Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education

Legal Bases and Benefits of Teaching and Learning the Mother Tongue

The provision of DepEd Order 74,s.2009- as a policy that institutionalizes MotherTongue Based-
Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in the country.

-This was strengthened by the declaration of the Pres. Benigno Aquino Jr. when he said:

Learn English well and connect to the world

Learn Filipino well and connect to your country
Retain your dialect and connect to your heritage

According to Dep-Ed Order 74,s.2009,MTB-MLEnis the effective use of more than two languages
for literacy and instruction. Local and international studies have validated the superiority of the use
of the mother tongue first in improving learning outcomes and promoting Education for all.
-The language that you use at home is your first language which is also called Mother tongue .If it is
the language that child knows best and the uses most because it is the first language of the
learners.

In order to provide a strong MTB-MLE program, there are Ten Fundamental Requirements needed
according to Dep-Ed Order 74,s. 2009 these are:

1. A working orthography ( alphabet and spelling) for the local language that is acceptable to the
majority of the stakehoders and promotes intellectualization of that language.

2.. Development,production and distribution of inexpensive ,instructional material with special priority
to beginning reading and children’s literature. As much as possible, the materials should be original
,localized in aterms of people, events, realities and appropariates to the language, age and culture of
the learners.
3. The use of the learner’s first language (L1) as the primary medium of instruction from pre-school until at
least grade 3. It shall be the main vehicles to teach understanding and mastery of the subject.

4. Mother Tongue or the first language (L1) as a subject and a language for teaching subjects in a carefully and
will be introduced as separate subjects in a carefully planned pacing programs.

5. The inclusion of additional language such as Filipino or English and other local of foreign languages shall be
introduced as separate subjects in a carefully planned pacing programs.

6. In the secondary level ,Filipino and English shall be the primary medium of instruction (MOI) . The learner’s
L1 shall still be utilized as an auxiliary medium of instruction.

7. Other than English,Filipino or Arabic for Madaris school the choice of additional language shall be at the
behest of parents endorsed by local stake holders and as resources permit. When the pupils are ready ,Filipino
and English shall gradually used as MOI no ealier than grade three3 . How ever L1 shall be effectively used as
scaffold learning.
8. The language instruction( teaching ) shall also the primary language for testing in all regular school based
and system wide examination and in all international benchmarking and assessment exercises. It shall be
maintained that the focus of educational assessment shall be specifically on the learner’s understanding of
the subject content and not be muddled on language testing.

9. There must be continuing in-service training (INSET) in partnership with MLE specialists on the effective use
of L! as language of instruction ( teaching ) to facilitate reading , cognitive , academic language proficiency and
development of cognitive and higher order thinking skills( HOTS) of the learners. INSET shall likewise equip
educators to develop cultural sensitivity and enhance appreciation for cultural and linguistics diversity.

10. Ensuring critical awareness, maximum participation and support form the Local Government Units(LGUs)
parents and community for the implementation of the language and literacy program strategy.

-Knowing and understanding the DepEd Order 74 which contains the legal bases for learning and teaching the
mother tongue in schools provide a strong foundation for future teachers like you.
The second part dwells on the legal bases of MTB MLE. The kindergarten Act of 2011 ( R.A. 10157) mandates

the mother tongue as the primary medium of instructions for teaching and learning in the kindergarten level

while the enhanced Basic education Act of 2013( R.A. 10533) ,more know as the K to 12 Law, mandates the use

of mother tongue as primary of medium of instructions not only in kindergarten but up to grade 3.
 Historical Development of Language Policy in the Philippines

During the Spanish period, Spanish was the primary language in school. The educational Decree of 1863,
which established formal education in the Philippines ,decreed the use Spanish in the school.

Due to an elitist education system, only a few people learn to speak Spanish( Gonzales, 2003) In effect, local
languages were widely spoken in most regions of the country.
-1896- Contitution of Biak na-Bato maintained Spanish as temporary official language
1898- Malolos Constitution recognized Spanish as language
1898-1946- during American colonial Pre. McKinley ordered the teaching of local languages in school but later
decided to teaching in English in school for Filipinos to be taught about democracy and American System.
1925- the Monroe Commission reported that in adopting English as a medium of instruction in the Philippines
has organized system of education unique in the world.
1935-the Philippines Constitution mandated the adoption of national language.

Tagalog was adopted as the national language although the that was to create a new language that should
evolve from the various Philippines languages.
1937- it was only established under the Romualdez Law, the National Language institute that the colonial
government began to formulate a language policy a national language.
1939- after a years of heated debated about the matter. TAGALOG was officially proclaimed as a national
Language. By an executive order the teaching of Tagalog as a subject became a must in all school .
1940- English is still remained to be primary language of instruction.
1959- the national Language in Tagalog was renamed PILIPINO by the constitution which was retained in 1987
Constitution.
1942- when commander in chief of the Japanese Imperial forces prohibited the use of English. Despite this
prohibition English and Tagalog still taught in schools but Japanese became a mandatory foreign language until
the end of World War II in 1945 (Gonzales,2003)
1946- independence day although (independence day had been declared June 12, 1898), English continued as a
medium of instructions until June 1974 but government allowed the use of vernacular for Experimental
Bilingual Education, a clamour of nationalist. In bilingual scheme some subject s were taught in the national
language and other English.
1948- the Bureau of Public school started experimenting the local language to put an end to the language issue.
1974- ( BEP)Policy Bilingual Education was implemented issued order no. 25 titled” implementing Guidelines for
the Policy on Bilingual Education.
This policy signified the use of both Filipino and English in education. Both Filipino, the national language and
English were used as medium of instruction but separately for subject indicated:
Filipino- Social Studies, Work Education , Music, Health and Physical education (Pilipino domain0
English- Math, Science and Technology ( English domain)
The bilingual policy allowed the used of local vernacular as auxiliary language until grade three
1987- constitution retained and further strengthened this policy through department Order no. 53,s.1987
Bilingual education “ this policy aims for Filipino citizens to achieve competence both English and Filipino.
The Bilingual Policy Education Policy Aims
1.Enhance learning through two languages
2. Propagate Filipino as the language of literacy
3.Develop Filipino as a linguistics symbol of national unity and identity
4. Cultivate and elaborate Filipino as a language of scholarly discourse
5. Maintain English as an international language for the Philippines and as a non exclusive language of scince
and technology
1991- Congressional Commission for education (EDCOM) was formed. Advise was all subject be taught,except
English and Filipino. This recommendation was not implemented.
In 2004- President Gloria Arroyo made to return to English as the primary language of instruction in school.
Executive Order No.210 on may 17,2003 to establish a policy to strengthen English as second language in the
educational system.

In 2006, Rep. Eduardo Gullas proposed an English the primary language of instruction in school.

In 2008- Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo proposed a multilingual education education bill that called for the use of
local languages in Philippine school from grades one through six

In 2009- DepEd issued DO74, institutionalizing Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MLE) DepEd Order
74,s.2009 defined MotherTongue Based multilingual Education (MLE) as the effective use of more than two
languages for literacy and instruction. The same Dep Ed Order institutionalized MLE as the fundamental policy
and program.. In the whole stretch of formal education including pre- school and in the Alternative Learning
System( ALS) This means that the learners first language is used as the primary medium of instruction form pre-
school until grade three in addition to the teaching of Filipino and English as separate subjects.
The Benefits Why Use the Mother Tongue?

1948-1954- School Superintendent Dr. Jose V. Aguilar had been popularly cited to have started the mother
tongue experiment in the sue of Hiligayon ( the mother tongue of Iloilo) as medium of instruction in grade 1-2 in
the division of Iloilo. His advocacy in the use of vernacular was an off shoot of the community –school
movement which engaged the farmers to double their harvest. It was approved by the Bureau of Public School.

1960-1966- other provinces in Rizal followed and used as Tagalog as the medium of instruction in grade 1.

1966-1993 -the use of mother tongue or vernacular was placed at the back seat in the Philippine basic
education until the ( FLC-BP ) first language component- Bridging Program was put in the Department of
Education on transitional education.

1999-2002- it was followed by (LFE) Lingua Franca Education a Pilot study.

A long story short indeed, but the journey of the mother tongue has to continue. It will continue with you as a
future teacher. Moreover, it was only in the Philippines where use MTBMLE has been revived but also in the
other countries in the world as UNESCO.
Benefits Of Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education
Aspect of Development: LANGUAGE
*Education begins with the use of the first language of the learners, a language that they understand
*The macro skills in communication are developed for effective meaning-making and accuracy
-Listening: learners listen to understand and use what they hear.
- Speaking : learners speak with understanding to communicate their thought and ideas clearly
- Reading : Learners read to understand, apply ,analyse, critique and use information from printed or digital
materials
- Writing- Learners write creatively to communicate thought and feelings clearly and accurately to others.
* School children will have a good language bridge to the next language which is needed to succeed in the
school and for the long life learning.
* The first language that children master will provide a strong educational foundation.
COGNITIVE - Benefits in MTBMLE
* The first language become the language of thinking, doing ,applying and creating.
*School children in the early years learn beyond the who, what, and where and progress to higher
thinking skills because they use the first language
ACADEMIC- Benefits in MTBMLE
*Beginning schools learners express themselves easily and freely
*School learners participate actively in class activities
*Learners are able to process instruction easily without doing mental translation
*Beginning school learners academically performed better than those using the second language
• Parents are more likely participate in the children’s learning.
* Teachers can easily scaffold the learning of children.
SOCIO CULTURAL- Benefits in MTBMLE
*School learners bring to the class prior knowledge, lived experiences, language and culture
*Lessons incorporate the best of cultural values in arts, music, literature, tradition and others.
• The daily experiences of the learners are included and developed in the various concepts in the
curriculum
Classroom observation have shown that children who are using the first language to communicate are more
participative and confident and have a higher self-esteem. They show increased motivation, initiative and
creativity. It is because L1 classroom allow children to be themselves and develop their personalities as their
intellects. When the language of home and school are the same children tend to be interested to going to
school everyday.
The use of mother tongue in learning enables the learners to:
a. Listen with understanding b. Speak with understanding c. Read with understanding
d. Write with understanding e. View with understanding
Understanding –means making meaning out of what has been heard, read, spoken, written or seen.
What is language? It is a system of human communication which consist of the structured arrangement of
string sound that are put together to form a code.
A language as linguistics system has components: Phonology, Morphology and Syntax.
Phonetics- looks into how the actual sound of a language are produced. It looks into the raw materials out of
which language is made.
2. Phonology-it is a sound patterning. It refers to how each sound is put together to form a string of
sounds in order to produce the word
3. Syntax- this is the arrangement and form of a words. It is that part of language which link together
the sound patterns and meaning.
4. Semantics –refers to the meaning of words or how these words are used in a speech community.
5. Pragmatics- it deals with how members of the speech community use language to communicate in
ways that cannot be predicted from linguistic knowledge alone.

Chapter 2 – UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE

Republic Act- 10533 know as the “ Enhanced Basic education Act 2013” or K to 12 law, these
languages of literacy by their users and speakers alongside English and Filipino. This approached is
called MTB-MLE Mother tongue based Multilingual education.- is the utilization morethan two
languages are given opportunity to be utilized and developed as media of instruction and languages of
literacy by their user and speakers, along side English and Filipino.

Under the K to 12 and MTBMLE.Philippines language have their own place in improving the quality of
education.
THE NATURE OF HUMAN LANGUAGE
Language- is defining feature that distinguishes human being among other species. Although other
animal species have developed their own communication systems they pale in comparison to the
human language in terms of complexity, creativity, discreteness of the speech and gesture units and
adaptability.
Language –plays a vital role in the human existence as a primary medium for communication and
interaction and integral part in the development in cultures and societies.
Language- a distinctly human trait is embedded into human being’s physiology, cognition and thought
process.
Linguistics, the scientific study of language, deals with the description of different but interrelated
phenomena involved with language; its structure and use.
Linguistics, who mainly study this highly sophisticated phenomena in the existence of humanity,differ in
their approaches and understandings of this concept and often different and incompatible definitions.
According to (Sausure,1969) the view of language as a social facts, ( Pinker,1995) it is a mental entity
(Chomsky 1957) it is a set of structures, ( Meillet 1903 in Bauer,2007) it is a system of system or a
tool for communication( Buhler,1934)
According to Chomsky, an American linguist and political commentator primarily view language as a
Psychological faculty, a mental organ, a distinct piece of the biological make up of the brain
Language-is also characterized as a tool for human communication; grammatical structures of a
language reflect constrain on used and needs of the user.
Eight Design Features of Language ( Brown et al 2014)
1. Double Articulation- Language uses a small number of sounds( less than 50 in most language)
that are combined to produced a large, but finite numbers of words, which can be combined in an
infinite number of sentences.
2. Productivity- Language can produce novel sentences that have never been ulttered before.
3. Arbitrariness- there is no necessary connection between sound and meaning;
4. Interchangeability- an individual can both be a speaker and a hearer
5. Displacement- the differences between language units are of an all or nothing kind a sound cannot
be heard as something in between a b or p sound.
6. Specialization- Speaking requires only a limited part of the speakers’s behaviour/attention and is
independent of its context.
7. Cultural transmission- not all aspects of language are innate, some are taught after birth and differ
according to the culture the child is reared in.