Mother Tongue-based learning makes lessons more

interactive and easier for students

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October 10, 2016

PASIG CITY, October 10, 2016 Learners begin their education in the language they understand besttheir
mother tongueand need to develop a strong foundation in their mother language before effectively learning
additional languages.

This is where the Department of Education (DepEd) gets inspiration in its inclusion of Mother Tongue-Based
Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) as a feature of the Enhanced Basic Education Program. It mandates the
use of the language that students are familiar with (their first language) as medium of instruction to allow them
to grasp basic concepts more easily.

Currently, DepEd uses 19 languages in MTB-MLE: Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Iloko, Bikol,
Ybanag, Sinugbuanong Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Waray, Bahasa Sug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, Chavacano,
Ivatan, Sambal, Akianon, Kinaray-a, Yakan, and Sinurigaonon. The MTB-MLE is implemented in two
modules: 1) as a learning/subject area and 2) as medium of instruction.

Developmentally appropriate

As a subject, mother tongue education focuses on the development of speaking, reading, and writing from
Grades 1 to 3 in the mother tongue. As a medium of instruction, the mother tongue is used in all learning areas
from Kinder to Grade 3 except in teaching Filipino and English subjects.

Filipino is introduced in the second quarter of Grade 1 for oral fluency (speaking). For reading and writing
purposes, it will be taught beginning in the third quarter of Grade 1. The four other macro skills which are
listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Filipino will continuously be developed from Grades 2 to 6.

The purpose of a multilingual education program is to develop appropriate cognitive and reasoning skills,
enabling children to operate equally in different languages - starting with the first language of the child.

Researchers have proven even during our education with the Thomasites that the childs first language really
facilitates learning, as emphasized by Dr. Monroe, that we should be educated in our mother tongue. This gave
birth to the Iloilo experiment and the result of that study was very remarkable, said Ms. Rosalina Villaneza,
Chief of Teaching and Learning Division of DepEd.

Major Findings of the Three Language-Teaching Experiments

The results of first Iloilo Experiment (1948-1954) along with the experiments in Rizal (1960-1966) and Iloilo
(1961-1964) reflected the value of holistic approach to language in combination with other languages.

In the first Iloilo Experiment, experimental group of Grades 1 and 2 pupils were taught subject matter using
Hiligaynon as the medium of instruction, while the control group received English instruction. Results showed
that pupils in the experimental group were significantly superior in proficiency (language and reading tests)
and subject matter (arithmetic and social studies tests) than their counterparts in the control group.

In the Rizal Experiment, the teacher training was concentrated in English and Tagalog; the teaching materials
for the Tagalog-based lessons were anchored on the English materials. After completing Grade 6, the all-
English group showed higher levels of proficiency in English, social studies, health and science, and
arithmeticsignificantly greater than the achievement of the groups that used the Tagalog medium.

However, despite under the limitations of training and materials, tests at the end of Grade 4 showed native-
language teaching to possess significant strength. Receiving instruction in English, the all-English group
attained the highest score in language, reading, social studies, health and science, and arithmetic
computation. However, for arithmetic problems, the all-Tagalog group (Tagalog medium in Grades 1-4)
obtained the highest level of achievement. In the Tagalog version of the tests, the three groups showed about
the same proficiency levels in the reading test, but it was the all-Tagalog group that obtained the highest
achievement levels in social studies, health and science, and arithmetic problems.

The part played by the factors of training and materials were further shown by the Iloilo Experiment II. The
literacy rate of the experimental classes in Hiligaynon that the Bureau of Public Schools obtained in 1965 was
75.99%, showing a holding strength within the 1961 level of 53.28% for the countrys vernaculars.

The Iloilo Experiment II showed that the best medium of instruction to introduce Tagalog and English
simultaneously in Grade 1 is Hiligaynon. There is reason to believe that, especially at an early age, using the
mothertongue helps the learning process by introducing concepts to students in the language they are most
used to.

Four Aspects of Development

The MTB-MLE strengthens the development of the appropriate cognitive and reasoning skills enabling
children to operate equally in different languagesstarting with the mother tongue.

Language Development. Students will establish a strong educational foundation in the language they know
best; they will build a good bridge to the school language(s), and they will be prepared to use both/all of
their languages for success in school and for life-long learning.

Cognitive Development. School activities will engage learners to move well beyond the basic questions of
who, what, when, and where to cover all higher order thinking skills in the learners language of thought.

These higher order thinking skills will: (1) transfer to the other languages once enough Filipino or English has
been acquired to use these skills in thinking and articulating thought; and (2) be used in the process of
acquiring English and Filipino more effectively.

Academic Development. Students will achieve the necessary competencies in each subject area and, at the
end of the program, they will be prepared to enter and achieve well in the mainstream education system.

Socio-Cultural Development. Students will be proud of their heritage language and culture, and respect the
languages and cultures of others; they will be prepared to contribute productively to their own community and
to the larger society.

Furthermore, students will learn and develop holistically. When learners are first instructed in the language
they know best, they are able to build a good bridge toward learning another language. Multilinguals also
enjoy benefits that go beyond linguistic knowledge. They are also able to learn with more flexibility.

Teachers testimonies

At first, Teacher Regina of Pasig Elementary School, who has been teaching Grade 3 Mathematics for 17
years, was apprehensive to use the mother tongue. She was mainly worried about how mathematical concepts
and terminologies could be translated to the mother tongue.

However, this concern was negated by the more active participation of the children when they started using the
mother tongue in her classes. She noticed that the children became more confident in conceiving and
explaining content, and more articulate in expressing their ideas. She saw how using the mother tongue enables
her learners to immediately construct ideas, explain without fear of making mistakes, and add new concepts to
those they already know.

Teacher Nemia, a Grade 3 Science teacher of 12 years, had the same apprehensions. It was a very unwelcome
idea to use the mother tongue in teaching Science. It seemed difficult. I also thought of the extra effort I might
need to exert in using terms that would match the exact translation of scientific terms in the mother tongue,
she said.

However, when we started teaching in the mother tongue, we were surprised by how effective it was. The
pupils were more attentive in class discussion. They are also able to explain their answers well when
responding to questions. Furthermore, it makes them more confident to converse, added Teacher Nemia.

END
DepEd issues guidelines for
mother tongue teaching
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 03:13 AM December 02, 2011

Education Secretary Armin Luistro

Citing studies that say the language used at home is the most effective in teaching, the
Department of Education (DepEd) has released guidelines for developing learning
materials for schools that prescribe ones mother tongue as their medium of instruction.

By producing educational materials that suit the specific needs of learners, Education
Secretary Armin Luistro said educators would get better learning outcomes.

He said the DepEd came up with the guidelines to synchronize and decentralize the
production of indigenized teaching and learning materials and the monitoring and
evaluation of the DepEds mother tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE).
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It is the easiest way for children to access the unfamiliar world of school learning,
Luistro said in a statement, citing local and international studies that show the
effectivity of using a learners mother tongue in teaching.
 Educators say students lose interest in learning when the mother tongue is disregarded
in favor of an unfamiliar language.

The MTB-MLE programwhich bridges the disconnect between the language used at
home and at schoolis being carried out from preschool up to Grade 3 and in the
alternative learning system. Nia Calleja
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DO 16, s. 2012 - Guidelines on the Implementation of the

Mother Tongue-Based- Multilingual Education (MTB-
MLE)
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February 17, 2012

DO 16, s. 2012

Guidelines on the Implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based- Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)

To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents

1. Starting School Year (SY) 2012-2013, the Mother Tongue-Based-Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) shall
be implemented in all public schools, specifically in Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2 and 3 as part of the K to 12
Basic Education Program. The MTB-MLE shall support the goal of "Every Child-A-Reader and A-Writer by
Grade 1."
2. The Lingua Franca Project (1999-2001) and the Lubuagan Project (1999 to present) have provided valuable
inputs in the implementation of the MTB-MLE. Nine hundred twenty-one (921) schools including those for
children of indigenous people have been modeling MTB-MLE with support from the following:
a. Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM);
b. Third Elementary Education Program (TEEP);
c. Translators Association of the Philippines (TAP);
d. Save the Children, and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).

3. Eight (8) major languages or Lingua Franca and others as cited below shall be offered as a learning area and
utilized as language of instruction for SY 2012-2013:
a. Tagalog; g. Hiligaynon;
b. Kapampangan; h. Waray;
c. Pangasinense; i. Tausug;
d. Iloko; j. Maguindanaoan;
e. Bikol; k. Maranao; and
f. Cebuano; l. Chabacano

4. Likewise, a team of trainers for each region composed of education supervisors coming from the different
divisions has been organized.

5. Enclosed are the guidelines on the nationwide implementation of the MTB-MLE for the K to 12 Program.

6. For more information, all concerned may contact:

Dr. Rosalina J. Villaneza
DepEd Central Office
DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City
Telephone No.: (02) 633-7202
E-mail Address: roseville62@yahoo.com

7. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

Encl.:
As stated
Reference:
None

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:

CURRICULUM
LANGUAGE
POLICY
RULES & REGULATIONS
 DO 28, s. 2013 - Additional Guidelines to DepEd Order
No. 16, s. 2012 (Guidelines on the Implementation of the
Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education (MTB-
MLE)
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July 5, 2013

DO 28, s. 2013

Additional Guidelines to DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2012 (Guidelines on the Implementation of the Mother
Tongue Based-Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)

To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Heads, Public Elementary Schools
All Others Concerned

1. In addition to the languages of instruction mentioned in DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2012 entitled Guidelines on
the Implementation of the Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) under the K to 12 Basic
Education Program, the following shall be used as the languages of instruction for Grade 1 pupils who speak
the same languages. These languages will used in the specified regions and divisions starting school year (SY)
2013-2014:

Mother Tongue and other Language Region Geographical Location

1. Ybanaq Region II Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, Isabela

2. Ivatan Region II Batanes Group of Islands

3. Sambal Region III Zambales

4. Akianon Region VI Aklan, Capiz

 5. Kinaray-a Region VI Capiz, Aklan

6. Yakan ARMM Basilan Province

7. Suriqaonon Caraga Surigao City and Provinces

2. The MTB-MLE aims to improve the pupils language and cognitive development, as well as his/her socio-
cultural awareness as provided in the enclosure of DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2012. The childs language will
serve as the fundamental language for literacy and learning.

3. As soon as the Teachers Guide (TG) and Learners Materials (LMs) of these languages are ready, the
Department through the Instructional Materials Council Secretariat (IMCS) shall issue a Memorandum
announcing the schedule and manner of distribution to the schools.

4. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

Reference:
DepEd Order: (No. 16, s. 2012)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:

CHANGE
CURRICULUM
LANGUAGE
PUPILS
SCHOOLS

EXPOSURE TO MOTHER TONGUE HELPS ENGLISH LANGUAGE

DEVELOPMENT

Research presented by Prof. Allyssa McCabe in a recent report shows that multilingual children are most

successful when taught both their mother tongue and a new language such as English.

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03/15/2015

By Julia Gavin

Children who grow up hearing and speaking multiple languages fluently have an advantage over their

monolingual classmates, according to research conducted by Allyssa McCabe, professor of psychology.

The best way for a child to excel at English is to be good at their own native language, writes McCabe

on the Child and Family Blog. The message from academic research is that, at home, smart parents

should stick with the language they know best English will take care of itself in time and be better

as a result.

McCabes research, done in partnership with fellow scholars in language development, is the basis for the

latest social policy report calledMultilingual Children: Beyond Myths and Towards Best Practices,

published by the Society for Research in Child Development. The report discusses opportunities and

challenges for the children, best practices for parents and caregivers and recommendations for policies

influencing the countrys more than 11.2 million multilingual children. The report is endorsed by the

American Academy of Pediatrics, encouraging health workers to share their message.

The number of children ages 5 through 17 living in non-English speaking homes rose 138 percent from

1980 to 2009 in the United States. These children speak more than 350 languages, but are often forced to

lose their parents language, called the mother language, in favor of English, due to educational and

cultural pressures.
While children who hear fluent and varied conversation in multiple languages are able to learn one or

more simultaneously, those who hear little of their mother language or low quality English do not have

the same advantages. This is often the result of parents being told to avoid speaking their mother language

with children. Parents for whom English is not a first language may prioritize English, while they are still

learning it, resulting in subtractive multilingualism or the loss of a childs native tongue. This can lead to

many problems within the childs family, community and school for all involved.

If you downgrade your heritage language, says McCabe, you deprive a child of access to a whole lot

of enriching experiences that can also impact on their reading ability and access to the school

curriculum."

Also, multilingual children growing up in poverty often begin school behind their peers and may never

catch up academically. Therefore, better and earlier support for maintaining a mother language while

learning English, or additive multilingualism, is needed.

Reading to and with babies and young children is an invaluable opportunity to expand childrens

vocabularies, build their narrative skills and improve their literacy in many areas. McCabe says that there

are many reasons parents might struggle reading to their children in either their native language or

English, but there are ways around the difficulty.

Take Cambodians, for example the Khmer Rouge destroyed reading material and killed many of the

people who could read. So, many parents cannot read and dont have access to books, writes McCabe,
who has worked with many cultural communities, including Southeast Asians. For them, the best advice

is to speak to their children in Khmer. In short, telling parents to read with children is not nearly as

important as parents talking about whatever is of interest to the children. If a child is interested in trucks,

talk about trucks. If they arent, dont talk about trucks. Just talk about what matters to them.

Language an Indicator of Lifelong Success

Early language development can have long-term effects far beyond literacy. Research indicates that

multilinguals have greater brain tissue density in the language, memory and attention areas of the brain.

People exposed to a second language before the age of 5 have the highest density. Also, switching

between languages, often negatively associated with confusion in multilingual speech, is in fact indicative

of increased linguistic and cognitive control.

Multilingual children develop separate, but related, linguistic systems, says McCabe, allowing them to

learn a new language without interfering with the development of the first.

As multilingualism continues to grow in the United States, more research and support of learning styles is

necessary, says McCabes report. She says that more collaborative research must be done with federal

support to acknowledge the countrys growing multilingual community. This can be a difficult sell in a

country where only 20 percent of the population speaks more than one language, lagging behind the

worldwide figure of 66 percent. This is a disadvantage in our increasingly global world, but there are

ways to promote positive language development in multilingual children.

Recommendations to Teachers and Caregivers for Childrens Success

Identifying teachers and caregivers as vital influencers in a childs development, McCabe and her fellow

researchers outline steps to support additive multilingualism. Many recommendations are similar to

common practices in monolingual environments, so this support does not need to be a burden to schools

and early childhood care centers.

Exposing multilingual children to both languages in enriching and varied situations is the basis of their

success. This requires a supportive environment that uses both languages evenly and with respect. Visits

to areas where a childs mother tongue is the dominant language are important, as they may begin to favor

English without positive exposure to it. Caregivers should speak to children in whichever language they

are most comfortable using, but also arrange for exposure to high-quality English from an early age. Most

importantly, authority figures and educators should treat multilingualism as a strength, not a weakness,

and avoid attributing any language delays to a childs dual learning environment.

McCabe and her colleagues say that spreading the importance of early language experience to multiple

audiences is vital to their success. The report recommends using multiple platforms to reach multilingual

families, including mass media and health care workers and targeted access through home visitation and

early childhood education curriculum.

Sharing these insights is vital, given that many parents may feel their own language is less prestigious

than English, says McCabe. They dont realize that it is a wonderful gift, a great tool that they have

brought with them.

For more research on families and children visit the Child and Family Blog, where McCabe is a

contributing writer.