Pedagogical Practices and Challenges in Teaching Language Macro Skills: A Case Study of Filipino Elementary Educators

Abstract

This study examined the strategies, challenges, and coping mechanisms used by elementary public-school educators when teaching the four main language skills—reading, writing, speaking, and listening.  A qualitative approach was taken, involving thematic analysis of teacher responses. The study found that teachers employed various instructional strategies, such as using short stories, story maps, process writing, pronunciation drills, and role-playing. However, they often ran into major challenges, particularly the lack of suitable teaching materials and students’ low level of interest. To overcome these obstacles, teachers showed creativity by working together with colleagues, repurposing available resources, and incorporating technology and multimedia to make lessons more engaging. The study highlights the critical need for the development of context-specific, open-access teaching materials and professional development programs focused on resourcefulness and technology integration that could significantly enhance pedagogical effectiveness.