CONTENT PEDAGOGY FOR MTB-MLE UNESCO’s Principles on Language And

Education
(AS10 ECE 9)
-Developing a writing system for a hitherto
Mother Tounge-Based Multilingual Education
(MTB-MLE) programs serve learnersof non-
unwritten language often has an
dominant languagecommunities who do educational purpose – whether to record
notunderstand or speak the language of and transmit local history and knowledge to
instruction when they begintheir formal the next generation, to use the language in
education.
formal schooling, or to facilitate adult
BASIC TERMINOLOGIES literacy acquisition.

Mother tongue – means one’s native The educational use of a language depends,
language, the language learned by children except in the most informal settings, on a
and passed from one generation to the next.
written form which can be employed in
Language – is the expression of ideas by learning.
means of speech-sounds combined into
words. UNESCO’s Three (3) Principles Of Education
In Multilingual World Principle
L1 – 1st Language

L2 – 2nd Language 1: UNESCO supports mother tongue

instruction as a means of improving
Bilingual – the use of two languages.
educational quality by building upon the
Multilingual – the use of two or more
langues.
knowledge and experience of the learners
and teachers.
Diversity – the inclusion of different types of
people in a group. Principle 2: UNESCO supports bilingual
and/or multilingual education at all levels of
Literacy – the ability to read and write.
education as a means of promoting both
What is Language? social and gender equality and as a key
element on linguistically diverse societies.
-A system of conventional spoken, manual,
or written symbols by means of which Principle 3: UNESCO supports language as
human beings, as members of a social an essential component of intercultural
group and participants in its culture, education in order to encourage
express themselves. understanding between different
population groups and ensure respect to
-Language is the foundation of every
fundamental rights.
culture.
MOTHER TONGUE BASED- MULTILINGUAL
-It is an abstract system of word meaning
EDUCATION
and symbols for all aspects of culture.
MLE refers to “first-language-first”
Language includes:
education, that is schooling which begins in
 Speech the mother tongue and transitions to
 Symbols additional languages.
 Written characters
-MLE is the use of more than two languages
 Gestures for literacy and instruction. It starts from
 Numerals where the learners are, and from what they
 Expressions of non- verbal already know.
communication
This means learning to read and write in
-According to SAPIR- WHORE HYPOTHESIS
their first language or L1, and also teaching
language does more than simply describe
subjects like mathematics, science, health,
reality, it also serves to shape the reality of a
and social studies in the L1.
culture.
 PURPOSE OF MTB-MLE “Strong Bridge” An essential difference
between MLE programs and rural “mother
- To develop appropriate cognitive and
tongue education” programs is the inclusion
reasoning skills enabling children to operate
of a guided transition from learning through
equally in different languages – starting in
the mother tongue to learning through
the mother tongue with transition to
another tongue.
Filipino and then English and to preserve
the Philippine cultural treasure as well. STAGES OF AN MLE PROGRAM

The languages considered by DepEd in its A widespread understanding of MLE

MTB-MLE implementation Programs suggests that instruction takes
place in the following stages.
1. Iloko
1. Stage I – Learning takes place entirely in
2. Pangasinan
the child’s home language.
3. Kapampangan
2. Stage II – Building fluency in the mother
4. Tagalog tongue. Introduction of oral L2.

5. Bikol 3. Stage III – Building oral fluency in L2.

Introduction of literacy in L2.
6. Waray
4. Stage IV – Using both L1 and L2 for life
7. Hiligaynon long learning.
8. Cebuano When will children start learning Filipino
and English?
9. Meranao
-As they develop a strong foundation in
10. Chavacano
their L1, children are gradually introduced
11. Maguindanaon to the official languages, Filipino and
English, as a separate subjects, first orally,
12. Tausug
then in the written form.
Why teaching mother tongue as a subject
The most important features of this
in school important?
process are that:
- It will preserve our country’s cultural
1. Education begins with what the learners
treasure.
already know, building on the language and
-Provides learners with a strong educational culture, language and experience that they
foundation in the first language in terms of bring with them when they start school.
instruction.
2. Learners gradually gain confidence in
- It is a stepping stone in achieving the aims using the new (official) language, before it
of education as well as the goal of becomes the only language for teaching
functional literacy. academic subjects; and

TYPICAL MLE PROGRAMS 3. Learners achieve grade level competence

in each subject because teachers use their
“Strong Foundation” Research shows that own language, along with the official school
children whose early education is in the language to help them understand the
language of their home tend to do better in academic concepts.
the later years of their education (Thomas
and Collier, 1997).
 Does MLE only involve changing the they understand what is being discussed
language of instruction and translating the and what is being asked of them.
materials into the local languages?
- Children can immediately use the L1 to
MLE is an innovative approach to learning. construct and explain their world, articulate
a.The development of good curricula. their thoughts and add new concepts to
what they already know.
b.The training of good teachers in the
required languages, content and children already know their language. Why
methodology. still learn it in school?

c.The production of good teaching -What we and our children know is the
materials. conversational language in their everyday
variety used for daily interaction.
d.The empowerment of the community.
Success in school depends on the academic
WHAT KIND OF LEARNERS DOES MLE
and intellectualized language needed to
INTEND TO PRODUCE?
discuss more abstract concepts.
MLE aims to produce learners who are:
According to studies, it takes one to three
a) Multi-literate -They can read and write years to learn the institutional language,
competently in the local language, the but four to seven years to master the
national language, and one or more academic language under well resourced
languages of wider communication such as conditions.
English. Are local languages capable of being used as
languages of instruction?
b) Multilingual -They can use these
languages in various situations and - Definitely yes. As far back as 1925, during
interactions for learning in school. the American colonial period, the Monroe
c) Multi-cultural -They can live and work Commission already recommended the use
harmoniously with people of cultural of the local languages in the education.
backgrounds that are different from their What do Philippine Stakeholders say about
own, they are comfortable living and MLE?
working with people from outside their
community while maintaining their love and -Department of Education (DepEd)
respect for their home culture and
-National Economic and Development
community.
Authority (NEDA)
What specific weaknesses in the Philippine
-Philippine Business for Education (PBED)
educational system does MLE seek to
address? - Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and
UNESCO Philippines
-MLE seeks to specifically address the high
functional illiteracy of Filipinos where - Linguistic Society of Philippines (LSP)
language plays a significant factor.
IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
Why use the other tongue or the L1 in
-The use of MTB-MLE should result to
school?
children who are multilingual, multicultural,
- One’s own language enables a child to and multi literate and children who are
express him/herself easily, as there is no confident and capable in the languages to
fear of making mistakes. maintain their love and respect for their
linguistic and cultural heritage.
- MLE encourages active participation by
children in the learning process because
The importance of mother tongue the mother Grade 1-5: Pilipino
tongue is important to
Grade 1-5: Vernacular
 personal identity development
 culture identity Grade 5: Plipino
 successful multilingualism learning Grade 5-6: Pilipino and English are subjects
 educational performance in school
 emotional and mental growth
 the ability to learn to read 1973
 language development MOI for Elementary Level
What is the MLE? Grade 12
-MLE is the use of more than two languages Vernacular Language
for literacy and instruction.
Paping and English as school subjects
-Learning to read and write in the L1 and
teaching content subjects in the L1 Grade 3 English with Piping as school
subject ( no more vernacular)
L1+L2
Revised Bilingual Education Policy
What DepEd order supports MLE
implementation? English and Pilipino as MOI in all levels

DO No. 74, s. 2009: Institutionalizing (DECS Order No. 25)

Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual
Education (MTB-MLE) Vernacular Languages Auxillary Languages

UNESCO Meeting of Specialists on the Why have a Mother Tongue subject?

Vernacular Language in Education (1951)
-A Mother Tongue subject is the venue for
"It is axiomatic that the best medium for developing the BICS and CALP of the
teaching a child is his mother tongue" students.

(UNESCO, 1953:11) -It also serves as a platform for developing

pupils' local or cultural identity
Hague Recommendations Regarding the
Education Rights of National Minorities Theoretical Philosophical Foundations of
Mother Tongue
International Convention on the Elimination
of All forms of Racial Discrimination (1965) MTB-MLE Implementation

The Unesco Convention against -The implementation of the MTB-MLE

discrimination in education 2960 which started school year 2012-2013 is
based on the Department Order No. 16,
Monroe Commission : Recommended the series 2012.
use of local languages in education
-It shall be implemented in all public and
1957- local languages media of instruction private schools, specifically in kindergarten,
for Grades 1 and 2: abolished in 1974 for Grades 1, 2 and 3 as part of K to 12 Basic
BEP Education Program that supports the goal
Regional Lingua Franca (RLF) Pilot Project of "Every Child-A- Reader and A- Writer by
16 regions, 32 schools (Tagalog Cebuano, Grade One".
focano) -MTB-MLE implementation is endorsed by
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

Implementation of the Bilingual

-One of his famous quotes is, "Speak English Mother Tongue Based-Multi Lingual
to connect, to the world speak Filipino to Education (MTB-MLE): Its Learning
connect to your countrymen and speak Theories
your Mother Tongue to connect to your
The Developmental Learning Theory by
heritage".
Jean Piaget, a Swiss Scientist(1896-1980)
-Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual
-noticed that children learn by passing
Education is education, formal or non
through a consistent series of stages in
formal, in which the children's mother
cognitive development
tongue and the national language(s) are
used in the classroom. The Schema Theory by R.C. Anderson,
-Children begin their education in a -a respected educational psychologist
language they understand, their mother organized knowledge as an elaborate
tongue, and develop a strong foundation in. network of abstract mental structures
their mother language. which represent ones. understanding of the
world
Purpose of MTB-MLE
-an explanation of how readers use prior
-Develop appropriate cognitive and
knowledge to comprehend and learn from
reasoning skills enabling children to operate
text.
equally in different languages starting in the
mother tongue with transition to Filipino The Social Learning Theory_by Albert
and English. Bandura
MTB-MLE is a structured program of -asked the question, "How are societies so
language learning and cognitive successful in transmitting their ideas of
development providing: what is good and bad behavior, of what is
valued, and of what skills are most
-A strong education foundation in the first
important?"
language
The Socio-Cultural Learning Theory by Lev
- Successful bridging to one or more
Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist (1896-
additional languages
1934)
-Enabling the use of both/all languages for
-states that everything is learned twice: first
life-long learning.
socially (that is, with the help of other
-MTB-MLE is based in the child's own human beings), then privately
known environment and bridges to the (internalized). All knowledge is socially
wider world. constructed; that is, all learning is group
learning.
-Multilingual Education maintains local
language and culture while providing This program will not hinder the learners to
state/national language acquisition and learn the second language instead it will be
instruction. It promotes learners' a concrete initiative for a strong knowledge
integration into the national society without formation for children to undertake
forcing them to sacrifice their linguistic and discovery and exploration by themselves on
cultural heritage. other languages.

On the part of the teacher, it may take

additional effort to implement the program
because the teacher serves as the facilitator
in providing opportunities for the children.
He needs to also communicate, interact and
express his thoughts with confidence in a
manner that is comprehensible by -Students will establish a strong educational
everybody. foundation in the language they know best

Legal Bases: -They will build a good bridge to the school

language(s), and
DepED Order No. 74, s. 2009
-They will be prepared to use both / all of
-Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based
their languages for success in school and for
Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)
life-long learning.
1987 Constitution (Article XIV Sec 7)
Cognitive Development
-For purposes of communication and
-Cognitive development begins at home at
instruction, the official languages of the
birth.
Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise
provided by law, English. The regional -School activities will engage learners to
languages are the auxiliary official move well beyond the basic questions of
languages in the regions and shall serve as who, what, when and where to cover all
auxiliary media of instruction therein. higher order thinking skills in the learners
L1, their language of thought.
1987 Constitution (Article XXVIII Sec 30)
These higher order thinking skills will
-It shall use the child's first language as the
medium of instruction. - transfer to the other languages once
enough Filipino or English has been
-The child has the right to an education and
acquired to use these skills in thinking and
to learn and use the language of his family.
articulating thought, and
RA 8980 ECCD Law (Sec 5a)
-be used in the process of acquiring English
-It shall use the child's first language as the and Filipino more effectively
medium of instruction.
Academic development
RA 9155 or EFA
-Students will achieve academic
-Education for all should enable everyone to competencies in each subject area and, at
speak in the vernacular, Filipino and English. the end of the program

-BESRA (Basic Education Sector Reform -they will be prepared to enter and achieve
Agenda) KRT 3 well in the mainstream education system.

-All persons beyond school-age regardless Social-cultural development

of their level of schooling should acquire
-Students will be proud of their heritage
the essential competence to be considered
language and culture, and respect the
functionally literate in their mother tongue,
languages and cultures of others
in Filipino or in English.
-they will be prepared, to contribute
Salient Features of MTB-MLE Curriculum
productively to their own community and to
Four Aspects of Development the larger society.

- Language Development The END RESULT

-Multilingual
-Cognitive Development
-Multi-literate
-Academic Development
-Multi-cultural
-Socio-Cultural Development

Language Development