NATIONAL
COMPETENCY-BASED
TEACHER
STANDARDS
(NCBTS)
A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GUIDE FOR
FILIPINO TEACHERS
The NCBTS is an
integrated theoretical
framework that defines the
What different dimensions of
effective teaching, where
is effective teaching means
being able to help all types
NCBTS of students learn the
different learning goals in
the curriculum.
Teachers can use the NCBTS in many ways:
As a guide to reflect on their current teaching practices
As a framework for creating new teaching practices
As a guidepost for planning for professional development goals
As a common language for discussing teaching practices with other
teachers
DOMAIN
#1
Social Regard for Learning
The domain of Social Regard for Learning
focuses on the ideal that teachers serve as
positive and powerful role models of the values
of the pursuit of learning and of the effort to
learn, and that the teachers actions, statements,
and different types of social interactions with
students exemplify this ideal.
Key Question for the
Teacher: Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Can my students
appreciate and model the “Can my students see and appreciate the
value of learning through value of pursuing learning by looking at
my various actions and statements in the
my interactions with
classroom?”
them?”
“Can my students see and appreciate the
value of exerting effort to learning by
looking at my various actions and
statements in the classroom?”
“Do I demonstrate and exemplify the
values of learning and efforts in the
various actions and statements I make in
front of my students?”
Strand 1.1: Acts as a positive role model for students
My students always see my
Developmental actions and statements that show
the importance of learning and
Continuum of Practice: exerting effort to learn.
My students sometimes see my
actions and statements that show
the value of learning and exerting
effort to learn.
My students see actions &
statements from me that indicate
that learning & exerting effort to
learn are not important.
DOMAIN
#2
Learning Environment
The domain of Learning Environment focuses on
the importance of providing for a social and
physical environment within which all students,
regardless of their individual differences in
learning, can engage the different learning
activities and work towards attaining high
standards of learning.
Key Question for the Specific Questions for the Teacher:
Teacher:
“Do all my students feel respected in my class,
regardless of their gender, ability, religion,
“Do I create a social socio-economic background, ethnicity, and
environment in my class other physical and social characteristics?”
where my students feel that
they are treated fairly?” “Do I make all my students feel that their
individual strengths and resources are
recognized and appreciated in class?”
“Do all my students feel like they have as good
a chance to learn and to achieve in my class as
their other classmates?”
“Do I create a social climate and organization
in the classroom where all my students can
effectively engage the learning activities,
regardless of their diverse capacities and
resources as individual learners?
Strand 2.1: Creates an environment that promotes fairness
All my students always feel
respected and appreciated in
Developmental class, and that they all have an
Continuum of Practice: equal opportunity to learn and to
achieve.
Some of my students feel
respected and appreciated in
class; some feel they have good
opportunities to learn and to
achieve.
My students never feel respected
and appreciated in class; most
feel they are not given equal
chances to learn and to achieve.
Key Question for the
Teacher: Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do I create a physical
environment in my class “Is the physical environment in my
where my students feel that classroom safe under the general
they are safe and able to conditions of our school?”
learn?”
“Is the physical environment in my
classroom conducive to learning
under the general conditions of our
school?”
“Are there ways of improving the
physical environment in my classroom
that are within my means as a
teacher?”
Strand 2.2: Makes the physical environment safe and conducive to learning
All my students always find my
classroom safe and conducive for
Developmental the different learning activities we
Continuum of Practice: have in class.
A few my students often find my
classroom safe and conducive for
the different learning activities we
have in class.
Most of my students never find
my classroom safe or conducive
for the different learning activities
we have in class.
Key Question for the
Teacher: Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do I create a classroom
atmosphere that “Do my students feel and understand
encourages students to that I want them all to attain high
attain high levels of learning levels of learning?”
and achievement?”
“Do I encourage the students in my
class to pursue their own learning
goals and aspirations?”
“Do I provide diverse opportunities
for the different students in my class
to nurture their desire and
aspirations for high levels of
learning?”
Strand 2.3: Communicates higher learning expectations to each learner
All my students are always
motivated and given the chance
Developmental to aspire and work for high levels
Continuum of Practice: of learning in class.
A few of my students are often
motivated and given the chance
to aspire and work for high levels
of learning in class.
Most my students are never
motivated or given the chance to
aspire and work for even
moderate levels of learning in
class.
Key Question for the Specific Questions for the Teacher:
Teacher:
“Do I create a consistent “Do I respond to learning and
and orderly social climate behavior problems quickly,
and organization in the appropriately, respectfully, and
classroom for my consistently?”
students?”
“Do I provide all my students with
timely, appropriate, and consistent
feedback on their learning
behaviors?”
“Do I clearly communicate and
consistently observe school and
classroom policies on appropriate
classroom behaviors?”
Strand 2.4: Establishes and maintains consistent standards of learners’ behavior
My students see my how highly
consistent I am in responding to
Developmental their appropriate and
Continuum of Practice: inappropriate behaviors in class.
My students see my how I’m
somewhat inconsistent I am in
responding to their appropriate
and inappropriate behaviors in.
My students see my how very
inconsistent I am in responding to
their appropriate and
inappropriate behaviors in class.
DOMAIN
#3
Diversity of Learners
The domain of Diversity of Learners emphasizes the
ideal that teachers can facilitate the learning
process in diverse types of learners, by first
recognizing and respecting individual differences,
then using knowledge about students’ differences
to design diverse sets of learning activities to
ensure that all students can attain appropriate
learning goals.
Key Question for the Specific Questions for the Teacher:
Teacher:
“Can I help my students “Can my students see that I recognize,
learn whatever their accept, and respect the differences in their
backgrounds and capabilities?”
capabilities, learning styles,
cultural heritage, socio- “Am I familiar with the different
economic backgrounds, and backgrounds, experiences, and capacities of
other differences are?” my students?”
“Do I consider the differences in
backgrounds, experiences, and capacities of
my students in designing different learning
activities for them?”
“Do I set diverse, appropriate, and
challenging learning goals for different
students, in consideration of their
differences in backgrounds and
capabilities?”
Strand 3.1: Is familiar with learners’ background knowledge and experiences
I create different learning
activities to allow students with
Developmental different capabilities and
Continuum of Practice: backgrounds to attain the
learning standards.
I recognize & respect the
differences in my students’
backgrounds & capabilities, but
do not create different learning
activities for them.
I do not pay attention to
differences in my students’
backgrounds & capabilities, & give
them all the same learning
activities.
Key Question for the Teacher:
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do my students feel that I am
trying to help them learn,
whatever their capabilities, “Do I set clear, challenging, but
learning styles, cultural achievable learning goals for all
heritage, socio-economic students in my class, regardless of
backgrounds, and other their individual differences?”
differences are?”
“Do I create diverse types of learning
activities that would help all my
students develop in all aspects of the
curriculum?”
“Am I sensitive to how individual
students respond differently to the
different learning activities in my
class?”
Strand 3.2: Demonstrates concern for holistic development of learners
I create different learning
activities to allow all my diverse
Developmental students to grow and develop in
Continuum of Practice: many different aspects.
I create different learning
activities to allow some of my
diverse students to grow and
develop in many different
aspects.
I do not create different learning
activities that would allow my
diverse students to grow and
develop in many different
aspects.
DOMAIN
#4
Curriculum
The domain of Curriculum refers to all elements of
the teaching-learning process that work in
convergence to help students attain high standards
of learning and understanding of the curricular
goals and objectives. These elements include the
teacher’s knowledge of subject matter,
teachinglearning approaches and activities,
instructional materials and learning resources.
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
Key Question for the Teacher:
“Do my students see how well I “Can I clearly and accurately explain the goals,
understand the subject matter procedures, and content involved in the
I am teaching, enough that lessons?”
they understand and
appreciate the importance of “Can I clearly and meaningfully show the
relationships between the different lessons in
the lessons?”
the subject?”
“Can I design learning activities and assessment
procedures that are truly aligned with the
important objectives of the lessons?”
“Can I present the subject matter in
meaningful and relevant ways that engage the
students’ interest and motivation to learn?”
“Can I encourage my students to engage in
higher order thinking in my class and interact
with them appropriately?”
Strand 4.1: Demonstrates mastery of the subject
My subject matter knowledge is
deep enough to allow me to
Developmental design lessons that motivate my
Continuum of Practice: students and engage them in
higher order thinking.
My subject matter knowledge is
adequate to allow me to design
some lessons that sometimes
motivate my students to learn.
My subject matter knowledge is
so that I am unable to design
lessons that motivate my students
to learn.
Key Question for the Teacher:
“Can my students see and Specific Questions for the Teacher:
appreciate the value of the
curricular goals and objectives I
“Am I clear about what my learning
have set for the different
goals are for my different students?”
lessons in my class?”
“Do my students understand the
learning goals that I have set for
them?”
“Do the students adopt the learning
goals I have set for the lesson as their
own goals in my class?”
Strand 4.2: Communicates clear learning goals for the lessons that are
appropriate for learners
My students always understand
Developmental the learning goals I have set for
them for all lessons we have.
Continuum of Practice:
My students sometimes
understand the learning goals I
have set for them for most
lessons we have.
My students never understand
the learning goals I have set for
them for any lessons we have.
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
Key Question for the Teacher:
“Am I able to help my students “Do I design lessons that would allow
attain all the curricular goals various learning objectives to be
within the time provided in the addressed in an efficient and
school calendar?” meaningful fashion?”
“Do I establish routines and
procedures to allow my students to
engage the different learning
activities efficiently?”
“Do I plan lessons in ways that
consider the amount of time students
need to effectively attain the learning
goals of the lessons?”
Strand 4.3: Makes good use of allotted instructional time
I always plan for efficient learning
Developmental activities that allow my students
need to attain high learning goals.
Continuum of Practice:
I sometime plan for learning
activities that do not give my
students enough time to attain
high learning goals.
I am unable to plan and control
the time of the learning activities,
so my students never attain the
learning goals.
Key Question for the Teacher:
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do I use teaching-learning
activities and learning “Do I plan for and implement a
resources efficiently to variety of appropriate teaching-
challenge my students to meet
learning activities to help my diverse
high levels of mastery and
students attain the curricular goals?”
understanding of curricular
objectives?”
“Do I plan for and use varied
instructional materials and learning
resources to help my diverse students
attain the objectives of the lessons?”
“Am I able to align the activities and
available learning resources with my
students learning styles, goals, and
other differences?”
Strand 4.4: Selects teaching methods, learning activities and instructional materials or resources appropriate to
learners and aligned to the objectives of the lesson
I am always able to align the
learning activities with learning
Developmental objectives and the learning styles
Continuum of Practice: of all my students.
I am sometimes able to align the
learning activities with learning
objectives and the learning styles
of most my students.
I am never able to align the
learning activities with learning
objectives and the learning styles
of any my students.
DOMAIN Planning, Assessing &
#5 Reporting
The domain of Planning, Assessing and Reporting refers
to the aligned use of assessment and planning activities
to ensure that the teaching-learning activities are
maximally appropriate to the students’ current
knowledge and learning levels. In particular, the domain
focuses on the use of assessment data to plan and revise
teaching-learning plans, as well as the integration of
formative assessment procedures in the plan and
implementation of teaching-learning activities
Key Question for the Teacher:
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do I provide my stakeholders
(learners, parents and “Do my students know about their
superiors) timely and accurate
own progress and attainment of the
information about my
learning goals in my class?”
students’ learning progress?”
“Do the parents of my students get
regular and accurate feedback on
their children’s progress in my class?”
“Do my superiors in school know
about the general progress of the
students in my class in relation to the
curriculum goals?”
Strand 5.1: Communicates promptly and clearly to learners, parents, and
superiors about the progress of learners.
I provide regular and accurate
Developmental feedback to all my students about
their learning attainment in class.
Continuum of Practice:
I provide occasional and accurate
feedback for most of my students
about their learning attainment in
class.
I provide minimal feedback for my
students about their learning
attainment in class.
Key Question for the Teacher:
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do I assess my students’
learning and knowledge using
appropriate educational “Do I use effective and appropriate
assessment procedures, and educational assessment procedures
use the information from these to determine whether my students
assessment procedures in are learning during the different parts
planning my teaching-learning of the teaching learning activities?”
activities for the students?”
“Do I use a variety of educational
assessment procedures to determine
whether my students are learning?”
“Do I use the results of the various
educational assessment procedures
to guide how I plan, implement, and
revise the teaching-learning activities
I prepare for my students?”
Strand 5.2: Develops and uses a variety of appropriate assessment strategies to
monitor and evaluate learning.
I always use results of varied
assessment procedures in
Developmental planning and implementing
teaching-learning activities for my
Continuum of Practice: students.
I sometimes use results of some
assessment procedures in
planning and implementing
teachinglearning activities for my
students.
I never use assessment results in
planning and implementing
teaching-learning activities for my
students.
Key Question for the Teacher:
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do I provide regular feedback
to each student about their “Do I have regular assessment
level of learning?” procedures to track each student’s
level of learning?”
“Do I keep accurate records of each
student’s progress and level of
learning?”
“Do I provide appropriate and timely
feedback for students to help them
monitor their own learning?
Strand 5.3: Monitors regularly and provides feedback on learners’ understanding
of content
I provide regular and appropriate
feedback to help all my students
Developmental monitor their own learning
Continuum of Practice: progress.
I provide occasional but
appropriate feedback to help
some of my students monitor
their own learning progress.
I never provide appropriate
feedback that would help my
students monitor their own
learning progress.
DOMAIN
#6
Community Linkages
The domain of Community Linkages focuses on the
ideal that school activities are meaningfully linked to
the experiences and aspirations of the students in their
homes and communities. Thus the domain focuses on
teachers’ efforts directed at strengthening the links
between school and community activities, particularly
as these links help in the attainment of the curricular
objectives.
Key Question for the Teacher:
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Are the goals and
characteristics of the teaching-
learning activities I implement “Can my students see how the goals
relevant to the experiences, and activities in school relate to the
values and aspirations in my values and aspirations in their homes
students’ communities?” and communities?”
“Do I draw from resources, ideas,
and activities from my students’
communities in my teaching learning
activities?”
“Do I try to involve members of the
community in supporting the learning
goals of my classes?”
Strand 6.1: Establishes learning environments that respond to the aspirations of
the community
All my students perceive that all
of the class activities are relevant
Developmental to their activities & aspirations at
Continuum of Practice: home & in the community.
Some of my students perceive
that most of the class activities
are relevant to their activities &
aspirations at home & in the
community.
All my students perceive that the
class activities are irrelevant to
their activities & aspirations at
home & in the community.
DOMAIN Personal Growth and
#7 Professional Development
The domain of Personal Growth and Professional
Development emphasizes the ideal that teachers value
having a high personal regard, concern for professional
development, and continuous improvement as
teachers.
Key Question for the Teacher:
“Do my actions and statements Specific Questions for the Teacher:
indicate a high regard for the
teaching profession and for my
“Can my colleagues see in my actions
continuous development as a
and statements how I value my
professional teacher?”
profession as a teacher?”
“Do I take systematic steps to ensure
that I continuously improve myself as
a professional teacher?”
“Am I enthusiastic about my
responsibilities as a teacher?”
Strand 7.1: Takes pride in the nobility of teaching as a profession.
I regularly allocate time for
activities to help me improve my
Developmental knowledge and skills as a teacher.
Continuum of Practice:
I sometimes allocate time for
activities to help me improve my
knowledge and skills as a teacher.
I never allocate time for activities
to help me improve my
knowledge and skills as a teacher.
Key Question for the Teacher:
Specific Questions for the Teacher:
“Do I try to learn from other
colleagues in the teaching “Do I engage other teachers in my
profession to improve my school in discussions to improve our
teaching practice?” teaching practices?”
“Do I participate in some
professional teacher organizations
that aim to improve teaching
practice?”
“Can I say that I am well-informed
about recent developments in
education?
Strand 7.2: Builds professional links with colleagues to enrich teaching practice
I regularly interact with my fellow
teachers to discuss ways to keep
Developmental improving our teaching practice.
Continuum of Practice:
I sometimes interact with my
fellow teachers to discuss ways to
keep improving our teaching
practice.
I never interact with my fellow
teachers to discuss ways to keep
improving our teaching practice.
Key Question for the Teacher:
“Am I aware of the extent to Specific Questions for the Teacher:
which my practices as a
teacher influence my students’
“Do I recognize the strong and weak
attainment of the learning
aspects of my teaching that may or
goals?”
may not help my students learning?”
“Do I feel responsible for the level of
learning and achievement of my
students?”
“Do I try to improve my teaching so
that my students can learn more?”
Strand 7.3: Reflects on the extent of the attainment of learning goals
I always feel responsible for the
effects of my teaching practice on
Developmental my students’ level of learning.
Continuum of Practice:
I sometimes feel responsible for
the effects of my teaching
practice on my students’ level of
learning.
I never feel responsible for my
students’ level of learning; their
learning is not affected by my
teaching practices.
