Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No.

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 1

SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

MODULE OVERVIEW

Developing social skills in children prepares them for a lifetime of healthier interactions in all aspects of
life. Social skills are an integral part of functioning in society. Displaying good manners, communicating
effectively with others, being considerate of the feelings of others and expressing personal needs are
all important components of solid social skills. Helping children to develop these important skills requires
a different set of strategies in each stage of development.

It seems like some children, like many adults, are more naturally socially adept than others. These are the
kind of people others gravitate to and for whom making friends comes easily. Like any other skill, social skills
can be learned. What is important, however, is that children are able to form meaningful bonds with others,
can empathize and interact with others appropriately, and have the skills to adapt in uncomfortable
situations

One can start by instilling social skills in their infants when they are very young. Babies are unable to tell
you what they want directly. This means you will need to pay attention to the actions and non-verbal cues that
your baby gives. When you know what your baby needs, give it to them. If that doesn’t work then you may have
misinterpreted their needs, and you should try something else.

Adults sometimes make the mistake of assuming children play just to pass the time. This is not true. In
fact, children gain most of their skills through playing. This is how they explore the world around them, and it
should be encouraged for them to learn new skills while playing. While your baby is exploring their world through
play, they will learn new skills. It is up to you as a parent to reinforce those skills by giving your baby positive
feedback. This makes your baby feel confident and secure in their development.

As they grow older, it is important to discuss feelings with your toddler, so they are able to understand and
interpret feelings, of others and their own. Through your discussion of how they feel, they begin to learn words
associated with those feelings and can later use those words to talk out their feelings. This will help them
transition to talking about feelings instead of acting out their frustrations.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. discussed the social skills development and competencies;
2. explained about children’s friendships;
3. identified and help children develop prosocial behavior; and
4. demonstrated knowledge of positive and non-violent discipline in the management of learner
behavior.

SOCIAL COMPETENCE

Social competence is the condition of possessing the social, emotional, and intellectual skills and
behaviors needed to succeed as a member of society. Despite this simple definition, social competence is an
elusive concept, because the skills and behaviors required for healthy social development vary with the age of
the child and with the demands of particular situations. A socially competent preschool child behaves
differently from a socially competent adolescent.

A child's social competence depends upon a number of factors including the child's social skills, social
awareness, and self-confidence. The term social skills describes the child's knowledge of and ability to use
a variety of social behaviors that are appropriate to a given interpersonal situation and that are pleasing to
others in each situation. The capacity to inhibit egocentric, impulsive, or negative social behavior is also a
reflection of a child's social skills. The term emotional intelligence refers to the child's ability to understand the
emotions of others, perceive subtle social cues, "read" complex social situations, and demonstrate insight

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about others' motivations and goals. Children who have a wide repertoire of social skills and who are
socially aware and perceptive are likely to be socially competent.
In addition to social skills and emotional intelligence, factors such as the child's self-confidence or social
anxiety can affect his or her social competence. Social competence can also be affected by the socialcontext
and the extent to which there is a good match between the child's skills, interests, and abilities and
those of peers. For example, a quiet and studious boy may appear socially incompetent in a peer group full of
raucous athletes but may do fine socially if a more complementary peer group can be found for him, such as
children who share his interests in quiet games or computers.

Importance of Social Competence

Parents are the primary source of social and emotional support for children during the first years of life, but
in later years peers begin to play a significant role in a child's social-emotional development. Increasingly with
age, peers rather than parents become preferred companions, providing important sources of entertainment
and support. In the context of peer interactions, young children engage in fantasy play that allows them to
assume different roles, learn to take another person's perspective, and develop an understanding of the social
rules and conventions of their culture.
When children experience serious difficulties in peer relations, the development of social competencies
may be threatened. Rejection or victimization by peers may become a source of significant stress to children,
contributing to feelings of loneliness and low self-esteem. Observations of rejected children have revealed
that they spend more time playing alone and interacting in smaller groups than their more popular peers. In
addition, the companions of rejected children tend to be younger or more unpopular than the companions of
accepted children. Exclusion from a normal peer group can deprive rejected children of opportunities to develop
adaptive social behaviors. Hence, the social competence deficits of rejected children may increase over
time, along with feelings of social anxiety and inadequacy.

Social Competence Deficits and Peer Rejection

Many children experience difficulties getting along with peers at some point during their youth. Sometimes
these problems are short-lived and for some children the effects of being left out or teased by classmates are
transitory. For other children, however, being ignored or rejected by peers may be a lasting problem that has
lifelong consequences, such as a dislike for school, poor self-esteem, social withdrawal, and difficulties
with adult relationships.
Considerable research has been undertaken to try to understand why some children experience serious
and long-lasting difficulties in the area of peer relations. To explore factors leading to peer difficulties,
researchers typically employ the sociometric method to identify children who are or are not successful with
peers. In this method, children in a classroom or a group are asked to list the children they like most and
those whom they like least. Children who receive many positive ("like most") nominations and few negative
("like least") nominations are classified as "popular." Those who receive few positive and few negative
nominations are designated "neglected," and those who receive few positive and many negative nominations
are classified as "rejected."
Evidence compiled from studies using child interviews, direct observations, and teacher ratings all
suggest that popular children exhibit high levels of social competence. They are friendly and cooperative
and engage readily in conversation. Peers describe them as helpful, nice, understanding, attractive, and good
at games. Popular and socially competent children are able to consider the perspectives of others, can sustain
their attention to the play task, and are able to remain self-controlled in situations involving conflict. They are
agreeable and have good problem-solving skills. Socially competent children are also sensitive to the nuances
of "play etiquette." They enter a group using diplomatic strategies, such as commenting upon the ongoing
activity and asking permission to join in. They uphold standards of equity and show good sportsmanship, making
them good companions and enjoyable play partners.
Children who have problems making friends, those who are either "neglected" or "rejected" by
their peers, often show deficits in social skills. One of the most common reasons for friendship problems
is behavior that annoys other children. Children, like adults, do not like behavior that is bossy, self-centered, or
disruptive. It is simply not fun to play with someone who does not share or does not follow the rules. Sometimes
children who have learning problems or attention problems can have trouble making friends, because they find
it hard to understand and follow the rules of games. Children who get angry easily and lose their temper when
things do not go their way can also have a hard time getting along with others. Children

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who are rejected by peers often have difficulties focusing their attention and controlling their behavior. They
may show high rates of noncompliance, interference with others, or aggression (teasing or fighting). Peers often
describe rejected classmates as disruptive, short-tempered, unattractive, and likely to brag, to start fights, and
to get in trouble with the teacher.
Not all aggressive children are rejected by their peers. Children are particularly likely to become
rejected if they show a wide range of conduct problems, including disruptive, hyperactive, and
disagreeable behaviors in addition to physical aggression. Socially competent children who are aggressive
tend to use aggression in a way that is accepted by peers (e.g., fighting back when provoked), whereas the
aggressive acts of rejected children include tantrums , verbal insults, cheating, or tattling. In addition, aggressive
children are more likely to be rejected if they are hyperactive, immature, and lacking in positive social skills.
Children can also have friendship problems because they are very shy and feel uncomfortable and
unsure of themselves around others. Sometimes children are ignored or teased by classmates because
there is something "different" about them that sets them apart from other children. When children are shy in the
classroom and ignored by children, becoming classified as "neglected," it does not necessarily indicate deficits
in social competence. Many neglected children have friendships outside the classroom setting, and their
neglected status is simply a reflection of their quiet attitude and low profile in the classroom.
Developmentally, peer neglect is not a very stable classification, and many neglected children develop
more confidence as they move into classrooms with more familiar or more compatible peers. However, some
shy children are highly anxious socially and uncomfortable around peers in many situations. Shy, passive
children who are actively disliked and rejected by classmates often become teased and victimized. These
children often do have deficits in core areas of social competence that have a negative impact on their social
development. For example, many are emotionally dependent on adults and immature in their social behavior.
They may be inattentive, moody, depressed, or emotionally volatile, making it difficult for them to sustain positive
play interactions with others.
The long-term consequences of sustained peer rejection can be quite serious. Often, deficits in social
competence and peer rejection coincide with other emotional and behavioral problems, including
attention deficits, aggression, and depression. The importance of social competence and satisfying social
relations is life-long. Studies of adults have revealed that friendship is a critical source of social support that
protects against the negative effects of life stress. People with few friends are at elevated risk for depression
and anxiety.
Childhood peer rejection predicts a variety of difficulties in later life, including school problems,
mental health disorders, and antisocial behavior. In fact, in one study, peer rejection proved to be a more
sensitive predictor of later mental health problems than school records, achievement, intelligence quotient (IQ)
scores, or teacher ratings.
It appears, then, that positive peer relations play an important role in supporting the process of healthy
social and emotional development. Problematic peer relations are associated with both present and future
maladjustment of children and warrant serious attention from parents and professionals working with children.
When assessing the possible factors contributing to a child's social difficulties and when planning
remedial interventions, it is important to understand developmental processes associated with social
competence and peer relations.

Developmental Changes and Social Competence

Prosocial skills (friendly, cooperative, helpful behaviors) and self-control skills (anger management,
negotiation skills, problem-solving skills) are key facets of social competence. In addition, however,
developmental changes occur in the structure and quality of peer interactions that affect the complexity of skills
contributing to social competence. That is, as children grow, their preferences for play change, and the thinking
skills and language skills that provide a foundation for social competence also change. Hence, the kinds of
interactions that children have with peers change qualitatively and quantitatively with development.

Preschool
During the preschool years, social competence involves the ability to separate from parents and engage
with peers in shared play activities, particularly fantasy play. As preschool children are just learning to
coordinate their social behavior, their interactions are often short and marked by frequent squabbles, and

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friendships are less stable than at later developmental stages. In addition, physical rough-and-tumble play is
common, particularly among boys. During the preschool and early grade school years, children are
primarily focused on group acceptance and having companions with whom they can play.

School age
By grade school, children begin to develop an interest in sports , structured board games, and
group games with complex sets of rules. Being able to understand and follow game rules and being able to
handle competition in appropriate ways (e.g., being a good sport) become important skills for social
competence. Children play primarily in same-sex groups of friends and expect more stability in their friendships.
Loyalty and dependability become important qualities of good friends.
During the middle to late grade school years, children begin to distinguish "regular" friends from
"best" friends. The establishment of close, best friendships is an important developmental milestone. That is,
in addition to gaining acceptance from a group of peers, one of the hallmarks of social competence is the ability
to form and maintain satisfying close friendships.
Many of the positive characteristics that promote popularity (such as cooperativeness,
friendliness, and consideration for others) also assist children in developing and maintaining
friendships. Friendships emerge when children share similar activities and interests and, in addition, when
they develop a positive and mutual bond between them. Key features of close friendships are reciprocity
and similarity, mutual intimacy, and social support.
Common Problems
Many children who are rejected by peers have lower self-esteem, feel lonelier, and are more
dissatisfied with their social situations than are average or popular children. These feelings can cause
them to give up and avoid social situations, which can in turn exacerbate their peer problems. Interestingly,
not all rejected children feel badly about their social difficulties. Studies have shown that aggressive-rejected
children, who tend to blame outside factors for their peer problems, are less likely to express distress than
withdrawn-rejected children, who often attribute their problems to themselves.

Assessing Social Competence

There is an important difference between not being "popular" and having friendship problems. Some
children are outgoing and have many friends. Other children are quite content with just a good friend or two.
Either one of these friendship patterns is healthy. Distinguishing normal friendship problems from problem
peer relations that signal serious deficits in social competence is an important goal of
assessment . There are several key signs that a child's peer difficulties may be more serious and long- lasting
rather than temporary. First, the nature of the child's social behavior is important. If children behave
aggressively with peers, act bossy and domineering, or are disruptive and impulsive at school, they
are more likely to have long-lasting peer difficulties than are children who are simply shy. Children who
display aggressive or disruptive behavior often have many discouraging experiences at school, including
discipline problems and learning difficulties, as well as poor peer relations. School adjustmentcan be a
downhill slide for these children as teachers may get discouraged and peers may be angered by their behaviors.
Peers may attempt to "get back" at these children by teasing, which only increases the frustrations and
helplessness experienced by aggressive, disruptive children.
Second, children who are actively disliked, teased, or ostracized by peers are at more risk than
children who are simply ignored. It is not necessary for a child to be popular in order for that child to gain the
advantages of peer support. When children are ignored by peers and are neither disliked nor liked, teachers
and parents can take steps to foster friendship development and peer support. When children are actively
disliked by peers and the victims of teasing or ostracism, the task is harder for parents and teachers and the
likelihood of the child reestablishing positive peer relations without help decreases.
Third, the stability and timing of peer problems should be considered. It is not unusual for children to
experience short-term social difficulties when they are moving into new peer situations, such as a new school
or a new classroom. Peer problems may also emerge if children are distressed about other changes in their
lives, such as a reaction to parental conflict or the birth of a sibling. When peer problems emerge at a time
that corresponds to other family or situational changes, they may serve as signals to let parents and teachers
know that the child needs extra support at that time. When peer problems have been stable and have existed
for a long time, more extensive intervention focused on improving peer relations may be needed.

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A variety of methods are available for the assessment of social competence. When choosing a particular
assessment strategy, it is important to consider the nature of a particular child's problem. Some children
have difficulty with all types of social relationships, while others do well in their neighborhoods or in one-on-one
friendships but experience problems with the peer group at school. When problems occur in the school
setting, teachers and other school personnel who have opportunities to see children interacting in
several peer group situations (such as the classroom, playground, and lunchroom) are often the best
first step in assessment. Teachers can often provide information about how children treat and are treated by
peers and can also offer opinions about how typical or unusual a child's peer problems are relative to others of
the same age. Teacher assessments can include behavioral checklists and rating scales and direct
observations of specific social behaviors.
Similarly, parents can provide information about children's social competence. Parents can help to
identify problem behaviors such as aggression, withdrawal, and noncompliance that may interfere with social
skills. In addition, parents are usually more aware than teachers of their children's social activities outside of
school, such as their participation in sports, clubs, or hobbies.
Because they do not have access to the full range of situations in which children interact, however,
teachers and parents may not always be the best source of information on children's peer problems. In some
cases, it is most helpful to get information directly from peers themselves. One method of obtaining such
information is the use of sociometric ratings and nominations. With these procedures, all of the children in a
classroom are asked to rate how much they like to play with or spend time with each of their classmates. In
addition, they nominate specific peers whom they particularly like or dislike, and they may be asked to identify
peers who exhibit particular behavioral characteristics (e.g., nice, aggressive, shy, etc.). The sociometric
method, although cumbersome to administer, identifies children who are popular, rejected, and neglected by
their peers more accurately than parent or teacher reports and provides useful information about the reasons
for peer dislike.
A third approach to assessment of social competence involves children's self-reports. Although input
from parents, teachers, and peers can provide valuable insight into children's social behavior and their status
within the peer group, information regarding children's thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of their social
situations can be obtained only by asking the children themselves. Depending upon the age of the child,
information about social competence can be obtained through the use of questionnaires and rating scales
that measure children's self-perceptions of their peer relations, the use of stories and hypothetical social
situations to elicit information about the child's social reasoning, or simply talking with children to determine their
perspectives on their social situations.
Because children may have different experiences in different kinds of peer settings and because
no one particular method of assessment is entirely reliable or complete, it is desirable to use a variety
of sources when attempting to assess children's social competence. Teacher, parent, peer, and self-
reports may yield distinct but complementary information, so by gathering multiple perspectives a more
complete picture of a child's social strengths and weaknesses can be obtained.

Interventions to Promote Social Competence

Different strategies may be needed to help children develop social competencies and establish positive
peer relations depending on the age of the child and the type of peer problem being experienced. Different
children have different needs when it comes to helping them get along better with others and making friends.
The age of the child, the kinds of behaviors that are part of the problem, and the reasons for the friendship
problem may all affect the helping strategy.
One strategy involves social skill training. Observations have revealed that children who are well liked
by peers typically show helpful, courteous, and considerate behavior. The purpose of social skill training is to
help unpopular children learn to treat their peers in positive ways. The specific skills taught in different programs
vary depending upon the age and type of child involved. Commonly taught skills include helping, sharing, and
cooperation. Often children are taught how to enter a group, how to be a good group participant, how
to be a fair player (e.g., following rules, taking turns), and how to have a conversation with peers. The
skills might also include anger management, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills. Problem-solving
skills (e.g., identifying the problem, considering alternative solutions, choosing a solution, and making
a plan) are often included in social skill training programs. Sometimes social skill training is done individually
with children, but often it is done in a small group. A particular skill concept is discussed, and children may
watch a short film or hear a story that illustrates the usefulness of the skill. They then have the
opportunity to practice the skill during activities or role-plays with other

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children in the group. A trained group leader helps guide the children in their use of the skill and
provides support and positive feedback to help children become more natural and spontaneous in
socially skillful behavior.
Another intervention strategy focuses on helping children who are having trouble getting along
with others because of angry, aggressive, or bossy behavior. It can be difficult to suppress aggressive and
disruptive behaviors in peer settings for several reasons. For one thing, these behaviors often "work" in the
sense that they can be instrumental in achieving desired goals. By complaining loudly, hitting, or otherwise using
force or noise, children may be able to get access to a toy they want, or they may be able to get peers to stop
doing something obnoxious to them. In this type of situation, an adult's expressed disapproval may suppress
the behavior, but the behavior is likely to emerge again in situations where an adult supervisor is not present.
Often contracts and point systems are used to suppress aggressive behavior and bossiness; however,
positive skill training must be used in conjunction with behavior management in order to provide the child with
alternative skills to use in situations requiring negotiations with peers. Often parents are included in programs
to help children develop better anger management skills and to help children reduce fighting. Trained
counselors, educators, or psychologists work with parents to help them find positive discipline
strategies and positive communication skills to promote child anger management and conflict
resolution skills.
A third helping strategy focuses on finding a good social "niche" for the child. Large, unstructured
peer group settings (such as recess) are particularly difficult situations for many of the children who have peer
problems. These children need a structured, smaller peer interaction setting in which an adult's support is
available to guide positive peer interaction. Finding a good social niche for some children can be a difficult task,
but an important one. Sometimes a teacher can organize cooperative learning groups that help an isolated
child make friends in the classroom. Sometimes parents can help by inviting potential friends over to
play or by getting their child involved in a social activity outside of school that is rewarding (such as a
church group, a sports group, or a scouting club). Providing positive opportunities for friendship
development is important, as it provides children with an appropriate and positive learning environment for the
development of social competence.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

A. Make an interpretation of the following facial expressions and gestures.

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CHILDREN’S FRIENDSHIPS

Friends are vital to school-age children’s healthy development. Research has found that children who lack
friends can suffer from emotional and mental difficulties later in life. Friendships provide children with more than
just fun playmates. Friendships help children develop emotionally and morally. In interacting with friends,
children learn many social skills, such as how to communicate, cooperate, and solve problems. They practice
controlling their emotions and responding to the emotions of others. Having friends even affects children’s
school performance. Children tend to have better attitudes about school and learning when they have friends
there. In short, children benefit greatly from having friends.
What Parents can Do to Help Child make Friends?
Parents play a crucial role in their child’s social development. A child is not born with social skills. He
needs parents who take an active role in preparing him to interact successfully with his peers. The most
important thing parents can do for their child is to develop a loving, accepting, and respectful relationship with
him. This warm relationship sets the stage for all future relationships, including friendships. It helps the child
develop the basic trust and self-confidence necessary to go out and meet others. It provides a firm foundation
on which the child can develop social skills.
Parents also teach their child various social skills by being a good role model. That is, a child learns from
how his parents interact with him and other people. He learns how to meet people and talk to them, to tell stories
and jokes, and to cooperate with others and ask for favors. He learns how to win or lose well, to apologize and
accept apologies. He learns to accept compliments graciously and to show admiration and appreciation.
Furthermore, he learns to be patient, respectful, and considerate. Parents help their child learn how to be a
person others like to be around by showing him with their own actions.
You can do a great deal to prepare your child to make friends by maintaining a warm relationship with him
and being a good role model. Below are some additional ways you can help prepare your child.
Provide your child with opportunities to spend time with other children. You can provide these
opportunities in a number of ways. For example, you can invite other children to your house to play or let your
child participate in clubs, classes, or teams. Older children may want to talk with their friends on the phone, in
chat rooms on the internet, or through instant messaging. Set rules for using these methods of communication
with your child and let him talk to his friends.

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Help your child learn games and sports. Being able to play games and sports tends to be important for
school-age children. Children do not have to be a superstar at a game or sport, but it is easier to join in and
have fun if they know the rules and have the basic skills. Find out what game or sport your child is interested in
and help her learn it. Do not pressure your child to play anything she does not want to. The pressure will only
make her feel inferior. Make sure not to let the practice become a drill or drudgery. Be encouraging and focus
on the fun of playing together.
Set clear rules for appropriate behavior. A child learns social skills in part through family rules about
how to treat others. For example, a child might learn to ask before borrowing something or to solve a problem
without hitting. Involve your child in setting family rules. If he is involved, he will not only be more likely to follow
them, but he will also better understand the reasons for the rules and the standards for appropriate behavior.
When you need to discipline your child, remember that he will imitate your actions. How you treat him
when he breaks a rule will influence how he responds to others. Avoid being harsh and punitive. Instead, be
firm, kind, and respectful when you express your expectations of him.
Teach your child how to handle different social situations. You began this process when your child
was a toddler. For example, you began to teach your toddler how to share and how to say please and thank
you. Continue coaching your child as she grows older and encounters more social situations. If your child will
be encountering a new or difficult situation, talk to her about it beforehand. For example, your child has been
invited to a birthday party, but she is not sure if she wants to go. First listen to her concerns. Acknowledge her
feelings without judging them. For example, say, “It sounds like you feel scared about being around kids you
don’t know.” Then help your child brainstorm ideas about how to handle the situation. She might want to practice
what to say to the birthday child when she arrives or to invite another guest over to get to know her better before
the party.
Talk with your child. Spend some time every day talking with your child. This time is not for giving
instructions or lecturing, but just for talking about the day’s events or things that interest both of you. When your
child is talking, make sure you are listening. For example, make eye contact, nod, and ask him questions to
encourage him to elaborate on what he is saying. Talking with your child will not only help you keep up with him,
but it will also let him practice the very important social skill of holding a conversation.
Help your child learn to see others’ points of view. Around the age of six or seven, children are more
able to understand others’ feelings and points of view. Help your child develop this ability by talking about
different situations. For example, when reading with your child, stop and ask how a character is feeling and why
he does certain things. Or when your child tells you about situation at school, ask how she thinks the people
felt and why they acted as they did.
Help your child learn to manage negative feelings and solve problems. Being able to manage
negative feelings and work out problems are important skills in getting along with others. When your child
talks about how he is feeling, listen. Show you are listening by reflecting what he says. For example, say, “It
sounds like you’re mad at Jamie.” Then, gently coach your child in problem solving. First, help your child identify
the situation. For example, say, “It sounds like you’re upset because Jamie didn’t include you in the game.”
Then help him brainstorm solutions to the situation. Talk about the solutions he comes up with and have him
pick one.
If you overhear your child and his friend having a conflict, let them work it out on their own. Only step in if it
is really necessary: if, for example, an argument is getting physical.
Do not sweat the small stuff. Fitting in with friends is very important to school-age children (and becomes
increasingly important as children near adolescence). Recognize how important it is to your child. She and her
friends may do things that seem silly to you. For example, you may not like how children this age like to dress.
However, if your child’s behavior is not dangerous or offensive, do not sweat the small stuff.
As a parent, you play a crucial role in your child’s social development. You cannot make friends for your
child, but your love, patience, and support make it possible for your child to meet new people and make friends
on her own. Friendships are very important to a school-age child. They help a child grow. They help her develop
the self-confidence and social skills she will need as an adult.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

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A. Read the scenario below and answer the following questions.

B. In the space below, draw your best friend’s face and hair. Then tell three ways you are different from each
other and three ways you are similar.

Here are three ways my best friend and I are different.

1.
2.
3.

Here are three ways we are similar.

1.
2.
3.

C. Complete the following statements then paste a picture of your friend below.

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PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR

Prosocial behaviors are those intended to help other people. These actions are characterized by a
concern for the rights, feelings, and welfare of other people.

Prosocial behavior includes a wide range of actions such as helping, sharing, comforting, and
cooperating. The term itself originated during the 1970s and was introduced by social scientists as an antonym
for the term antisocial behavior.

Benefits

In addition to the obvious good that prosocial actions do for their recipients, these behaviors can have a
range of beneficial effects for the "helper":

• Mood-boosting effects: Research has also shown that people who engage in prosocial behaviors are
more likely to experience better moods. Not only that, people who help others tend to experience
negative moods less frequently.
• Social support benefits: Having social support can be crucial for getting through difficult times.
Research has shown that social support can have a powerful impact on many aspects of wellness,
including reducing the risk of loneliness, alcohol use, and depression.
• Stress-reducing effects: Research has also found that engaging in prosocial behaviors helpsmitigate
the negative emotional effects of stress. Helping others may actually be a great way to reduce the
impact of stress in your life.
Types

While prosocial behavior is often presented as a single, uniform dimension, some research suggests that
there are different types. These types are distinguished based on why they are produced and include:

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Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No. 1

• Proactive: These are prosocial actions that serve self-benefitting purposes.

• Reactive: These are actions that are performed in response to individual needs.
• Altruistic: These include actions that are meant to help others without any expectations of personal
gain.

Researchers also suggest that these different types of prosocial behaviors are often likely to be motivated
by differing forces. For example, proactive prosocial actions were found to often be motivated by status-
linked goals and popularity within a group. Altruistic prosocial behaviors, on the other hand, were more
closely linked to being liked by peers and achieving shared goals.

Prosocial Behavior vs. Altruism

Altruism is often seen as a form of prosocial behavior, but some experts suggest that they represent
different concepts. While prosocial behavior is seen as a type of helping behavior that ultimately confers some
benefits to the self, altruism is viewed as a form of helping motivated purely out of concern for the individual in
need.

Others argue, however, that reciprocity actually does underlie many examples of altruism or that people
engage in such seemingly selfless behaviors for selfish reasons. For example, a person might engage in
altruism to gain the acclaim of others or to feel good about themselves.

Causes

Prosocial behavior has long posed a challenge to social scientists. Researchers seek to understand why
people engage in helping behaviors that are beneficial to others, but costly to the individual performing the
action.

In some cases, including acts of heroism, people will even put their own lives at risk in order to help other
people, even those who are complete strangers. Why would people do something that benefits someone else
but offers no immediate benefit to the doer?

Psychologists suggest that there are a number of reasons why people engage in prosocial behavior.

• Evolutionary influences: Evolutionary psychologists often explain prosocial behaviors in terms of the
principles of natural selection. While putting your own safety in danger makes it less likely that you will
survive to pass on your own genes, kin selection suggests that helping members of your own genetic
family makes it more likely that your kin will survive and pass on genes to future generations.
Researchers have been able to produce some evidence that people are often more likely to help
those to whom they are closely related.
• Personal benefits: Prosocial behaviors are often seen as being compelled by a number of factors
including egoistic reasons (doing things to improve one's self-image), reciprocal benefits (doing
something nice for someone so that they may one day return the favor), and more altruistic reasons
(performing actions purely out of empathy for another individual).
• Reciprocal behavior: The norm of reciprocity suggests that when people do something helpful for
someone else, that person feels compelled to help out in return. This norm developed, evolutionary
psychologists suggest, because people who understood that helping others might lead to reciprocal
kindness were more likely to survive and reproduce.
• Socialization: In many cases, such behaviors are fostered during childhood and adolescence as
adults encourage children to share, act kindly, and help others.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3
A. Write the name of the social skill in the box at the top of the Working Together Skills chart (make at least
five). Draw what you might DO under the Looks Like heading because this is what the skill looks like when it
is demonstrated. Write the words you might SAY under the Sounds Like heading because this is what the skill
might sound like to someone who is observing the activity.

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SUMMARY

In order to build gratifying human relationships, it is vital that children learn and have the opportunity
to practice the social skills considered appropriate by society. It is important to teach children to conduct
themselves in ways that allow them to develop relationships with other people.

As most children grow older, they interact more and more with people in situations where direct
supervision by parents is not possible. Drawing from what they have learned at home and school about
socializing, children make friends within their peer group and soon learn more about socializing, hopefully
refining their social skills as they grow and mature. These friendships are important for all children to
develop. Friends serve central functions for children that parents do not, and they play a crucial role
in shaping children’s social skills and their sense of identity.

REFERENCES

https://www.educationalplaycare.com/blog/importance-of-social-skills-for-children/
http://www.healthofchildren.com/S/Social-Competence.html
https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-32/march-2019/childrens-friendships
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-prosocial-behavior-2795479\

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO.

2\
SOCIALIZATION
MODULE OVERVIEW

Socialization is a term used by sociologists, social psychologists, anthropologists, political scientists, and
educationalists to refer to the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs, and ideologies,
providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her own society.
Socialization is thus “the means by which social and cultural continuity are attained.” There are many different
forms of socialization, but two types are particularly important for children. These two types are known as
primary and secondary socialization.

Primary socialization in sociology is the acceptance and learning of a set of norms and values
established through the process of socialization. Primary socialization for a child is very important because it
sets the groundwork for all future socialization. Primary socialization occurs when a child learns the attitudes,
values, and actions appropriate to individuals as members of a particular culture. It is mainly influenced by the
immediate family and friends. For example if a child saw his or her mother expressing a discriminatory opinion
about a minority group, then that child may think this behavior is acceptable and could continue to have this
opinion about minority groups.

Secondary socialization refers to the process of learning what is the appropriate behavior as a member
of a smaller group within the larger society. Basically, it is the behavioral patterns reinforced by socializing
agents of society. Secondary socialization takes place outside the home. It is where children and adults learn
how to act in a way that is appropriate for the situations they are in. Schools require very different behavior from
the home, and children must act according to new rules. New teachers have to act in a way that is different from
pupils and learn the new rules from people around them. Secondary socialization is usually associated with
teenagers and adults, and involves smaller changes than those occurring in primary socialization.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. discussed about socialization of young children;
2. identified strategies for facilitating young children’s socialization in the classroom; and
3. planned and implemented socialization activities.

LEARNING CONTENTS

Theoretical Perspectives on Childhood Socialization

Theories of childhood socialization and development study the elements of the cognitive and social
development that occur in childhood.

Since the nineteenth century, childhood has been perceived as a unique phase in an individual’s life, and
sociological theories reflect this. The main theories that psychologists and social scientists rely on today were
developed in the twentieth century and beyond. These theories seek to understand why childhood is a unique
period in one’s life and the elements of the cognitive and social development that occur in childhood.

Twentieth-century Austrian psychologist Sigmund Freud was one of the first psychologists to theorize
childhood and the significance of developmental stages. Freud believed that sexual drive, or libido, was the
driving force of all human behavior and, accordingly, developed a psychosexual theory of human development.
Children progress through five stages, each association with sexual satisfaction through a particular body part.

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One of the most widely applied theories of childhood is Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Piaget posited that children learn actively through play. He suggested that the adult’s role in helping a child
learn is to provide appropriate materials for the child to interact and construct. He encouraged adults to make
childhood learning through play even more effective by asking the child questions to get them to reflect upon
behaviors. He believed it was instructive for children to see contradictions in their explanations. His approach
to childhood development has been embraced by schools, and the pedagogy of preschools in the United States.

Piaget’s Four Stages of Development

Piaget outlined four stages in one’s development to adulthood:

The first of Piaget’s stages of development is the sensorimotor stage, which lasts from birth until about
age two. During this stage, the child learns about himself and his environment through motor and reflex
actions. The child learns that he is separate from his environment and that aspects of his environment,
such as his parents or a toy, continue to exist even though they may be outside of his sensory field. This
observation is called object permanence.
The sensorimotor stage is followed by the preoperational stage, which begins about the time that the
child begins to talk and lasts until about age seven. The developments associated with the preoperational
phase all extend from the child learning how to deploy his new linguistic capabilities. The child begins to
use symbols to represent objects. Children absorb information and fit it into preexisting categories in their
minds.
Next, children progress to the concrete operational stage, which lasts from about first grade to early
adolescence. During this stage, children more easily accommodate ideas that do not fit their preexisting
worldview. The child begins to think abstractly and make rational decisions based on observable or
concrete phenomena.
Finally, children enter the formal operational stage, which begins in adolescence and carries them
through adulthood. This person no longer requires concrete objects to make rational judgments and is
capable of hypothetical and deductive reasoning.

Ecological Systems Theory

In 1979, psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner published The Ecology of Human Development, setting forth
his theory known as ecological systems theory. Also called development in context theory or human ecology
theory, the ecology systems theory specifies five different types of nested environmental systems: the
microsystem, the mesosystem, the exosystem, the macrosystem, and the chronosystem. Each of these
systems exerts influence on an individual, particularly children as they are robustly socialized.

The microsystem refers to the institutions and groups that most immediately and directly impact the
child’s development, including the child’s family, school, religious institution, neighborhood, and peer
group.
The mesosystem recognizes that no microsystem can be entirely discrete and refers to the relationship
between microsystems. For example, a child who has been completely abandoned by his family might
find it difficult to bond with teachers.
The exosystem describes the link between a social setting in which the individual does not have an
active role in the individual’s immediate context. For example, a child’s experience at home may be
impacted by a mother’s experience at work.
The macrosystem refers to the culture in which individuals live. A child, his school, and his parents are
all part of a cultural context whose constituents are united by a sense of common identity, heritage, and
values. Microsystems, and therefore mesosystems and exosystems, are impossible to understand when
divorced from their macrosystemic context.
The chronosystem refers to the patterning of environmental events and transitions over one’s life
course, as well as broader sociohistorical developments. For example, the impact of divorces on children
has varied over history. When divorce was more culturally stigmatized, it had a different effect on children
than today, when many children have divorced parents.

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Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No. 2

Identity Formation

Identity formation is the development of an individual’s distinct personality, which is regarded as a

persisting entity in a particular stage of life by which a person is recognized or known. This process defines
individuals to others and themselves. Pieces of the individual’s actual identity include a sense of continuity, a
sense of uniqueness from others, and a sense of affiliation. Identity formation clearly influences personal identity
by which the individual thinks of him or herself as a discrete and separate entity. This may be through
individuation whereby the undifferentiated individual tends to become unique, or undergoes stages through
which differentiated facets of a person’s life tend toward becoming a more indivisible whole.

Individuals gain a social identity and group identity by their affiliations. Self-concept is the sum of a being’s
knowledge and understanding of himself. Self-concept is different from self-consciousness, which is an
awareness of one’s self. Components of self-concept include physical, psychological, and social attributes,
which can be influenced by the individual’s attitudes, habits, beliefs, and ideas. Cultural identity is one’s feeling
of identity affiliation to a group or culture.

Similarly, an ethnic identity is the identification with a certain ethnicity, usually on the basis of a presumed
common genealogy or ancestry. Further, national identity is an ethical and philosophical concept whereby all
humans are divided into groups called nations. Members of a nation share a common identity and usually a
common origin in their sense of ancestry, parentage, or descent. Lastly, a religious identity is the set of beliefs
and practices generally held by an individual, involving adherence to codified beliefs and rituals and study of
ancestral or cultural traditions, writings, history, and mythology, as well as faith and mystic experience.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

A. Based on your reading of the study guide, provide response to the following:

1. Define childhood socialization.

2. Discuss the role of childhood socialization plays in human development.

3. Describe the effects of extreme isolation on children.

B. Fill in the boxes below.

Imagine you are meeting someone for the first time. Think of three things that you could tell them about
yourself.

1.

2.

3.

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Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No. 2

Imagine that you wanted to know about someone else. Think of three things that you could ask them to find
out more!
1.

2.

3.

SUMMARY

Socialization refers to the lifelong process of inheriting and disseminating norms, customs, and
ideologies, providing an individual with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her
own society.
Primary socialization for a child is very important because it sets the groundwork for all future
socialization.
Primary socialization occurs when a child learns the attitudes, values, and actions appropriate to
individuals as members of a particular culture.
Secondary socialization refers to the process of learning what is the appropriate behavior as a member
of a smaller group within the larger society.
Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual stages describe the progression of an individual’s unconscious
desires.
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development describes how children reason and interact with their
surroundings.
Childhood is a unique time period of accelerated development and has been studied by many theorists.
Sigmund Freud developed a psychosexual theory of human development that describes how sexual
fixation and satisfaction moves psychological development forward.
Jean Piaget developed a theory of cognitive development that explains how children learn differently
at different stages in development.
Urie Bronfenbrenner developed ecological systems theory that explains how human development is
influenced by the context of the developing child.
Cultural identity is the feeling of identity with a group or culture, or of an individual as far as he or she
is influenced by his or her belonging to a group or culture.
An ethnic identity is an identification with a certain ethnicity, usually on the basis of a presumed common
genealogy or ancestry.
National identity is an ethical and philosophical concept whereby all humans are divided into groups
called nations.
A religious identity is the set of beliefs and practices generally held by an individual, involving adherence
to codified beliefs and rituals and study of ancestral or cultural traditions.
Self-concept is the sum of a being’s knowledge and understanding of his or her self.
Cultural identity is the feeling of identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as he or she is
influenced by his or her belonging to a group or culture.
An ethnic identity is the identification with a certain ethnicity, usually on the basis of a presumed
common genealogy or ancestry.
National identity is an ethical and philosophical concept whereby all humans are divided into groups
called nations.
A religious identity is the set of beliefs and practices generally held by an individual, involving
adherence to codified beliefs and rituals and study of ancestral or cultural traditions

REFERENCES

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/childhood-socialization/

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Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No. 3

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 3

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
MODULE OVERVIEW

As your child makes friends, shares materials and attention, and takes turns, they will develop social skills
they need for life. Rules and routines are learned and children become more independent, beginning to take
responsibility for what they do at school. They develop ways to express feelings positively and to show respect
and caring for others.

Being socially responsible means behaving ethically and with sensitivity toward social, cultural, economic
and environmental issues. Striving for social responsibility helps individuals, organizations and governments
have a positive impact on our society.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. demonstrated understanding of social responsibility to promote celebration of diversity;
2. advocated acceptance of diversity in the classroom;
3. discussed about environmental issues; and
4. demonstrated being a socially responsible citizen of the Philippines.

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

Everything we think, say, and do is processed through our own cultural backgrounds. But because culture
is absorbed and passed down from generation to generation rather than explicitly taught, we’re seldom aware
of it.

Culture shapes not only our values and beliefs, but also our gender roles, family structures, languages,
dress, food, etiquette, approaches to disabilities, child-rearing practices, and even our expectations for
children’s behavior. In this way, culture creates diversity.

Cultural Diversity and Teachers

For teachers, it is essential to see and understand your own culture in order to see and understand how
the cultures of children and their families influence children’s behavior. Only then can you give every child a fair
chance to succeed.

Think about your own upbringing. How did your family’s expectations affect what you did? Were your
parents, siblings, and other relatives close or distant? Were they strict, lenient, or somewhere in between? Were
your school’s expectations any different? All of this, and more, plays a part in how you view the behavior of the
children you teach.

These ideas lie at the heart of NAEYC’s position statement Advancing Equity in Early Childhood
Education. Its guiding principles include

Recognizing that “self-awareness, humility, respect, and a willingness to learn are key to becoming a
teacher who equitably and effectively supports all children and families”
Developing a strong understanding of culture and diversity
Understanding that “families are the primary context for children’s development and learning”

One major takeaway from the position statement is that early childhood educators must support
consistently warm and caring relationships between families and their children, respect families’ languages and
cultures, and incorporate those languages and cultures into the curriculum, their teaching practices, and the
learning environment.

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Cultural Diversity and Young Children

Children bring their own set of culturally based expectations, skills, talents, abilities, and values with them
into the classroom. And they begin to develop their self-concept (at least in part) from how others see them. To
form positive self-concepts, children must honor and respect their own families and cultures and have others
honor and respect these key facets of their identities too. If the classroom doesn’t reflect and validate their
families and cultures, children may feel invisible, unimportant, incompetent, and ashamed of who they are.

Many people, including educators, have long believed it is better to act colorblind and/or “cultureblind”—
that is, to not acknowledge color or culture. But research has shown that this artificial blindness keeps us from
recognizing, acknowledging, and appreciating important differences. Worse, it may lead to unintentional bias
toward or disrespect for those who are different from us.

We know now that acknowledgments of color and culture are essential for legitimizing differences. Color
and culture make each one of us special and enable us to offer unique gifts and opportunities to groups we are
part of. At the same time, color and culture help children learn about each other and the world. In short, color
and culture enrich classrooms.

To appreciate what each child can contribute to the class, teachers need to learn about each family’s
cultural values. Helping children to see themselves in your pedagogy, curriculum, environment, and materials
enables them (and their families) to feel welcomed and valued.

Take a look around your classroom.

Does the artwork on the walls accurately reflect the children’s lives, or are the walls covered with
store-bought, stereotypical images?
Why not have the children create their own posters with their own artwork, things from home,
and photos families can supply?
Are labels (and other child-focused texts) repeated in each child’s home language, or are they in
English only?
Why not forge connections and support children’s learning by asking family members to help
children use their home languages throughout the room?

It’s important to see cultural and linguistic differences as resources, not as deficits. As NAEYC’s equity
position statement puts it, “Children’s learning is facilitated when teaching practices, curricula, and learning
environments build on children’s strengths and are developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for
each child.”

The Difference between Equitable and Equal

Equal is not the same as equitable. Every child in your group has different needs, skills, interests, and
abilities. Equal would mean giving all children the same activities, materials, and books. Equitable means
ensuring that you consider each child’s strengths, context, and needs and provide all children with the
opportunities that will support them in reaching their potential.

It’s crucial to recognize the inequities that children and their families face—in school and out. The position
statement reminds us that “dominant social biases are rooted in the social, political, and economic structures.
Powerful messages—conveyed through the media, symbols, attitudes, and actions—continue to reflect and
promote both explicit and implicit bias.”

How Cultural Diversity Shapes Behavior

Your culture and the children’s cultures aren’t the only cultures at work in your classroom. Every school
and early childhood education program has a culture too.

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Children who find themselves in an unfamiliar environment—such as a classroom that reflects a culture
different from their home culture—are likely to feel confused, isolated, alienated, conflicted, and less competent
because what they’ve learned so far in their home culture simply doesn’t apply. They may not understand the
rules, or they may be unable to communicate their needs in the school’s language.

Rethinking Challenging Behavior

Because your responses to children’s conflicts and challenging behavior are culture bound, it is all too
easy to misinterpret children’s words or actions. The next time a child seems defiant, ask yourself, Is that
behavior culturally influenced? Could I be misunderstanding the child’s words or actions?

Culture also defines personal space, including how much space feels appropriate in the block area, at
circle/meeting time, and in the dramatic play area. In some cultures, children feel comfortable playing close to
one another; in others, the same space may feel claustrophobic and lead children to hit or shove a playmate
who seems too near. Similarly, you may stand too close or too far away, depending on children’s cultures.

Culture Counts

There are many rewards for teachers who take culture into account. You can form authentic, caring
relationships with children and families; build connections between what children already know and what they
need to know; select activities, materials, and instructional strategies that honor children’s cultures and life
experiences; and teach children the skills they need to succeed in a global society.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

A. Encircle the Diversity words in the table. Words can be forward, backward, up, down, and diagonal. Then
complete the missing words underneath.

D B Q C U L T U R E K I R E I
F I E L E M F E S C C I G N Q
Y A S T I P W S H N I C M Y T
V S O C I M Y D N A G A Y U R
D I V E R S I T Y T I N Q R G
H Y S E X I S M O P D R Y I P
N S I F Q C M O D E S I Q N L
E U F S R A S I G C R D I C A
O M P M J R O E N C P E H L D
H Y F P U L G E F A T N T U U
G Z T B X B P K N R T T T S F
K D I Z V Y S K D K H I A I I
Z R Z N I W Z G M Y O T O O I
C W R M F O J D F G Y Y D N Q
X Y B B J A U F C L A H R F I
1. being different: _ _ V ______ T _

2. understanding everyone is unique and recognizing our differences: _ _ _ E _ _ _ N _ _

3. preferring one type of person over another and often treating them better _____ S

4. different parts that make you who you are: _ D _ _ _ I _ _

5. believing that one sex (male/female) is better than another: _ E _ I _ _

6. a group of people with similar race, language, beliefs, food, way of life and other things: _ _ _ T _ _ E

7. believing that one race is better than another _____ I _ M

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8. treating others badly because they’re different: _ I _ _ _ _ M _ _A _ _ _ N

9. an assumption used to describe a group of people: _ T _ _ _ O _ _ _ E

10. making other people feel welcomed and involved: _ _ _ _ U _ _ _ N

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

“Diversity”

Diversity is important
Because we are all unique
Life would be boring if we were all the same
Everyone is one of a kind
And special in our own way
Like the colors of the rainbow

A. Now it’s your turn! Write your own poem that expresses the beauty in diversity or differences. Then draw a
picture to go along with it.

BECOMING ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE

Kids nowadays are quite inquisitive and always ready with a “why” or “how” when being taught something
new. It is in the first few years of a person’s life that we learn new concepts quickly. Children can speak a new
language easier and more naturally than an adult. A child’s brain is like a sponge. It soaks up all the information
it receives. Schools have a responsibility towards future leaders - not just teaching them how to read and write,
but also educating them about environmental awareness.

Here are a few ideas on how to cultivate environmental awareness in schools.

What is environmental awareness?

Environmental Awareness is about being aware of the environment. This refers to all flowers and animals
and includes all marine and wildlife. The planet is currently facing an increasing number of environmental
challenges, which include climate change, global warming, droughts, water scarcity, floods, and pollution.
Children, as early as possible, should be aware of the environmental issues we’re facing.

How can schools teach environmental awareness?

Schools must lead the conversation. environmental awareness should be a part of the curriculum in all
schools. This will encourage young people to engage in their environment to protect it and can help communities
become more environmentally aware.
Some practical tips schools can adopt:

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Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No. 3

Introduce the 3 R’s: reduce waste, reuse resources, and recycle materials
Organize tree planting days at school and tell them why trees are important to the environment
Encourage children to switch off all appliances and lights when not in use
Ensure taps are closed properly after you have used them and use water sparingly

How can teachers lead by example?

Most people remember things that people did more than what they said. Teaching children what it means
to be environmentally aware is important but it will have a more lasting impact if teachers can lead by example.

For teachers, when you see litter, pick it up even if it’s not yours. Those little eyes might be watching
you.
Start a recycling system in your classroom and show the children how to use it and recycle their
things.

How can schools help spread the word?

Schools should encourage parents to share their environmental knowledge to their kids at home. It would
be a good idea to let the children practice at home doing small tasks like picking up their trash and throwing the
garbage, or teaching them to turn off the faucet when they’re brushing their teeth or washing their hands with
soap and not let water run down, or shut off the lights when they’re done using them. This will help them be
more knowledgeable about environmental issues.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

A. Create a Video presentation on how to make a recycled DIY crafts for kids (at least one). See
https://youtu.be/ZQxJ1yyTl5Q.

SUMMARY

Social responsibility is a value orientation, rooted in democratic relationships with others and moral
principles of care and justice, that motivates certain civic actions. Given its relevance for building stronger
relationships and communities, the development of social responsibility within individuals should be a more
concerted focus for developmental scholars and youth practitioners. During childhood and adolescence, the
developmental roots of individuals' social responsibility lie in the growth of executive function, empathy and
emotion regulation, and identity. Efforts to cultivate children and adolescents' social responsibility in the proximal
settings of their everyday lives should emphasize modeling prosocial behaviors, communicating concerns for
others, and creating opportunities to practice civic skills.

REFERENCES

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/encourage_responsibility_in_young_children
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/dec2019/valuing-diversity-developing-understanding-behavior
https://www.greenschoolsalliance.org/blogs/60/628
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51858309_The_Developmental_Roots_of_Social_Responsibility_in_
Childhood_and_Adolescence

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Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No. 4

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 4

SOCIAL STUDIES
MODULE OVERVIEW

Children are born into social studies. From birth, they begin exploring their world. At each stage of early
development—infant, toddler, preschool, and primary—children look around and try to make sense of their
social and physical environments. They gradually learn more about their expanding community and eventually
come to see themselves as citizens.

What is relevant social studies subject matter and what is a useful approach for early childhood educators
teaching social studies today? The answers to these questions depend of course on children’s ages and stages
of development as well as their child care or school setting.

Social studies currently and historically a field designed to meet the educational needs of society. It
emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century as a holistic approach to citizenship education.

Elementary schools at that time focused on basic education— reading, writing, arithmetic. To help
immigrant children understand the history and social mores of their new country, teachers read stories about
the early formation of their country and focused on children’s development of the virtues exemplified in moralistic
stories. A debate emerged between educators who sought to teach the facts of history and those who sought
to develop students’ appreciation and understanding of the unique aspects of their country’s history. After
several study, commissions of the National Education Association (NEA) had grappled with the issues of an
increasingly complex society, schools began in 1916 to integrate history, geography, and political science—
teaching students how to think about social issues and content—so that graduates could be effective employees
in a democratic society. The NEA saw social studies as “the subject matter related directly to the
organization and development of human society, and to individuals as members of social groups”
(1916).

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. identified the standards and goals for social studies;

STANDARDS AND GOALS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES

Taking an Integrated Approach

Progressive educators such as John Dewey in the 1930s encouraged teachers to use social studies as
the foundation for activity-based learning built on children’s interests. Dewey maintained that learning involves
firsthand experience and draws upon many instructional resources beyond the textbook. He advocated child
learning and teaching activities that begin with the familiar experiences of daily life. In farming communities, this
might mean growing wheat in the classroom, observing the process, and documenting the progress of plant
growth; in the city, children might study the work of the milk-wagon driver and the chimney sweep.

Accordingly, from the inception of the field, social studies teaching used an integrated, project-oriented
approach that continues today. Preschool investigations now might consider such child questions as why, in
December, people in Florida wear different clothes than people in New York. In following up, teacher and
children may look at the role climate plays in determining what clothes people wear. They could collect data—
look at weather maps; make weather charts; read stories about weather and clothes; consult the weather
channel on TV or on the Internet; and draw, cut, and paste pictures—to explore climatic differences.

At the primary level, a project might more directly align with state standards but still follow child interest
and a project orientation. For example, children may consider what to do when there are not enough silver
crayons for everyone in the class. Besides evincing the obvious answer of sharing resources, the question
triggers an investigation of a basic economics unit on supply and demand. The silver crayon discussion

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evolves into data collection about economic decisions at classroom, school, and community levels, fostering
eight-year-olds’ burgeoning understanding of issues like resources and scarcity.

Another powerful influence on the child-centered curricular and instructional approach for social studies
came in the 1960s with the work of Jerome Bruner. In The Process of Education (1960), Bruner explained
spiraling curriculum, in which a topic, such as democracy, is introduced to children at an age-appropriate level.
Activities with young children might focus on classroom rules to keep order and be fair to all. In the later grades,
children would study government operations and subtleties of democracy.

With Bruner’s influence, inquiry-based teaching became a central instructional strategy for social
studies. He stressed the doing of social science in the learning process. For example, in considering What is a
family? children would gather information to elaborate their understandings of family, appropriate to their ages
and stages of development. They answer complex questions through investigation of the big ideas and
questions that require critical thinking. In the preschool–primary years, the big ideas derive from topics related
to self, family, and community. They might include immigration (How did/do people come to the United States?),
transportation (How do we move around in our community?), banking (What does the bank do with money?),
and heritage (How did our ancestors live?). The tradition of holistic instruction, using the content and processes
of the social sciences, continues. It is evident in the scope of and sequence for social studies in the primary
grades, as defined by the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS):

• Kindergarten—awareness of self in the social setting

• First grade—the individual in school and family life
• Second grade—the neighborhood
• Third grade—sharing the earth with others in the community

More recently, while preserving the developmental sequence, the NCSS organized social studies content
around 10 large themes:

• culture;
• time continuity and change;
• people, places, and environments;
• individual development and identity;
• individuals, groups, and institutions;
• power, authority, and governance;
• production, distribution, and consumption;
• science, technology, and society;
• global connections; and
• civic ideals and practices.

Each theme guides teachers in selecting content or in deriving content based on child interest. Obviously,
theme evolution and development depend on children’s previous experiences, developmental stages, and skills.
For example, time continuity and change for four-year-olds might mean a study of grandparents; global
connections for third-graders might include e-mail correspondence with children in Australia.

Social Studies for today’s Early Childhood Setting

Using the underlying concepts from social science, teachers can draw content broadly from the 10 themes
and use inquiry-based processes to foster curiosity, problem-solving skills, and appreciation of investigation.
Social studies curricula can support children as they solve classroom and school issues as well as investigate
neighborhood and community problems with the goal of enhancing understanding and civic awareness and
pride. Thus, broadly defined, the social studies include the following disparate but intertwined content:

• Social learning and self-concept development, including character development. (While building a block
structure together, young children can learn to negotiate, solve problems, and cope with strong
feelings.)
• Academic content of social studies based on NCSS’s 10 themes. (In the primary grades, children
throughout the country usually study the history of the community and state.)
• Classroom community development. (Toddlers develop an understanding of group life that requires
putting toys away and sharing materials.)

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• Foundational understandings for civic engagement. (Children of all ages appreciate the diversity of
their friends and classmates.)

There is an inextricable linking of family, culture, and community in the teaching and learning of social
studies. The evolution of each child’s social understandings about the world begins with self and family,
expanding to the child care and educational setting. In developing these social inquiries, teachers first focus on
what children know and are able to do. Then they help children scaffold additional learning to elaborate their
understandings of the world around them. A sensitive, respectful approach to child and family sets the tone for
each child’s broader social learning experience.

Social Studies as Self-development

The curricular focus of self-development in a social context starts with the classroom and the people in it:
children, teachers, caregivers, and families. Personal interactions facilitate child understanding of the social
world of classroom, child care program, school, and community. For each age group— infant, toddler,
preschool, and primary—social interactions form the foundation for building curriculum. In responsive child care
and school settings, families’ home cultures influence this curricular foundation. Therefore, the social context
includes an ethical orientation as well as appropriate behavior that begins with family values. With experiences
in child care programs and school, children modify their views of themselves—who they are in the social world.
Beginning in children as young as age two, these experiences influence character—an individual’s approach to
ethical issues. Ethical issues include decisions about honesty, fairness, courtesy, and respect for others. School
experience facilitates the development of mainstream social behaviors and values among children. Children’s
incorporation of such behaviors and values are expected by child care centers, schools, and communities.
Toddlers in child care settings learn that they cannot grab a chunk of banana from a friend’s plate but must take
pieces from the serving platter in turn. Preschoolers take turns doing jobs that keep the classroom tidy and
running smoothly.

One of the most prominent early arguments for providing group play opportunities for young children
stemmed from the idea that social and play experiences socialize young children—that is, help them learn the
ropes for engaging in the discourse of mainstream “polite society”. Throughout history and in diverse cultural
situations, the appropriate functioning of young children in the social world depends upon values articulated by
the stakeholders who determine the educational standards for the time. In the twenty-first century, young
children must operate in a society that values respect for diversity and appreciation of conventions and rules in
a broad spectrum. Thus, the content of social studies becomes even more complex and engaging.

Choosing the Content for Social Studies

For the youngest citizens—infants and toddlers—the content is self-development in a social world. Adults
enhance this self-development by providing safe, colorful, intriguing toys and materials to foster curiosity. Infants
and toddlers play alone, by the side of others, and with others to elaborate their social understandings of
themselves and others. But they also need nurturance and respect from teachers and families. In these early
years, teachers encourage respect for others and provide opportunities to learn about various cultures by
singing songs and reading stories from various viewpoints and cultures, displaying pictures that reflect families
in the community, and modeling an appreciation for all cultures and backgrounds. In the preschool and primary
years, social studies offer a structure for broad, theme-based content—content organized around a topic and
offering multiple entry points and significant opportunities for investigation. For children, such content serves as
a training ground for acquiring problem-solving skills as well as a laboratory for the development and elaboration
of interpersonal coping skills and strategies: “The primary purpose of social studies is to help young people
develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally
diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world” (NCSS 1993, 3). Preschool and primary-age children
can develop a sense of civic responsibility through the exploration of rich thematic units such as a study of food,
clothing, shelter, childhood, money, government, communication, family living, or transportation (Alleman &
Brophy 2001, 2002, 2003). Using these themes as starting points, children and teachers form hypotheses,
gather data, summarize, and make conclusions. Finally, children organize and present the data in pictures, with
maps and charts, in dioramas, in PowerPoint presentations, and in other ways appropriate to child
understanding. Not only do they use the skills of social scientists in these investigations and learn about civic
engagement, but they also read, manage, and display data.

Choosing the Processes for Social Studies

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Teaching strategies in preschool and primary social studies include individual investigations in the library,
in the field, and on the Internet; interviews; small-group collaboration; and large-group discussions. The scale
of these investigations varies depending upon the age and development of the child. For example, in interviews
with a grandparent or older adult, three-year-olds might ask, “What was your favorite fruit when you were little?”
The class could then collect the names of the fruits and, with the teacher’s help, make a chart to show the
grandparents’ answers (oranges, bananas, and so on). For kindergartners, small-group collaboration might
involve making a map of the classroom, with different groups assigned a portion of the room. Second-graders
might go online to collect information about garbage collection and recycling in their community. The classroom
environment must support children’s use of these approaches to learning. In thinking about the space, teachers
should consider not only the room arrangement but also schedules and how the contents of bulletin boards,
learning centers, and resource areas may be arrayed to encourage child discovery.

• Room arrangement—Traffic patterns match the activities planned. Learning centers are clearly set up
and defined by topic, with appropriate space for the activities. Equipment and materials are accessible
and grouped to encourage child management of them.
• Schedule—There is balance between individual, small-group, and large-group activities.

A well-developed schedule includes large blocks of time during the week to support theme-based
curricular endeavors (Berry & Mindes 1993). The way teachers allocate space clearly shows the values and
culture of the community (Gandini 1998). A classroom that welcomes and encourages social studies has posters
displaying child questions, results of data gathered, childcreated pictures, and structures that document
learning, along with comfortable spaces for individual and small-group work. The classroom may include
materials passed from one group of children to another—for example, a book on the previous group’s trip to the
forest preserve becomes a part of cultural history and a resource for the class. The room also displays materials
that families contribute to the ongoing projects and contains references to field trips made as part of the social
studies investigations. Seeing social studies as both content (organized around important child questions) and
process (action-oriented strategies) prevents educators from considering social studies as an adjunct to other
subject areas. An adjunct approach toward social studies is haphazard. Thoughtful teachers avoid stereotypical
poems about Thanksgiving and occasional and inconsistent lessons on character traits like courtesy. Rather
than posting their own classroom rules, good teachers collaborate on rules with young children, encouraging
them to think about how to achieve respect and order. Effective teachers know, as they teach children to read,
write, compute, and problem solve, that they also must:

• assist children in social/emotional growth,

• emphasize holidays that have community meaning,
• seek an antibias approach to values,
• collaborate with families, and
• foster the development of integrity in individuals and groups of children (Mindes & Donovan 2001).

Through use of social studies themes, teachers can integrate seemingly distinct goals into meaningful
investigations. Using a developmentally appropriate practice model (Bredekamp & Copple 1997), teachers can
develop the natural social studies curriculum. Here are some ideas for thematic curriculum, with examples:
Build on what children already know. For instance, after studying neighborhood and community, move on to the
home state. Develop concepts and processes of social studies rather than focusing on isolated facts. For
example, create maps visually showing the classroom, the school, or community. Provide hands-on activities.
Have children draw a timeline showing when each child was born or make a chart to show how many brothers
and sisters each child in the class has. Use relevant social studies throughout the year. Conduct child
discussions about class problems, revising class rules accordingly, or consider the concept of scarcity related
to choices. Capitalize on child interest (Katz & Chard 2000). Consider why, say, the lake is closed to swimmers
or what makes an airplane stay in the sky. Developed in this way, the curricula of social studies use big ideas
to connect with children and deepen their understanding of their relevant social world.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Create a lesson plan for Social Studies in Early Childhood Education following the sample format below.

I. OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. ;

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b. ; and
c. .

II. SUBJECT MATTER:

Topic:
References:
Materials:
Values Integration:

III. PROCEDURE:

TEACHER’S ACTIVITY PUPILS’ ACTIVITY

A. Preliminary Activities

a. Greetings

b. Prayer

c. Checking of Attendance

d. Setting of the Classroom Rules

e. Drill

f. Review

g. Unlocking of Difficulties

B. Development of the Lesson

a. Motivation

b. Presentation

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c. Lesson Proper

d. Generalization

e. Application

f. Values Integration

IV. EVALUATION:

V. ASSIGNMENT:

SUMMARY

Social studies as content and process is a vibrant and vital part of early childhood curricula. Social studies
at the center of early childhood curricula offers the hope that the focus of education will be on the development
of effective, efficient, ethical children who will approach their world nonsimplistically and thoughtfully. With the
help of good teachers, children will not only absorb the content that focuses on citizenship education in all its
permutations, but also learn how to learn and how to consider multiple perspectives.

REFERENCES

http://ocw.umb.edu/early-education-development/eec-preschool-learning-standards-and-guidelines/social-
science-readings/Social%20Studies%20in%20Early%20Childhood%20Curricula.pdf/at_download/file.pdf

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 5

CULTURE
MODULE OVERVIEW

Culture consists of the historically accumulated knowledge, tools and attitudes that pervade the child's
proximal ecology, including the cultural “practices” of nuclear family members and other kin. These enculturated
members of society are themselves subject to a variety of forces in both the natural ecology and society as they
carry out their roles, such as care giving and earning a living.

Culture plays an essential role in how children make sense of the world. A decisive difference between
children’s learning and any intelligent technical system is that technical systems can recognize and organize
information, but cannot grasp its meaning. Development of signification and adoption of the appropriate cultural
tools (symbols, meanings, scripts, goals etc.) of human activity are basic challenges of early learning.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. described their own culture and culture of others;
2. discussed the similarities and differences of different cultures in the Philippines;
3. discussed about dealing with stereotypical ideas and positive attitudes toward diversity; and
4. demonstrated approved behaviors related to social and ethnic customs (e.g., manners and other
respectful behaviors).

ART

The arts of the Philippines reflect a society with diverse cultural influences and traditions. The Malayan
people had early contact with traders who introduced Chinese and Indian influences. Islamic traditions were
first introduced to the Malays of the southern Philippine Islands in the 14th century. Most modern aspects of
Philippine cultural life evolved under the foreign rule of Spain and, later, the United States. In the 16th century
the Spanish imposed a foreign culture based in Catholicism.

While the lowland peoples were acculturated through religious conversion, the Muslims and some upland
tribal groups maintained cultural independence. Among those who were assimilated arose an educated elite
who began to establish a modern Filipino literary tradition. During the first half of the 20th century, American
influence made the Philippines one of the most Westernized nations in Southeast Asia. The cultural movements
of Europe and the United States profoundly influenced Filipino artists, even after independence in 1946. While
drawing on Western forms, however, the works of Filipino painters, writers, and musicians are imbued with
distinctly Philippine themes.

By expressing the cultural richness of the archipelago in all its diversity, Filipino artists have helped to
shape a sense of national identity. Many Malay cultural traditions have survived despite centuries of foreign
rule. Muslims and upland tribal groups maintain distinct traditions in music, dance, and sculpture. In addition,
many Filipino artists incorporate indigenous folk motifs into modern forms.

A. LITERATURE

The indigenous literature of the Philippines developed primarily in the oral tradition in poetic and narrative
forms. Epic poems, legends, proverbs, songs, and riddles were passed from generation to generation through
oral recitation and incantation in the various languages and dialects of the islands.

The epics were the most complex of these early literary forms. Most of the major tribal groups developed
an original epic that was chanted in episodic segments during a variety of social rituals. One common theme of
the epics is a hero who is aided by benevolent spirits. The epics that have survived are important records of the
ancient customs of tribal society before the arrival of Islam and Christianity. After the arrival of the Spanish,
Catholic missionaries employed indigenous peoples as translators, creating a bilingual class known as ladinos.
These individuals, notably poet-translator Gaspar Aquino de Belen, produced devotional poetry

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written in the Roman script, primarily in the Tagalog language. Later, the Spanish ballad of chivalry, the corridor,
provided a model for secular (nonreligious) literature. Verse narratives, or komedya, were performed in the
regional languages for the illiterate majority. They were also written in the Roman alphabet in the principal
languages and widely circulated. Francisco Balagtas Baltazar, generally considered the first major Filipino
poet, wrote poems in Tagalog. His best-known work, Florante at Laura (Florante and Laura), probably written
between 1835 and 1842, is an epic poem that subversively criticizes Spanish tyranny. This poem inspired a
generation of young Filipino writers of the new educated class, or ilustrados, who used their literary talents to
call for political and social reform under the colonial system. These writers, most notably Jose Rizal, produced
a small but high-quality body of Philippine literature in Spanish. Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not),
published in 1886, and its sequel, El Filibusterismo (The Subversive), published in 1891, helped to shape a
new, nationalist identity during the last years of the 19th century.

The transfer of the Philippines to United States control in 1898 resulted in a dramatic increase in literacy
and, consequently, literary production. A variety of new literary journals began to be published. English-
language Filipino novels, short stories, and poems were first published in book form in the 1920s. Many Filipino
authors have had distinguished writing careers. Their works typically explore the Filipino cultural identity in the
context of social and political issues. Filipino authors often write in more than one literary form and in more than
one language. Major English-language works include Winds of April (1940) and The Bamboo Dancers (1959)
by N. V. M. Gonzalez; Many Voices (1939) and Have Come, Am Here (1942) by Jose Garcia Villa; You Lovely
People (1955) and Scent of Apples and Other Stories (1980) by Bienvenido N. Santos; The Laughter of My
Father (1944) and America Is in the Heart (1946) by Carlos Bulosan; Bitter Country and Other Stories (1970)
by Rosca Ninotchka; The Woman Who Had Two Navels (1972) and A Question of Heroes (1977) by Nick
Joaquin; The God Stealer and Other Stories (1968) and Tree (1978) by Francisco Sionil Jose; A Question of
Identity (1973) by Carmen Guerrero Nakpil; and His Native Coast (1979) by Edith L. Tiempo.

B. ART AND ARCHITECTURE

During most of the Spanish colonial period, the art and architecture of the Philippines were strongly
influenced by the patronage of the Roman Catholic Church. Most art emphasized religious iconography. The
church commissioned local craftspeople, often skilled Chinese artisans, to construct provincial stone churches
with bas-relief sculpture and to carve santos, or statues of saints, and other devotional icons in wood and ivory.
The edifices, statues, and paintings of the period show Chinese and Malay modifications of Spanish baroque,
an elaborate and detailed style. Philippine painters began to explore secular themes in the mid- 1800s. The
painters Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo produced works in the romantic and early impressionist
styles, achieving recognition in Europe. Painters of the early 1900s-notably Fernando Amorsolo, Fabian de
la Rosa, and Jorge Pineda – produced romanticized landscapes, genre scenes, and portraits. In the late 1920s
Victorio Edades, an American-trained painter, infused modernism into the Philippine art world. Many Philippine
painters who were influenced by American and European modernism also experimented with it to reflect
Philippine realities, such as Carlos Francisco, Arturo Luz, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Vicente Manansala, and
Hernando Ocampo. Lee Aguinaldo and Fernando Zobel de Ayala achieved international recognition in the
1960s and 1970s.

Sculpture took on secular themes in the early 1900s. The major Filipino sculptor of the American colonial
period was Guillermo Tolentino, who trained in classical sculpture in Rome. In the 1950s Napoleon Abueva
pioneered modernism in Philippine sculpture. Many talented sculptors were active in the following decades,
notably Eduardo Castrillo, whose large welded-metal sculptures are displayed in Manila's Memorial Park;
Solomon Saprid, noted for his expressionist series of mythical figures titled Tikbalang; and Abdulmari Imao,
who produced contemporary interpretations of traditional Muslim designs. More recently, sculptors have tended
to utilize ethnic artifacts and natural materials to produce assemblages with social themes. In remote areas,
tribal groups have preserved traditional art forms such as woodcarving, textile weaving, bamboo and rattan
weaving, and metalsmithing. Artistic body adornments such as bead jewelry, body tattoos, and headdresses
are important indications of social status. In the northern Philippines, the Ifugao people are known for their
sculptural wood carvings of bulul figures, which represent guardian deities. The figures are ritually placed in
rice granaries to bring a plentiful harvest. The terraced rice fields of the Ifugao are considered a major
architectural feat. The Ifugao built them over a period of centuries by carving terraces into the mountainsides
and reinforcing each level with stone walls.The Muslim peoples in the south practice okir, a design tradition that
shows evidence of Indian and Islamic influences. Rendered in hardwood and brass, the okir designs are mostly
figurative, depicting animals, plants, and mythical figures. The style is highly decorative, with long curvilinear
lines and secondary arabesques. The designs are based in the ancient epics

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and serve as significant cultural symbols. An important motif of the Maranaos is the sarimanok design, depicting
a bird holding a fish in its beak or talons. Many okir designs are used as decorative elements in architecture.
The Muslim peoples of the Philippines are noted for their metalworking skills, producing weaponry such as
swords and decorative containers in brass and silver.

C. MUSIC AND DANCE

Filipino classical musical compositions in many ways epitomize the blending of multicultural influences.
The compositions often embody indigenous themes and rhythms in Western forms, such as symphonies,
sonatas, and concertos. Several composers and conductors in classical music have achieved international
recognition, including Antonio Molina, Felipe Padilla de Leon, and Eliseo Pajaro. Jose Maceda is considered
the first Filipino avant-garde composer, liberating Philippine classical music from the traditional constructs of
Western forms. Traditional types of music are played on wind, string, and percussion instruments made from
local materials. These include the kulibit, a zither with bamboo strings and tubular bamboo resonators; wooden
lutes and guitars; and the git-git, a wooden three-string bowed instrument. The Muslim peoples use these and
other instruments to play complex musical compositions that have been passed by memory from generation to
generation. Most Filipino communities remember the tunes and lyrics of traditional folk songs. Tagalogs, for
example, have more than a dozen folk songs for various occasions, including the uyayi or hele, a lullaby; the
talindaw, a seafaring song; the kumintang, a warrior song; the kundiman, a love song; and the panambitan,
a courtship song. Some songs are accompanied by a specific folk dance.Formal training in classical dance has
been available in the Philippines since the 1930s. The first noted Filipino choreographers in classical ballet were
Leonor Orosa-Goquingco, Remedios Totoy de Oteyza, and Rosalia Merino-Santos. Orosa-Goquingco is
most noted for her staging of Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance, which toured the world in
the 1960s. Merino-Santos later turned to modern dance and founded the Far Eastern University Modern
Experimental Dance Troupe. Other dance companies include Ballet Philippines (formerly the Modern Dance
Company), Hariraya Ballet Company, Dance Theater Philippines, and Pamana Ballet (formerly the Anita
Kane Ballet Company). Several Filipino ballet dancers have achieved international fame, including Maribel
Aboitiz, Eddie Elejar, Lisa Macuja, and Anna Villadolid. Choreographer Francisca Reyes-Aquino is
recognized for pioneering research in the documentation of Philippine folk dances and founding the Philippine
Folk Dance Society. She codified the folk dances into steps, directions, and musical arrangements that are
taught in physical education classes in most schools. Among other folk dance troupes, the Bayanihan
Philippine Dance Company (formerly the Bayanihan Folk Arts Center) and the Far Eastern University Folk
Dance Group perform stylized adaptations of folk dances in local and international tours. Informal folk dancing
is performed for a variety of occasions, such as harvests, weddings, and religious celebrations. The Manila
Symphony Orchestra accompanies many dance performances. The Philippine Cultural Center in Manila
provides an important venue for the performing and applied arts.

D. LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

In addition to the university libraries, the major libraries of the country are the Manila City Library, the
National Library, and the library of the Science and Technology Information Institute, all in Manila. The
Lopez Memorial Museum and Library, in Pasay, has collections of paintings by major Filipino artists, as well
as the letters and manuscripts of Jose Rizal. The Santo Tomas Museum, in Manila, has major archaeological
and natural-history collections, illustrating the history of the islands. The National Museum, in Manila, has
divisions of anthropology, botany, geology, and zoology, along with art collections and a planetarium.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for Arts in the Philippines (ex. Popular Dances).

LANGUAGE

What Language Is Spoken In The Philippines?

With 183 living languages to speak of, the Philippines is one of the most linguistically diverse countries on
the planet.

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There’s no easy way to say what language is spoken in the Philippines, unless you’re willing to name and
enumerate nearly 200 of them. There are 183 living languages currently spoken in the Philippines, the vast
majority of which are indigenous tongues.

Official Languages

The two official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English. Filipino is the national language,
and the official status of English is a holdover from its time as a U.S. territory between the years of 1898 and
1946.

Filipino is the primary language used in school and media, and it’s also the lingua franca that unites the
nation’s disparate linguistic communities. You’ll mostly encounter English in government, newspapers and
magazines.

Filipino Vs. Tagalog

Are Filipino and Tagalog more or less the same language? Almost, but not quite. Filipino is an updated
version of Tagalog that includes elements of other native Philippine languages, as well as English, Spanish,
Malay and Chinese.

Due to its status at the time as the main language spoken in Manila, Tagalog became the national
language of the Philippines in 1937 when Congress voted to include a native language among the officially
recognized languages. Eventually, Tagalog was renamed Pilipino, and when the Constitution was amended in
1973 under dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, Congress took steps to create a new iteration of the
language, which was to be known as Filipino. Filipino then gained official status in 1987.

The evolution of Pilipino into Filipino was part of Marcos’ efforts to create a “new society”. Part of this
meant incorporating elements of other languages, often by replacing Tagalog words deemed “aesthetically
unpleasing” with alternative words that sounded nicer. The letters f, j, c, x and z were added to the alphabet,
and the spellings of some words changed to better reflect how they’re pronounced.

Other Major Languages

The Philippines were under Spanish colonial rule for 300 years beginning in 1565, and during this time,
Spanish was the official language (and remained the lingua franca even after it lost its official status). Spanish
actually became an official language again, together with English, according to the Constitution of 1935, but it
was demoted to an “optional and voluntary language” in 1987.

There are also major regional languages spoken in the Philippines that include Aklanon, Basian, Bikol,
Cebuano, Chavacano (a Spanish-based creole), Hiligaynon, Ibanag, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Ivatan, Maranao,
Tagalog, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Waray, Maguindanao, Pangasinan, Sambal, Surigaonon, Tausug
and Yakan. These are all mostly indigenous languages belonging to the Austronesian language family.

Out of these, 10 languages account for the language over 90 percent of Filipino people speak at home.
These languages are Tagalog, Bisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray,
Maguindanao, Kapampangan and Pangasinan.

Immigrant populations have also affected the linguistic landscape of the Philippines. Major immigrant
languages include Sindhi (20,000 speakers, according to Ethnologue), Japanese (2,900), Indonesian (2,580),
Hindi (2,420) and German (960), as well as Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese, Malay, Tamil and various types of
Chinese.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for Mother Tongue – Filipino – English Vocabulary
Translation (ex. nagpintas – maganda – beautiful).

*Note: Choose 1 Mother Tongue (either Pangasinan or Ilokano/Iloko). A minimum of twenty-five (25) words.
Include images appropriate for early childhood learners.

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HISTORY

The Early Philippines

The Philippines is named after King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) and it was a Spanish colony for over
300 years.

Today the Philippines is an archipelago of 7, 641 islands. However it is believed that during the last ice
age they were joined to mainland Asia by a land bridge, enabling human beings to walk from there.

The first people in the Philippines were hunter-gatherers. However between 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC
people learned to farm. They grew rice and domesticated animals. From the 10th AD century Filipinos traded
with China and by the 12th Century AD Arab merchants reached the Philippines and they introduced Islam.

Then in 1521 Ferdinand Magellan sailed across the Pacific. He landed in the Philippines and claimed
them for Spain. Magellan baptized a chief called Humabon and hoped to make him a puppet ruler on behalf of
the Spanish crown. Magellan demanded that other chiefs submit to Humabon but one chief named Lapu Lapu
refused. Magellan led a force to crush him. However the Spanish soldiers were scattered and Magellan was
killed.

The Spaniards did not gain a foothold in the Philippines until 1565 when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi led an
expedition, which built a fort in Cebu. Later, in 1571 the Spaniards landed in Luzon. Here they built the city of
Intramuros (later called Manila), which became the capital of the Philippines. Spanish conquistadors marched
inland and conquered Luzon. They created a feudal system. Spaniards owned vast estates worked by Filipinos.

Along with conquistadors went friars who converted the Filipinos to Catholicism. The friars also built
schools and universities.

The Spanish colony in the Philippines brought prosperity - for the upper class anyway. Each year the
Chinese exported goods such as silk, porcelain and lacquer to the Philippines. From there they were re-
exported to Mexico.

The years passed uneventfully in the Philippines until in 1762 the British captured Manila. They held it for
two years but they handed it back in 1764 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763.

The Philippines in the 19th Century

In 1872 there was a rebellion in Cavite but it was quickly crushed. However nationalist feeling continued to
grow helped by a writer named Jose Rizal (1861-1896). He wrote two novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo which stoked the fires of nationalism.

In 1892 Jose Rizal founded a movement called Liga Filipina, which called for reform rather than
revolution. As a result Rizal was arrested and exiled to Dapitan on Mindanao.

Meanwhile Andres Bonifacio formed a more extreme organization called the Katipunan. In August 1896
they began a revolution. Jose Rizal was accused of supporting the revolution, although he did not and he was
executed on 30 December 1896. Yet his execution merely inflamed Filipino opinion and the revolution grew.

Then in 1898 came war between the USA and Spain. On 30 April 1898 the Americans defeated the
Spanish fleet in Manila Bay. Meanwhile Filipino revolutionaries had surrounded Manila. Their leader, Emilio
Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent on 12 June. However as part of the peace treaty Spain ceded
the Philippines to the USA. The Americans planned to take over.

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War between American forces in Manila and the Filipinos began on 4 February 1899. The Filipino-
American War lasted until 1902 when Aguinaldo was captured.

The Philippines in the 20th Century

American rule in the Philippines was paternalistic. They called their policy 'Benevolent Assimilation'.
They wanted to 'Americanize' the Filipinos but they never quite succeeded. However they did do some good.
Many American teachers were sent to the Philippines in a ship called the Thomas and they did increase literacy.

In 1935 the Philippines were made a commonwealth and were semi-independent. Manuel Quezon
became president. The USA promised that the Philippines would become completely independent in 1945.

However in December 1941 Japan attacked the US fleet at Pearl Harbor. On 10 December 1941
Japanese troops invaded the Philippines. They captured Manila on 2 January 1941. By 6 May 1942 all of the
Philippines were in Japanese hands.

However American troops returned to the Philippines in October 1944. They recaptured Manila in
February 1945.

The Philippines became independent on 4 July 1946. Manuel Roxas was the first president of the newly
independent nation.

Ferdinand Marcos (1917-1989) was elected president in 1965. He was re-elected in 1969. However the
Philippines was dogged by poverty and inequality. In the 1960s a land reform program began. However many
peasants were frustrated by its slow progress and a Communist insurgency began in the countryside.

On 21 September 1972 Marcos declared martial law. He imposed a curfew, suspended Congress and
arrested opposition leaders.

The Marcos dictatorship was exceedingly corrupt and Marcos and his cronies enriched themselves.

Then, in 1980 opposition leader Benigno Aquino went into exile in the USA. When he returned on 21
August 1983 he was shot. Aquino became a martyr and Filipinos were enraged by his murder.

In February 1986 Marcos called an election. The opposition united behind Cory Aquino the widow of
Benigno. Marcos claimed victory (a clear case of electoral fraud). Cory Aquino also claimed victory and ordinary
people took to the streets to show their support for her. The followers of Marcos deserted him and he bowed to
the inevitable and went into exile.

Things did not go smoothly for Corazon Aquino. (She survived 7 coup attempts). Furthermore, the
American bases in the Philippines (Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base) were unpopular with many
Filipinos who felt they should go. In 1992 Mount Pinatubo erupted and covered Clark in volcanic ash forcing the
Americans to leave. They left Subic Bay in 1993.

In 1992 Fidel Ramos became president. He improved the infrastructure in the Philippines including the
electricity supply. Industry was privatized and the economy began to grow more rapidly.

However at the end of the 1990s the Philippine economy entered a crisis. Meanwhile, in 1998 Joseph
Estrada, known as Erap became president. Estrada was accused of corruption and he was impeached in
November 2000. Estrada was not convicted. Nevertheless, people demonstrated against him and the military
withdrew its support. Estrada was forced to leave office and Vice-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced
him. She was re-elected in 2004.

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The Philippines in the 21st Century

Today the Philippines is still poor but things are changing. Since 2010 the Philippine economy has grown
at about 6% a year. Today there is reason to be optimistic for the future. Meanwhile, In 2016 the Philippines
launched its first satellite. It was called Diwata-1. In 2020 the population of the Philippines was 106 million.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

Make a customize television using recycled materials to present the brief history of the Philippines.

CUSTOMS

Filipino Customs and Traditions

Mano Po

Our culture is a big reflection of our great and complex history. It is influenced by most of the people we
have interacted with. A blend of the Malayo-Polynesian and Hispanic culture with the influence from Chinese,
Indians Arabs, and other Asian cultures really contribute to the customs and traditions of the Filipinos.

Filipino culture is unique compared to other Asian countries, and beliefs apply every day in the life of the
Filipinos and reveal how rich and blessed the culture the people have.

Let’s review some of the popular Filipino traditions and find the similarities that bind Filipinos to each
other.

First on the list is Mano Po. When children or young people greet or say goodbye to their elders they
typically do so by taking the right hand of the elder with their right hand and touch the back the elder's hand
lightly on their forehead. It is a way of giving respect to the elders and I believe that is also a way of receiving
blessing to the elders.

Mano is a Spanish word for “hand” while Po is used in the end of the sentence when addressing elders or
superiors.

Next is that Filipinos are one of the most hospitable people you may find anywhere. Foreign visitors in
the country are treated with the utmost respect. This trait is usually seen during fiestas and holidays where
many Filipinos are giving their best to entertain their visitors well.

It is amazing to see that even the simplest home along the road opens their home to a stranger. For
Filipinos, to be able to serve others gives them honor of showing true friendship. Filipino Hospitality is a trait
you can't take away from them.

Having Close Family Ties is also one of their unique traits. It is one of the outstanding cultural values that
Filipinos have. The family takes care of each other and are taught to be loyal to family and elders by simply
obeying their authorities. This is one of the unique characteristics of Filipinos. Having fondness for family
reunions during secular and religious holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s eve, All Saints’ Day, Holy Week,
Fiestas, homecomings, birthdays, weddings, graduations, baptisms, funerals etc. is evidence that Filipino
people valued not only our cultural tradition but the spirit of our family. As Filipinos, we are blessed to have
been brought up with strong family ties.

Bayanihan

Have you ever experienced the bayanihan in our country? It is the spirit of communal unity or effort to
achieve a particular objective. A famous example of this is the neighbors carrying a hut or house to a new
location. People nowadays use it to describe an outpouring of community spirit-as people give their all to the
common good, without expecting recognition or personal gain.

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Courtship

We Filipinos are very romantic when it comes to heart affairs. Serenading or Harana in Tagalog is one of
the most popular forms of courtship to show that a man is very serious with his intentions to a woman. A
serenade would require the young man to sing a love song in front of the young lady's house. Normally, he is
accompanied by his male friends who act as back-up singers. The man himself or his friend played the
instrument, usually a guitar, which provides the background music to his song.

They would have to wait until the young lady opened a window to listen. It would be up to her if she wanted
to invite them in for some refreshment and to chat after the song. Even if they had been asked to come in, the
suitor would not expect that he could have the chance of a private moment with his object of affection. It was
highly likely that the parents would also be there to entertain the man and his friends.

Religion

The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic nations in Asia-Pacific. Their habit of going
to church and often praying reflects that Filipinos have a deep faith and belief when it comes to religion. They
are very devoted to religions that sometimes many take the risk of their lives just to touch the Black Nazarine
(in Quiapo Manila). For many, it is just a choice between their faith and fears.

Filipinos believe that having a strong devotion may lead to a better life and their guidance to face
everyday life.
Superstition

In the Philippines, superstitious beliefs have grown throughout the country. These beliefs have come from
the different sayings and beliefs of our ancestors that aim to prevent danger from happening or to make a
person refrain from doing something in particular.

These beliefs are part of our culture, for one derives their beliefs from the influences of what their
customs, traditions and culture have dictated to explain certain phenomena or to scare people. Some are
practiced primarily because Filipinos believe that there is nothing to lose if they will comply with these beliefs.

Cuisine

The Philippines is considered the melting pot of Asia. The rich medley of Chinese, Malay, Spanish,
Mexican, American, and Indian cooking are noticed in Philippine cuisine. Eating out is one of the favorite Filipino
pasttimes. A typical Pinoy diet consists at most of six meals a day; breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, dinner,
and again a midnight snack before going to sleep. Rice is a staple in the Filipino diet, and is usually eaten
together with other dishes. Filipinos regularly use spoons together with forks and knives. Some also eat with
their hands, especially in informal settings, and when eating seafood.

Other popular dishes brought from Spanish and Southeast Asian influences include afritada, asado,
chorizo, empanadas, mani (roasted peanuts), paksiw (fishor pork, cooked in vinegar and water with some
spices like garlic and pepper), pan de sal (bread rolls), pescado frito (fried or grilled fish), sisig, torta(omelette),
kare-kare (ox-tail stew), kilawen, pinakbet (vegetable stew), pinapaitan, and sinigang (tamarind soup with a
variety of pork, fish, or prawns). Some delicacies eaten by some Filipinos may seem unappetizing to the
Western palate include balut (boiled egg with a fertilized duckling inside), longanisa (sweet sausage), and
dinuguan (soup made from pork blood).

Popular snacks and desserts such as chicharon (deep fried pork or chicken skin), halo-halo (crushed ice
with evaporated milk, flan, and sliced tropical fruit),puto (white rice cakes), bibingka (rice cake with butter or
margarine and salted eggs), ensaymada (sweet roll with grated cheese on top), polvoron (powder candy), and
tsokolate (chocolate) are usually eaten outside the three main meals. Popular Philippine beverages include
San Miguel Beer, Tanduay Rhum,coconut arrack, and tuba.

Every province has its own specialty and tastes vary in each region. In Bicol, for example, foods are
generally spicier than elsewhere in the Philippines. Patis, suka, toyo, bagoong, and banana catsup are the
most common condiments found in Filipino homes and restaurants. Western fast food chains such as
McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, and Pizza Hut are a common sight in the country.
A roasted pig known as the Lechón, is one of the Philippines most popular dishes.

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Marriage and Wedding Customs

A sacred marriage

In the country, marriage is a sacred union of man and women after a period of courtship and engagement.
It is a sacrament between two people who love each other. For many Filipinos, the eternal quality of dedication
to God pervades a truly sacred marriage.

A sacred marriage is a covenant between two who love each other in God and with God, whose joining
becomes an expression of the desire of each to love and serve God together.
Death

Death in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions in family life. For many Filipinos, a death of
relatives is an opportunity to strengthen ties in the Family. To pay respect and honor the relationship to the
deceased, long lost relatives, friends, and even relatives working abroad are reunited.

The Philippines is the home of some unique death rituals that are partly religious and mostly superstitious.
The mourning and the weeping are still present, but a happy and welcoming atmosphere would usually envelop
the place to help the deceased on his journey to the afterlife.

After the death of a person, a nine-day period of having a novena of prayers and Masses offered up to the
deceased is held, although the beginning of the "Siyam na araw" varies, but usually ends the week after the
death. Another period follows after death, the 40-day mourning period. Family members indicate their state of
bereavement by wearing a small, black rectangular plastic pin on their left breast or breast pocket area. A
ceremonial mass is held at the end of this 40-day period. Common belief states that the soul goes to Heaven
after these 40 days, following the belief that Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven after the said period of days.
Society

The primary ancestors of Filipinos are Malays who came from the southeastern Asian country which is
now called Indonesia. The Philippines is a combined society, both singular and plural in form. It is singular as
one nation, but plural in that it is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is divided between
Christians, Muslims, and other religious-ethno-linguistic groups; between urban and rural people; between
upland and lowland people; and between the rich and the poor. Although different in numerous ways, the
Filipinos are very hospitable and give appropriate respect to everybody regardless of race, culture and belief.

Christmas in the Philippines

Christmas in the Philippines is considered as one of the biggest holidays in the archipelago. We earned
the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season with Christmas carols heard as early as
September and lasting until Epiphany, the feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 or the Feast of the Santo
Niño de Cebú on the third Sunday of January.

In one’s article, Archbishop Cruz told in his Christmas message that "the essence of Christmas is God
made flesh, God who has come among us" in an act of love "that joins humankind to the Living God through
our Lord Jesus Christ".

For many Filipinos, the true essence of Christmas for is not gift giving but sharing this special holy day
with family.

Fiestas

Every town and city in the Philippines has a fiesta of its own; whatever time of the year it is, there's sure to
be a fiesta going on somewhere.

Fiestas in the Philippines are held to celebrate a patron saint. It is part and parcel of Filipino culture
through good times and bad times, it must go on. The biggest and most elaborate festival of all is Christmas,
a season celebrated with all the pomp and pageantry where the whole country breaks out in celebrations that
can begin long before December.

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For individual Filipinos, fiestas can be a way of supplicating the heavens or to make amends for past
wrongs. It is a way to celebrate their blessings, commemorate their past and observe solemn religious rituals.
Celebrations may take the form of music, dancing, feasting, beauty contests, balls, processions, sports
challenges or a host of other events.

Spanish influence is evident in the elaborate masks, makeup, headdresses and costumes worn by the
revelers; outfits which often take months of preparation.
Living with Parents

Filipinos highly value the presence of family more than anything. Adult children living with their parents are
another Filipino traditional that make them exceptional. Unlike in the United States where children leave the
home after finishing high school or college, many Filipinos continue living with parents until they get married.

Eating with a Fork and Spoon

One Filipinos identity is that they eat using a fork and a spoon. The fork is place in the left hand while the
spoon is in the right hand. Fork is used to place or push the food into the spoon which is held by the right hand.

Since rice is the main staple of the Filipinos at almost every meal, the fork and spoon method is ideal. It is
believe that the use of a spoon and a fork is perfect for the way Southeast Asians prepare and cook their food.
Unlike the Americans who like their meats and other food items in big slabs and humongous chunks, Southeast
Asians generally prepare their dishes in bite-sized pieces -- chopped, minced or ground -- thus leaving no real
need for a knife.
Eating with Hands (Kamayan)

In addition to the use of the fork and spoon, eating with your hands or kamayan is another common Filipino
tradition. For many Filipinos, kamayan gives full taste to the food instead of using utensils. Gather a small
portion of meat or fish and a bite-sized portion of rice on your plate. Then use all your fingers to gather the food
into a small mountain or mound. Pick up the little mound and put it in your mouth using your thumb to gently
push the food in.

Filipinos usually eat rice that has a slightly sticky consistency so making the little mounds is easier than if
you were to use a jasmine or basmati rice. Of course, this method of eating doesn't work with soup/stew or
noodles and other kinds of food but for your basic plate of rice, meat/fish and vegetables it works quite well.
Next time you make dinner try eating kamayan.

Balikbayan Boxes

Some Filipinos leave the Philippines to live and work abroad. A balikbayan box is a box of items sent by
the balikbayan to their family in the Philippines. The box can be sent or it can be brought by the sender when
they themselves return to the Philippines. Balikbayan boxes come in all different sizes and dimensions from
bulilit (small) to extra large. It can be filled with almost anything but it is usually filled with items that cannot be
found in the Philippines or items that may be too expensive for the average person to buy in the Philippines.
Common items found in balikbayan boxes include: clothes, shoes, chocolate, nuts, vitamins, basketballs, coffee
and tea, magazines, shampoo/conditioner, soap, body lotion, etc.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for the Customs of the Philippines (ex. Popular Dishes).

BELIEFS

Faith and Religious Belief in the Philippines

Catholicism, mostly Roman Catholicism, is the most predominant religion in the Philippines, making
up around 85% of the population.

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Filipino people are deeply religious and their strong faith in God is reflected in their daily lives. People
attend church regularly and may be seen praying at any time of day.
Many church holidays and traditional Filipino festivals are celebrated throughout the year. Tourists in the
Philippines during Holy Week, around Easter, should be prepared for an intense period of religious ceremony
and processions.
Islam is the second-largest religion in the Philippines, approximately 10% of Filipino people are Muslim.

9 Superstitions Many Filipinos Still Believe

The Philippines is a country with a long history of colonization, strongly influencing its culture and
traditions. This impact extends well beyond language and food and into the many superstitions that locals take
to heart. With an Animist, pre-colonial past (with likely Hindu-Buddhist influences), followed by a major
conversion into Christianity, The Philippines claims ownership of a very interesting, diverse mix of beliefs.
The number of steps of staircases at home should not be divisible by three

Enter a Filipino household with a staircase and begin chanting “Oro (gold), plata (silver), mata (death)”,
taking one step up with each word. Most likely, upon reaching the top step, the chant will end with either
oro or plata. This is because many Filipinos will go to great lengths to avoid ending in mata which denotes bad
luck. The two preceding words on the other hand, obviously denote good fortune.
Turn your plate when someone leaves in the middle of a meal

When sitting at the dining table for a meal and someone gets up to leave before the rest of the group
finishes, everybody left at the table should turn their plates to ensure safe travels for the person leaving. Another
meal superstition (though more loosely believed) is that the table should not start being cleared while people
are still eating. If this is done, it is believed that the last person left dining will live a lonely life.
Don’t go straight home after attending a wake

This superstition is called “pagpag” (the shaking off of dirt). In the context of a wake, it means going
elsewhere after attending the wake before heading home to shake off the spirit of the deceased lest it follows
you home. Superstitions surrounding wakes are among the most widely practiced by Filipinos still today. Another
is that the family of the deceased should not drop off visitors at the door upon saying goodbye as it symbolizes
dropping them off at their own deaths. And, as for serving food at wakes (be it heavy meals or light snacks) at
Filipino wakes is customary, visitors should not make the mistake of taking any home with them (be it a small
piece of candy), as it signifies inviting misfortune into your home.
Reassure your host that you’re human

A very common line used by Filipinos when knocking on someone’s door is “Tao (person) po!“. Many
assume it refers to the knocker calling out to ask if there are any people inside, when actually, it is said to stem
from the knocker reassuring the people inside that s/he is a person and not a possibly harmful supernatural
creature.
Siblings should not marry within the same year

This superstition is called “sukob” and advises against siblings marrying within the same year as it is said
to divide the luck between the two marriages. Another type of sukob advises against marriages within the same
year as the death of an immediate family member. Pushing to do so is considered bad luck.

Another wedding-related superstition is that the bride should never try on her dress before the big day.
This is said to bring bad luck and cause the cancellation of the union.

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Serve pancit (noodles) at celebrations, especially birthdays

This ever-present dish at Filipino gatherings is believed to represent long life. And while Filipinos today
may joke and laugh about actually believing that this noodle dish is served for long life, it remains a staple at
nearly every birthday feast.
Respect the elementals

Filipino folklore is rich with a variety of elementals, from giants smoking tobacco, to small, grumpy, old men
living in anthills. Stories of these creatures fill the childhoods of many Filipino children, inciting both intrigue and
fear. Many superstitions still surround the beliefs in such creatures today. Among the most practiced is the
saying of “tabi tabi po” (excuse me) when passing through places where elementals are likely to dwell. These
places are usually outdoors, such as anthills and Balete trees. Failure to do so and disturbing such creatures
may lead to unexplained sickness that can only be cured by an albularyo (folk healer).
Be careful when showing fondness over babies

It’s difficult to restrain from playing with cute babies or complimenting their parents on their adorable
features, but doing so in the Philippines is believed by some, to be a potential cause of illness. Referred to as
either “usog” or “bati”, this superstition says that when a person with strong energy greets a child, the child may
soon after suffer from unexplainable discomfort. This is why, especially in the countryside, older people know to
say “pwera usog” when showing fondness over children. This is meant to counter any usog that may have
happened otherwise. If this isn’t said, and parents attribute certain maladies of their children to usog, they may
ask the greeter to smear their saliva on the suffering child’s forehead as a cure.
Blame your missing things on elves

In the Philippines, there is an assumption that when items around the house go missing and reappear, this
is caused by dwendes or playful elves. While mischievous, these little creatures are believed to be mostly
harmless – aside from the type that take small children.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 5

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for the Beliefs in the Philippines (ex. Kinds of Religions)

GEOGRAPHY

The Philippines, officially called the Republic of the Philippines, is an island nation located in the
western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. The country is
an archipelago made up of 7, 641 islands and is near the countries of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
As of 2018, the Philippines had a population of roughly 108 million people and was the 13th most populous
country in the world.

Fast Facts: The Philippines

Official Name: Republic of the Philippines

Capital: Manila
Population: roughly 108,000,000 (2019)
Official Languages: Filipino and English
Currency: Philippine pesos (PHP)
Form of Government: Presidential republic
Climate: Tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to
October)
Total Area: 115,831 square miles (300,000 square kilometers)
Highest Point: Mount Apo 9,692 feet (2,954 meters)
Lowest Point: Philippine Sea 0 feet (0 meters)

The Philippine archipelago lies in Southeast Asia in a position that has led to its becoming a cultural
crossroads, a place where Malays, Chinese, Spaniards, Americans, and others have interacted to forge that

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unique cultural and racial blend known to the world as Filipino. The archipelago numbers some 7, 641 islands
and the nation claims an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles from its shores. The Philippines
occupies an area that stretches for 1,850 kilometers from about the fifth to the twentieth parallels north latitude.
The total land area is almost 300,000 square kilometers. Only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated,
and fewer than one-half of these are larger than 2.5 square kilometers. Eleven islands make up 94 percent of
the Philippine landmass, and two of these--Luzon and Mindanao--measure 105,000 and 95,000 square
kilometers, respectively. They, together with the cluster of the Visayan Islands that separate them, represent
the three principal regions of the archipelago that are identified by the three stars on the Philippine flag.
Topographically, the Philippines is broken up by the sea, which gives it one of the longest coastlines of any
nation in the world. Most Filipinos live on or near the coast, where they can easily supplement their diet from
approximately 2,000 species of fish.

Off the coast of eastern Mindanao is the Philippine Trough, which descends to a depth of 10,430 meters.
The Philippines is part of a western Pacific arc system that is characterized by active volcanoes. Among the
most notable peaks are Mount Mayon near Legaspi, Taal Volcano south of Manila, and Mount Apo on
Mindanao. All of the Philippines islands are prone to earthquakes. The northern Luzon highlands, or Cordillera
Central, rise to between 2,500 and 2,750 meters, and, together with the Sierra Madre in the northeastern portion
of Luzon and the mountains of Mindanao, boast rain forests that provide refuge for numerous upland tribal
groups. The rain forests also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including the Philippine
eagle (or monkey-eating eagle), some 800 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants.

The country's most extensive river systems are the Pulangi (Rio Grande), which flows into the Mindanao
River; the Agusan, in Mindanao which flows north into the Mindanao Sea; the Cagayan in northern Luzon; and
the Pampanga, which flows south from east Central Luzon into Manila Bay. Laguna de Bay, southeast of Manila
Bay, is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines. Several rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric
power.

The Climate

The Philippines has a tropical marine climate dominated by a rainy season and a dry season. The summer
monsoon brings heavy rains to most of the archipelago from May to October, whereas the winter monsoon
brings cooler and drier air from December to February. Manila and most of the lowland areas are hot and dusty
from March to May. Even at this time, however, temperatures rarely rise above 37 C. Mean annual sea- level
temperatures rarely fall below 27 C. Annual rainfall measures as much as 5,000 millimeters in the mountainous
east coast section of the country, but less than 1,000 millimeters in some of the sheltered valleys.

Monsoon rains, although hard and drenching, are not normally associated with high winds and waves. But
the Philippines does sit astride the typhoon belt, and it suffers an annual onslaught of dangerous storms from
July through October. These are especially hazardous for northern and eastern Luzon and the Bicol and Eastern
Visayas regions, but Manila gets devastated periodically as well.

In the last decade, the Philippines has suffered severely from natural disasters. In 1990 alone, Central
Luzon was hit by both a drought, which sharply curtailed hydroelectric power, and by a typhoon that flooded
practically all of Manila's streets. Still more damaging was an earthquake that devastated a wide area in Luzon,
including Baguio and other northern areas. The city of Cebu and nearby areas were struck by a typhoon that
killed more than a hundred people, sank vessels, destroyed part of the sugar crop, and cut off water and
electricity for several days.

Building construction is undertaken with natural disasters in mind. Most rural housing has consisted of
nipa huts that are easily damaged but are inexpensive and easy to replace. Most urban buildings are steel and
concrete structures designed (not always successfully) to resist both typhoons and earthquakes. Damage is
still significant, however, and many people are displaced each year by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural
disasters. In 1987 alone the Department of Social Welfare and Development helped 2.4 million victims of natural
disasters.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 6

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In a 1/8 Illustration board, make a mosaic of the map of the Philippines (label the Regions, Provinces, etc.)

SUMMARY

Culture is the lifeblood of a vibrant society, expressed in the many ways we tell our stories, celebrate,
remember the past, entertain ourselves, and imagine the future. Our creative expression helps define who we
are, and helps us see the world through the eyes of others. Ontarians participate in culture in many ways—as
audiences, professionals, amateurs, volunteers, and donors or investors.

In addition to its intrinsic value, culture provides important social and economic benefits. With improved
learning and health, increased tolerance, and opportunities to come together with others, culture enhances our
quality of life and increases overall well-being for both individuals and communities.

REFERENCES

https://www.livinginthephilippines.com/culture-and-people/philippine-culture/969-culture-arts
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/what-language-is-spoken-in-the-philippines
http://www.localhistories.org/philippines.html#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20is%20named%20after,an
%20archipelago%20of%207%2C000%20islands.&text=From%20the%2010th%20AD%20century,Philippines
%20and%20they%20introduced%20Islam.
https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Filipino-Customs-and-Traditions
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/superstitions-and-taboos-many-filipinos-still-believe-in/
http://worldfacts.us/Philippines-geography.htm

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 5

CULTURE
MODULE OVERVIEW

Culture consists of the historically accumulated knowledge, tools and attitudes that pervade the child's
proximal ecology, including the cultural “practices” of nuclear family members and other kin. These enculturated
members of society are themselves subject to a variety of forces in both the natural ecology and society as they
carry out their roles, such as care giving and earning a living.

Culture plays an essential role in how children make sense of the world. A decisive difference between
children’s learning and any intelligent technical system is that technical systems can recognize and organize
information, but cannot grasp its meaning. Development of signification and adoption of the appropriate cultural
tools (symbols, meanings, scripts, goals etc.) of human activity are basic challenges of early learning.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

5. described their own culture and culture of others;
6. discussed the similarities and differences of different cultures in the Philippines;
7. discussed about dealing with stereotypical ideas and positive attitudes toward diversity; and
8. demonstrated approved behaviors related to social and ethnic customs (e.g., manners and other
respectful behaviors).

ART

The arts of the Philippines reflect a society with diverse cultural influences and traditions. The Malayan
people had early contact with traders who introduced Chinese and Indian influences. Islamic traditions were
first introduced to the Malays of the southern Philippine Islands in the 14th century. Most modern aspects of
Philippine cultural life evolved under the foreign rule of Spain and, later, the United States. In the 16th century
the Spanish imposed a foreign culture based in Catholicism.

While the lowland peoples were acculturated through religious conversion, the Muslims and some upland
tribal groups maintained cultural independence. Among those who were assimilated arose an educated elite
who began to establish a modern Filipino literary tradition. During the first half of the 20th century, American
influence made the Philippines one of the most Westernized nations in Southeast Asia. The cultural movements
of Europe and the United States profoundly influenced Filipino artists, even after independence in 1946. While
drawing on Western forms, however, the works of Filipino painters, writers, and musicians are imbued with
distinctly Philippine themes.

By expressing the cultural richness of the archipelago in all its diversity, Filipino artists have helped to
shape a sense of national identity. Many Malay cultural traditions have survived despite centuries of foreign
rule. Muslims and upland tribal groups maintain distinct traditions in music, dance, and sculpture. In addition,
many Filipino artists incorporate indigenous folk motifs into modern forms.

A. LITERATURE

The indigenous literature of the Philippines developed primarily in the oral tradition in poetic and narrative
forms. Epic poems, legends, proverbs, songs, and riddles were passed from generation to generation through
oral recitation and incantation in the various languages and dialects of the islands.

The epics were the most complex of these early literary forms. Most of the major tribal groups developed
an original epic that was chanted in episodic segments during a variety of social rituals. One common theme of
the epics is a hero who is aided by benevolent spirits. The epics that have survived are important records of the
ancient customs of tribal society before the arrival of Islam and Christianity. After the arrival of the Spanish,
Catholic missionaries employed indigenous peoples as translators, creating a bilingual class known as ladinos.
These individuals, notably poet-translator Gaspar Aquino de Belen, produced devotional poetry

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written in the Roman script, primarily in the Tagalog language. Later, the Spanish ballad of chivalry, the corridor,
provided a model for secular (nonreligious) literature. Verse narratives, or komedya, were performed in the
regional languages for the illiterate majority. They were also written in the Roman alphabet in the principal
languages and widely circulated. Francisco Balagtas Baltazar, generally considered the first major Filipino
poet, wrote poems in Tagalog. His best-known work, Florante at Laura (Florante and Laura), probably written
between 1835 and 1842, is an epic poem that subversively criticizes Spanish tyranny. This poem inspired a
generation of young Filipino writers of the new educated class, or ilustrados, who used their literary talents to
call for political and social reform under the colonial system. These writers, most notably Jose Rizal, produced
a small but high-quality body of Philippine literature in Spanish. Rizal's novel Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not),
published in 1886, and its sequel, El Filibusterismo (The Subversive), published in 1891, helped to shape a
new, nationalist identity during the last years of the 19th century.

The transfer of the Philippines to United States control in 1898 resulted in a dramatic increase in literacy
and, consequently, literary production. A variety of new literary journals began to be published. English-
language Filipino novels, short stories, and poems were first published in book form in the 1920s. Many Filipino
authors have had distinguished writing careers. Their works typically explore the Filipino cultural identity in the
context of social and political issues. Filipino authors often write in more than one literary form and in more than
one language. Major English-language works include Winds of April (1940) and The Bamboo Dancers (1959)
by N. V. M. Gonzalez; Many Voices (1939) and Have Come, Am Here (1942) by Jose Garcia Villa; You Lovely
People (1955) and Scent of Apples and Other Stories (1980) by Bienvenido N. Santos; The Laughter of My
Father (1944) and America Is in the Heart (1946) by Carlos Bulosan; Bitter Country and Other Stories (1970)
by Rosca Ninotchka; The Woman Who Had Two Navels (1972) and A Question of Heroes (1977) by Nick
Joaquin; The God Stealer and Other Stories (1968) and Tree (1978) by Francisco Sionil Jose; A Question of
Identity (1973) by Carmen Guerrero Nakpil; and His Native Coast (1979) by Edith L. Tiempo.

B. ART AND ARCHITECTURE

During most of the Spanish colonial period, the art and architecture of the Philippines were strongly
influenced by the patronage of the Roman Catholic Church. Most art emphasized religious iconography. The
church commissioned local craftspeople, often skilled Chinese artisans, to construct provincial stone churches
with bas-relief sculpture and to carve santos, or statues of saints, and other devotional icons in wood and ivory.
The edifices, statues, and paintings of the period show Chinese and Malay modifications of Spanish baroque,
an elaborate and detailed style. Philippine painters began to explore secular themes in the mid- 1800s. The
painters Juan Luna and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo produced works in the romantic and early impressionist
styles, achieving recognition in Europe. Painters of the early 1900s-notably Fernando Amorsolo, Fabian de
la Rosa, and Jorge Pineda – produced romanticized landscapes, genre scenes, and portraits. In the late 1920s
Victorio Edades, an American-trained painter, infused modernism into the Philippine art world. Many Philippine
painters who were influenced by American and European modernism also experimented with it to reflect
Philippine realities, such as Carlos Francisco, Arturo Luz, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Vicente Manansala, and
Hernando Ocampo. Lee Aguinaldo and Fernando Zobel de Ayala achieved international recognition in the
1960s and 1970s.

Sculpture took on secular themes in the early 1900s. The major Filipino sculptor of the American colonial
period was Guillermo Tolentino, who trained in classical sculpture in Rome. In the 1950s Napoleon Abueva
pioneered modernism in Philippine sculpture. Many talented sculptors were active in the following decades,
notably Eduardo Castrillo, whose large welded-metal sculptures are displayed in Manila's Memorial Park;
Solomon Saprid, noted for his expressionist series of mythical figures titled Tikbalang; and Abdulmari Imao,
who produced contemporary interpretations of traditional Muslim designs. More recently, sculptors have tended
to utilize ethnic artifacts and natural materials to produce assemblages with social themes. In remote areas,
tribal groups have preserved traditional art forms such as woodcarving, textile weaving, bamboo and rattan
weaving, and metalsmithing. Artistic body adornments such as bead jewelry, body tattoos, and headdresses
are important indications of social status. In the northern Philippines, the Ifugao people are known for their
sculptural wood carvings of bulul figures, which represent guardian deities. The figures are ritually placed in
rice granaries to bring a plentiful harvest. The terraced rice fields of the Ifugao are considered a major
architectural feat. The Ifugao built them over a period of centuries by carving terraces into the mountainsides
and reinforcing each level with stone walls.The Muslim peoples in the south practice okir, a design tradition that
shows evidence of Indian and Islamic influences. Rendered in hardwood and brass, the okir designs are mostly
figurative, depicting animals, plants, and mythical figures. The style is highly decorative, with long curvilinear
lines and secondary arabesques. The designs are based in the ancient epics

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and serve as significant cultural symbols. An important motif of the Maranaos is the sarimanok design, depicting
a bird holding a fish in its beak or talons. Many okir designs are used as decorative elements in architecture.
The Muslim peoples of the Philippines are noted for their metalworking skills, producing weaponry such as
swords and decorative containers in brass and silver.

C. MUSIC AND DANCE

Filipino classical musical compositions in many ways epitomize the blending of multicultural influences.
The compositions often embody indigenous themes and rhythms in Western forms, such as symphonies,
sonatas, and concertos. Several composers and conductors in classical music have achieved international
recognition, including Antonio Molina, Felipe Padilla de Leon, and Eliseo Pajaro. Jose Maceda is considered
the first Filipino avant-garde composer, liberating Philippine classical music from the traditional constructs of
Western forms. Traditional types of music are played on wind, string, and percussion instruments made from
local materials. These include the kulibit, a zither with bamboo strings and tubular bamboo resonators; wooden
lutes and guitars; and the git-git, a wooden three-string bowed instrument. The Muslim peoples use these and
other instruments to play complex musical compositions that have been passed by memory from generation to
generation. Most Filipino communities remember the tunes and lyrics of traditional folk songs. Tagalogs, for
example, have more than a dozen folk songs for various occasions, including the uyayi or hele, a lullaby; the
talindaw, a seafaring song; the kumintang, a warrior song; the kundiman, a love song; and the panambitan,
a courtship song. Some songs are accompanied by a specific folk dance.Formal training in classical dance has
been available in the Philippines since the 1930s. The first noted Filipino choreographers in classical ballet were
Leonor Orosa-Goquingco, Remedios Totoy de Oteyza, and Rosalia Merino-Santos. Orosa-Goquingco is
most noted for her staging of Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and Lore in Dance, which toured the world in
the 1960s. Merino-Santos later turned to modern dance and founded the Far Eastern University Modern
Experimental Dance Troupe. Other dance companies include Ballet Philippines (formerly the Modern Dance
Company), Hariraya Ballet Company, Dance Theater Philippines, and Pamana Ballet (formerly the Anita
Kane Ballet Company). Several Filipino ballet dancers have achieved international fame, including Maribel
Aboitiz, Eddie Elejar, Lisa Macuja, and Anna Villadolid. Choreographer Francisca Reyes-Aquino is
recognized for pioneering research in the documentation of Philippine folk dances and founding the Philippine
Folk Dance Society. She codified the folk dances into steps, directions, and musical arrangements that are
taught in physical education classes in most schools. Among other folk dance troupes, the Bayanihan
Philippine Dance Company (formerly the Bayanihan Folk Arts Center) and the Far Eastern University Folk
Dance Group perform stylized adaptations of folk dances in local and international tours. Informal folk dancing
is performed for a variety of occasions, such as harvests, weddings, and religious celebrations. The Manila
Symphony Orchestra accompanies many dance performances. The Philippine Cultural Center in Manila
provides an important venue for the performing and applied arts.

D. LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS

In addition to the university libraries, the major libraries of the country are the Manila City Library, the
National Library, and the library of the Science and Technology Information Institute, all in Manila. The
Lopez Memorial Museum and Library, in Pasay, has collections of paintings by major Filipino artists, as well
as the letters and manuscripts of Jose Rizal. The Santo Tomas Museum, in Manila, has major archaeological
and natural-history collections, illustrating the history of the islands. The National Museum, in Manila, has
divisions of anthropology, botany, geology, and zoology, along with art collections and a planetarium.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for Arts in the Philippines (ex. Popular Dances).

LANGUAGE

What Language Is Spoken In The Philippines?

With 183 living languages to speak of, the Philippines is one of the most linguistically diverse countries on
the planet.

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There’s no easy way to say what language is spoken in the Philippines, unless you’re willing to name and
enumerate nearly 200 of them. There are 183 living languages currently spoken in the Philippines, the vast
majority of which are indigenous tongues.

Official Languages

The two official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English. Filipino is the national language,
and the official status of English is a holdover from its time as a U.S. territory between the years of 1898 and
1946.

Filipino is the primary language used in school and media, and it’s also the lingua franca that unites the
nation’s disparate linguistic communities. You’ll mostly encounter English in government, newspapers and
magazines.

Filipino Vs. Tagalog

Are Filipino and Tagalog more or less the same language? Almost, but not quite. Filipino is an updated
version of Tagalog that includes elements of other native Philippine languages, as well as English, Spanish,
Malay and Chinese.

Due to its status at the time as the main language spoken in Manila, Tagalog became the national
language of the Philippines in 1937 when Congress voted to include a native language among the officially
recognized languages. Eventually, Tagalog was renamed Pilipino, and when the Constitution was amended in
1973 under dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, Congress took steps to create a new iteration of the
language, which was to be known as Filipino. Filipino then gained official status in 1987.

The evolution of Pilipino into Filipino was part of Marcos’ efforts to create a “new society”. Part of this
meant incorporating elements of other languages, often by replacing Tagalog words deemed “aesthetically
unpleasing” with alternative words that sounded nicer. The letters f, j, c, x and z were added to the alphabet,
and the spellings of some words changed to better reflect how they’re pronounced.

Other Major Languages

The Philippines were under Spanish colonial rule for 300 years beginning in 1565, and during this time,
Spanish was the official language (and remained the lingua franca even after it lost its official status). Spanish
actually became an official language again, together with English, according to the Constitution of 1935, but it
was demoted to an “optional and voluntary language” in 1987.

There are also major regional languages spoken in the Philippines that include Aklanon, Basian, Bikol,
Cebuano, Chavacano (a Spanish-based creole), Hiligaynon, Ibanag, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Ivatan, Maranao,
Tagalog, Kapampangan, Kinaray-a, Waray, Maguindanao, Pangasinan, Sambal, Surigaonon, Tausug
and Yakan. These are all mostly indigenous languages belonging to the Austronesian language family.

Out of these, 10 languages account for the language over 90 percent of Filipino people speak at home.
These languages are Tagalog, Bisaya, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray,
Maguindanao, Kapampangan and Pangasinan.

Immigrant populations have also affected the linguistic landscape of the Philippines. Major immigrant
languages include Sindhi (20,000 speakers, according to Ethnologue), Japanese (2,900), Indonesian (2,580),
Hindi (2,420) and German (960), as well as Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese, Malay, Tamil and various types of
Chinese.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for Mother Tongue – Filipino – English Vocabulary
Translation (ex. nagpintas – maganda – beautiful).

*Note: Choose 1 Mother Tongue (either Pangasinan or Ilokano/Iloko). A minimum of twenty-five (25) words.
Include images appropriate for early childhood learners.

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HISTORY

The Early Philippines

The Philippines is named after King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598) and it was a Spanish colony for over
300 years.

Today the Philippines is an archipelago of 7, 641 islands. However it is believed that during the last ice
age they were joined to mainland Asia by a land bridge, enabling human beings to walk from there.

The first people in the Philippines were hunter-gatherers. However between 3,000 BC and 2,000 BC
people learned to farm. They grew rice and domesticated animals. From the 10th AD century Filipinos traded
with China and by the 12th Century AD Arab merchants reached the Philippines and they introduced Islam.

Then in 1521 Ferdinand Magellan sailed across the Pacific. He landed in the Philippines and claimed
them for Spain. Magellan baptized a chief called Humabon and hoped to make him a puppet ruler on behalf of
the Spanish crown. Magellan demanded that other chiefs submit to Humabon but one chief named Lapu Lapu
refused. Magellan led a force to crush him. However the Spanish soldiers were scattered and Magellan was
killed.

The Spaniards did not gain a foothold in the Philippines until 1565 when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi led an
expedition, which built a fort in Cebu. Later, in 1571 the Spaniards landed in Luzon. Here they built the city of
Intramuros (later called Manila), which became the capital of the Philippines. Spanish conquistadors marched
inland and conquered Luzon. They created a feudal system. Spaniards owned vast estates worked by Filipinos.

Along with conquistadors went friars who converted the Filipinos to Catholicism. The friars also built
schools and universities.

The Spanish colony in the Philippines brought prosperity - for the upper class anyway. Each year the
Chinese exported goods such as silk, porcelain and lacquer to the Philippines. From there they were re-
exported to Mexico.

The years passed uneventfully in the Philippines until in 1762 the British captured Manila. They held it for
two years but they handed it back in 1764 under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763.

The Philippines in the 19th Century

In 1872 there was a rebellion in Cavite but it was quickly crushed. However nationalist feeling continued to
grow helped by a writer named Jose Rizal (1861-1896). He wrote two novels Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo which stoked the fires of nationalism.

In 1892 Jose Rizal founded a movement called Liga Filipina, which called for reform rather than
revolution. As a result Rizal was arrested and exiled to Dapitan on Mindanao.

Meanwhile Andres Bonifacio formed a more extreme organization called the Katipunan. In August 1896
they began a revolution. Jose Rizal was accused of supporting the revolution, although he did not and he was
executed on 30 December 1896. Yet his execution merely inflamed Filipino opinion and the revolution grew.

Then in 1898 came war between the USA and Spain. On 30 April 1898 the Americans defeated the
Spanish fleet in Manila Bay. Meanwhile Filipino revolutionaries had surrounded Manila. Their leader, Emilio
Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent on 12 June. However as part of the peace treaty Spain ceded
the Philippines to the USA. The Americans planned to take over.

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War between American forces in Manila and the Filipinos began on 4 February 1899. The Filipino-
American War lasted until 1902 when Aguinaldo was captured.

The Philippines in the 20th Century

American rule in the Philippines was paternalistic. They called their policy 'Benevolent Assimilation'.
They wanted to 'Americanize' the Filipinos but they never quite succeeded. However they did do some good.
Many American teachers were sent to the Philippines in a ship called the Thomas and they did increase literacy.

In 1935 the Philippines were made a commonwealth and were semi-independent. Manuel Quezon
became president. The USA promised that the Philippines would become completely independent in 1945.

However in December 1941 Japan attacked the US fleet at Pearl Harbor. On 10 December 1941
Japanese troops invaded the Philippines. They captured Manila on 2 January 1941. By 6 May 1942 all of the
Philippines were in Japanese hands.

However American troops returned to the Philippines in October 1944. They recaptured Manila in
February 1945.

The Philippines became independent on 4 July 1946. Manuel Roxas was the first president of the newly
independent nation.

Ferdinand Marcos (1917-1989) was elected president in 1965. He was re-elected in 1969. However the
Philippines was dogged by poverty and inequality. In the 1960s a land reform program began. However many
peasants were frustrated by its slow progress and a Communist insurgency began in the countryside.

On 21 September 1972 Marcos declared martial law. He imposed a curfew, suspended Congress and
arrested opposition leaders.

The Marcos dictatorship was exceedingly corrupt and Marcos and his cronies enriched themselves.

Then, in 1980 opposition leader Benigno Aquino went into exile in the USA. When he returned on 21
August 1983 he was shot. Aquino became a martyr and Filipinos were enraged by his murder.

In February 1986 Marcos called an election. The opposition united behind Cory Aquino the widow of
Benigno. Marcos claimed victory (a clear case of electoral fraud). Cory Aquino also claimed victory and ordinary
people took to the streets to show their support for her. The followers of Marcos deserted him and he bowed to
the inevitable and went into exile.

Things did not go smoothly for Corazon Aquino. (She survived 7 coup attempts). Furthermore, the
American bases in the Philippines (Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base) were unpopular with many
Filipinos who felt they should go. In 1992 Mount Pinatubo erupted and covered Clark in volcanic ash forcing the
Americans to leave. They left Subic Bay in 1993.

In 1992 Fidel Ramos became president. He improved the infrastructure in the Philippines including the
electricity supply. Industry was privatized and the economy began to grow more rapidly.

However at the end of the 1990s the Philippine economy entered a crisis. Meanwhile, in 1998 Joseph
Estrada, known as Erap became president. Estrada was accused of corruption and he was impeached in
November 2000. Estrada was not convicted. Nevertheless, people demonstrated against him and the military
withdrew its support. Estrada was forced to leave office and Vice-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced
him. She was re-elected in 2004.

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The Philippines in the 21st Century

Today the Philippines is still poor but things are changing. Since 2010 the Philippine economy has grown
at about 6% a year. Today there is reason to be optimistic for the future. Meanwhile, In 2016 the Philippines
launched its first satellite. It was called Diwata-1. In 2020 the population of the Philippines was 106 million.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

Make a customize television using recycled materials to present the brief history of the Philippines.

CUSTOMS

Filipino Customs and Traditions

Mano Po

Our culture is a big reflection of our great and complex history. It is influenced by most of the people we
have interacted with. A blend of the Malayo-Polynesian and Hispanic culture with the influence from Chinese,
Indians Arabs, and other Asian cultures really contribute to the customs and traditions of the Filipinos.

Filipino culture is unique compared to other Asian countries, and beliefs apply every day in the life of the
Filipinos and reveal how rich and blessed the culture the people have.

Let’s review some of the popular Filipino traditions and find the similarities that bind Filipinos to each
other.

First on the list is Mano Po. When children or young people greet or say goodbye to their elders they
typically do so by taking the right hand of the elder with their right hand and touch the back the elder's hand
lightly on their forehead. It is a way of giving respect to the elders and I believe that is also a way of receiving
blessing to the elders.

Mano is a Spanish word for “hand” while Po is used in the end of the sentence when addressing elders or
superiors.

Next is that Filipinos are one of the most hospitable people you may find anywhere. Foreign visitors in
the country are treated with the utmost respect. This trait is usually seen during fiestas and holidays where
many Filipinos are giving their best to entertain their visitors well.

It is amazing to see that even the simplest home along the road opens their home to a stranger. For
Filipinos, to be able to serve others gives them honor of showing true friendship. Filipino Hospitality is a trait
you can't take away from them.

Having Close Family Ties is also one of their unique traits. It is one of the outstanding cultural values that
Filipinos have. The family takes care of each other and are taught to be loyal to family and elders by simply
obeying their authorities. This is one of the unique characteristics of Filipinos. Having fondness for family
reunions during secular and religious holidays such as Christmas, New Year’s eve, All Saints’ Day, Holy Week,
Fiestas, homecomings, birthdays, weddings, graduations, baptisms, funerals etc. is evidence that Filipino
people valued not only our cultural tradition but the spirit of our family. As Filipinos, we are blessed to have
been brought up with strong family ties.

Bayanihan

Have you ever experienced the bayanihan in our country? It is the spirit of communal unity or effort to
achieve a particular objective. A famous example of this is the neighbors carrying a hut or house to a new
location. People nowadays use it to describe an outpouring of community spirit-as people give their all to the
common good, without expecting recognition or personal gain.

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Courtship

We Filipinos are very romantic when it comes to heart affairs. Serenading or Harana in Tagalog is one of
the most popular forms of courtship to show that a man is very serious with his intentions to a woman. A
serenade would require the young man to sing a love song in front of the young lady's house. Normally, he is
accompanied by his male friends who act as back-up singers. The man himself or his friend played the
instrument, usually a guitar, which provides the background music to his song.

They would have to wait until the young lady opened a window to listen. It would be up to her if she wanted
to invite them in for some refreshment and to chat after the song. Even if they had been asked to come in, the
suitor would not expect that he could have the chance of a private moment with his object of affection. It was
highly likely that the parents would also be there to entertain the man and his friends.

Religion

The Philippines is one of two predominantly Roman Catholic nations in Asia-Pacific. Their habit of going
to church and often praying reflects that Filipinos have a deep faith and belief when it comes to religion. They
are very devoted to religions that sometimes many take the risk of their lives just to touch the Black Nazarine
(in Quiapo Manila). For many, it is just a choice between their faith and fears.

Filipinos believe that having a strong devotion may lead to a better life and their guidance to face
everyday life.
Superstition

In the Philippines, superstitious beliefs have grown throughout the country. These beliefs have come from
the different sayings and beliefs of our ancestors that aim to prevent danger from happening or to make a
person refrain from doing something in particular.

These beliefs are part of our culture, for one derives their beliefs from the influences of what their
customs, traditions and culture have dictated to explain certain phenomena or to scare people. Some are
practiced primarily because Filipinos believe that there is nothing to lose if they will comply with these beliefs.

Cuisine

The Philippines is considered the melting pot of Asia. The rich medley of Chinese, Malay, Spanish,
Mexican, American, and Indian cooking are noticed in Philippine cuisine. Eating out is one of the favorite Filipino
pasttimes. A typical Pinoy diet consists at most of six meals a day; breakfast, snacks, lunch, snacks, dinner,
and again a midnight snack before going to sleep. Rice is a staple in the Filipino diet, and is usually eaten
together with other dishes. Filipinos regularly use spoons together with forks and knives. Some also eat with
their hands, especially in informal settings, and when eating seafood.

Other popular dishes brought from Spanish and Southeast Asian influences include afritada, asado,
chorizo, empanadas, mani (roasted peanuts), paksiw (fishor pork, cooked in vinegar and water with some
spices like garlic and pepper), pan de sal (bread rolls), pescado frito (fried or grilled fish), sisig, torta(omelette),
kare-kare (ox-tail stew), kilawen, pinakbet (vegetable stew), pinapaitan, and sinigang (tamarind soup with a
variety of pork, fish, or prawns). Some delicacies eaten by some Filipinos may seem unappetizing to the
Western palate include balut (boiled egg with a fertilized duckling inside), longanisa (sweet sausage), and
dinuguan (soup made from pork blood).

Popular snacks and desserts such as chicharon (deep fried pork or chicken skin), halo-halo (crushed ice
with evaporated milk, flan, and sliced tropical fruit),puto (white rice cakes), bibingka (rice cake with butter or
margarine and salted eggs), ensaymada (sweet roll with grated cheese on top), polvoron (powder candy), and
tsokolate (chocolate) are usually eaten outside the three main meals. Popular Philippine beverages include
San Miguel Beer, Tanduay Rhum,coconut arrack, and tuba.

Every province has its own specialty and tastes vary in each region. In Bicol, for example, foods are
generally spicier than elsewhere in the Philippines. Patis, suka, toyo, bagoong, and banana catsup are the
most common condiments found in Filipino homes and restaurants. Western fast food chains such as
McDonald's, Wendy's, KFC, and Pizza Hut are a common sight in the country.
A roasted pig known as the Lechón, is one of the Philippines most popular dishes.

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Marriage and Wedding Customs

A sacred marriage

In the country, marriage is a sacred union of man and women after a period of courtship and engagement.
It is a sacrament between two people who love each other. For many Filipinos, the eternal quality of dedication
to God pervades a truly sacred marriage.

A sacred marriage is a covenant between two who love each other in God and with God, whose joining
becomes an expression of the desire of each to love and serve God together.
Death

Death in the Philippines is one of the most important occasions in family life. For many Filipinos, a death of
relatives is an opportunity to strengthen ties in the Family. To pay respect and honor the relationship to the
deceased, long lost relatives, friends, and even relatives working abroad are reunited.

The Philippines is the home of some unique death rituals that are partly religious and mostly superstitious.
The mourning and the weeping are still present, but a happy and welcoming atmosphere would usually envelop
the place to help the deceased on his journey to the afterlife.

After the death of a person, a nine-day period of having a novena of prayers and Masses offered up to the
deceased is held, although the beginning of the "Siyam na araw" varies, but usually ends the week after the
death. Another period follows after death, the 40-day mourning period. Family members indicate their state of
bereavement by wearing a small, black rectangular plastic pin on their left breast or breast pocket area. A
ceremonial mass is held at the end of this 40-day period. Common belief states that the soul goes to Heaven
after these 40 days, following the belief that Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven after the said period of days.
Society

The primary ancestors of Filipinos are Malays who came from the southeastern Asian country which is
now called Indonesia. The Philippines is a combined society, both singular and plural in form. It is singular as
one nation, but plural in that it is fragmented geographically and culturally. The nation is divided between
Christians, Muslims, and other religious-ethno-linguistic groups; between urban and rural people; between
upland and lowland people; and between the rich and the poor. Although different in numerous ways, the
Filipinos are very hospitable and give appropriate respect to everybody regardless of race, culture and belief.

Christmas in the Philippines

Christmas in the Philippines is considered as one of the biggest holidays in the archipelago. We earned
the distinction of celebrating the world’s longest Christmas season with Christmas carols heard as early as
September and lasting until Epiphany, the feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 or the Feast of the Santo
Niño de Cebú on the third Sunday of January.

In one’s article, Archbishop Cruz told in his Christmas message that "the essence of Christmas is God
made flesh, God who has come among us" in an act of love "that joins humankind to the Living God through
our Lord Jesus Christ".

For many Filipinos, the true essence of Christmas for is not gift giving but sharing this special holy day
with family.

Fiestas

Every town and city in the Philippines has a fiesta of its own; whatever time of the year it is, there's sure to
be a fiesta going on somewhere.

Fiestas in the Philippines are held to celebrate a patron saint. It is part and parcel of Filipino culture
through good times and bad times, it must go on. The biggest and most elaborate festival of all is Christmas,
a season celebrated with all the pomp and pageantry where the whole country breaks out in celebrations that
can begin long before December.

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For individual Filipinos, fiestas can be a way of supplicating the heavens or to make amends for past
wrongs. It is a way to celebrate their blessings, commemorate their past and observe solemn religious rituals.
Celebrations may take the form of music, dancing, feasting, beauty contests, balls, processions, sports
challenges or a host of other events.

Spanish influence is evident in the elaborate masks, makeup, headdresses and costumes worn by the
revelers; outfits which often take months of preparation.
Living with Parents

Filipinos highly value the presence of family more than anything. Adult children living with their parents are
another Filipino traditional that make them exceptional. Unlike in the United States where children leave the
home after finishing high school or college, many Filipinos continue living with parents until they get married.

Eating with a Fork and Spoon

One Filipinos identity is that they eat using a fork and a spoon. The fork is place in the left hand while the
spoon is in the right hand. Fork is used to place or push the food into the spoon which is held by the right hand.

Since rice is the main staple of the Filipinos at almost every meal, the fork and spoon method is ideal. It is
believe that the use of a spoon and a fork is perfect for the way Southeast Asians prepare and cook their food.
Unlike the Americans who like their meats and other food items in big slabs and humongous chunks, Southeast
Asians generally prepare their dishes in bite-sized pieces -- chopped, minced or ground -- thus leaving no real
need for a knife.
Eating with Hands (Kamayan)

In addition to the use of the fork and spoon, eating with your hands or kamayan is another common Filipino
tradition. For many Filipinos, kamayan gives full taste to the food instead of using utensils. Gather a small
portion of meat or fish and a bite-sized portion of rice on your plate. Then use all your fingers to gather the food
into a small mountain or mound. Pick up the little mound and put it in your mouth using your thumb to gently
push the food in.

Filipinos usually eat rice that has a slightly sticky consistency so making the little mounds is easier than if
you were to use a jasmine or basmati rice. Of course, this method of eating doesn't work with soup/stew or
noodles and other kinds of food but for your basic plate of rice, meat/fish and vegetables it works quite well.
Next time you make dinner try eating kamayan.

Balikbayan Boxes

Some Filipinos leave the Philippines to live and work abroad. A balikbayan box is a box of items sent by
the balikbayan to their family in the Philippines. The box can be sent or it can be brought by the sender when
they themselves return to the Philippines. Balikbayan boxes come in all different sizes and dimensions from
bulilit (small) to extra large. It can be filled with almost anything but it is usually filled with items that cannot be
found in the Philippines or items that may be too expensive for the average person to buy in the Philippines.
Common items found in balikbayan boxes include: clothes, shoes, chocolate, nuts, vitamins, basketballs, coffee
and tea, magazines, shampoo/conditioner, soap, body lotion, etc.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for the Customs of the Philippines (ex. Popular Dishes).

BELIEFS

Faith and Religious Belief in the Philippines

Catholicism, mostly Roman Catholicism, is the most predominant religion in the Philippines, making
up around 85% of the population.

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Filipino people are deeply religious and their strong faith in God is reflected in their daily lives. People
attend church regularly and may be seen praying at any time of day.
Many church holidays and traditional Filipino festivals are celebrated throughout the year. Tourists in the
Philippines during Holy Week, around Easter, should be prepared for an intense period of religious ceremony
and processions.
Islam is the second-largest religion in the Philippines, approximately 10% of Filipino people are Muslim.

9 Superstitions Many Filipinos Still Believe

The Philippines is a country with a long history of colonization, strongly influencing its culture and
traditions. This impact extends well beyond language and food and into the many superstitions that locals take
to heart. With an Animist, pre-colonial past (with likely Hindu-Buddhist influences), followed by a major
conversion into Christianity, The Philippines claims ownership of a very interesting, diverse mix of beliefs.
The number of steps of staircases at home should not be divisible by three

Enter a Filipino household with a staircase and begin chanting “Oro (gold), plata (silver), mata (death)”,
taking one step up with each word. Most likely, upon reaching the top step, the chant will end with either
oro or plata. This is because many Filipinos will go to great lengths to avoid ending in mata which denotes bad
luck. The two preceding words on the other hand, obviously denote good fortune.
Turn your plate when someone leaves in the middle of a meal

When sitting at the dining table for a meal and someone gets up to leave before the rest of the group
finishes, everybody left at the table should turn their plates to ensure safe travels for the person leaving. Another
meal superstition (though more loosely believed) is that the table should not start being cleared while people
are still eating. If this is done, it is believed that the last person left dining will live a lonely life.
Don’t go straight home after attending a wake

This superstition is called “pagpag” (the shaking off of dirt). In the context of a wake, it means going
elsewhere after attending the wake before heading home to shake off the spirit of the deceased lest it follows
you home. Superstitions surrounding wakes are among the most widely practiced by Filipinos still today. Another
is that the family of the deceased should not drop off visitors at the door upon saying goodbye as it symbolizes
dropping them off at their own deaths. And, as for serving food at wakes (be it heavy meals or light snacks) at
Filipino wakes is customary, visitors should not make the mistake of taking any home with them (be it a small
piece of candy), as it signifies inviting misfortune into your home.
Reassure your host that you’re human

A very common line used by Filipinos when knocking on someone’s door is “Tao (person) po!“. Many
assume it refers to the knocker calling out to ask if there are any people inside, when actually, it is said to stem
from the knocker reassuring the people inside that s/he is a person and not a possibly harmful supernatural
creature.
Siblings should not marry within the same year

This superstition is called “sukob” and advises against siblings marrying within the same year as it is said
to divide the luck between the two marriages. Another type of sukob advises against marriages within the same
year as the death of an immediate family member. Pushing to do so is considered bad luck.

Another wedding-related superstition is that the bride should never try on her dress before the big day.
This is said to bring bad luck and cause the cancellation of the union.

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Serve pancit (noodles) at celebrations, especially birthdays

This ever-present dish at Filipino gatherings is believed to represent long life. And while Filipinos today
may joke and laugh about actually believing that this noodle dish is served for long life, it remains a staple at
nearly every birthday feast.
Respect the elementals

Filipino folklore is rich with a variety of elementals, from giants smoking tobacco, to small, grumpy, old men
living in anthills. Stories of these creatures fill the childhoods of many Filipino children, inciting both intrigue and
fear. Many superstitions still surround the beliefs in such creatures today. Among the most practiced is the
saying of “tabi tabi po” (excuse me) when passing through places where elementals are likely to dwell. These
places are usually outdoors, such as anthills and Balete trees. Failure to do so and disturbing such creatures
may lead to unexplained sickness that can only be cured by an albularyo (folk healer).
Be careful when showing fondness over babies

It’s difficult to restrain from playing with cute babies or complimenting their parents on their adorable
features, but doing so in the Philippines is believed by some, to be a potential cause of illness. Referred to as
either “usog” or “bati”, this superstition says that when a person with strong energy greets a child, the child may
soon after suffer from unexplainable discomfort. This is why, especially in the countryside, older people know to
say “pwera usog” when showing fondness over children. This is meant to counter any usog that may have
happened otherwise. If this isn’t said, and parents attribute certain maladies of their children to usog, they may
ask the greeter to smear their saliva on the suffering child’s forehead as a cure.
Blame your missing things on elves

In the Philippines, there is an assumption that when items around the house go missing and reappear, this
is caused by dwendes or playful elves. While mischievous, these little creatures are believed to be mostly
harmless – aside from the type that take small children.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 5

Make an Instructional Material (ex. Flashcards, etc.) for the Beliefs in the Philippines (ex. Kinds of Religions)

GEOGRAPHY

The Philippines, officially called the Republic of the Philippines, is an island nation located in the
western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. The country is
an archipelago made up of 7, 641 islands and is near the countries of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
As of 2018, the Philippines had a population of roughly 108 million people and was the 13th most populous
country in the world.

Fast Facts: The Philippines

Official Name: Republic of the Philippines

Capital: Manila
Population: roughly 108,000,000 (2019)
Official Languages: Filipino and English
Currency: Philippine pesos (PHP)
Form of Government: Presidential republic
Climate: Tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to
October)
Total Area: 115,831 square miles (300,000 square kilometers)
Highest Point: Mount Apo 9,692 feet (2,954 meters)
Lowest Point: Philippine Sea 0 feet (0 meters)

The Philippine archipelago lies in Southeast Asia in a position that has led to its becoming a cultural
crossroads, a place where Malays, Chinese, Spaniards, Americans, and others have interacted to forge that

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unique cultural and racial blend known to the world as Filipino. The archipelago numbers some 7, 641 islands
and the nation claims an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles from its shores. The Philippines
occupies an area that stretches for 1,850 kilometers from about the fifth to the twentieth parallels north latitude.
The total land area is almost 300,000 square kilometers. Only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated,
and fewer than one-half of these are larger than 2.5 square kilometers. Eleven islands make up 94 percent of
the Philippine landmass, and two of these--Luzon and Mindanao--measure 105,000 and 95,000 square
kilometers, respectively. They, together with the cluster of the Visayan Islands that separate them, represent
the three principal regions of the archipelago that are identified by the three stars on the Philippine flag.
Topographically, the Philippines is broken up by the sea, which gives it one of the longest coastlines of any
nation in the world. Most Filipinos live on or near the coast, where they can easily supplement their diet from
approximately 2,000 species of fish.

Off the coast of eastern Mindanao is the Philippine Trough, which descends to a depth of 10,430 meters.
The Philippines is part of a western Pacific arc system that is characterized by active volcanoes. Among the
most notable peaks are Mount Mayon near Legaspi, Taal Volcano south of Manila, and Mount Apo on
Mindanao. All of the Philippines islands are prone to earthquakes. The northern Luzon highlands, or Cordillera
Central, rise to between 2,500 and 2,750 meters, and, together with the Sierra Madre in the northeastern portion
of Luzon and the mountains of Mindanao, boast rain forests that provide refuge for numerous upland tribal
groups. The rain forests also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including the Philippine
eagle (or monkey-eating eagle), some 800 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants.

The country's most extensive river systems are the Pulangi (Rio Grande), which flows into the Mindanao
River; the Agusan, in Mindanao which flows north into the Mindanao Sea; the Cagayan in northern Luzon; and
the Pampanga, which flows south from east Central Luzon into Manila Bay. Laguna de Bay, southeast of Manila
Bay, is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines. Several rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric
power.

The Climate

The Philippines has a tropical marine climate dominated by a rainy season and a dry season. The summer
monsoon brings heavy rains to most of the archipelago from May to October, whereas the winter monsoon
brings cooler and drier air from December to February. Manila and most of the lowland areas are hot and dusty
from March to May. Even at this time, however, temperatures rarely rise above 37 C. Mean annual sea- level
temperatures rarely fall below 27 C. Annual rainfall measures as much as 5,000 millimeters in the mountainous
east coast section of the country, but less than 1,000 millimeters in some of the sheltered valleys.

Monsoon rains, although hard and drenching, are not normally associated with high winds and waves. But
the Philippines does sit astride the typhoon belt, and it suffers an annual onslaught of dangerous storms from
July through October. These are especially hazardous for northern and eastern Luzon and the Bicol and Eastern
Visayas regions, but Manila gets devastated periodically as well.

In the last decade, the Philippines has suffered severely from natural disasters. In 1990 alone, Central
Luzon was hit by both a drought, which sharply curtailed hydroelectric power, and by a typhoon that flooded
practically all of Manila's streets. Still more damaging was an earthquake that devastated a wide area in Luzon,
including Baguio and other northern areas. The city of Cebu and nearby areas were struck by a typhoon that
killed more than a hundred people, sank vessels, destroyed part of the sugar crop, and cut off water and
electricity for several days.

Building construction is undertaken with natural disasters in mind. Most rural housing has consisted of
nipa huts that are easily damaged but are inexpensive and easy to replace. Most urban buildings are steel and
concrete structures designed (not always successfully) to resist both typhoons and earthquakes. Damage is
still significant, however, and many people are displaced each year by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural
disasters. In 1987 alone the Department of Social Welfare and Development helped 2.4 million victims of natural
disasters.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 6

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In a 1/8 Illustration board, make a mosaic of the map of the Philippines (label the Regions, Provinces, etc.)

SUMMARY

Culture is the lifeblood of a vibrant society, expressed in the many ways we tell our stories, celebrate,
remember the past, entertain ourselves, and imagine the future. Our creative expression helps define who we
are, and helps us see the world through the eyes of others. Ontarians participate in culture in many ways—as
audiences, professionals, amateurs, volunteers, and donors or investors.

In addition to its intrinsic value, culture provides important social and economic benefits. With improved
learning and health, increased tolerance, and opportunities to come together with others, culture enhances our
quality of life and increases overall well-being for both individuals and communities.

REFERENCES

https://www.livinginthephilippines.com/culture-and-people/philippine-culture/969-culture-arts
https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/what-language-is-spoken-in-the-philippines
http://www.localhistories.org/philippines.html#:~:text=The%20Philippines%20is%20named%20after,an
%20archipelago%20of%207%2C000%20islands.&text=From%20the%2010th%20AD%20century,Philippines
%20and%20they%20introduced%20Islam.
https://www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/Filipino-Customs-and-Traditions
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/superstitions-and-taboos-many-filipinos-still-believe-in/
http://worldfacts.us/Philippines-geography.htm

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 7

PEOPLE, PLACES, AND

ENVIRONMENTS
MODULE OVERVIEW

Geography is the study of places and the relationships between people and their
environments. Geographers explore both the physical properties of Earth’s surface and the human societies
spread across it. They also examine how human culture interacts with the natural environment, and the way
that locations and places can have an impact on people. Geography seeks to understand where things are
found, why they are there, and how they develop and change over time.

Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and
environments.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. described the relationship of people and the environment; and
2. analyzed environmental issues.

LEARNING CONTENTS

The study of people, places, and environments enables us to understand the relationship between
human populations and the physical world. Students learn where people and places are located and why
they are there. They examine the influence of physical systems, such as climate, weather and seasons, and
natural resources, such as land and water, on human populations. They study the causes, patterns and effects
of human settlement and migration, learn of the roles of different kinds of population centers in a society, and
investigate the impact of human activities on the environment. This enables them to acquire a useful basis of
knowledge for informed decision-making on issues arising from human-environmental relationships.

During their studies, learners develop an understanding of spatial perspectives, and examine
changes in the relationship between peoples, places and environments. They study the communications
and transportation networks that link different population centers, the reasons for these networks, and their
impact. They identify the key social, economic and cultural characteristics of populations in different locations
as they expand their knowledge of diverse peoples and places. Learners develop an understanding of the
growth of national and global regions, as well as the technological advances that connect students to the world
beyond their personal locations.

Today’s social, cultural, economic and civic issues demand that students apply knowledge, skills,
and understandings as they address questions such as: Why do people decide to live where they do or
move to other places? Why is location important? How do people interact with the environment and what are
some of the consequences of those interactions? What physical and other characteristics lead to the creation
of regions? How do maps, globes, geographic tools and geospatial technologies contribute to the understanding
of people, places, and environments?

In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with geography, regional
studies, and world cultures. Student experiences will encourage increasingly abstract thought as they use
data and apply skills in analyzing human behavior in relation to its physical and cultural environment. In the
early grades, young learners draw upon immediate personal experiences in their neighborhoods, towns and
cities, and states, as well as peoples and places distant and unfamiliar, to explore geographic concepts and
skills. They learn to use maps, globes, and other geographic tools. They also express interest in and concern
for the use and misuse of the physical environment. During the middle grades, students explore people, places,
and environments in this country and in different regions of the world. They learn to evaluate issues such as
population growth and its impact, “push and pull” factors related to migration, and the causes and implications
of national and global environmental change. Students in high school are able to apply an

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understanding of geospatial technologies and other geographic tools and systems to a broad range of themes
and topics. As they analyze complex processes of change in the relationship between people, places, and
environments, and the resulting issues and challenges, they develop their skills at evaluating and
recommending public policies.

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Make flash cards on the different national flags of at least 25 countries in the world (size: Short bond paper).
You may draw or use construction papers to accomplish the activity. Don’t forget to write or print the name of
the country at the bottom.

SUMMARY

If the young people are to become effective participants in a democratic society, then social studies must
be an essential part of the curriculum in the early childhood/elementary years. In a world that demands
independent and cooperative problem solving to address complex social, economic, ethical, and personal
concerns, the social studies are as basic for survival as reading, writing, and computing. Children benefit from
a study of cultures, people, places, and environments as well as the study of a foreign language in the primary
grades. Learning a second language in primary school can provide elementary teachers with a very unique
opportunity to infuse social studies into the curriculum.

REFERENCES

https://bumiddlesecondaryportfolio.wordpress.com/content/standards-theme-3-people-places-and-
environments/#:~:text=The%20study%20of%20people%2C%20places%2C%20and%20environments%20enables%20us
%20to,populations%20and%20the%20physical%20world.&text=They%20examine%20the%20influence%20of,and
%20water%2C%20on%20human%20populations.

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 8

INDIVIDUALS, GROUPS, AND

INSTITUTIONS
MODULE OVERVIEW

It is important that students know how institutions are formed, what controls and influences them,
how they control and influence individuals and culture, and how institutions can be maintained or
changed. The study of individuals, groups, and institutions, drawing upon sociology, anthropology, and other
disciplines, prepares students to ask and answer questions such as: What is the role of institutions in this and
other societies? How am I influenced by institutions? How do institutions change? What is my role in institutional
change?

Students identify those institutions that they encounter. They analyze how the institutions operate
and find ways that will help them participate more effectively in their relationships with these institutions. Finally,
students examine the foundations of the institutions that affect their lives, and determine how they can contribute
to the shared goals and desires of society.

In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with sociology, anthropology,
psychology, political science, and history. Young children should be given the opportunity to examine various
institutions that affect their lives and influence their thinking. They should be assisted in recognizing the tensions
that occur when the goals, values, and principles of two or more institutions or groups conflict— for example,
the school board removing playground equipment for safety reasons vs. the same equipment being used in a
city park playground (i.e., swings, monkey bars, or sliding boards). They should also have opportunities to
explore ways in which institutions (such as voluntary associations, or organizations like health care networks)
are created to respond to changing individual and group needs. Middle school learners will benefit from varied
experiences through which they examine the ways in which institutions change over time, promote social
conformity, and influence culture. They should be encouraged to use this understanding to suggest ways to
work through institutional change for the common good. High school students must understand the paradigms
and traditions that undergird social and political institutions. They should be provided opportunities to examine,
use, and add to the body of knowledge offered by the behavioral sciences and social theory in relation to the
ways people and groups organize themselves around common needs, beliefs, and interests.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. discussed how people live together in families, neighborhoods, and communities;
2. described positive attitudes about belonging to a group beyond family; and
3. planned activities in making the children/students practice social skills or promote social interactions.

LEARNING CONTENTS

What are They?

Individual – Someone or something that is single or separate from others. (Example: you)

Group – a number of persons or things classified together because of common characteristics.

(Example: the Elementary Education Methods Students)

Institution – a group of people, practices, or behavior patterns that have come together for a common
purpose. These institutions are a part of the social order of society and they govern behavior and
expectations of individuals. (Example: University of Northwestern, St. Paul)

PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY 1

 Study Guide in ECED 107 Social Studies in Early Childhood Education Module No. 8
Ten Major Concepts:
Individual – single or separate from others.
Group – a number of persons or things classified together because of common characteristics
Institution – a group of people, practices, or behavior patterns that have come together for a
common purpose. These institutions are a part of the social order of society and they govern behavior
and expectations of individuals.
Influence – the power or affect someone has over someone or something.
Organization – a unified group of people who have come together for a common purpose.
Society/Culture – a particular set of customs, morals, and traditions of which a group of people
belong to.
Roles – a special, important job someone performs in a particular area of life.
Status – how a person is seen in comparison to the others.
Social Class – a group of people who hold a certain status, which often influences how others view
and treat them.
Conformity (- to follow social rules or norms) vs. Individuality (- something that a person has or does
to make them stand out).

One Major Concept: Analyzed, Taught, Assessed

Analysis of the Institution

• Why are they formed?

Individuals with similar interests or goals come together in order to achieve a specific goal. When they
come together they organize themselves by distributing roles to each other because the task they are taking
on is one too big to do as an individual.

Most often, institutions are formed to meet individual needs or a common good.

For example, taxes are paid from each member, or citizen, of a country to the government institution. The
government uses these taxes to make sure the citizens live in comfortable and safe places by maintaining
roads, hiring police, and establishing parks.

• How are they formed?

A role is a special job that is assigned to someone, which is necessary to complete a common goal, but
cannot complete the common goal in and of itself.

When roles are assigned to all group members, the group becomes an organization.

Often times, roles influence the status of a person. A person's status is how they are perceived in
comparison to others.

• Who controls them?

Different institutions are controlled by different people. Some institutions are controlled by a single person,
such as a small business, which is controlled by the owner, and some are controlled by a group of people, such
as a school, which is controlled by the school board.

How do they influence individuals or groups?

Tensions with social conformity and individuality:

- Sometimes, a person does not agree with or is different from the group or institution. This difference is
called individuality, and it can cause tension in a group or institution. If only one person disagrees, they are
once again an individual, but is more than one person share this difference and wish to work towards making
their belief a reality, they have now formed a new group.

How are they maintained or changed?

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Institutions may change due to changes in society, or the culture of which they are present. Some of these
changes may be due to changes in nature, changes in the perspectives of individuals, or changes in peoples’
relations with each other.

SUMMARY

Institutions are the formal and informal political, economic, and social organizations that help us carry out,
organize, and manage our daily affairs. Schools, religious institutions, families, government agencies, and the
courts all play an integral role in our lives. They are organizational embodiments of the core social values of
those who comprise them, and play a variety of important roles in socializing individuals and meeting their
needs, as well as in the promotion of societal continuity, the mediation of conflict, and the consideration of public
issues.

REFERENCES

http://themesofsocialstudies.weebly.com/individuals-groups-and-institutions.html

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 9

PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION, AND

CONSUMPTION
MODULE OVERVIEW

People have wants that often exceed the limited resources available to them. The unequal
distribution of resources necessitates systems of exchange, including trade, to improve the well-being of the
economy, while the role of government in economic policy-making varies over time and from place to place.
Increasingly, economic decisions are global in scope and require systematic study of an interdependent world
economy and the role of technology in economic growth. As a result, a variety of ways have been invented to
decide upon answers to four fundamental questions: What is to be produced? How is production to be
organized? How are goods and services to be distributed and to whom? What is the most effective allocation
of the factors of production (land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship)?
In exploring this theme, students confront such questions as: What factors influence decision-making
on issues of the production, distribution and consumption of goods? What are the best ways to deal with market
failures? How does interdependence brought on by globalization impact local economies and social systems?
Students will gather and analyze data, as well as use critical thinking skills to determine how best
to deal with scarcity of resources. The economic way of thinking will also be an important tool for students
as they analyze complex aspects of the economy.
In schools, this theme typically appears in units and courses dealing with concepts, principles,
and issues drawn from the discipline of economics. Young learners begin by prioritizing their economic
wants vs. needs. They explore economic decision-making as they compare their own economic experiences
with those of others and consider the wider consequences of those decisions on groups, communities, the
nation, and beyond. In the middle grades, learners expand their knowledge of economic concepts and
principles, and use economic reasoning processes in addressing issues related to fundamental economic
questions. High school students develop economic perspectives and deeper understanding of key economic
concepts and processes through systematic study of a range of economic and sociopolitical systems, with
particular emphasis on the examination of domestic and global economic policy options related to matters such
as trade, resource use, unemployment, and health care.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. discussed rudimentary ideas of how goods and services are produced exchanged, and consumed.

LEARNING CONTENTS

Understanding Economics

Economics is a social science concerned with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and
services. It studies how individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make choices about how to allocate
resources. Economics focuses on the actions of human beings, based on assumptions that humans act with
rational behavior, seeking the most optimal level of benefit or utility. The building blocks of economics are the
studies of labor and trade. Since there are many possible applications of human labor and many different ways
to acquire resources, it is the task of economics to determine which methods yield the best results.

Economics can generally be broken down into macroeconomics, which concentrates on the behavior of
the economy as a whole, and microeconomics, which focuses on individual people and businesses.

One of the earliest recorded economic thinkers was the 8th-century B.C. Greek farmer/poet Hesiod, who
wrote that labor, materials, and time needed to be allocated efficiently to overcome scarcity. But the founding

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of modern Western economics occurred much later, generally credited to the publication of Scottish
philosopher Adam Smith's 1776 book, An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.

The principle (and problem) of economics is that human beings have unlimited wants and occupy a world
of limited means. For this reason, the concepts of efficiency and productivity are held paramount by economists.
Increased productivity and a more efficient use of resources, they argue, could lead to a higher standard of
living.

Despite this view, economics has been pejoratively known as the "dismal science," a term coined by
Scottish historian Thomas Carlyle in 1849. He used it to criticize the liberal views on race and social equality of
contemporary economists like John Stuart Mill, though some commentators suggest Carlyle was actually
describing the gloomy predictions by Thomas Robert Malthus that population growth would always outstrip the
food supply.

Types of Economics

The study of economics is generally broken down into two disciplines.

Microeconomics focuses on how individual consumers and firms make decisions; these individual
decision making units can be a single person, a household, a business/organization, or a government agency.
Analyzing certain aspects of human behavior, microeconomics tries to explain how they respond to changes in
price and why they demand what they do at particular price levels. Microeconomics tries to explain how and
why different goods are valued differently, how individuals make financial decisions, and how individuals best
trade, coordinate, and cooperate with one another. Microeconomics' topics range from the dynamics of supply
and demand to the efficiency and costs associated with producing goods and services; they also include how
labor is divided and allocated; how business firms are organized and function; and how people approach
uncertainty, risk, and strategic game theory.

Macroeconomics studies an overall economy on both a national and international level, using highly
aggregated economic data and variables to model the economy. Its focus can include a distinct geographical
region, a country, a continent, or even the whole world. Its primary areas of study are recurrent economic cycles
and broad economic growth and development. Topics studied include foreign trade, government fiscal and
monetary policy, unemployment rates, the level of inflation and interest rates, the growth of total production
output as reflected by changes in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and business cycles that result in
expansions, booms, recessions, and depressions.

Micro- and macroeconomics are intertwined. Aggregate macroeconomic phenomena are obviously and
literally just the sum total of microeconomic phenomena. However these two branches of economics use very
different theories, models, and research methods, which sometimes appear to conflict with each other.
Integrating the microeconomics foundations into macroeconomic theory and research is a major area of study
in itself for many economists.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is considered by many to be the broadest measure of a country's
economic performance. It represents the total market value of all finished goods and services produced in a
country in a given year or another period.

Retail Sales

The retail sales report is very closely watched and measures the total receipts, or dollar value, of all
merchandise sold in stores. The report estimates the total merchandise sold by taking sample data from retailers
across the country—a figure that serves as a proxy of consumer spending levels. Because consumer spending
represents more than two-thirds of GDP, this report is very useful to gauge the economy's general direction. \

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Industrial Production

One of the closely watched measures included in this report is the capacity utilization ratio, which
estimates the portion of productive capacity that is being used rather than standing idle in the economy. It is
preferable for a country to see increasing values of production and capacity utilization at high levels. Typically,
capacity utilization in the range of 82–85% is considered "tight" and can increase the likelihood of price
increases or supply shortages in the near term. Levels below 80% are usually interpreted as showing "slack" in
the economy, which might increase the likelihood of a recession.

Employment Data

Generally, sharp increases in employment indicate prosperous economic growth. Likewise, potential
contractions may be imminent if significant decreases occur. While these are general trends, it is important to
consider the current position of the economy. For example, strong employment data could cause a currency to
appreciate if the country has recently been through economic troubles because the growth could be a sign of
economic health and recovery. Conversely, in an overheated economy, high employment can also lead to
inflation, which in this situation could move the currency downward.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the level of retail price changes (the costs that consumers pay)
and is the benchmark for measuring inflation. Using a basket that is representative of the goods and services
in the economy, the CPI compares the price changes month after month and year after year. This report is one
of the more important economic indicators available, and its release can increase volatility in equity, fixed
income, and forex markets. Greater-than-expected price increases are considered a sign of inflation, which will
likely cause the underlying currency to depreciate.

Types of Economic Systems

Societies have organized their resources in many different ways through history, deciding how to use
available means to achieve individual and common ends.

Primitivism

In primitive agrarian societies, people tend to self-produce all of their needs and wants at the level of the
household or tribe. Families and tribes would build their own dwellings, grow their own crops, hunt their own
game, fashion their own clothes, bake their own bread, etc. This economic system is defined by very little
division of labor and resulting low productivity, a high degree of vertical integration of production processes
within the household or village for what goods are produced, and relationship based reciprocal exchange within
and between families or tribes rather than market transactions. In such a primitive society, the concepts of
private property and decision-making over resources often apply at a more collective level of familial or tribal
ownership of productive resources and wealth in common.

Feudalism

Later, as civilizations developed, economies based on production by social class emerged, such as
feudalism and slavery. Slavery involved production by enslaved individuals who lacked personal freedom or
rights and were treated as the property of their owner. Feudalism was a system where a class of nobility, known
as lords, owned all of the lands and leased out small parcels to peasants to farm, with peasants handing over
much of their production to the lord. In return, the lord offered the peasants relative safety and security, including
a place to live and food to eat.

Capitalism

Capitalism emerged with the advent of industrialization. Capitalism is defined as a system of production
whereby business owners (entrepreneurs or capitalists) organize productive resources including tools, workers,
and raw materials to produce goods for sale in order to make a profit and not for personal consumption. In
capitalism, workers are hired in return for wages, owners of land and natural resources are

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paid rents or royalties for the use of the resources, and the owners of previously created wealth are paid interest
to forgo the use of some of their wealth so that the entrepreneurs can borrow it to pay wages and rents and
purchase tools for hired workers to use. Entrepreneurs apply their best judgment of future economic conditions
to decide what goods to produce, and are earn a profit if they decide well or suffer losses if they judge poorly.
This system of market prices, profit, and loss as the selection mechanism as to who will decide how resources
are allocated for production is what defines a capitalist economy

These roles (workers, resource owners, capitalists, and entrepreneurs) represent functions in the capitalist
economy and not separate or mutually exclusive classes of people. Individuals typically fulfill different roles with
respect to different economic transactions, relationships, organizations, and contracts which they are a party
to. This may even occur within a single context, such as an employee-owned co-op where the workers are also
the entrepreneurs or a small business owner-operator who self-finances his firm out of personal savings and
operates out of a home office, and thus acts as simultaneously as entrepreneur, capitalist, land owner, and
worker.

Socialism

Socialism is a form of cooperative production economy. Economic socialism is a system of production

where there is limited or hybrid private ownership of the means of production (or other types of productive
property) and a system of prices, profits, and losses is not the sole determinant used to establish who engages
in production, what to produce and how to produce it. Segments of society band together to share these
functions

Production decisions are made through a collective decision making process, and within the economy
some but not all economic functions are shared by all. These might include any strategic economic functions
that affect all citizens. These would include Public Safety, National Defense, resource allocation (utilities like
water, and electric), education, and more. These are often paid for through income or use taxes levied on the
remaining tactically independent economic functions (individual citizens, independent businesses, foreign trade
partners, etc).

Modern socialism contains certain elements of capitalism, such as a market mechanism, and also some
centralized control over some resources. If more of the economic control is centralized in ever increasing ways,
it may eventually become more akin to communism. Note that socialism as an economic system can and does
occur under various forms of government, from the Democratic Socialism of the Nordic countries to more
authoritarian strands found elsewhere.

Communism

Communism is a form of command economy, whereby nearly all economic activity is centralized, and
through the coordination of state-sponsored central planners. A society's theoretical economic strength can be
marshaled to the benefit of the society at large. Executing this in reality is far more difficult than in theory, in that
it requires no conflicting or competing entities within the society to challenge the allocation of resources. Note
that instances of economic communism in the modern era have also been coupled with an authoritarian form
of government, although this need not be the case in theory.

SUMMARY

Economics plays a role in our everyday life. Studying economics enables us to understand past, future
and current models, and apply them to societies, governments, businesses and individuals.

Importance of studying economics

So, why do we study economics? Here are five reasons why studying economics is important.

1. Informs decisions
Economists provide information and forecasting to inform decisions within companies and governments. This
knowledge of economics – or economic intelligence – is based on data and modeling.

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2. Influences everything
Economic issues influence our daily lives. This includes issues such as tax and inflation, interest rates and
wealth, inequality and emerging markets, and energy and the environment. A broad subject, economics
provides answers to a range of health, social and political issues that impact households and wider
communities.

3. Impacts industries
Firms of all sizes and industries have to rely on economics, whether that’s for product research and
development, pricing strategies or how to advertise. This wide influence means studying economics can open
up a variety of career options across all sectors of the economy, from agriculture to manufacturing, to banking
and consultancy.

4. Inspires business success

Understanding how consumers behave is vital for a business to succeed. Economists use theories and models
to predict behavior and inform business strategies. For example, how to analyse ‘big data’.

5. International perspective
Economics affects the world we live in. Understanding domestic and international perspectives – historic and
current – can provide a useful insight into how different cultures and societies interact. For international
corporations, understanding the world economy is key to driving success.

REFERENCES

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/economics.asp#:~:text=Economics%20is%20a%20social
%20science,about%20how%20to%20allocate%20resources.

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STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 10

CIVIC IDEALS AND PRACTICES

MODULE OVERVIEW

An understanding of civic ideals and practices is critical to full participation in society and is an
essential component of education for citizenship, which is the central purpose of social studies. All
people have a stake in examining civic ideals and practices across time and in different societies. Through an
understanding of both ideals and practices, it becomes possible to identify gaps between them, and study efforts
to close the gaps in our democratic republic and worldwide.
Learning how to apply civic ideals as part of citizen action is essential to the exercise of
democratic freedoms and the pursuit of the common good. Through social studies programs, students
acquire a historical and contemporary understanding of the basic freedoms and rights of citizens in a
democracy, and learn about the institutions and practices that support and protect these freedoms and rights,
as well as the important historical documents that articulate them. Students also need to become familiar with
civic ideals and practices in countries other than our democratic republic.
Questions faced by students studying this theme might be: What are the democratic ideals and
practices of a constitutional democracy? What is the balance between rights and responsibilities? What is civic
participation? How do citizens become involved? What is the role of the citizen in the community and the nation,
and as a member of the world community? Students will explore how individuals and institutions interact. They
will also recognize and respect different points of view. Students learn by experience how to participate in
community service and political activities and how to use democratic processes to influence public policy.
In schools, this theme typically appears in units or courses dealing with civics, history, political
science, cultural anthropology, and fields such as global studies and law-related education, while also
drawing upon content from the humanities. In the early grades, students are introduced to civic ideals and
practices through activities such as helping to set classroom expectations, examining experiences in relation to
ideals, participating in mock elections, and determining how to balance the needs of individuals and the group.
During these years, children also experience views of citizenship in other times and places through stories and
drama. By the middle grades, students expand their knowledge of democratic ideals and practices, along with
their ability to analyze and evaluate the relationships between these ideals and practices. They are able to see
themselves taking civic roles in their communities. High school students increasingly recognize the rights and
responsibilities of citizens in identifying societal needs, setting directions for public policies, and working to
support both individual dignity and the common good. They become familiar with methods of analyzing
important public issues and evaluating different recommendations for dealing with these issues.

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you should have:

1. discussed democratic principles and practices; and
2. exhibited skills related to social studies content, such as collecting and analyzing data, mapping, and
making decisions.

LEARNING CONTENTS

Citizenship education gives people the knowledge and skills to understand, challenge and engage
with democratic society including politics, the media, civil society, the economy and the law.

Democracies need active, informed and responsible citizens - citizens who are willing and able to take
responsibility for themselves and their communities and contribute to the political process.

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How does it Benefit Young People?

It helps them to develop self-confidence and a sense of agency, and successfully deal with life changes
and challenges such as bullying and discrimination.

It gives them a voice: in the life of their schools, their communities and society at large.

It enables them to make a positive contribution by developing the knowledge and experience needed to
claim their rights and understand their responsibilities. It prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of
adult and working life.

Who Else Does it Benefit?

Citizenship also brings benefits for schools, other educational organizations and for society at large.

For schools and other educational organizations, it helps to produce motivated and responsible learners,
who relate positively to each other, to staff and to the surrounding community. For society it helps to create an
active and responsible citizenry, willing to participate in the life of the nation and the wider world and play its
part in the democratic process.

One of the first steps on the civic journey is the education system. Education should help young people
become active citizens once they understand their role within society and how they can go about improving it.
The Ties that Bind – House of Lords Report on Citizenship, 2018

Society belongs to all of us. What we put into it creates what we get out of it.
At Young Citizens, we believe society is best when we all join in. That is, when we all bring our energy and
judgment to it. This helps make it fairer and more inclusive. It supports a democracy in which people participate
and belong. We have countless examples of how even the youngest can make a difference.

But it means we all need enough knowledge, skills and confidence to take part effectively.

We want everyone to feel they belong. And we want everyone to feel they can drive change.

The European Commission supports the following definition of active citizenship:

'Participation in civil society, community and/or political life, characterized by mutual respect and non-violence
and in accordance with human rights and democracy'
(Hoskins, 2006)
Tips for Teaching Citizenship

Showing students how to be empathetic and tolerant is an important part of teaching citizenship.

Another way to teach citizenship — while also helping students realize its importance — is to give
students a voice. Ask them what things could be better in their lives if they pursued that issue and tried to make
a change.

Then, have students take action towards embodying that change. For example, you might have students
host a betterment campaign, deliver speeches, collect can openers for the homeless or raise money for the
cause. These are all small, but tangible ways that students can learn how to make a difference in their society.
You might also host a mock election to show students how they can put their opinion to work by voting and
influencing positive change in society.

Teachers play a role in fostering good citizenship on a daily basis. Teachers can model democratic
dialogue by asking students to respectfully question adults and speak their opinion. If a student questions you
or another student in the classroom, you can use this as an example for the entire classroom to talk about how
the students can engage in varying viewpoints while remaining empathetic.

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SUMMARY

Civic ideals and practices prepares learners for full participation in society, which is the central purpose of
social studies. Students acquire an understanding of the basic freedom and rights of citizens and a democracy,
and learn about the practices that support and protect these freedoms and rights. Learners confront such
questions as: What is civic participation and how can I be involved? How has the meaning of citizenship
evolved? What is the balance between rights and responsibilities? What is the role of the citizen in the
community, in the nation, and in the world community? How can I make a positive difference?

REFERENCES

https://prezi.com/wrcdotiqhbpd/civic-ideals-and practices/?
frame=41ab808d9dff808d7537dc21267db0ffd9deee47

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