Communicative Competence of School Heads and Teachers: Basis for Learning and Development Program

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Communicative Competence is a synthesis of knowledge of basic grammatical principles, knowledge of appropriate language use in social settings for performing communicative functions, and knowledge of the proper combination of utterances and communicative functions according to the principles of discourse. Achieving communicative competence is the end-all and be-all not just for the English teacher but for every teacher and school head. This research provides an avenue for teachers, school heads, and supervisors to build their confidence by doing meaningful tasks using English. English proficiency does not end there. It is expected that there must be a legacy of proficiency among teachers who will take the lead towards honing and developing English proficient Filipino graduates.

METHODS

This research study utilized descriptive design with school heads and teachers as the respondents of the study.

RESULTS

Based on the result of the study, the respondents showed moderate competence in all the four components of communication which are grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic.

DISCUSSIONS

Based on the findings, there is a need to addressed the needs of the respondents for them to deliver quality service to its clientele. Grammatical competence includes knowledge of vocabulary, pronunciation, sound-letter relationships, and the rules of the word and sentence formation. Along that line, sociolinguistic competence, an individual's ability to produce and understand appropriate utterances within a given context, should also be emphasized. Discourse competence, on the other hand, is the ability to combine grammatical forms and meanings to create a unified text in different genres. The last component, strategic competence, refers to an individual's ability to compensate for a lack of linguistic knowledge. This must be given emphasis by conducting learning development activities using varied mechanisms like SLAC session, Focus Group Discussion, mentoring, and coaching.