Communication is a vital skill that allows one to express ideas and convey information. This ability is an important skill set since communication constantly occurs every day. It is essential in connecting people, expressing or sharing ideas, and forming relationships. In addition, helping learners develop their communication skills early on will prepare them for their future.
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That’s why Grade 11 to 12 learners should prioritize taking the course English for Academic and Professional Purposes. This course contains five (5) major topics that will help them develop competencies in various writing styles, formats, and purposes. Learners must complete this course, which will benefit them as they transition to the tertiary level or pursue their careers.
What is English for Academic and Professional Purposes
English for Academic and Professional Purposes is a learning area for Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners under the K to 12 Curriculum. This course aims to teach learners about effective communication in myriad academic and professional situations. Additionally, it contains alternatives that can help learners develop competencies in these topics, conforming with each chapter in this anthology. Hence, this course will help learners understand the importance of language, how it works, and appreciate its role in communication.
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Chapter 1: Reading Academic Texts
Chapter 1 of the English for Academic Professional Purposes course is about Reading Academic Texts, starting with the article “From Hand to Mouth,” which explains how communication evolved from manual gestures to oral languages. Next is “A Brief History of English,” or the English language development. It explains why and how this language continuously changed. The course also contains articles that can help learners develop reading skills to understand the meaning of words and central thought in the context of every selection.
In addition, students should learn how to rephrase or express their ideas implied in the original text and integrate or rewrite long texts in shorter forms, like a summary, abstract, or precis. Meanwhile, teachers will guide learners in opening text structure and differentiate between main and subordinate ideas. This chapter also contains the following texts:
- Understanding Calories
- Wrigley’s Chewing Gum
- The Golden Age of Comics
- Competition and Cooperation
- On Various Kinds of Thinking
- From the Autopsy Surgeon’s Report
- Legal Indictment
- Local Girl Found Slain by Rejected Lovers
- The Sob Sister’s Story
- Porphyria’s Lover
- Quiapo: the Procession of the Black Nazarene
- Black Nazarene Procession Awes American Tourist
Chapter 2: Writing A Reaction Paper, Review, or Critique
In Chapter 2, learners will learn how to write a reaction paper, review, or critique. It will help learners develop writing competencies, including:
- Construct opinions based on facts
- Cite sources and evidence to support claims
- Use different critical methods in critique text
- Write an objective review or critique
Learners will use a visual argument to critique the Art of Pablo Picasso’s “Guernica.” In “Four Values in Filipino Drama and Film,” learners will learn how to disseminate worldwide values. It contains “The Digital Divide,” which discusses the gap between those who do not have and can access the internet and information technology. This chapter also includes other texts, such as:
- Ang Bayan Muna Bago ang Sarili
- Why JFK’s Inaugural Succeeded
- President John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address
- Dead Water
- Epic Review Shows How the Revolution Assassinated ‘Heneral Luna’
- Movie Review: Heneral Luna
- Review: ‘Heneral Luna’ Shows Human Side of Hero
- ‘Heneral Luna’: Film Review
Chapter 3: Writing A Concept Paper
This chapter focuses on teaching learners how to write a concept paper with discipline. In this section, learners will learn different ways to define, explain, and clarify concepts in various fields, including art and business. It contains the “Boondocks,” a short selection explaining the origin of the Tagalog word in the English dictionary. Learners will also learn the origin of the twelve months in the calendar in “Months of the Year.” Apart from that, Chapter 3 includes the following subtopics:
- Days of the Week
- Ketchup
- Mercury Pollution
- Hormones in the Body
- Paleolithic Art
- Extracts from Words to the Intellectuals
- Why Sinigang?
- The Sentiments of Kundiman
- Our Very Own Arnis
- Fusion vs. Fission
- Things: The Throw-Away Society
Chapter 4: Writing A Position Paper
Meanwhile, Chapter 4 comprises articles regarding current concerns, which will be the subject of the position paper. It will help learners develop writing competencies in the following:
- Presenting and analyzing arguments
- Defending a stand by presenting arguments supported by evidence
- Write different types of reports
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This section explains “The Case for Short Words,” which implies that short words are more powerful than long arguments. The subtopic “Doubts about Doublespeak” presents and explains the four (4) kinds of double speech. Although e-mail is a digital version of mail that streamlines communication, this chapter discusses its negative side in “The Other Side of E-mail.” Learners will also write a position paper about the following subtopics:
- Women Talk Too Much
- ‘r u online?’: The Evolving Lexicon of Wired Teens
- Is Bad Language Unacceptable on TV?
- Good English and Bad
- With These Words, I Can Sell You Anything
- The Great Global Warming Swindle
- More Energy
- The Hazards of Industrial Agriculture
- Mahatma Gandhi’s Hunger Strikes
- I Have a Dream
- How to Detect Propaganda
Chapter 5: Writing A Report
Lastly, Chapter 5 of this course focuses on teaching learners how to write various reports for different disciplines, a common requirement in academic and professional settings. Learners will submit laboratory reports with the experiment results they conducted. Since different governments and agencies require progress and performance reports, learners must learn to write reports and deliver services and plans.
Moreover, learners will develop writing competencies in making field and survey reports, gathering information, experiments, and summarizing findings in graphic and written forms. This section will also discuss the following subtopics:
- Fast-food Addiction
- Nonverbal Behaviour: Culture, Gender, and the Media
- Philippines 2013 International Religious Freedom Report Executive Summary
- Guidelines for Physics Lab Reports
Video:
Watch the video below to learn more about English for Academic and Professional Purposes:
As discussed in the video, studying language includes four (4) basic skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Learners need to learn academic writing used by teachers and students in producing educational materials. On the other hand, professional or business writing applies in the workplace. These writing styles will help learners by preparing them for their careers and the professional world. Thus, completing this course is essential for all learners.
Summary
As Senior High School (SHS) learners complete their academic journey, learning effective communication is vital, whether they continue tertiary education or enter the professional world. This course will educate Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners to write in various styles and disciplines conforming to their education or chosen field of profession. Therefore, completing the English for Academic and Professional Purposes will benefit learners, allowing them to express themselves and communicate effectively.