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Guiding our Teachers: A Briefer on Using the Special Program for Sports (SPS) MELCs

About the Process

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic which shortened the number of school days for SY 2020-2021, the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Bureau of
Curriculum Development (BCD) came up with a list of Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) from the Curriculum Guides of the Special Program in
Sports (SPS), anchored on the identified content and performance standards thereof. In the process of identifying the MELCs, the ENDURANCE criterion was
used as the sole determiner. Endurance is defined as the learning competency that remains with learners long after a test is completed (Reeves, 2002) or is
useful beyond a single test or unit of study (Many and Horrell, 2014) which is applicable to real-life situations e.g. social participation and integration.
Specifically, SPS learners who are athletes shall be able to improve their fitness levels, recognize and prevent injuries, analyze movements patterns, design
nutritional plan for athletes and recognize the effects of doping on athletic performance, and apply psychosocial behavioral skills. Therefore, the MELCs
identified are those that will further elevate the SPS to a higher degree of social relevance by improving the skills and talents of athletes.

Example 1:
Grade 8 Q4-Psychosocial/Behavioral Skills: Practice cooperation, clear communication, and positive social interaction to enhance teamwork.

This is an example of an enduring competency where the skills learned are applied in the other courses of the SPS which is important in life and is likewise
retained even after learners finished the program.

Example 2:
Grade 7 Q4-Sports Nutrition: Explain the importance of nutrition to athletic performance

This competency can be applied both in Sports Nutrition and in other SPS courses.

Example 3:
G7 Q2- Exercise Physiology and Methods of Conditioning: Explain the principles of exercise training

The competency is essential in order for learning to be successful in particular to the course of Exercise Physiology and Methods of Conditioning.

These are samples of the MELCs identified in the SPS. However, teachers must carefully monitor the progress of their learners relative to the standard
competencies and intervene or remediate if learners are having a hard time learning them.