EL 104

Lesson 5: Understanding Language Policy in Education.

A. Language Policy

A language policy is a body of ideas, laws, regulations, rules, and practices intended to achieve the planned
language change in the societies, group, or system.

 5 Components of Language Policy: Ideas, Regulations, Rule, Practices, and Laws

3 “interrelated, but interdependent” components of Language Policy

1. Language Practices/ Ecology – nakasanayan na natin at pinipili natin gamitin (we have choice)
2. Language Beliefs/ Ideology – kung ano yung paniniwala na mg ana dapat gamitin sa isang lugar – yun
yung gagamitin na language
3. Language Management/ Planning – sila yung may control | required – rules of their participants (wala
tayong choice)

Language Policy is the legislation on the practices pertaining to the use of languages in a society.

 Many countries have language policy designed to protect and promote regional ethnic languages which
viability is threaten. Any nation has legal basis/legal mandates on the implementation of rules in using a
language
 It is important that we have legal basis when we implement to use a specific language.
 Example: Wikang Pambansa – it has legal basis before it was implemented

B. Language Policy in Education.

The roles of language policy and language practice and use in education have been regarded to influence the
efficacy of teaching and learning in the school setting.
Language is a critical tool that is used for the purposes of communication. Through it, we probe and elucidate
various situations that we come across in our daily interactions. At the center of the education system is the
language policy in education which dictates the language used in disseminating knowledge at varied levels.

The legislation on the practices pertaining to the languages or medium of instruction and languages of
literacy used in basic education.
Language Policy as it relates to education cannot be examined in isolation from the community and the
broader social, economic, and political contexts that impact the provision.
 The language policy will affect the language policy of education. Language policy is always connected
to education, it cannot be isolated from each other.
The language policy of the Department of Education (1974, 1987) required the use of two languages of
instruction: Filipino and English

C. Language Policy and Planning

National governments and regional agencies such as ASEAN or the European Union, determine language
policies, determine which languages will be used for what purposes, including deciding on the language in
education policy.
 How we are going to improve our education system in terms of medium of instruction.
 Philippines is not living alone and not isolated from other countries. We have this association where
Philippines is part of it. When they talk about policy in language, we are part of it. We make decision
together with other ASEAN countries.
 We are part of their decision in terms of the language policy in education.

D. Types of Language Planning

Corpus Planning - activities such as coining new terms, reforming spelling and adopting a new script;
 the creation of new forms,
 the modification of old ones, or
 the selection from alternative forms in a spoken or written code

Status Planning - the recognition by a national government of the importance or position of one language in
relation to others.
 the allocation of languages or language varieties to given functions
 medium of instruction
 official language
 vehicle of mass communication
 language of international communication
 etc.

Acquisition Planning - planning directed toward increasing the number of users – speakers, writers, listeners,
readers – of a language
 literacy education
 second & foreign language education efforts
The Fundamental Goal of Language Policy in Education? Why is language policy important when it
comes to education?
 Learners will be able to learn in a very effective manner.
 Learners will become more competent and skilled
 Defining the language or the medium of instruction is the fundamental goal of any language in eductaion
policy
 Language is an important tool for communication, we use it to investigate and explain various situation
that arise in our daily interactions
 The language policy dictates the language use in disseminating knowledge at various level is at the heart
of educational system
“The Language policy is at the heart of education system”
 Filipino and English shall be use as Media/Medium of Instruction
 The use allocated the specific subjects in curriculum as indicated in DECS order number 25
Department of Education Culture and Sports (DECS)
 The policy was first implemented in 1974 when DECS issued Dept. Order No. 25, s. 1974 tided,
"Implementing Guidelines for the Policy on Bilingual Education."
 Bilingual Education in the Philippines is defined operationally as the separate use of Filipino and
English as the media of instruction in specific subject areas.
 As embodied in the DECS Order No. 25, Pilipino (changed to Filipino in 1987) shall be used as medium
of instruction in social studies/social sciences, music, arts, physical education, home economics,
practical arts, and character education.
 Filipino –
o social studies/social sciences (Araling Panlipunan)
o music
o arts
o physical education
o home economics
o practical arts
o character education
 English
o science
o mathematics
o technology subjects
Linguistic Diversity results to a long list of problems. Vital questions like “in what language will the instruction
be delivered”
Language in education policies primary concerned is to decide on the medium of instruction that will be use in
school. Specifically, language in education policies addresses these issues.
1. What languages should be use in schools?
2. When do we start teaching these languages to the children?
3. How long these languages should be taught? How many years?
4. Who are qualified to teach these languages?
 5. Who should learn these languages?
6. How will it be taught?

What do you think are the main challenges in dealing with linguistically diverse or multilingual class and
what to teachers do to overcome these challenges?
 Address the need of every student.
 Always be ready to adjust in order to address the needs of every students.
The first move that you will do if the students do not understand the language?
 Rephrase your questions into a simpler form. Do not use hifalutin words (deep words)
 Use simple words
 Always remember that as a teacher always be kind and supportive.
 Take every learner as he/she is unique complex multi facade individual who brings their knowledge,
skills, and cultural understanding to the learning situation
 Value all the learners. You have to value their languages equally; no languages should be left out. You
have to propose clear and realistic goals to ensure that learners will understand it.