By Vanessa Bicomong, Co-Founder, The Learning Library

“It’s a miracle that my son has been passing in Filipino subjects every year because he cannot speak or understand the language. I know we have a problem but I don’t know how bad it is.”

If you’re a parent also wondering how good your child’s Filipino language skills are – beyond grades received in school – here are ways you can do a quick evaluation:

1. Check if they answer homework on their own.

A student should be able to answer assignments independently, and in complete sentences. Does your child need extensive research on the Internet with a lot of online translation to finish homework?  Does he or she need to ask for help from parents or tutors for even the most basic questions? it’s a sign that their written communication skills in Filipino are not at par with their grade level. 

2. Use textbooks as benchmarks.

THE LEARNING LIBRARY’S Filipino curriculum head, Niki Calma, suggests using your child’s prescribed grade level textbook to test reading skills. Ask them to read one page that has not been discussed in class, and ask several simple comprehension questions. If the child cannot answer correctly, get a textbook from a lower year level and do the same test.  Repeat until you find the text that’s just for your child -- that would be a good approximation of their grade level equivalent for Filipino.

(For sample text and comprehension questions, visit The Learning Library’s Filipino standards website page.)

3. Have them write a short paragraph.

Many children have adequate comprehension but poor communication skills. Ask your child to answer an essay-type question using 3-5 sentences. Is the sentence structure correct? Are the words being used properly? How long did it take your child to write these sentences?

Students in higher grade levels should be able to create longer sentences using more than just basic Filipino vocabulary..

(Benchmarks of writing ability per grade level are also included in The Learning Library’s Filipino standards website page.)

Early detection helps!

The mismatch between communication abilities and grade level requirements grows over time if not addressed. Close the gap early! The Learning Library offers Filipino online for kids. To know how our WIKA’Y GALING program teaches Filipino as a second language, check out this article.

Sign up for THE LEARNING LIBRARY’s free, detailed assessment of Filipino language skills via inquiry@learninglibraries.com. Learn more about our Filipino enrichment and Filipino as Second Language programs at www.learninglibraries.com