ACAY, JIARAH D.

BSED-E2A
HANDOUT #2
ESSAY
1. Many parents of multilingual learners fear that with mother tongue – based
education, their children might under develop their English proficiency.
English literacy development among Filipinos may suffer as a result of the Mother
Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) program being implemented in the
Philippines. Children who were taught in their mother tongue showed a decline in their
level of literacy in English, supporting certain theories about language acquisition and
concerns of some academics. Most parents disagree with the majority of teachers who favor
teaching all topics to pupils in their mother tongue. It is surprising that many of them still
preferred that all subjects be taught in English rather than their MTThis supports
Kinyaduka and Kiwara's (2013) research, which found that while parents and teachers
valued MT's benefits for education, they preferred English as the language of instruction.
This preference might be due to the fact that the majority of indigenous languages have not
yet reached the necessary development level to serve as vehicles for contemporary
education. As a result, parents might not have much faith in their effectiveness. Together
with this, English is widely spoken in important societal domains like politics, the legal
system, and higher education. One of the causes of this overreliance on English may be the
idea that English is the language of modernization and the government's eagerness to
advance. It is also possible that parents would prefer a bilingual education in which both
English and the indigenous languages are used in schools, a claim already reported in
Igboanusi (2008) and Amadi (2012).

2. Mother tongue based education affirms the cultural identity and language of learners
in the classroom.
Our language plays a significant role in defining who we are, as noted by Arzadon
(2010). Although it is mentioned informally as a benefit of MTB-MLE, the mother tongue-
based education's role in forming and affirming students' linguistic and cultural identities
has received relatively little academic attention on its own. Language defines who we are.
Studies on mother tongue-based instruction instead focus on analyzing how well it
performs on formative exams in the fundamental disciplines of English, Arithmetic, and
Science.
According to UNESCO, a language vanishes on average every two weeks. A
language's extinction signifies the loss of a whole intellectual and cultural legacy. 2,926
languages are listed as endangered in the 2020 edition of Ethnologue, and UNESCO predicts
that by 2050, almost 90% of all languages could be extinct. In addition to serving as a means
of communication, languages have cultural importance, and losing them would mean losing
particular customs, knowledge, heritage, and ancestors' memories. It serves as a means of
increasing linguistic awareness in various contexts. Language is the glue that holds a
civilization together. Although it is acceptable to learn additional languages, it is imperative
to use your native tongue whenever possible.
 Learning a country's linguistic code is related to the growth, maintenance, and study
of culture since language reveals the ethnic identity of a civilization. Language serves as a
metaphor for the development and expression of a country's culture. An important element
in a country's development is its language. As it reflects the nation's ethnocultural, mythical,
and psychological experiences and concepts, it is the carrier of a country's intangible legacy.
A nation's national language, more than its currency, flag, name, or geographic limit, defines
it and gives it respectability. Language is a sign of a nation's identity and a component of an
individual's heritage.
Students are taught that they should have a sense of patriotism and nationalism.
One way to display these values is through the use of the mother tongue.

3. Mother tongue based education develops multilingual learners’ critical and higher
order thinking skills.
MTBMLE (Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education) refers to formal or
informal education that incorporates the learner's mother tongue and additional languages.
Before introducing new languages, learners build a solid foundation in their mother tongue,
which is the language they understand the best. According to research, kids who have a
good foundation in their mother tongue have better reading skills in their school language.
Their abilities and knowledge translate between languages. The learners can use both or all
of their languages with this bridge to succeed in school and for lifelong learning.
When it comes to cognitive development, classroom activities will encourage
students to think critically about all higher order thinking skills in L1, which they can then
transfer to Filipino or English once they have enough proficiency in those languages to use
them for thinking and expressing themselves. The learners are more than ready to develop
the competencies in the various learning areas 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). This will act as their ID card, allowing them to enroll in and succeed in the
regular educational system and, in the end, make valuable contributions to their
neighborhood and the larger society as multilingual, multiliterate, and multicultural citizens
of the nation.
We only acquire reading skills once. Reading in the L1 fosters abilities that translate
to reading in any other language. Only once oral proficiency has advanced to the point
where the learners' spoken vocabulary matches that of the written L2 material is
comprehension in reading other languages possible. It is better to involve learners in a
conversation on things they are already familiar with in their own language and culture.
Using the mother tongue of the students builds a solid foundation by fostering cognitive
development and early academic material absorption. The knowledge, abilities,
dispositions, and values acquired through mother tongue learning better facilitate later
language learning and language learning through other languages. Language and critical
thinking are both developed as learners express their ideas and broaden them. By
discussing concepts in the language that is comfortable to you, MTBMLE develops critical
thinking. When teaching exclusively in the L2, critical thinking is put on hold until the L2 is
developed enough to support such analysis.
HANDOUT #3
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

ACTIVITY FOR THE CLASS

Objectives - Allowing students of different
languages and backgrounds to enjoy
the same music.
- Bridging the cultural divide between
people. Helping people to understand
the meaning of the lyrics.
- Creating a more poetic translation.
Instruction Each group should translate the song “Give Me
Your Forever” by Zack Tabudlo into their
native language. The last group is a
combination of Bontoc, Tuveng, Maligcong and
Sagada students. This group is going to mix
their languages in translating the song. In cases
that the lyrics could not be expressed properly
with the native language, you may retain the
original lyrics (but not all of the lyrics), or in
Filipino. The task should be completed after a
week. The time in this subject is given for you
finish the song.
Groupings Group 1 – Bontoc
Group 2 – Bontoc
Group 3 - Bontoc
Group 4 – Sagada Applai
Group 5 – Javacano
Group 6 – Ilocos Sur
Group 7 – Kankanaey
Group 8 – 1 Bontoc, 1 Tuveng, 1 Maligcong, 1
Sagada