The Filipino Headstart course consists of four basic and one optional module with accompanying audio. Each of the five modules is divided into lessons (two to three lessons per module). Each lesson is a complete lesson in itself. The learning activities for each unit are:
1. Conversation
You listen to the conversation, then you are guided through each sentence to understand the meaning of the words and practice speaking it.
2. Notes on the Conversation
The notes for the conversations provide a more detailed look at the components of the conversation and often provide cultural aspects as well.
3. Exercises
The exercises also contain new learning materials. You will learn new words and sentences while reinforcing what you’ve already learned. It’s important to work through each exercise thoroughly.)
4. Self-evaluation Quiz
The self-evaluation quizzes suggests various situations that you may find yourself in and challenge you to provide appropriate responses. They can be used as a gauge to see how well you know the material. You may find that you need to review the current lesson more before moving on confidently.
Unit-by-unit objectives for each module are stated at the beginning of the module. There is also a cumulative Glossary (Filipino-English and English-Filipino) of all the words covered in the course available here.
Modules I through V should be studied in sequence. Average completion time for students who have never studied Filipino is 30 to 40 hours.
The contents of each module are shown below. Don’t be fooled by the simple situations; there’s a lot of good information in them besides the actual conversation. For example, Lesson 3 is entitled “Where do you live?”, but there is a lot more you will learn in that lesson besides saying “Nakatira ako sa..” (I live at.. ).
Similarly, the lessons in the Getting Around module covers very useful things such as numbers and times. If you want to ask how far something is, the reply may be the number of blocks or kilometers. Therefore, in those lessons you will learn about expressing distances in numbers. The lesson about the Ticket Window provides great information about telling time in Tagalog. Again, you need numbers for that. You also will learn bigger numbers to express prices for tickets, etc.
MODULE I. GETTING TO KNOW YOU
Lesson 1. Greetings and Introductions
Lesson 2. In the Philippines
Lesson 3. Where Do You Live?
MODULE II. GETTING AROUND
Lesson 4. How Does One Get to the Bus Station?
Lesson 5. At the Ticket Window
Lesson 6. At the Gas Station
MODULE III. AT THE RESTAURANT
Lesson 7. A Table for Two
Lesson 8. At the Restaurant
MODULE IV. SHOPPING
Lesson 9. At the Market
Lesson 10. At a Clothing Store
Lesson 11. Buying Souvenirs
MODULE V. GETTING HELP
Lesson 12. Hiring Help
Lesson 13. Emergency at Horne
