Macro Skills and Communicative Competence of Senior High School Students

This study examined the proficiency levels in macro skills and communicative competence among senior high school students in selected public schools in Davao City, Philippines, and analyzed the relationship between these constructs. It also identified challenges in developing macro skills and applying communicative competence in academic and real-world contexts. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed, involving 200 students in the quantitative phase and 10 purposively selected participants in the qualitative phase. Quantitative data were collected using a validated performance-based assessment, while qualitative insights were obtained through semi-structured interviews. Results indicated low proficiency in both macro skills and communicative competence, with a strong, statistically significant positive correlation between the two. Thematic analysis revealed six barriers to macro skill development—limited exposure to authentic language use, fear of errors and judgment, insufficient external learning support, grade-focused rather than communication-focused instruction, absence of individualized feedback, and digital distractions. Six challenges in communicative competence application were also identified—speaking anxiety, limited vocabulary and retrieval issues, difficulty adapting language to context, weaknesses in active listening and turn-taking, code-switching interference, and lack of real-world practice. The findings highlight the need for pedagogical interventions that create authentic communication opportunities and address emotional, cognitive, and contextual barriers to language acquisition. Future studies should assess targeted strategies to enhance both macro skills and communicative competence in senior high school learners.