Mother Tongue Based

- Multilingual
Language Education
◦ In the biblical literature, it is said that the world original had “one
shared language” until the “Tower of Babel”. The story (from
Genesis) began with the people of Babel attempting to build a
tower that would reach the heaven to prove that they can reach it on
their own. Such arrogance greatly displeased God that he
deliberately created multiple language so that the people building
the tower will not understand one another and it will be impossible
for them to finish the tower.
Question to ponder:
◦Imagine that you live in a world where there
is only one language. What do you think will
happen? How will our world be different
from what it is now? Will you consider it as a
“linguistic paradise”? Why? Why not?
What is Language?
 A system of conventional spoken, manual or written symbols
by means of which human beings, as members of social group
and participants in its culture, express themselves.
Language is the foundation of every culture.
It is an abstract system of word meaning and symbols for all
aspects of culture.
Language includes:
 Speech
Symbols
Written characters
Gestures
Numerals
Expressions of non-verbal communication
What is Language?
According to Sapir-Whorf
Hypothesis, language does more than
simply describe reality. It also serves
to shape the reality of a culture.
Basis of MTB MLE
 All children and adults in their countries have access to quality education (UNESCO,
1990).
EFA conference was on primary school-age children, including those who have
traditionally lacked access to formal education (UNESCO, 2000)
 Also in 2000, in a meeting at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in the USA,
leaders of 189 countries agreed to work together to achieve eight “Millennium
Development Goals” (MDGs) by 2015. Goal 2 called on governments to “Ensure that by
2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of
primary schooling” (United Nations, 2000)
Basis of MTB MLE

 Emphasis on Ethnic minority

“Sustainable Development Goals”. Goal 4 calls on all
governments to “Ensure inclusive and quality education for
all and promote lifelong learning” (United Nations
Development Programme, 2015)
Why did the EFA Working Group
emphasize ethnic minority children?
One reason that many linguistic and ethnic minority children
perform poorly in school is that they are often taught in a
language they struggle to understand. Around 221 million
children speak a different language at home from the language
of instruction in school, limiting their ability to develop
foundations for later learning (Ibid. pp. 10-11).
Children from minority language
communities often face significant
educational challenges:

• If they have access to a school—many do not—their teachers use a

language they do not understand and they are not allowed to use their home
language or mother tongue (MT) in the classroom or on the school
grounds.
• If their school has textbooks—many do not—they are written in the
official school language and focus on the dominant culture. The students’
own knowledge and experience, gained at home and in their community,
are excluded from the classroom.
Children from minority language
communities often face significant
educational challenges:

• They are expected to learn to read and write in

a language they do not yet understand.
• They are expected to learn new math, science
and other concepts in a language they do not
understand or are in the process of learning
We learn best when we can use what we already
know to help us understand what is new.

Because MTB MLE students know their MT when

they begin school, it is their foundation for learning
other languages. MTB MLE students may take longer
than mainstream students to achieve fluency in
reading and writing the official school language, but
they achieve success because they understand
UNESCO’s Principles on Language
and Education
 Developing a writing system for a hitherto unwritten language often
has an educational purpose – whether to record and transmit local
history and knowledge to the next generation, to use the language in
formal schooling, or to facilitate adult literacy acquisition.
 The educational use of language depends, except in the most informal
settings, on a written form which can be employed in learning.
UNESCO’s 3 Principles of
Education in Multilingual World
Principle I: UNESCO supports mother
tongue instruction as a means of improving
educational quality by building upon the
knowledge and experience of the learners
and teachers.
UNESCO’s 3 Principles of
Education in Multilingual World
Principle II: UNESCO supports bilingual
and/or multilingual education at all levels of
education as a means of promoting both
social and gender equality as a key element
on linguistically diverse societies.
UNESCO’s 3 Principles of
Education in Multilingual World
Principle III: UNESCO supports language
as an essential component of intercultural
education in order to encourage understanding
between different population groups and
ensure respect to fundamental rights.
Mother Tongue based –
Multilingual Education
MLE – refers to the ‘first-language-
first’ education, that is schooling which
begins in the mother tongue and
transitions to additional languages.
Mother Tongue based –
Multilingual Education
MLE – is the use of more than two
languages for literacy and instruction. It
starts from where the learners are and
from what they already know.
Purpose of MTB-MLE
To develop appropriate cognitive and reasoning
skills enabling children to operate equally in
different languages – starting in the mother tongue
with transition to Filipino and then English and to
preserve the Philippine cultural treasure as well.
Languages considered by DepEd
in its MTB_MLE implementation
1. Ilokano 7. Hiligaynon
2. Pangasinan 8. Cebuano
3. Kapampangan 9. Meranao
4. Tagalog 10. Chavacano
5. Bikol 11. Maguindanaon
6. Waray 12. Tausug
Benefits of MTB-MLE
 Reduced drop-out
 Reduced repetition
 children are attending school
 children are learning
 parents and community are involved
Typical MLE Programs
Strong Foundation
 Research shows that children whose early
education is in the language of their home
tend to do better in the later years of their
education (Thomas and Collier, 1997)
Typical MLE Programs
Strong Bridge
 An essential difference between MLE programs
and rural ‘mother tongue education’ programs is
the inclusion of a guided transition from learning
through the mother tongue to learning through
another.
Cenoz (2013) also listed a number of definitions for
multilingual/ multilingual individual, and to
quote:

“A multilingual individual is anyone who

can communicate in more than no engage,
be it active
or passive “(Li,2008 , p. 4 ).
Cenoz (2013) also listed a number of definitions for
multilingual/ multilingual individual, and to
quote:

“Multilingualism is the ability of societies,

institutions, groups and individuals to engage, on a
regular basis, with more than one language in their
day-to-T0day lives”( European Commission,
2007, p. 6).
Cenoz (2013) also listed a number of definitions for
multilingual/ multilingual individual, and to
quote:

Multilingualism is a very complex

concept that it is important that you
get a glimpse of the various
dimensions that constitute it.
Your best quote that reflects your
approach… “It’s one small step for
man, one giant leap for mankind.”

- NEIL ARMSTRONG