LET Elementary Principles and Strategies of Teaching — Principles of Teaching and Instructional PlanningDetailed Explanation

Principles of Effective Teaching

Teaching is not simply telling. It is a purposeful, goal-directed process of arranging conditions so that learners can construct meaning, practice skills, and transfer what they have learned to new situations. Several enduring principles guide effective teaching, and LET items frequently present classroom scenarios that ask you to identify which principle is being applied or violated. **1. Teaching is goal-oriented.** Every lesson begins with clear, learner-centered outcomes. The activities, materials, and assessments exist to serve those outcomes — not the other way around. A Grade 3 teacher who begins by writing the learning targets on the board and returns to them at the end is honoring this principle. **2. Learning is an active process.** Learners construct meaning by doing, questioning, experimenting, and reflecting — not by passively listening. The learner, not the teacher, is the center of instruction. When a teacher lets Grade 5 pupils investigate what plants need before explaining photosynthesis, she is applying active, learner-centered learning. **3. Start where the learner is: move from known to unknown, concrete to abstract, simple to complex, near to far.** Effective teaching connects new content to what pupils already know and have experienced. A teacher introducing fractions to Grade 3 pupils by cutting a real banana into equal parts before moving to fraction notation is applying this principle. **4. Learning is affected by the whole learner.** Readiness, motivation, emotional security, and physical state all shape how well a child learns. A hungry, anxious, or bullied pupil cannot learn at full capacity. This is why RA 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination) matters to every classroom teacher — a safe, protective environment is a precondition for learning. **5. Individual differences are the rule, not the exception.** Pupils differ in ability, pace, background, language, and interest. Differentiated instruction and varied teaching methods are the professional response to this reality, not an optional extra. **6. Feedback and reinforcement guide learning.** Timely, specific feedback helps learners know what they did well and what to improve. Appropriate reinforcement strengthens desired behavior. Vague praise like 'Good job!' is less effective than 'You correctly identified all three stages of the water cycle.' **7. Teaching for transfer is the ultimate goal.** A lesson on adding fractions has not truly succeeded until pupils can use that skill to solve a real-life problem — like dividing a pizza among friends. Near transfer applies the skill in a similar context; far transfer applies it in a very different context.

Instructional Objectives

An **instructional objective** (also called a learning objective or learning outcome) is a statement that describes what the learner will be able to do after instruction. The key word is *learner* — a properly stated objective describes the **learner's performance**, not the teacher's activity. **Wrong:** 'The teacher will discuss the water cycle.' (This describes the teacher.) **Correct:** 'The learner will diagram the stages of the water cycle with all four stages correctly labeled.' (This describes the learner's observable performance.) On the LET, items frequently present objectives and ask you to identify which one is correctly stated. Always choose the one that describes observable, measurable learner behavior. --- **BEHAVIORAL vs. NON-BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES** A **behavioral objective** uses action verbs that describe observable, measurable performance — verbs you can see and assess. Examples: identify, compute, construct, demonstrate, label, compare, design. A **non-behavioral objective** uses internal, non-observable verbs that describe mental states or dispositions — you cannot directly observe or measure them. Examples: understand, appreciate, know, feel, realize, believe, value. *Non-behavioral verbs describe worthy educational goals, but they must be translated into observable behavior before you can plan instruction or create an assessment.* LET TRAP: Choices like 'The pupil will understand place value' versus 'The pupil will solve three-digit addition problems' — always choose the one with the observable verb. --- **MAGER'S ABCD MODEL** Robert Mager's model gives a well-written objective four components: - **A – Audience:** Who is the learner? ('The Grade 5 pupil...') - **B – Behavior:** What observable action will the learner perform? ('...will solve word problems involving fractions...') - **C – Condition:** Under what circumstances, with what tools or materials, or given what information? ('...given a set of ten word problems...') - **D – Degree:** To what standard of performance? How well, how many, how fast? ('...with at least 80% accuracy.') **Complete example:** 'Given a set of ten word problems involving fractions, the Grade 5 pupil will solve them with at least 80% accuracy.' The **Behavior** is the heart of the objective — without it, the objective has no measurable outcome. The **Degree** establishes the criterion of acceptable performance (the passing standard). The **Condition** tells the pupil what they will be given or the situation they will face. LET items often underline one part of a full objective and ask: 'What component of Mager's model is the underlined portion?' Know each component by its function. --- **SMART OBJECTIVES** SMART is a practical checklist for evaluating whether an objective is usable: - **S – Specific:** Clear about exactly what the learner will do. - **M – Measurable:** Can be observed and scored. - **A – Attainable:** Achievable given the learner's level and time available. - **R – Relevant:** Connected to the subject, the curriculum, and real-world needs. - **T – Time-bound:** Achieved within the lesson or a specified time frame. The SMART framework and Mager's ABCD overlap: Measurable corresponds to the Behavior (observable verb) and Degree; Time-bound corresponds to within a single lesson period.

Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and the Three Domains of Learning

Learning outcomes are organized into three domains: **cognitive** (thinking and knowledge), **affective** (values, attitudes, feelings), and **psychomotor** (physical skills). A complete lesson plan addresses all relevant domains, but the cognitive domain — especially Bloom's revised taxonomy — is the most heavily tested on the LET. --- **THE THREE DOMAINS** **1. Cognitive Domain (Bloom's Revised Taxonomy, Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001)** The original 1956 Bloom's taxonomy used nouns (Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, Evaluation). The 2001 revision by Anderson and Krathwohl made two critical changes that are always tested on the LET: - **Verbs replaced nouns:** Knowledge became REMEMBER; Comprehension became UNDERSTAND; etc. - **The top two levels swapped and were renamed:** Synthesis became CREATE and moved to the top; Evaluation became EVALUATE and moved to second from the top. **REVISED ORDER (lowest to highest thinking):** | Level | What the Learner Does | Sample Verbs | |---|---|---| | **Remember** | Recall facts and basic terms | list, name, define, label, recall, identify | | **Understand** | Explain ideas in own words | describe, summarize, explain, classify, interpret, paraphrase | | **Apply** | Use knowledge in a new but similar situation | solve, compute, demonstrate, use, illustrate, apply | | **Analyze** | Break down information, see relationships and patterns | compare, differentiate, examine, categorize, distinguish, outline | | **Evaluate** | Judge using criteria and standards | justify, critique, defend, assess, rank, argue, decide | | **Create** | Put parts together into something new and original | design, compose, construct, formulate, produce, plan, invent | **The critical LET test point:** CREATE is now the HIGHEST level (not Evaluate). When a scenario has pupils producing something original — a story, a model, a plan, a design — the answer is CREATE. **Original vs. Revised comparison (memorize these mappings):** - Knowledge → REMEMBER - Comprehension → UNDERSTAND - Application → APPLY - Analysis → ANALYZE - **Synthesis → CREATE (now HIGHEST)** - **Evaluation → EVALUATE (now second from top)** --- **2. Affective Domain (Krathwohl's Taxonomy)** The affective domain captures how learners internalize values, attitudes, and dispositions. The hierarchy moves from superficial awareness to deeply ingrained character: - **Receiving:** Being willing to attend — the learner is aware. (e.g., A pupil listens when the teacher discusses environmental care.) - **Responding:** Active participation — the learner reacts. (e.g., The pupil participates in the school's tree-planting activity.) - **Valuing:** The learner attaches worth to an idea or behavior. (e.g., The pupil plants a tree at home voluntarily.) - **Organizing (Organization):** Reconciling different values into a personal value system. (e.g., The pupil decides to prioritize environmental care over convenience.) - **Characterizing (Internalizing Values):** The value becomes part of the learner's character — consistent behavior without external prompting. (e.g., The pupil habitually segregates waste, advocates for the environment, and influences family members.) LET items often describe a pupil behavior and ask: 'Which level of Krathwohl's affective taxonomy does this best illustrate?' A pupil who **consistently acts on a value without being asked** is at the **Characterizing** level. --- **3. Psychomotor Domain** Two taxonomies appear in Philippine reviewers: **Dave's Taxonomy (simpler, more commonly tested):** - **Imitation:** Watching and copying (e.g., a Grade 1 pupil tries to form letters after watching the teacher) - **Manipulation:** Performing from memory or instructions (e.g., writing letters from memory) - **Precision:** Performing accurately and efficiently (e.g., neat, correctly formed letters without looking) - **Articulation:** Combining several skills in sequence smoothly (e.g., writing a sentence neatly) - **Naturalization:** Automatic, expert performance; the skill is second nature (e.g., writing fluently without conscious thought) **Simpson's Taxonomy (more detailed):** Perception → Set → Guided Response → Mechanism → Complex Overt Response → Adaptation → Origination For most LET items, knowing that psychomotor skills progress from **imitation/observation toward automatic, natural mastery** is sufficient.

Lesson Planning

A **lesson plan** is the teacher's blueprint for a single class period. It translates abstract curriculum goals into a concrete sequence of teacher and learner activities for one lesson session. Good lesson planning is the visible expression of the principle that teaching is goal-oriented. Under RA 7836 (Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994) and the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, teachers are professionally obligated to plan their lessons — failing to prepare is failing to serve the learner. DepEd expects all teachers to plan daily. --- **PARTS OF A LESSON PLAN** While formats vary, a standard Philippine lesson plan contains these core parts: 1. **Objectives** — The learning outcomes stated in measurable (ABCD/SMART) terms across relevant domains (cognitive, affective, psychomotor). 2. **Subject Matter / Content** — The topic to be taught, references (textbooks, DepEd Learner's Materials), and instructional materials or aids. 3. **Procedure / Learning Activities** — The heart of the plan: the sequence of what the teacher and pupils do during the lesson. 4. **Evaluation / Assessment** — How learning will be measured relative to the stated objectives. This section must be aligned with the objectives. 5. **Assignment / Agreement** — Follow-up work that extends or enriches learning, or prepares pupils for the next lesson. --- **THE 4A's FRAMEWORK (Filipino Classroom Standard)** The most widely used instructional sequence in Philippine elementary schools follows the **4A's**: - **Activity (Exploration):** Pupils engage in a hands-on activity, game, or problem that introduces the lesson topic — before the teacher formally explains. This honors the active learning principle. - **Analysis (Discussion):** Pupils process the activity: What happened? What did we notice? The teacher uses questioning to guide thinking. - **Abstraction (Concept Formation):** The teacher draws out the generalizable concept, principle, or rule from the discussion. This is the formal lesson content. - **Application (Transfer):** Pupils use the abstracted concept to solve problems, answer questions, or complete a task in a new context. Some plans also include a **Motivation** step before the Activity and a **Generalization** step integrated with Abstraction. --- **DEPEDLESSON PLAN FORMATS** DepEd recognizes different levels of planning detail, matched to teacher experience level: **1. Detailed Lesson Plan (DLP)** - Contains the full, explicit script of everything the teacher will say and do, all questions, expected pupil responses, and transitions. - Used by **newly hired / beginning teachers** as they build teaching routines and habits. - Reason: Beginning teachers benefit from having thought through every step in advance. **2. Semi-Detailed Lesson Plan** - Lists the objectives, content, and flow of activities without a full word-for-word script. - Used by teachers who have gained some experience. **3. Daily Lesson Log (DLL)** - A weekly table/logbook template with columns for: Objectives, Content, Learning Resources, Procedures (4A's or similar), Remarks, and Reflection. - Used by **experienced teachers** who no longer need a full script to deliver a quality lesson. - The DLL allows teachers to note what worked, what did not, and what adjustments to make. **Key principle for the LET:** Less experienced teachers write more detailed plans; experienced teachers may use the streamlined Daily Lesson Log. However, ALL teachers must plan — daily preparation is non-negotiable.

Constructive Alignment

**Constructive alignment** is a concept introduced by educational psychologist John Biggs. It is the organizing principle that holds the entire lesson plan together. The central idea is simple but powerful: **the three core elements of any lesson — intended learning outcomes, teaching and learning activities, and assessment tasks — must all point to the same target.** When they align, the lesson is coherent: pupils practice the right skills, and the assessment measures exactly what the objective promised. When they do not align, the lesson is broken — pupils may be required to achieve outcomes they never practiced, or assessed on content that does not match the stated objective. --- **THE THREE ELEMENTS THAT MUST ALIGN** 1. **Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) / Objectives:** What should the learner be able to do at the end? (The verb and cognitive level of the objective.) 2. **Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs):** What experiences, tasks, and practice will help the learner develop that ability? (Activities must give pupils practice at the same level as the objective.) 3. **Assessment Tasks (ATs):** How will the teacher measure whether the learner achieved the outcome? (The assessment must measure the same observable performance specified in the objective.) --- **THE CLASSIC MISALIGNMENT LET TRAP** LET items frequently present a lesson scenario with a high-level objective paired with a low-level assessment — a misaligned lesson. Recognize this pattern: **Example of MISALIGNMENT:** - **Objective (Create level):** 'The Grade 6 pupil will design a model of a simple electrical circuit.' - **Activities:** Lecture and note-taking only. - **Assessment:** Paper test asking pupils to define 'circuit' and list its components. Problem: The objective is at the **Create** (psychomotor-cognitive) level and requires actual construction. The activities (lecture) give no practice in constructing. The assessment (definition/recall) is at the **Remember** level. None of the three elements match. **Correctly aligned version:** - **Objective (Create/Psychomotor):** 'The Grade 6 pupil will construct a working simple circuit.' - **Activities:** The teacher demonstrates, then pupils build their own circuits using provided materials. - **Assessment:** Pupils demonstrate a working circuit — assessed by the teacher with a performance checklist. Now all three elements target the same ability (constructing a circuit) at the same level (hands-on, create/psychomotor). --- **WHY IT MATTERS IN THE K-12 BEC** DepEd's K-12 curriculum explicitly requires performance standards, content standards, and learning competencies to be aligned. The quarterly summative assessment must align with the performance task. This is constructive alignment at the curriculum level — and it trickles down to every individual lesson plan.

The key fix was replacing 'understand' with observable verbs ('label' and 'write/explain'), adding a Condition (the blank diagram), and specifying a Degree (all four stages correctly). The rewritten objective is at the APPLY level because pupils are using their knowledge of the water cycle in a new representational task — the blank diagram — rather than just recalling from a text.

Notice the progression from simple recall (a) to the most complex judgment (d). This scaffolding from lower-order to higher-order thinking within a single lesson on Philippine history illustrates how a teacher can build a Bloom's ladder of activities. Activity (d) is NOT Create because pupils are not producing a new historical artifact — they are making a judgment with evidence, which is Evaluate. Create would require producing something original, like writing a fictional first-person diary of a president.

The root of misalignment is always the same: the cognitive level demanded by the objective (CREATE — producing original writing) is higher than the level practiced (UNDERSTAND — learning about features) and the level assessed (REMEMBER — recognizing parts). Constructive alignment requires that all three elements target the same level: pupils must PRACTICE composing to be ASSESSED on composing, in service of a COMPOSE-level objective.

The shift from DLP to DLL is not about doing less planning — it is about doing it more efficiently. An experienced teacher has internalized many instructional routines and no longer needs to script every exchange. However, the DLL still requires thinking through all core elements of the lesson. The Remarks and Reflection sections of the DLL are particularly valuable because they document what actually happened and guide improvement — a habit aligned with the professional growth mandate of RA 7836.

This ordering reflects the cognitive complexity demanded by each verb. Notice that JUSTIFY (Evaluate) comes BEFORE DESIGN (Create) — this is the critical revision point. In the ORIGINAL taxonomy, Synthesis (now CREATE) was ranked below Evaluation. In the REVISED taxonomy, CREATE is the apex. When a LET item asks which verb represents the highest-order thinking, always look first for a CREATE-level verb (design, compose, construct, produce, formulate) before choosing an EVALUATE-level verb.