A school is a place where pupils do not only learn how to read, write, and count but also build relationships that often last for a lifetime.  It is in the school that children find their first “non-biological” circle of friends. It is where they first learn to respond to situations without the help of any family member – a place where children learn to live their life outside the comfort of their home.

            Communication is the key to learning and building relationships in school. Pupils communicate with their classmates to make friends. Teachers communicate to their pupils to impart knowledge and teach lessons. Pupils communicate to their teachers and other school personnel to express themselves. Without a clear channel of communication, transfer of learning and relationship building will not be achieved fully.

               The Mother Tongue, also known as L1 or lingua franca, is the language that is said to come from the heart. It is the native language that every person grows up to—the first language that he/she has learned to speak and understand. Using the Mother Tongue as the medium of instruction in basic education (K-3) is like giving a home-like ambience to learning in school, thus, making the young learners feel at ease and comfortable as they adopt to the challenging learning environment.

              Speaking in the Mother Tongue and teaching the basic subject areas using the learners’ native language indeed help the learner to easily cope with the learning environment and enable him/her to be more receptive to the knowledge being imparted by the teachers.

Sources: GMANewsOnline, DepEd.gov.ph, Rappler.com

By: Nelfa C. Trinidad | T-II | Orani National Highschool