Personal Information

Overview

This is lesson 5 of 20 in Filipino Language Foundations. Students build on greetings and introductions by asking and answering about age, location and language using modelled Filipino sentence patterns. The lesson includes culturally appropriate forms of address, such as using po and opo when speaking respectfully to an older person or authority figure.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• use modelled Filipino questions and answers about personal information
• ask and state their age, where they live and what language they speak
• use po and opo appropriately in a respectful interaction
• recognise that Filipino word order and polite forms may differ from English

Success criteria

• I can ask and answer Ilang taon ka na? and state my age.
• I can ask and answer Saan ka nakatira? and state where I live.
• I can ask and answer Anong wika ang sinasalita mo? and name a language.
• I can use po or opo in a respectful exchange when appropriate.

Curriculum links

• Western Australian Curriculum: Languages — interacting in Filipino to exchange information about self and personal worlds.
• Western Australian Curriculum: Languages — using modelled vocabulary, expressions and grammatical structures in familiar contexts.
• Western Australian Curriculum: Languages — recognising how language choices, including forms of address, reflect relationships and cultural context.
• General capabilities: communication, literacy, personal and social capability, and intercultural understanding.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Retrieval and hook. Teacher opens with the opening question and visual prompt and greets the student using a familiar Filipino greeting, then asks: “What information do people commonly share when they first meet?” Student recalls greetings and introductions from earlier lessons and identifies age, location and language as today’s focus.

2. 4–10 min · Model the language. Teacher uses the modelled question-and-answer slides to present each exchange, signing or speaking clearly and pointing to the meaning:

• Ilang taon ka na? — How old are you?
• Ako ay labintatlong taong gulang. — I am thirteen years old.
• Saan ka nakatira? — Where do you live?
• Nakatira ako sa __. — I live in __.
• Anong wika ang sinasalita mo? — What language do you speak?
• Nagsasalita ako ng __. — I speak __.

Teacher explains that po may be added to show respect, for example Ilang taon na po kayo? when addressing an older person or authority figure, and opo is a respectful “yes”. Student repeats each pattern, then substitutes personally relevant information.

3. 10–16 min · Guided substitution practice. Teacher distributes the personal-information sentence builder and completes the first example with the student. Student selects or writes their age, location and language, then practises changing one part of each sentence while referring to the model. Teacher checks pronunciation, numbers and the use of sa for locations and ng after sinasalita.

4. 16–23 min · One-to-one interview. Teacher returns to the interview instructions and prompt slides and conducts a short interview, asking one question at a time. Student answers without reading where possible, then asks the same questions back to the teacher. Teacher deliberately models two contexts: speaking to a peer using ka/mo and speaking respectfully to an older person using po/kayo. Student identifies which form is appropriate and practises one respectful question and answer.

5. 23–27 min · Build a mini-dialogue. Teacher asks the student to use the dialogue planning section to arrange a four-line exchange: greeting, question about age, question about location or language, and closing. Student performs the dialogue with the teacher, aiming for eye contact, clear pronunciation and an appropriate polite form. If confident, the student performs it a second time without the worksheet.

6. 27–30 min · Exit check and reflection. Teacher displays the plenary and exit-question slide and asks the student to respond orally to two prompts: “Where do you live?” and “What language do you speak?” Student gives one answer using a complete Filipino sentence and explains when po or opo would be used. Teacher records one strength and one next step for lesson 6.

Resources

• Personal Information teaching and practice deck
• Personal-information sentence builder
• Whiteboard and markers
• Device or display for the slide deck
• Teacher checklist for pronunciation, sentence structure and polite forms
• Optional word or number reference from previous lessons

Assessment

• During repetition and substitution practice, check whether the student uses the question patterns accurately and gives meaningful personal answers.
• During the interview, assess pronunciation, use of complete sentences, correct location and language expressions, and appropriate choice of po/kayo or informal forms.
• Use the final oral response as an exit check. Record whether the student can answer independently and explain the cultural purpose of respectful language.

Differentiation

• Provide the student with colour-coded sentence frames, a small English gloss and a choice of familiar locations and languages on the worksheet.
• Model each sentence slowly, chunk longer words such as sinasalita, and allow the student to rehearse before responding.
• For additional support, accept a shortened but accurate response such as Sa Perth or Ingles before extending it to a full sentence.
• For extension, ask the student to create a second version of the dialogue addressed to an older person, changing the pronouns and adding po or opo appropriately.
• Use clear visual prompts and avoid requiring public performance; the one-to-one structure supports confidence and allows immediate feedback.