MODULE 4: INTEGRATING NEW LITERACIES

IN THE CURRICULUM

The Concept of integrated Curriculum

In retrospect, the introduction of an integrated curriculum gained greatest
support in the 1960’s. Based on the essential organization of content, the design
emphasizes the role of diverse entities called academic disciplines clearly defined in
terms of knowledge, skills and values.
Thus, an integrated curriculum….
 Focuses on basic skills content and higher-level thinking;
 Encourages lifelong learning;
 Structures learning around themes, big ideas and meaningful concepts;
 Provides connections among various curricular disciplines;
 Provides learners opportunities to apply skills they have learned
 Encourages active participations in relevant real-life experiences:
 Captivates, motivates and challenges learners;
 Provides a deeper understanding of content;
 Offers opportunities for smaller group and industrialized instruction; and
 Accommodates a variety of learning styles /theories (i.e., social learning
theory, cooperative learning, intrinsic motivation and self- efficacy) and
multiple intelligences
Approaches to integration
The Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (2004) presents
three approaches to integration and these are multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and
transdisciplinary.
Multidisciplinary Approach
A multidisciplinary approach focuses primarily on different disciplines.
Teachers, who employ this approach, may create standards from the disciplines
within a theme. There are many different ways to create a multidisciplinary
curriculum, and they tend to differ in the level of intensity of the integration effort. It
can be recalled that the previous Restructured Basic Education Curriculum (RBEC)
is a best depiction of a multidisciplinary approach. The four disciplines (Araling
Panlipunan. Values Education, MAPЕН, and TLE) were integrated along with a
theme termed Makabayan an integrated subject served as a laboratory of life.
Makabayan was a learning area that stressed the development of social awareness
empathy and commitment for common good. Grades in these four disciplines were
usually computed to comprise the general grade Makabayan as a discipline. At the
end of the week, the four disciplines collaborated to design a culminating activity
along with the given theme that connected these four discipline areas. The following
is the structure of Makabayan that used the multidisciplinary approach centered on a
given theme.

Araling
Panlipunan

MAPEH MAKABAYAN TLE

Values
Education

When a teacher integrates subdisciplines within a subject area, he/she is

practicing intradisciplinary approach. For example, one integrates reading, writing
and oral communication in the English subject. Likewise, teachers often integrate
Philippine history, world history, geography, economics and government in an
intradisciplinary social studies program. Likewise, science integrates subdisciplines,
such as earth science, biology, chemistry and physics that responds to spiral
curriculum approach. This connection is presented in the structure below.
 Earth Science
Through this integration, teachers expect
students to understand the connections between the
different subdisciplines and Biology their relationship to the real
world. In fact, this approach brings a positive impact
on the achievement of students. Chemistry
In using the Multidisciplinary Integration
approach there is a need to organize a list of standards
from various disciplines around ONE
Physics common theme
Likewise, come up with a list of standards from related disciplines, such as earth
Science, biology, chemistry, and physics to focus on a common intradisciplinary
science program. Another way of doing it by using skills, knowledge and attitudes
into the school curriculum of utilizing technology across the curriculum. In this way,
students learn other subjects while enhancing their
computer skills. Additionally, schools can utilize
service-learning project in SCIENCE the classroom.
Interdisciplinary Approach, in this approach to
integration, teachers organize and capsulize the curriculum around common learning
across disciplines to emphasize interdisciplinary skills and concepts. The disciplines
are identifiable, but they assume less importance than in the multidisciplinary
approach. For example, in teaching Filipino as a discipline, the teacher hones
students' language skills while resorting to content and topics in Araling Panlipunan.
Below is an illustration of the interdisciplinary structure. Therefore, there are times
that a teacher in Filipino teams up with a teacher in Araling Panlipunan to teach a
lesson in Araling Panlipunan while she teaches the needed skills in the Filipino 1
subject.

Content
Skills
ARALING
FILIPINO
PANLIPUNAN

FILIPINO

In addition, in using the interdisciplinary integration approach, there is a need

to structure the curriculum around common learning areas across disciplines. For
example, incorporate interdisciplinary skills, such as thinking skills, problem-solving,
and analytic skills in teaching Science, Math, and English. The purpose is to learn
the skills and concepts that are beyond the immediate lesson (www.theclassroom.
com).
 Transdisciplinary Integration. In the transdisciplinary approach to
integration, teachers design a curriculum within student needs and concerns.
Students develop life skills as they apply disciplinary and interdisciplinary skills in a
real-life context. Two routes lead to transdisciplinary integration, namely: project-
based learning and negotiating the curriculum.

Subject Areas

Theme and Concepts

Life skills
Real-World Context
Career Prospects
Community Integration
Social Problems and
Dilemmas
Life Experience
Students Questions

In using the transdisciplinary integration approach, there is a need to plan out

the curriculum around student needs and concerns. Transdisciplinary integration is
utilized through project-based learning which involves allowing the students to
present a problem. Project based learning allows students to make connections
among different subjects by solving social problems and answering open-ended
questions. It can also be done by utilizing student questions as a basis for curriculum
design. Learning how to solve problems and ask questions enables students to apply
the skills in real-life situations.
Interconnecting the Three Approaches
These approaches offer an excellent fit for standards through a backward
design process as teachers integrate standards-based planning with effective
teaching and learning practices. Thus, the multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and
transdisciplinary perspectives offer different maps to begin the design process.
Teachers can use any of the approaches at any level of education in a single
classroom or a team approach.
Despite some differences in the degree and the intent of integration, the three
approaches share many similarities. As such, the centrality of standards and the
need for accountability bring the three approaches closer together in practice
(ASCD, 2004).
 Comparing and Contrasting the Three Approaches to Integration
(Association for supervision and curriculum Development,2004)
Aspect Multidisciplinary Interdisciplinary Transdisciplinary

Organizing  Standards of  Interdisciplinar  Real-life

Center the disciplines y skills and content
organized concepts  Student
around a theme. embedded in questions
disciplinary
standards

Conceptualization  Knowledge best  Disciplines  All

of Knowledge learned through connected by knowledge is
the structure of common interconnecte
disciplines concepts and d and
 A right answer skills interdepende
 One Truth  Knowledge nt
considered to  Many right
be socially answers
constructed  Knowledge
 Many right considered to
answers be
indeterminate
and
ambiguous
Role of  Procedures of  Interdisciplinar  Disciplines
Disciplines disciplines y skills and identified if
considered concepts desired, but
most important stressed real-life
 Distinct skills context
and concepts of emphasized.
discipline
taught.
Role of Teacher  Facilitator  Facilitator  Co-planner
 Specialist  Specialist/  Co-learner
generalist  Generalist/
Specialist
Starting Place  Disciplinary  Interdisciplinar  Student
standards and y bridge questions
procedures  Know/Do/Be and concerns
  Real-world
context
Degree of Moderate Medium/Intense Paradigm Shift
Integration
Assessment Discipline-based Interdisciplinary Interdisciplinary
skills/concepts skills/concepts
stressed stressed
Learning to Know Concepts and essential understandings across disciplines
Learning to Do  Disciplinary  Interdisciplinar  Interdisciplina
skills as the y skills as the ry skills and
focal point focal point disciplinary
 Interdisciplinary  Disciplinary skills applied
skills also skills also in a real-life
included included context.

Learning to Be  Democratic values

 Character education
 Habit of mind
 Life Skills (e.g., teamwork, self-responsibility)
Planning Process  Backward design
 Standards-based
 Alignment of instruction, standards and assessment
Instruction  Constructivist approach
 Inquiry
 Experiential learning
 Personal relevance
 Student choice
 Differentiated instruction
Assessment  Balance of traditional and authentic assessments
 Culminating activity that integrates disciplines taught

Methods of Curriculum Integration

Anchored on approaches to curriculum integration, there are methods that are
processed and devised for this purpose.
1. Project-Based Learning. It engages students in creating knowledge while
enhancing their skills in critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication,
reasoning, synthesis and resilience (Barron and Darling-Hammond, 2008 in Corpuz,
2014). As such, it entails an output which involves accomplishing a complex task,
performing a presentation and producing a project, a craft or an artifact. Here,
students start by defining the purpose of creating the end-product; identify the
audience; do research on the topic, design the product; implement the design; solve
the problems that arise; and come up with the product guided by a plan or a model. It
usually culminates with product presentation, and product evaluation while reflecting
on the entire production process (Schneiderman, et. al, 1998 in Corpuz, 2014).
Implementation Outcome. As a result, Curtis (2002) revealed that project-
based programs show that students go far beyond the minimum effort, make
connections among different subject areas to answer open-ended questions, retain
what they have learned, apply learning to real-life problems, have fewer discipline
problems, and have lower absenteeism. Student assessment considered teamwork,
critical thinking skills, problem-solving, and time management.
2. Service Learning. It refers to learning that actively involves students in a wide
range of experiences, which often benefit others and the community, while also
advancing the goals of a given curriculum. Community-based service activities are
paired with structured preparation and student reflection. What is unique about
service learning is that it offers direct application of theoretical models. As such, the
real-world application of classroom knowledge in a community setting allows
students to synthesize course material in more meaningful ways. It impounds
integrative. reflective, contextualized, strength-based, reciprocal, and lifelong
learning (Clavenger-Bright, et. al, 2012).
Implementation Outcome. As a result, Glenn (2001) found that more than 80 percent
of the schools that integrate service learning into the classroom report an
improvement in grade point average of participating students improvement and, such
programs foster lifelong commitment the civic participation, sharpen "people skills,"
and prepare students for the work force. Students also gain a deeper understanding
of the course/curricular content, a broader appreciation of the discipline and an
enhanced sense of civic responsibility (ASCD. 2004).
3. Learning Centers/Parallel Disciplines. A popular way to integrate the curriculum
is to address a topic or theme through the lenses of several subject areas. In an
elementary classroom, students often experience this approach at learning centers.
As students move through the learning centers to complete the activities, they learn
about the concept being studied through the lenses of various disciplines. In the
higher grades, students usually study a topic or theme in different classrooms. This
may take the form of parallel disciplines and teachers sequence their content to
match the content in other classrooms (ASCD, 2004).
Implementation Outcome. As a result, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon
University (CMU), learning centers in the classroom can affect the ability to focus
and study among young children. In fact, learning centers allow children to role- play
in order to understand and make sense of the real world and their personal
experiences in it. Thus, these help children understand the social world, develop
communication skills, and build relationships.
4. Theme-Based. Some teachers go beyond sequencing content and plan
collaboratively and they do it in a more intensive way of working with a theme
dubbed as "theme-based." Often, three or more subject areas are involved in the
study, and the unit ends with an integrated culminating activity. Units of several
weeks' duration may emerge from this process, and the whole school may be
involved. A theme- based unit involving the whole school may be independent of the
regular school schedule. Other thematic programs may involve teachers across the
same grade, wherein teachers carefully connect the activities to the standards in
each discipline. Over time, they have developed a long list of possible culminating
activities. They also update their Website continually and use it as a teaching tool
with students. The site offers many interesting options for those interested in this
method of integration (ASCD, 2004).
Implementation Outcome. Using theme-based learning, students can exhibit
excellent on-task behavior and work collaboratively. Also, students are engrossed
both as presenters and as an audience for the half-day performance task
presentations as they use a wide range of presentations, such as video, panel, forum
or colloquium, debate, sculpture, music, etc. They can demonstrate an in-depth
understanding of the topics as a result of their sustained interest around various
questions. In fact, fewer recess problems occur during this two-week period that
made teachers enjoy the process and the results.
5. Fusion. In this method, teachers fuse skills, knowledge, or even attitudes into the
regular school curriculum. In some schools, students learn respect for the
environment in every subject area or some incorporate values across disciplines.
Fusion can involve basic skills. Many schools emphasize positive work habits in
each subject area. Educators can also fuse technology across the curriculum with
computer skills integrated with in every subject area (ASCD, 2004),
Implementation Outcome. As a result, fusion brings positive gains in student
achievement resulting from integrated instruction in the classroom (Bolack, et al.,
2005; Romance & Vitale, 1992; Campbell and Henning, 2010). In addition, students
make connections among disciplines, values, concepts, content, and life
experiences. Students' increased critical thinking skills, self. confidence, positive
attitude, and love for learning manifest their effectiveness. Shriner, et al. (2010) also
found that motivated teachers and students allow a classroom to be a positive, fun,
and engaging environment in which to learn.
Other Types of Integrated Curriculum
There are different types of an integrated curriculum as mentioned by ASCD (2004):
1. Connected. This happens when topics surrounding disciplines are connected,
which allows students to review and re-conceptualize ideas within a discipline.
However, it has its shortcomings because the content focus still remains in one
discipline.
2. Sequenced. This is observed when similar ideas are taught together, although in
different subjects, which facilitates learning across content areas, but requires a lot
of communication among teachers of different disciplines.
3. Shared. This is when teachers use their planning to create an integrated unit
between two disciplines. Although in some ways, this method of integration requires
a lot of communication and collaboration between two teachers. A teacher presents
the structure, format and standards in making research while collaborating with the
science teacher, who focuses on the content area of research that is related to
science.
4. Webbed. This reflects when a teacher plans to base the subject areas around a
central theme that will tend students to see the connection within different subjects.
Doing Curriculum Integration in the Classroom
Chhabra (2017) posited that integrating curriculum in the classroom ndudes
combining different subject areas and then, teaching them in relation to a singular
theme or an idea. Innovative teachers and schools prefer integrating the curriculum
in their classrooms as it improves student achievement and leads to an increase in
student standardized scores. Placing student achievement on top priority, an
integrated curriculum utilizes the mentioned three different approaches of integration.
Benefits of Integrated Curriculum Model
1. It focuses on basic skills, content, and higher-level thinking.
2. It provides a deeper understanding of content.
3. It encourages active participation in relevant real-life experiences.
4. It provides connections among various curricular disciplines.
5. It accommodates a variety of learning styles, theories and multiple intelligences.
New Literacy Integration in the K to 12 Curriculum
The new literacy can be integrated into the K to 12 curriculums across subject
areas as presented in the table below. However, the Integration of new literacy is not
limited to the identified disciplines, the given learning outcomes, suggested
strategies and assessment. In fact, each learning area can integrate as many new
literacies as possible depending on the lesson, the nature of the subject and the
objectives or intended outcomes. New literacy integration can take place in as many
disciplines as possible.

Integration of New Literacy in the K to 12 Curriculum

Literacy Subject Area Outcome Strategy Assessment
Output
1.Multicultural Araling Demonstrate Role playing Rubric
and Global Panlipunan respect for assessment
Literacy cultural Brain Storming result
diversity Brainstorming
report
2. Social Edukasyon sa Apply ethical Case analysis Case report
Literacy Pagpapakatao and moral
standards on Dilemma Narratives
given issues analysis
and cases
3. Media English Use media in Media- E- portfolio
Literacy communication assisted
Filipino dissemination instruction Google clip
and transaction
4. Financial Math Solve Problem Scores in
Literacy problems in the Solving problem
context of solving drills
business and and exercises
investment
aspects
TLE
 Apply effective Business Business plan
techniques in simulation and and inventory
budgeting and immersion
income
generating
enterprise
5. Digital/ Computer Examine the Hands-on Computer
Cyber Literacy Subject computer virus actively Capstone
that commonly
damages Experiential
computer learning
networks and
systems Project- based

Cite ways in Research

Research resolving Exploratory output
plagiarism method
issues and
determine
research
protocools
6. Ecoliteracy Science Suggest ways Project- based Project
on how to Portfolio
protect nature Task- based
and address Participation
climate change Log

Learning
Reflection
journal
7. Arts and MAPEH Create Manipulative Project design
Creative artworks and works
Literacy artistic designs Crafts
using Arts studio
indigenous workshop
materialsS method