1. Define Mother Tongue Education?

• Mother Tongue Education refers to any form of schooling that makes use of the language or languages that
children are most familiar with. This is usually the language that children speak at home with their family. The
‘mother tongue’ does not have to be the language spoken by the mother. Children can and often do speak more
than one or even two languages at home. For example, they may speak one language with their mother, another
with their father and a third with their grandparents. Although there is overwhelming evidence that children learn
best in and through their mother tongues, millions of children around the world receive education in a different
language. This is usually the dominant language of the country they live in. In the case of former colonies, this
may not be the language spoken in the community at all, but the language of the former colonial power, for
example English, French, Arabic, Dutch and Spanish. Languages that children may hear for the first time when
they enter school.

• (MTB-MLE) policy in the Philippines involves implementation of local mother tongues as the language of

instruction in Kindergarten to year three (K -3), with the official languages (Filipino and English) being
introduced as the language of instruction after grade three.
2. What is the end goals of MTB-MLE?

• With the end goal of making Filipino children lifelong learners in their L1 (MT), L2 (Filipino, the national
language), and L3 (English, the global language) the learners are more than prepared to develop the competencies
in the different learning areas.

3. What are the different dominant languages in the Philippines which can be considered Mother Tongue?

Aklanon Bikol Cebuano Ivatan

Hiligaynon Ibanag Ilocano Pangasinan
Kapampangan Kinaray-a Maranao Tausug
Sambal Surigaonon Tagalog
Waray Yakan Chavacano

4. What learning insights did you gain from the discussion? Write at least three.

Before, whenever I answer a form or a question featuring Mother Tongue, I've always thought it refers to the Standard
Language/National Language of the place where I belonged. Today's lesson enlightened me that mother tongue is not
depending to your country’s National Language rather referring to the language in which you are familiar with. Aside
from that, I've also learned that mother tongue was implemented as the language instruction in Kindergarten to year three
(K-3), wherein the learners begin their education in the language they understand best. Moreover, this lesson taught me
that I have to evolve and not just focus on what I know but also to enrich my knowledge about different languages across
Philippines. Overall, I owe and giving all the credits to Dr. Lagrimas for this immeasurable knowledge and wisdom that
you’ve shared with us.