Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-7, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 1168 Students’ Acquired Skills in Filipino in the K-12 Program: Basis for Pedagogical Development Melvin O. Mortera 1 , Marilyn Papa 2 & Merlyn Francisco 3 1 Rizal Technological University, Philippines 2,3 Rizal Technological University, Philippines Abstract: The desire of the Department of Education that Filipino students must attain language competencies requires careful and accurate application of strategy for the development of macro skills. The objective of Filipino courses is to produce effective communicator. This research assessed the acquired skills of students in a language course (Filipino) and will give way to the development of teaching, specifically the strategies and teaching materials. A self-assessment checklist was utilized to identify the level of skills of students. Any information and data on the acquired skills came from assessment plays significant role in planning and decision making for the development of teaching and learning. 1. Introduction The twelve years in basic education in the Philippines is fully implemented. It started with a year for Kindergarten, six years of Elementary level, four years in Junior High School up to two years in Senior High School. The K-12 program aims to holistically developed citizens with 21 st century skills to prepare them in higher education, business and work. The 21 st skills include the following: innovation, information, media, technology, effective communication and life and career skills. To respond to the attainment of stated skills, courses in Filipino as a discipline offer a big help. Basic skills in Filipino are reflected in the competencies expected to perform by the students. The five macro language skills are the focus of development for every grade level. Though the scope of basic education is from Kindergarten to Senior High School, this study will be contextualized to Grade 7 of the Junior High School. It is expected that at the end of Grade 10, students of language course (Filipino) can explain, appreciate, and imbibe the information from written text that can be read between (subtext) and beyond the lines (context). As a program standard, students are also expected to show communicative competence, comprehend and appreciate literary pieces and utilize reflective and critical thinking in reading regional, national, Asian and world literature that can be anchored in cultural literacy. The desire of the Department of Education that Filipino students must attain language competencies requires careful and accurate application of strategy for the development of macro skills. The objective of Filipino courses is to produce effective communicator. The K-12 program focuses in molding students to become critical, creative and be a researcher. The improvement of skills will lead to learning as a response in producing a student/learner of the 21 st century. In the K-12 language course (Filipino), macro skills will be improve with the help of Content- based Instruction (CBI) of various literary genres that will test higher level of comprehending text and integration of learning grammar structure through text. Valuing is also injected in comprehending literature (DepEd Order 31, s. 2012). This research assessed the acquired skills of students in a language course (Filipino) and will give way to the development of teaching, specifically the strategies and teaching materials. A self-assessment checklist was utilized to identify the level of skills of students. Go and Posecion (2010) stressed that self-asessment increased the students’ skills in accepting responsibilities in identifying skills that they needed. This was proved by Espiritu in Villafuerte and Bernales (2008) in explaining that any information and data obtained assessment plays significant role or has implication in planning and decision making for the different aspects of teaching and learning development. 2. Theory The assessment of language skills under the K- 12 program is based on the framework regarding the skills expected to obtain by the 21 st century language students of UNESCO. This includes information, media, technology, learning and