards-based design, which is one of the main features of the K
to 12 Curriculum. In fact, there are no MELCs without the content and performance
standards.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills - It is worth noting that the identified MELCs
cater to higher order cognitive demands. As such, lower cognitive demand may be
considered first in creating learning objectives. This ensures that prerequisite
knowledge and skills that would enable the achievement of MELCs, and eventually the
content and performance standards, are addressed.
Logical sequence of learning objectives - Since the intention of unpacking the
MELCs is to provide systematic learning experiences for learners, it is incumbent that
the unpacked learning objectives follow a logical sequence.

Module 2: Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)

 3. Do all the MELCs need to be unpacked or combined? Why or why not?
Yes. To achieve the content and performance standards expected in various
learning domains and to master needed skills necessary in each grade level.

ACTIVITY 2.

1. Form a group of four members within your LAC, preferably with fellow teachers in
your respective learning area.
2. Using the curriculum guide and a list of the MELCs, choose MELCs in the first
quarter and unpack these into learning objectives.
3. Each team will present their unpacked learning objectives. Discussion and
processing will follow each presentation. Suggestions and insights from each group
will be considered in enhancing the learning objectives.

Repeat the above process but instead of unpacking, each team will now combine at least
two MELCs of their choice. Group deliberation will be observed in order to arrive at a
consensus. Discuss and jot down the synthesis of the presentations in your Study Notebook.

ACTIVITY 3.

Submit your Activity 2 Outputs to your LAC Leader. Make sure to keep a copy of your
outputs.

Congratulations! You have completed Module 2. You may now proceed

to Module 3A - Lesson Design and Assessment in the Modalities.

Module 2: Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs)