WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY

Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

BREAKING THE BACK OF THE BEAST: THE PAINS AND GAINS OF SECONDARY ENGLISH

TEACHERS TEACHING INDIGENOUS STUDENTS

Darwin G. Diaz

Jerico O. Julaton

John Carlo G. Lachica

Phelia Ericka T. Taquiso

Chapter 1

The Problem

This chapter is divided into six parts: (1) Background of the study; (2) Theoretical

Framework; (3) Statement of the Problem; (4) Definitions of Terms; (5) Significance of

the Study; (6) Scope and Delimitations of the Study.

Part One, Background of the Study, gives an overview about the study.

Part Two, Theoretical Framework, presents theories related to the study.

Part Three, Statement of the Problem, states what the research hopes to

accomplish.

Part Four, Definition of Terms, defines the terms or concepts that the researchers

use in the study.

Part Five, Significance of the Study, brings out the value of the study.

Part Six, Scope and Delimitations of the Study, specifies the scope and limitation of

the study.
 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Background of the Study

It has been said that teaching is the noblest of all professions. Teaching is an

exquisite art since teachers are tasked to hone the minds of students in the classroom

(Zulueta, 2009). Barcena (2018) stated that teachers are present in the community not

merely to teach the school children but also to serve as living catalysts to uphold values,

integrity and rights of every individual. As they teach their students, teachers were able

to develop in the mind of the children the importance of having good education, the

good values and the chance of transforming an individual into a productive member of

the community.

One of the tasks of the profession is to seek the social good. It follows from this

that one cannot be a professional unless one has some sense of what the social good is.

Individual who enters the field of education rely to the question why teach with various

answers. There is beauty, joy and fulfilment in this profession, and these spirit-lifting

emotions are the result of watching annually as a new group of children enter to learn

and leave school with knowledge to achieve.

With regards to education, the IP are among those with the lowest literacy rates.

It is a challenge to serve their needs in remote areas, and standard education programs

fail to take into account their cultures, languages, and current realities (Dolatre, 2015).

In an attempt to respond to these challenges, the Department of Education in the

Philippines has recently adopted the Indigenous Peoples Curriculum Education

Framework (DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2015) as a guide for IP educators in developing

“culturally appropriate and responsive” curricula, lesson plans, instructional materials,

and teaching methods.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Chisholm (2000) enunciated and proved in her study that living and working in a

remote indigenous community is all about relationship and communication. Such

achievement can ultimately make a really positive contribution in the community.

Schissel & Wotherspoon, (2003) believed that it is important to keep in mind that in the

remote indigenous community there may be different meaning behind non-verbal

communication and body language can be quite different from what one may be

accustomed. A teacher living in an indigenous community needs strong behavioral

adjustments. Scougal, (2008) pointed out that every community in the tribal group is

different. If one establishes himself as someone who is trustworthy and respectful

especially on their culture, then the indigenous community will be open working with

him.

Furthermore, teaching indigenous students requires sensitivity for their special

needs and knowledge about cultural protocols (Korff, 2014). Many teachers do not have

a lot of experiences teaching and dealing indigenous kids or communities. Teachers

misinterpret their behavior. For example, indigenous students avoid direct contact to an

adult as it is considered rude in indigenous culture. When teachers misdiagnose these

students’ classroom behaviours, it may speak of “soft racism”. One might see them run

but then realize they have no role model where they are from. They arrive in school

hungry, sick and infested with head lice. Some of them are horrific. Students do not

question – and decline in giving answers. Indigenous children are less likely to answer

questions in the classroom because traditionally, their culture has been passed in

through the telling of stories; it’s not about question and answers.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Theoretical Framework

In order to support the study, “Breaking the Back Of the Beast: The Pains and

Gains of Secondary English Teachers Teaching Indigenous Students”, the Theory of

Work Adjustment was used. It was originally developed by Rene Dawis, George England

and Lloyd Lofquist from the University of Minnesota in 1964. As its name implies, the

theory of work adjustment (TWA; Dawis, 2005; Dawis&Lofquist, 1984) is concerned

chiefly with “adjustment” to the expectations and rewards of work. Teachers that are

assigned in indigenous community are expected to adjust to the environment and kind

of community present in that area. The teachers must also adapt its environment,

engage him or herself to the community activities related to school, and interaction with

people in that specific community.

Person Environment Fit Theory is also used in the study. As its name implies,

personal environment fit theory (Lewin, 1992) is the degree to which the individual and

environmental characteristics match. Person characteristics includes needs, values,

goals, abilities, and personalities while in the environmental characteristics could include

rewards, demands of jobs, cultural values, and characteristics of other individuals and

collectives in the person’s social environment. Teachers who are assigned in indigenous

community must adapt its environment; personal traits must also be determined by the

adapted environment.

And the last theory to support the study is the Sense of Place Theory by Lewis,

Brady, Matt & Jamie. The theory is further defined as sense of belonging within a certain

location or environment, possibly due to social relations (Low & Altman, 1992).

Fritz Steele (1981) states that the particular experience of a person in a particular

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

setting (feeling stimulated, excited, joyous, etc.) is what makes them feel more for one

location over another. This links into 'spirit of place', which is the combination of

characteristics that gives some locations a special ‘feel’ or personality. Sense of place is

the relationship between man, his image and environmental characteristics. This concept

on the one hand is rooted in subjective experience of people and on other hand is

affected from objective and external influences of the environment.

Statements of the Problem

The study attempted to determine the experiences gained by the Secondary

English teachers teaching indigenous students. Specifically, this study sought to answer

to the following questions:

1. What are the experiences of the Secondary English teachers teaching

Indigenous students?

Definition of Terms

For clearer understanding of this study, the following terms were defined

conceptually and operationally:

Coping Mechanisms. Something that a person does to deal with a difficult

situations (Collins Dictionary, 2018).

In this study, the term refers to the adjustment done by the English teachers in

teaching the indigenous students.

English Teacher. A person whose profession is teaching English (Free Dictionary,

2017).

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

In this study, the term refers to Licensed Professional Teachers teaching English

subject in the secondary level. Moreover, they are non- indigenous teachers who teach

indigenous students.

Gains. Something obtained which is useful, advantageous, or positive (Cambridge

Dictionary 2018).

In this study, the term refers to the learning and insights obtained by the Secondary

English teachers in teaching the indigenous students.

Indigenous People. It is also known as first peoples, aboriginal peoples or native

peoples, ethnic groups who are the original inhabitants of a given region, in contrast to

groups that have settled, occupied or colonized the area more recently (Dictionary.com

2017).

In this study, the term refers to the secondary students of Tan-awan National High

School who are members of Bukidnon tribe.

Pains. The feeling of unhappiness when something unpleasant or upsetting

happens (Collins Dictionary 2016).

In this study, the term refers to the struggles and difficulties faced by English

teachers in teaching indigenous students.

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study would be helpful to the following people:

Teachers. This study will give idea to the future teachers who will be assigned to

teach indigenous student. Moreover, they will be provided with suggestions on how to

deal with the indigenous students.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

Students. This study will gradually change the learning of the Indigenous students

by the time the teachers have already determined the proper teaching strategy to use.

School. This study will help the school to improve their program or include

curriculum suited to the culture of indigenous students.

Administration. This study will help the administration provide quality education

through using the appropriate teaching strategies by teachers in teaching indigenous

students.

Researchers. This study will serve as their reference if they plan to explore studies

related to indigenous people.

Scope and Delimitations of the Study

Since this is a qualitative research, it did not test a hypothesis. Instead, it

attempted to develop understanding about the life experiences of the secondary English

teachers teaching Indigenous students. Only three participants were covered by this

study. They were English teachers of Tan-awan National High School. Facts that were

presented, analyzed and documented in this study were only based on the way their

stories were told using the individual interview. Thematic analysis was utilized to the

data gathered by the researchers. According to Clandinin and Connelly (2000), narrative

inquiry is a way of understanding and inquiring into experience through “collaboration

between researcher and participants, over time, in a place or series of places, and in

social interaction with milieus.” In this procedure, information were organized, evaluated

and constructed according to themes.

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 WEST VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION CAMPUS AT HIMAMAYLAN CITY
Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental

The participants of the study were limited to three English teachers teaching

Indigenous students from Tan-awan National High School. They were selected through

purposive sampling method. The instrument used in the study was the researcher-made

interview guide questionnaire which was validated by the experts in the field. After the

data gathering, thematic approach was used to grouped together similar responses of

the participants. Thematic approach seeks to unearth the themes, salient in the text at

the different levels and thematic aim to facilitate the structuring and depiction of

different themes (Stirling, 2012).