Episode 4: UNDERSTANDING THE LEARNERS

4.1 EXPOSURE
Recalling age-typical characteristics of school learners according to Piaget’s
cognitive theory.

(FORMAL OPERATION STAGE)

 Adolescents can perform activities that require Higher Order

Thinking Skills (HOTS).

 Adolescents can think critically and build concrete reasoning based

in their own understanding of the subject matter.

 Adolescents able to perform mental operations and higher

creativity in doing the tasks.

 Adolescents become an inquirer if topics is vague and they are

eager to find out the answer.

 Adolescents are optimistic dealing with the class activities.

 Adolescents are more sensitive in their surrounding so they tend to

listen to other’s perspectives and digest what they learn.

 Adolescents are capable of doing independent tasks.

 Adolescents are starting to discover new concrete things by their

own knowledge and experience

 Adolescents is characterized by the ability to formulate hypothesis

and systematically test them to arrive at an answer to a problem.

 Adolescents gain the ability to think in abstract manner by

manipulating ideas in their head.

 Adolescents learn more sophisticated rules of logic and use rules to

understand how abstract concepts work and to solve problems.
4.2 PARTICIPATION
Observing learner characteristics/ behaviors while in the class.

Table 4.1: Observed Evidences of Cognitive Abilities

(Formal Operation Stage)

Grade Observed: Grade 7- St. Claire Subject Area: English Time: 10:10am to
11:00am

Subject Matter: Tenses of verbs and its usage.

Lesson Objective: Conducting review for the midterm exam by identifying tenses
of verbs and its usage, differentiate tenses of verbs, and formulate examples.

Cognitive Abilities Evidences

(Specific student
behavior/action/response/work
sample)
1. Adolescents can “group and Students respond to their teacher by
classify symbols, statements and giving out their answer in identifying
even theories. tenses of verbs through a message relay
game.

2. Adolescents can “follow and Students formulate sentences with the

formulate arguments from premise use of tenses of verbs through a
to conclusions”. message relay game.

3. Adolescents can hypothesize Students use Higher Order Thinking Skills

thinking of “what might be/ what if” (HOTS) in identifying the tenses of verbs.
and the possibilities that can come
out.
4. Adolescents can perform mental Students tend to guess only their answer
operations with symbols which because they are confused and unsure of
may not naturally exist in their own their answer. They laughed and listen to
world. their teacher.

5. Adolescents can understand, Students taking down notes as their

appreciate, and produce teacher gives the possible questions for
metaphors and other figures of the examination. Some of the students
speech. listen very well to the teacher.

Grade Observed: Grade 7- St. Claire Subject Area: TLE Time: 11:00am to
11:50am

Subject Matter: Identifying the software, hardware, and parts of the computer.

Lesson Objective: Conducting review for the midterm exam by identifying

software, hardware, and parts of the computer.

Cognitive Abilities Evidences

(Specific student
behavior/action/response/work
sample)
1. Adolescents can “group and Students identified the parts of the
classify symbols, statements and computer by pointing it out.
even theories.
2. Adolescents can “follow and Students write an essay about the
formulate arguments from premise possibility happen when software and
to conclusions”. hardware is unidentified.

3. Adolescents can hypothesize Students conduct “compare and contrast”

thinking of “what might be/ what if” of software and hardware and provide its
and the possibilities that can come usage
out.
4. Adolescents can perform mental Students listen carefully to the teacher as
operations with symbols which the teacher clearly emphasize the
may not naturally exist in their own difference of software and hardware.
world.
5. Adolescents can understand, Students taking down notes as their
appreciate, and produce teacher gives the possible questions for
metaphors and other figures of the examination. Some of the students
speech. listen very well to the teacher.

4.3 IDENTIFICATION

Validating the age-typical characteristics of learners through observed behaviors.

Consolidated Evidences by Grade Level

(Concrete Operational)

Number of Evidences by Grade Level

Cognitive Abilities Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.1 Gr.12
1
1. Adolescents can “group and 2 1 2 2 3 2
classify symbols, statements
and even theories.
2. Adolescents can “follow and 1 2 1 2 2 3
formulate arguments from
premise to conclusions”.
3. Adolescents can hypothesize 1 2 2 3 3 3
thinking of “what might be/
what if” and the possibilities
that can come out.
4. Adolescents can perform 1 2 1 2 2 3
mental operations with
symbols which may not
naturally exist in their own
world.
5. Adolescents can understand, 2 1 2 1 2 2
appreciate, and produce
metaphors and other figures of
 speech.

1.Were there evidences gathered for all the listed cognitive abilities? Which
characteristics were the most observable (i.e. most number of evidences)?

The table shown above clearly illustrates that students under concrete
operational stage exhibit the same cognitive abilities as being observed inside
the classroom. Evidences shows that as a child proceed to the next grade level,
the cognitive ability increase and they become more logical as they express their
viewpoint of the subject matter. In addition, the cognitive ability of a student
increases as they grow older.

2.Which were not observable? Any reason why?

As the given results provided in the table above, all cognitive abilities were being
observed in different grade level. As the student increases his/her grade level,
his/her cognitive ability also improves and develop critically to draw conclusions
at the end of the discussions.

3.Do you notice any pattern in your observation? Is there a relationship between the
grade level and the number of gathered evidences? What grade levels have displayed
more abilities?
Based on the given results found during the conduct of observation, there is no
significant relationship found between the grade level and the number of
gathered evidences maybe because we observed during review weeks before
midterm examination. Tendencies are teachers limit their discussion and focus
more on the review where questions are the possible questions for the exam. But
most of students displayed more abilities are those senior high school students
(grade 11 and grade 12) because they exhibit higher cognitive abilities.

4.4 INTERNALIZATION
Drawing generalizations from observations of learner’s behaviors.

1.Are all the learners in a given age range (middle childhood or adolescent)
capable of performing all the cognitive abilities? Give reasons of your
response.
Based from the results of the observations, the given age range are
capable of performing all cognitive abilities but only differs on the
performance. Those students who were belong to lower age range
show minimal cognitive abilities. Most of the cognitive abilities
possess are basic abilities like identifying symbols and able to
compare and contrast. While the higher age range perform more
crucial cognitive abilities as their cognitive develops and increase.
But there is instance that students excel beyond their age range
because of multiple intelligences.

2.What cultural factors can enhance the cognitive development of learners?

Illustrate.

3.What factors can hamper development? Illustrate.

4.5 DISSEMINATION
Giving suggestions on how teachers can help the cognitive abilities of learners.

Activities to Enhance Cognitive Development of my Learners

Grade Level: 7 Subject Area: English

”FILL IN THE BLANKS”

One of the common activities which develops the cognitive ability of a

learner is the “fill in the blank” exercises. Fill in the blanks consists of a question

phrase, sentence, or paragraph with a blank space where a learner provides the

missing words. This allows a learner to recall, identify, and supply the correct

answer being asked for every item.

For this English subject, a teacher may use questions asking for the correct

form of verb and its tenses then a learner will provide the correct answer in the

blank. A teacher can use sentences for this activity or she/he will create a story

which has verbs and verb tenses then a learner will fill in the blanks what is the

correct form asking. With this activity, a learner used and develop his/her cognitive

ability to answer the questions.

Episode 5: LEARNER’S DEVELOPMENT AND INSTRUCTION

5.1 EXPOSURE
Recalling characteristics of learners in the different stages of cognitive
development.

Table 5.1 Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Stage Approximate Age Characteristics

Sensorimotor 0-2 years Begins to make use of
imitation, memory and
thought. Child starts to
recognize that objects do
not cease to exist when
they are hidden. Child
tends to more from reflex
actions to goal-directed
activity.

Preoperational 2-7 years Gradually develops use of

language and ability to
think in symbolic form.
Children are able to think
operations through
logically in one direction.
Children are able to think
about things symbolically,
develop memory and
imagination, which allows
them to understand the
difference between past
and future.

Concrete Operational 7-11 years Able to solve concrete

problems in logical
manner. Able to
understand laws of
conversation.
Children engage to logical
reasoning. It is the ability
to focus on many parts of
the problem.

Formal Operational 11- adult Able to solve abstract

problems in logical
manner. The ability to
formulate hypotheses and
systematically test them to
arrive at an answer to a
problem.
 5.2PARTICIPATION

Identifying the instructional key events of a lesson in a particular class.

Table 5.2 Classroom Observation Form

School: St. Peter’s College of Toril Inc.

Grade/year Observed: 7
Name of Teacher: Eden Joy W. Sarong
Subject Area Observed: English Time: 10:10am to 11:00
Number of Students: 51

Episode Time Key Event

1 10:10 prayer
2 10:13 greetings
3 10:16 Students listened to their
teacher in giving
announcements for the
upcoming midterm exam
4 10:19 Same activity
5 10:22
6 10:25 Students listened to their
teacher in giving
instructions for their activity
7 10:28 A student participated the
message relay activity
8 10:31 A student asked question
to his teacher
9 10:34 A student answered the
activity
10 10:37 A student moved out from
the class and went to the
clinic for health purposes
11 10:40 A student participated the
message relay activity
12 10:43 A student answered the
activity
13 10:46 A student participated the
message relay activity
14 10:49 Same activity
15 10:52
16 10:55 Students listened carefully
for the final instruction for
the midterm exam
17 10:58 Prayer
Lesson Ends

5.3 IDENTIFICATION
Recognizing the guidelines followed in teaching learners of a particular cognitive
stage.
 Teaching Formal Operational Learners

School: St. Peter’s College of Toril Inc.

Grade/year Observed: 7
Name of Teacher: Eden Joy W. Sarong
Subject Area Observed: English
Time: 10:10am to 11:00

Teaching Guidelines Episode No. Key Events in the

Lesson Observed
1.Continue to use Not applicable
concrete props and
visual aids
2.Give students a Not applicable
chance to manipulate
and test objects.
3.Make sure 3, 6, 11, 16 Students listened to their
presentation and teacher in giving
readings are brief and instructions for their
well-organized. activity.
A student participated
the message relay
activity
4.Use familiar examples 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 A student participated
to explain more complex the message relay
ideas. activity
A student asked
question to his teacher
5.Give opportunity to 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, A student participated
classify and group 14, 15 the message relay
objects and ideas on activity
increasingly complex A student asked
level. question to his teacher
6.Present problems that 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, A student participated
require logical and 14, 15 the message relay
analytical thinking. activity
A student asked
question to his teacher
7. Highlights the 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, A student participated
important matter of the 14, 15 the message relay
topic and distinguish the activity
statements provided A student asked
question to his teacher

5.4 INTERNALIZATION
Drawing the application of the cognitive characteristics of learners in teaching-
learning process.
1. Were all the teaching guidelines demonstrated in the lesson you observed? Which
were clearly shown?
Based on the matrix above, results shown that all the teaching guidelines
demonstrated in the lesson was being observed in different time manner. The
teaching guidelines number three to six revealed a clear evidence that in the
classroom, the development of cognitive ability is present and it is always
happening during the lecture.
2.Which guidelines were not observed at all?

The guidelines numbers one and two is not being observed in the class during
the conduct of observation since the teacher only do a review class because of
the upcoming examination. This the reason why these guidelines is not being
observed and not being validated.

3.What could be the reasons why the teacher did not have the opportunity to observed
the suggested guidelines for this stage?
Based on my observation, the teacher failed to observed the suggested
guidelines because she did not include this on her lesson plan for the reason that
she only conducted a review class of her subject for the midterm examination.
The teacher only had the “question and answer” portion to her students to
highlights the possible questions that can be show in the test paper.

4. What guidelines have you added in the matrix? What could be the reason why the
teacher followed these guidelines you have noted? Why were they did not include in the
original list?
As I observed, the teacher added few guidelines as she conducted her lecture
such as she was asking to highlights the important matter of the topic and
distinguish the statements provided to find out the correct answer and disregard
the other wrongful statements. It is not included because it was not written in her
lesson plane because that time that I observed her class, she only conducted a
review class.

5.What significant characteristics of learners in high school enable them to rationalize,

discover, invent, and create new things?
As I noticed during the conduct of the observation, the ability of being an inquirer
pushes them to rationalize, discover, invent, and create new things when they
encounter interesting topics and sometimes makes them confuse, so they tend to
formulate and ask questions, use critical thinking, creativity and, create things
that is unexpected to because of the unpredictable circumstance during the
lecture. As they listen to the thorough discussion done by their teacher, the
ability to think beyond the corner and assume the possible outcomes makes
them realize and come up with a meaningful experience.
5.5 DISSEMINATION
Exemplifying instructional strategies appropriate for teaching.

Suggested Teaching Techniques for Formal Operation Stage

Guidelines for Grades 7-12 Suggested Teaching Techniques

1. Continue to use concrete props a. Use video presentation to help

and visual aids students understand verbs and
tenses.

b. Use interactive PowerPoint

Presentation to get the student’s
attention.

2. Give students a chance to a. Ask students to have a short

manipulate and test objects. interaction like asking them to do
the said action word.

b. Do a ”paint me a picture” from the

action word given

3. Make sure presentation and a. Highlights the important topic

readings are brief and well-
organized. b. Use Mnemonics to easily
remember the important key points

4. Use familiar examples to explain a. Use simple words to easy

more complex ideas. understand

b. Make use of common words and

examples to remember the lesson

5. Give opportunity to classify and a. Allow the students to do group

group objects and ideas on activity.
increasingly complex level.
b. Use the game “last man standing”
for the activity

6. Present problems that require a. Give statements that consist of

logical and analytical thinking. verb tenses then ask the students
to provide the correct answer

b. Ask the students to create a poem

then highlight