Humanities, Society and Community, Vol. 1 No. 2 (2024) https://doi.org/10.31098/hsc.v1i2.

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Research Paper

Breaking Barriers: Exploring Language and Pedagogical Challenges in

Teaching the Filipino Subject

Yna Jane H. Seballos¹* , Rochelle C. Ramos1 , Justine A. Canto1 , Ruel T. Bonganciso1

1Philippine Normal University - Visayas, Philippines

Received: February 5, 2024 Revised: April 29, 2024 Accepted: May 16, 2024 Online: May 31, 2024

Abstract
The Philippine educational system has faced several challenges, including a teacher shortage that created
pedagogical difficulties across many subjects. This study identified the language and pedagogical challenges
that English teachers encounter when teaching the Filipino subject. The researchers used the transcendental
phenomenology method to collect data through one-on-one interviews with English teachers. The data
explicitation was done by using the modified Van Kaam Analysis to characterize the challenges English
teachers face by examining the respondents and then comparing and contrasting their responses by following
the seven (7) steps: listing and grouping, reduction and elimination, clustering and thematizing, validation,
individual textual description, individual structural description, and textural-structural description. This
study revealed that the challenges faced by English teachers in teaching the Filipino subject were as follows:
(1) the misplacement of English teachers because of a shortage of teachers; (2) the need for out-of-field
pedagogical adjustment; and (3) rapid language transition. Moreover, presenting interventions like using
various strategies and approaches to address these challenges.

Keywords Challenges, Language, Pedagogy, Strategies, Transcendental

INTRODUCTION
The preservation and promotion of the Philippines’ rich cultural legacy depended heavily on
the Filipino language, which served as the nation’s official language (Takahata, 2022). Nonetheless,
the curriculum was more frequently taught in English, which made it difficult for students to
advance their literacy abilities, which include the capacity to read, write, and speak Filipino in
formal education, particularly in high school (grades 7–12) (Meneses et al., 2023). Numerous
studies have emphasized the difficulties teachers encounter when teaching Filipino subjects. Gelilio
and Janer (2021) highlighted instructors’ knowledge and skills deficiencies, especially in
instructional materials and teaching methodologies. Dumpang et al. (2021) and Tica-a and
Wangdali (2023) observe that the deficiency of contextualized materials and knowledge of
literature and culture further exacerbates this. The quality of education in the Philippines is
ultimately impacted by several variables, making it difficult to teach Filipino subjects successfully.
This research delved into the challenges faced by English teachers when teaching Filipino subjects.
The relationship between language proficiency and pedagogical strategies emphasized the
complexity of language education. Furthermore, the English language education curriculum
prioritized native speaker norms over the realities of the English language variance in the
Philippines. English teachers should implement a K–12 English language curriculum that reflects
the strict syllabus and ambiguous assumptions surrounding the teaching and learning of English
(Canilao, 2020). Understanding how these variables interact is essential for developing effective
interventions that address the challenges faced by English teachers when teaching the Filipino

Copyright Holder: This Article is Licensed Under:

© Yna, Rochelle, Justine, & Ruel. (2024)
Corresponding author’s email: seballos.yjh@stud.pnu.edu.ph

Corresponding author’s email: xxx@xxx.com

 Humanities, Society and Community

subject.
There is no existing study on the challenges affecting English teachers in teaching Filipino
subjects; however, there are some considerable research studies that align with teachers’
experiences in different learning industries. According to Villanueva et al. (2020), Filipino terms
are suggested as a translation tool to provide words that fit the meaning of English words. However,
their application may affect educators and learners, leading to extra misconceptions. Furthermore,
Ariaso (2020) found that the social context, instructional curriculum, difficulty level, and teacher
readiness all impact student performance. Another study was conducted by Largo and Gaihe
(2021), who indicated that Filipino subject teachers must be completely prepared with various
teaching methodologies and abilities to tackle obstacles in various businesses. Rahimi and Samadi
(2022) emphasized that the primary purpose of teaching was to attain educational results. Many
university students have varying levels of English competency. These existing studies used
descriptive research methodology to assess their findings and incorporate their information. In this
study, the researchers will use transcendental phenomenology to provide adequate information,
specifically, about the challenges English teachers encounter when teaching the Filipino subject.
The nation’s linguistic diversity added to the complexity of this issue, making an
interdisciplinary approach to policy creation necessary (Vicerra & Javier, 2015). Understanding the
challenges faced by English educators’ ability to teach Filipino subjects is important. This study is
intended to recognize the elements impacting language-teaching journeys to empower language
teachers to devise successful methods and interventions for better progress. This research sought
to investigate the multifaceted language and pedagogical challenges encountered by English
teachers in effectively instructing the Filipino subject. Therefore, the objective of this study was to
identify and address the challenges faced by English teachers, specifically in their language
proficiency and pedagogical strategies that influence their effectiveness when teaching the Filipino
subject.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Language Proficiency
Many students experienced hardships while learning English and Filipino frequently needed
more assets and support. The Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education program presented
difficulties for educators in fostering students’ writing, listening, speaking, and reading skills
because of limited resources and their unfamiliarity with the Filipino language (Alberto, 2016).
Differences between Filipino and English development have also created problems in the
educational system. Instructors also face challenges when contextualizing Filipino training,
especially considering the dearth of contextualized resources and cultural and literary expertise
(Tica-a & Wangdali, 2023).
Students faced challenges with word problems in Filipino, indicating the need for English
teachers to develop interventions. Students struggled with the interpretation of Filipino-to-English,
especially concerning syntax, lexical-semantic subtleties, social contrasts, and logical angles
(Langga & Alico, 2020). Students struggle with Filipino-to-English translation because they lack
competence in both languages (Langga & Alico, 2020) and must balance Filipino and English in the
classroom (Paez, 2018). It was found that teachers with limited professional education caused poor
student academic performance. This meant that proficiency-lacking teachers produced
inadequately educated students (Mukeredzi, 2016).

Pedagogical Strategy
Developing young minds to learn and develop required effective teaching (Lagria, 2021).
Teachers play a crucial role in helping students reach their full potential, acquire essential skills to

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adapt to the evolving demands of society, and become well-prepared to meet the needs of the
modern world. To assist their students, teachers possessed expertise or knowledge about the
subjects they were teaching (Tingzon & Buyok, 2022). However, English language education
policies in the Philippines have faced several challenges regarding the alignment, precision, and
practical application of curriculum and evaluation. These difficulties require significant reforms.
Many students also faced difficulties with language issues in Filipino, highlighting the need for
English educators to intervene by addressing these issues within the Filipino subject. Despite these
challenges, some teachers reported positive experiences even though they are prone to stress and
burnout (Madrunio et al., 2016). The longstanding debate between using English and the native
tongue as the medium of instruction added complexity to the Philippine educational system's task
(Navarrete, 2019). The Department of Education's K–12 initiative has led to a significant teacher
shortage in the Philippines, with an estimated need for 60,000 additional educators to address this
gap (Asian Development Bank, 2014). Additionally, it is common for teachers in the Philippines to
teach subjects outside their areas of expertise, which presents additional challenges (Bayani &
Guhao, 2017). Teachers assigned to subjects outside their specialization should receive adequate
training and technical support from school administrators to enhance their pedagogical techniques
and assessment methods (Recede et al., 2023).

RESEARCH METHOD
Design
This research aimed to investigate the challenges faced by English teachers teaching the
Filipino language. This study adopted a qualitative research approach, specifically, a transcendental
phenomenology approach. According to Martirano (2016), transcendental phenomenology can
provide rigorous and disciplined philosophical studies with valid and trustworthy outcomes. The
data collected from the interviews will be analyzed to understand the difficulties experienced by
the educators. This study applied the phenomenological method, which maps the qualitatively
different ways in which people experience specific phenomena (Kettunen & Tynjälä, 2018). This
highlighted the necessity of putting prior beliefs and biases aside to conduct a more objective
analysis (Martirano, 2016). A common way to identify and distinguish phenomenological
approaches is the extent to which an investigator may produce objective accounts of, or interpret,
actual experiences (Wilson, 2015). The significance of comprehending phenomenology’s
philosophical and psychological foundations, especially when using it as a qualitative research
methodology (Mc Coog & Ed, 2021).

Instrument
In this study, the researchers used an interview guide. The researchers prepared a
questionnaire consisting of an orderly set of questions that the participants were going to answer.
The data was collected by taking notes or recording points based on the interview. This addressed
all their current or previous feelings and experiences in teaching Filipino subjects.

Participant of the Study

The number of participants in this study was 3 (three). The data collection began with 3
(three) participants who were English teachers with a bachelor’s degree in English Education,
teaching in both public and private schools. These participants are currently teaching or have
previous experience teaching Filipino subjects, which is not their specialization field. These
participants, or professional teachers, specifically teach within the area of Cadiz City, Negros
Occidental. These participants engaged in various teaching contexts, including their challenges and
how they coped with them, specifically in the Filipino specialization. In this qualitative study, the

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researchers will be able to determine the challenges facing English teachers in the field.

Data Gathering Procedure

In collecting the data needed for the research study, one-on-one interviews with English
teachers were conducted based on the following primary research question: “How do you describe
your experiences in teaching the Filipino subject?” After answering the primary question, follow-
up open-ended questions were given. To obtain substantial information, the study completed a
series of three interviews with each participant. In this study, three participants were sufficient
because data saturation was achieved, which means that no new themes or concepts emerged from
the data collection process. This can also be explained by the fact that, according to the
transcendental phenomenology approach, the profundity of participants’ experiences is valued
over the number of subjects included in the study. The concept of saturation is used by researchers
to determine whether to halt, resume, or adapt research methods to analyze regions in which
saturation is insufficient during the study process (Malterud et al., 2015; Roy et al., 2015). The
interviews were conducted in synchronous sessions, either face-to-face or via videoconferencing
platforms. The researchers requested permission for audio recordings so that they could obtain
proof that they had conducted a personal interview. The information gathered from the participants
will be recorded by listening to their answers in audio recordings, and the participants can compile
all their responses. Only relevant data from the interview will be recorded in the data collection.
This information ensures the anonymity of the respondents and prevents breaches to protect their
personal information. The use of interviews is a common method of data collection in educational
research (Lin, 2018).

Data Explicitation
Upon completing the data collection phase, researchers progressed to the data explicitation
stage, which was conducted through a one-on-one interview with the researcher and interviewees.
We used the modified Van Kaam methodology to analyze all the data collected in this study. Butler
(2017) asserted that the overarching meanings or essences of the experiences developed among
the participants were identified and bracketed. This procedure follows the modified Van Kaam
approach, which Moustakas (1994) defined as a seven-step procedure. The method is described
herein: (1) listing and grouping, (2) reduction and elimination, (3) clustering and thematizing, (4)
validation, (5) individual textual description, (6) individual structural description, and (7) textural-
structural description. Based on the collected transcripts, the researchers identified all the
challenges English faced and categorized similar patterns with all challenges. Next, the researchers
reviewed and eliminated all irrelevant and unnecessary information for the study. The researchers
then clustered the remaining challenges into categories with similarities and conducted peer
checking to validate all interpretations to confirm all data to the participants. After data
authentication, the researchers delineated all challenges experienced by the English teachers. They
used quotes or descriptions to narrate all the data. The principles of transcendental
phenomenology were used to identify the necessary structures and meanings that highlight
challenges. Finally, the researchers incorporated the individual textual and structural descriptions
into a comprehensive description of the challenges faced by the participants. This rigorous
approach ensures the accuracy and reliability of the research findings.

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FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Findings

Table 1. Guide Questions with Corresponding Responses from Participants

QUESTIONS PARTICIPANTS’ RESPONSES

1. What motivates you to teach Teacher 1: “I was given a slot to teach Filipino because
Filipino subjects, regardless of of the shortage of teachers teaching this subject at the
being an English teacher? school I teach. Since I am an English teacher, it may
seem that the next viable teachers for teaching Filipino
subjects are English teachers, for we are language
educators.”

Teacher 2: “I began teaching Filipino subjects to Senior

High School students because there was a shortage of
Filipino teachers at my school. I stepped in to fill the
gap and ensure the students received a well-rounded
education.”

Teacher 3: “I was able to teach Filipino subjects

because I was a sub-teacher at first because of the
lackness of availability of some Filipino teachers, but
then it allowed me to go out of my comfort zone to
teach something that challenged me.”

2. Can you describe your experience Teacher 1: “Since I am an English teacher, when I
teaching the Filipino subject as an started teaching the Filipino subject “Pagbasa at
English teacher? Pagsusuri,” there have been quite multiple challenges,
as both subjects have unique differences in terms of
language and pedagogical aspects such as vocabulary
and grammar structures. “

Teacher 2: “Teaching Filipino as an English teacher has

been quite challenging because I studied an English
education course, which, to be exact, led me to become
unfamiliar with some Filipino words. So, as their
teacher, I quickly adapted to their learning
environment, and I became more interested in
learning specific values and strategies in Filipino.”

Teacher 3: “As an English teacher, it was difficult for

me to translate some other words in Filipino because
there are words that are too deep to describe, but as
time went on, I learned about them and was able to
teach them fluently because of my years of
experience.”

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QUESTIONS PARTICIPANTS’ RESPONSES

3. How do you approach teaching the Teacher 1: “I approach teaching the Filipino subject
Filipino subject differently differently by using different strategies to make
compared to teaching English? learning the subject easier and better. For example,
connectivism integrates technology to make learning
the Filipino subject faster and more manageable, and
social constructivism applies real-life situations that
integrate social and cultural contexts to motivate the
students to learn the subject.”

Teacher 2: “There are actually times that I have to

search for the meaning of a specific word on the
internet because it’s too deep to understand. But still,
I approach teaching Filipino differently by integrating
my English teaching techniques, like making an
analysis between the two languages to help students
understand complex Filipino concepts.”

Teacher 3: “It’s the same approach that I used, but in a

different language because when teaching Filipino
subjects, I would use Tagalog. I teach English subjects,
and I have no problem at all. There are times I need to
do research first so that I can teach the correct
meaning of that word, or either I would use an English
and Filipino dictionary so that I would know the
correct meaning of the word that I’ll be using in
teaching. ”

4. How would you assess your Teacher 1: “I would assess my proficiency in teaching
proficiency in the Filipino Filipino as good, but there is room for improvement in
language? terms of fluency, vocabulary and grammar.’ I did not
master some aspects of the subject since I focused on
improving my skills for teaching English. subject.”

Teacher 2: “My proficiency in Filipino is good but not

as strong as that of a Filipino education graduate. I
continually work on improving my language skills”

Teacher 3: “I would assess my proficiency as moderate

and still learning. I’m still learning to speak Filipino,
but there are times when it challenges me to come to a
deeper meaning. It’s been quite challenging for me to
adapt to the Filipino language since I am an English
teacher, but as time goes by, I’ve learned some deep
terminologies that I didn’t know at first. “

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QUESTIONS PARTICIPANTS’ RESPONSES

5. What language challenges do you Teacher 1: “In terms of vocabulary, many

encounter when teaching Filipino terminologies are quite hard to grasp. There are quite
subjects? (e.g., vocabulary some differences between English and Filipino
differences, grammar structures) grammar structures, which made learning more timely
since I need to learn the grammar structures well to
teach the subject appropriately.”

Teacher 2: “The biggest challenge is explaining

intricate grammar rules and bridging the gap between
my background and the student’s needs. Also, because
I was still teaching English at the time, it was quite
challenging for me to have a quick transition in
language, like speaking Filipino during my Filipino
class after my English class.”

Teacher 3: “I would say that the biggest challenge for

me is when it comes to teaching grammar in Filipino.
As an English teacher, there are words and
explanations I can’t directly say because they’re totally
different in the English language.”

6. Have you encountered any Teacher 1: “Yes, for example, lack of resources is a
pedagogical challenges specific to significant challenge. I often face lack access to
teaching the Filipino subject? (e.g., necessary materials, which can hinder teaching the
student attitudes, lack of resources, subject effectively. Also, I have noticed that most
curriculum design) students find the subject boring, and they are not as
motivated to learn Filipino subjects than other
subjects.”

Teacher 2: “Some students are not interested in

Filipino subjects, so I think that those teachers who
have expertise in Filipino subjects know how to
manage or control that situation, but in my case, since
I am not a Filipino major teacher, there are times that
it feels quite challenging for me to catch the attention
of the students.”

Teacher 3: “Some challenges I’ve experienced are

limited resources, unlike my language proficiency in
English. They say that Filipino is easier than English,
but some curriculum designs sometimes do not fully
engage students.”

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QUESTIONS PARTICIPANTS’ RESPONSES

7. How do you address these Teacher 1: “To address these challenges, I make
challenges in your teaching interventions to find the right resources to teach
methods? better the subject to students. This includes seeking
support from colleagues and exploring alternative
resources. Also, I integrated interactive activities to
make the students enjoy learning the subject.”

Teacher 2: “I think I approach these differences by

seeing the structural curriculum and resources of
these different subjects. I teach Filipino, which often
involves an emphasis on cultural immersion and
practical language use, whereas teaching English, in
my own experience, tends to focus more on linguistics,
such as formal language structures, and also on
improving academic skills.”

Teacher 3: “I address it by creating my materials so

that I am fully aware of what I teach and not depending
on some materials they already have. And I want more
resources and curriculum improvements for me to
better understand and know about teaching Filipino
subjects.”

8. What pedagogical strategies do you Teacher 1: “To teach the Filipino subject effectively, I
use to teach the Filipino subject use a variety of pedagogical strategies, such as
effectively? connectivism and social constructivism, to integrate
technology and motivate the students to learn the
subject in a situation that they can relate to. These
strategies help to engage students in the learning
process and make the subject more enjoyable and
interactive.”

Teacher 2: “I teach the subject “Wika at Panitikan,” so

I think my strategy in teaching this subject is more of a
scaffolding strategy. I provided particular discussions,
and after that, I gave assessments to my students,
letting them understand the lessons more and also
enabling them to know if there were things I still
needed to explain or discuss further.”

Teacher 3: “I used group discussion as an activity, and

I also incorporated technology to make my lesson and
class more interactive.”

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Table 2. Invariant Structures and Their Corresponding Meaning Units

Invariant Constituent Meaning Units

Given a slot because of a shortage of teachers.

The number of Filipino teachers Teachers’ shortage within the school

Has been a sub-teacher

Found that using different strategies made learning

the subject easier.

Applied several strategies to connect with the

Integration of multiple strategies
students effectively.

I got some help from students who are excelling in

Filipino subjects.

Different strategies are used to make learning the

subject easier and better.
Intervention seeking in unfamiliar
Made an analysis between the two languages contexts

Implemented cultural application activities.

Most students find the subject less motivating

Some students are not interested in Filipino subjects. Lesser engagement and motivation
among students
Filipino curricula sometimes do not fully engage
students.

Both subjects have unique differences in terms of

language and pedagogical aspects, such as
vocabulary and grammar structures. Challenges in language skills due to
cross-subject teaching.
It leads to becoming unfamiliar with some Filipino
words.

Difficulty translating some Filipino words.

Needs for learning Filipino grammar structures in

effective teaching.

Explaining intricate grammar rules and bridge the Challenges in teaching the Filipino
gap between my background and the student’s subject include teaching the grammar
needs. structure and vocabulary

Differences in teaching grammar between English

and Filipino.

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Invariant Constituent Meaning Units

Interventions to find the right resources to teach the Finding credible resources to effectively
subject better. teach the Filipino subject

See the structural curriculum and resources of the

two subjects.

Seeking resources to better understand the Filipino

curriculum.

Using various pedagogical strategies such as

connectivity and social constructivism
Utilizing different pedagogical strategies
Using a scaffolding strategy to provide students with and the use of technology to create more
an opportunity to understand the lesson. interactive learning experience in
Filipino subject.
Incorporate activities that give students the
opportunity to participate in class.

Table 2 shows a clear correlation between the results of the research accomplished during data
collection—the abstract responses of the participants (the invariant constituents) and the
corresponding meaning units. This resulted in some meaning units; for instance, there was a
shortage of English teachers teaching Filipino, forcing them to teach in a different specialization.
These teachers used technology teaching methods, including integration and scaffolding, that
enabled them to compensate for their lack of knowledge of the teaching context. This study also
showed that the participants encountered many challenges, especially in teaching language skills,
e.g., grammar and vocabulary, which impacted learners’ enthusiasm. It remains stated that despite
the teachers’ attempts to find credible resources and to use various strategies to enhance the
effectiveness of the activity, the contrast between the languages and the difference in the
pedagogical aspects of English and Filipino still caused severe difficulties.

Table 3. Core Themes and their Corresponding Meaning Units and Invariant Constituents
Invariant Constituent Meaning Units Core Themes

Given a slot because of a shortage of

teachers.
Teachers’ shortage within the Misplacement of English
The number of Filipino teachers school Teachers

Has been a sub-teacher

Found that using different strategies

made learning the subject easier.

Applied several strategies to connect Integration of multiple

with the students effectively. strategies

I got some help from students who

are excelling in Filipino subjects.

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Invariant Constituent Meaning Units Core Themes

Different strategies are used to make

learning the subject easier and Out-of-Field Pedagogical
better. Adjustments
Intervention seeking in
Made an analysis between the two
unfamiliar contexts
languages

Implemented cultural application

activities.

Most students find the subject less

motivating

Some students are not interested in Lesser engagement and

Filipino subjects. motivation among students

Filipino curricula sometimes do not

fully engage students.

Both subjects have unique language

and pedagogical aspects, such as
vocabulary and grammar structures.
Challenges in language skills
It leads to becoming unfamiliar with due to cross-subject teaching.
some Filipino words.

Difficulty translating some Filipino

words.

Needs for learning Filipino grammar

structures in effective teaching. Rapid Language
Challenges in teaching the Transition
Explaining intricate grammar rules
Filipino subject include
and bridge the gap between my
teaching the grammar
background and the student’s needs.
structure and vocabulary
Differences in teaching grammar
between English and Filipino.

Interventions to find the right

resources to teach the subject better.
Finding credible resources to
See the structural curriculum and
effectively teach the Filipino
resources of the two subjects.
subject Strategies and
Seeking resources to better Approaches in Teaching
understand the Filipino curriculum. the Filipino Subject

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Invariant Constituent Meaning Units Core Themes

Using various pedagogical strategies

such as connectivity and social
constructivism
Utilizing different pedagogical
Using a scaffolding strategy to
strategies and technology to
provide students with an
create more interactive
opportunity to understand the
learning experience in
lesson.
Filipino subjects.
Incorporate activities that give
students the opportunity to
participate in class.

Table 3 presents the interconnection of the abstract responses of the participants (invariant
constituents) and their corresponding meaning units to create a core theme for each cluster. These
Clusters themes led to the creation of a specific theme for each challenge faced by the participants.
These themes include misplacement of English teachers, out-of-field pedagogical adjustments,
rapid language transition, and approaches and strategies for teaching the Filipino subject. The first
three themes focused on teachers’ challenges in teaching different subjects, and the last theme,
which is the approaches and strategies in teaching the Filipino subject directly address their
difficulties, led them to create intervention and strategies to make the classroom engaging and
allow students to participate in class.

Theme 1. Misplacement of English Teachers

The study revealed a considerable problem of “misplacement of English teachers” as there
were not enough Filipino teachers; thus, English teachers were assigned to teach the Filipino
subject in the Philippines. Teacher 1 was assigned to teach Filipino because of a shortage of
teachers; Teacher 2 also started teaching the subject for the same reason; and Teacher 3, who was
initially a substitute teacher, had to go out of their way to teach Filipino. One participant stated, “I
began teaching the Filipino subject to students because there was a shortage of Filipino teachers at
my school.” This misalignment highlighted the key issue of teacher scarcity, whereby teachers are
compelled to teach subjects in areas that are not their specialization, possibly compromising the
quality of their teaching and students’ learning experiences.

Theme 2. Out-of-field Pedagogical Adjustment

The findings revealed out-of-field pedagogical adjustments where English teachers tasked
with teaching the Filipino subject experienced difficulty. A participant stated, "There have been quite
multiple challenges, as both subjects have unique differences in terms of language and pedagogical
aspects such as vocabulary and grammar structures.” Another participant highlighted, "I also
adjusted to the environment, like I approach teaching Filipino differently by making an analysis
between the two languages to understand the complexity of Filipino concepts.” This motivated
teachers to look for further help in understanding and teaching lessons that have been taught with
difficulty. To overcome these challenges, they adopted various combinations of practices, which
included the use of various teaching techniques and modifying their teaching strategies. However,
after these changes were made, there was less engagement and motivation among the students
learning the Filipino subject, thus showing that the changes the teachers have sought to implement

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do not close the gap between them and the competency level of the subject. The problem
emphasized the challenges one can face when no teacher is well-trained in a subject, which is poorly
conveyed to learners.

Theme 3. Rapid Language Transition

English teachers have major problems with language proficiency because they teach across
different subjects; they often find themselves responding to the difficulty of mastering the Filipino
language within a short period of time. Problems also occurred in the processes of learning and
teaching grammar structures and vocabulary. A participant stated, “Teaching Filipino as an English
teacher has been quite challenging because I studied an English education course, which, to be exact,
led me to become unfamiliar with some Filipino words.” Another participant elaborated, “There are
quite some differences between English and Filipino grammar structures, which makes learning more
timely since I need to learn the grammar structures well to teach the subject appropriately.” In
consideration of the fluctuating language use, it became tiresome for the teachers, and this hindered
them from imparting comprehensive and interesting lessons on the subject of Filipino.

Theme 4. Strategies and Approaches in Teaching Filipino Subjects

Teachers also used interventions that included different pedagogical practices to improve
the delivery of teaching the Filipino subject. They also looked for more reliable sources that could
be helpful in providing instruction and managing problems that may arise when a teacher had little
background knowledge of the topic. A participant underscored "For example, lack of resources is a
significant challenge. I have also noticed that most students find the subject boring, and they are not
as motivated to learn the Filipino subject than other subjects.” Moreover, enhanced technology
utilization as an intervention strategy became evident because it helped teachers make learning
more interactive and involved students in the Filipino subject. One participant stated, “I use a
variety of pedagogical strategies, such as connectivity and social constructivism, to integrate
technology and motivate the students to learn the subject in a situation that they can relate to.” By
using different strategies in teaching, English teachers aimed to reduce barriers in teaching the
Filipino subject and to provide an engaging learning environment for students.

Individual Textural Description

This study concentrated on the challenges English teachers encounter when they are
assigned to teach Filipino because of a shortage of teachers. These participants explained this
internment as the “out-of-field pedagogical adjustment,” meaning they experienced difficulty
teaching Filipino grammar and vocabulary and the Filipino teaching approaches. Thus, this struggle
affected students’ involvement and enthusiasm in learning.

Individual Structural Description

The study also considered the possible positive approaches the teachers undertook to
counter the challenges. These strategies were “intervention through pedagogical practices,” in
which teachers tried various teaching methods to enhance their delivery of Filipino. The teachers
continuously looked for credible sources of information to fill in knowledge gaps and focused on
properly handling students.

Textural-Structural Description
The major concern has emerged from the study that most teachers taught English lessons
mistakenly relieved of Filipino teachers. This misplacement caused the English teachers to
experience “out-of-field pedagogical adjustment,” meaning that they were unfamiliar with the

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Filipino subject in terms of their content and newly acquired teaching methods. The comprehension
issue was compounded at the high rate of language shift, especially for younger teachers who find
it difficult to master the Filipino language. Despite the challenges experienced in implementing the
strategies, the participants showed a willingness to overcome them. They used different strategies,
commonly called “interventions,” including searching for better resources and using technology to
enhance instruction, particularly for teaching the Filipino subject.

DISCUSSION
The study revealed a concerning problem in the Philippines’ education system called
"misplacement of teachers." Due to a lack of subject-specific teachers, English teachers were
assigned to teach Filipino, a subject outside their area of expertise. This mismatch created
challenges for both teachers and students. English teachers have struggled to teach Filipino because
the languages and teaching methods differ significantly. They faced difficulties in selecting
appropriate Filipino vocabulary, syntax, and teaching methods. While some teachers use creative
strategies and technology to enhance lessons, they do not fully address the weaknesses in their
content knowledge. This could lead to decreased student motivation and hinder learning.
Furthermore, the constant switch between English and Filipino created difficulties for both
teachers and students, making it harder for teachers to effectively explain concepts and deliver
engaging Filipino lessons.
The study revealed a need to address the challenge of unnecessary posting of teachers to the
wrong regions. Teachers need to be equipped with reliable sources for the Filipino language to
enhance their effectiveness. The use of technology in teaching can lead to better teaching practices
and increased learner engagement. In an ideal setting, the educational system should focus on
professional English teaching to enhance its competency in teaching Filipino. When issues of
teacher shortage are addressed and proper support is given to the English teachers who teach
Filipino classes, an efficient teaching-learning process occurs in Filipino classes.

CONCLUSIONS
This study presented the challenges faced by English teachers when teaching the Filipino
subject. The researchers used the modified Van Kaam Analysis to characterize the phenomenon
under study by examining the respondents and then comparing and contrasting their responses.
According to Montero et al. (2022), English teachers might encounter difficulties and challenges if
they are assigned to teach subjects that are not their area of specialization. Based on the findings,
the challenges were the misplacement of English teachers because of a shortage of specialized
teachers, the need for out-of-field pedagogical adjustment, and the rapid language transition. There
were challenges regarding the reliability and effectiveness of the teachers who lacked the
specialized knowledge and abilities required to teach subjects outside of their specialization areas
(Matsumura, 2022). This study revealed the challenges English teachers face when teaching the
Filipino subject and the issues demonstrated by teacher misplacement because of shortages. This
study contributed to the country’s educational context; therefore, teachers are important figures in
the educational system. The study offered opportunities to provide knowledge that the mentioned
challenges are prevalent in our educational system. In response to this, the different disciplines of
whether public or private institutions could organize strategic deployment, whether schools could
focus the training so that it is offered for such, or whether the Filipino curriculum for non-specialist
teachers could change to support such, were possible to enhance the teaching of the Filipino subject
to students. This study sought to raise awareness among educators and policymakers by identifying
these challenges.

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LIMITATION AND FURTHER RESEARCH

The study was conducted in a small specific population, specifically the teaching profession
participants. The collection was performed through interviews and was scoped at a small and
limited scale that may deprive the results of specificity. Future research could tackle support
systems for teachers implementing new strategies. Future studies could assess the long-term
impact of both strategies and the support system on student learning by tracking student outcomes
alongside receiving teacher support. Future research should include more subjects. The study
should be selected from diverse backgrounds, and more follow-up studies should be conducted to
assess the outcomes. Exploring this involvement might be helpful to consider institutional support,
and comparing such data with other resources will help define the challenges faced by English
teachers. Moreover, understanding students’ perceptions of teaching and learning may assist in the
eventual addition of changes to teaching practices and improve learning outcomes.

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