Spending a vacation in Cebu is so much exciting and stirring. With the beautiful white sand beaches, hospitality of their natives, comfortable amenities and resort accommodation, I couldn’t ask for more. Not to mention, the famous Cebuano delicacies such as Lechon Cebu, Dried Mangoes, and more. My vacation with my husband was very memorable as we got to experience a total relaxation.
On the last day of our vacation, we went to a market to buy some souvenirs. I thought it would be a simple activity, but a young boy caught my attention. He was talking with his mom in a very fluent English manner while crossing the street, when a motorcycle accidentally bumped them. Fortunately, seconds before the motorcycle bumped them, one concerned citizen said “tabi masasagasaan kayo”, the mother immediately moved to pavement and pulled the hand of her son, but the son did not understand the message, so he looked back and unfortunately his right shoulder was slightly fractured. I felt shocked and devastated to witness such horrifying situation, but this gave me a deep realization on the importance of language in our lives. Could the boy immediately understand the message; he should have not been fractured.
This is not an infrequent instance in the Philippines. Over the last few years, younger Filipinos have become more comfortable speaking English than their local and national language. It’s seems to me like the Philippines is transitioning into a country of native English speakers. It’s become such a serious issue that schools have actually started teaching Filipino to school kids to preserve our culture and national language.
One of the changes in Basic Education Curriculum brought about by the new K-12 program is the introduction of Mother Tongue- Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) specifically in Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2 and 3 to support the goal of
“ Every Child- A- Reader and A –Writer” by Grade 1.”
According to the Department of Education (DepEd), MTB-MLE refers to “first-language-first” education that is, schooling which begins in the mother tongue and transitions to additional languages particularly Filipino and English. It is meant to address the high functional illiteracy of Filipinos where language plays a significant factor. Since the child’s own language enables her/ him to express him/herself easily, then, there is no fear of making mistakes. It encourages active participation by children in the learning process because they understand what is being discussed and what is being asked of them. They can immediately use their mother tongue to construct and explain their world, articulate their thoughts and add new concepts to what they already know.
Further, it stipulates Four Aspects of Development
The MTB-MLE strengthens the development of the appropriate cognitive and reasoning skills enabling children to operate equally in different languages—starting with the mother tongue.
Language Development. Students will establish a strong educational foundation in the language they know best; they will build a good “bridge” to the school language(s), and they will be prepared to use both/all of their languages for success in school and for life-long learning.
Cognitive Development. School activities will engage learners to move well beyond the basic questions of who, what, when, and where to cover all higher order thinking skills in the learners’ language of thought. These higher order thinking skills will: (1) transfer to the other languages once enough Filipino or English has been acquired to use these skills in thinking and articulating thought; and (2) be used in the process of acquiring English and Filipino more effectively.
Academic Development. Students will achieve the necessary competencies in each subject area and, at the end of the program, they will be prepared to enter and achieve well in the mainstream education system.
Socio-Cultural Development. Students will be proud of their heritage language and culture, and respect the languages and cultures of others; they will be prepared to contribute productively to their own community and to the larger society.
Furthermore, students will learn and develop holistically. When learners are first instructed in the language they know best, they are able to build a good “bridge” toward learning another language. Multilinguals also enjoy benefits that go beyond linguistic knowledge. They are also able to learn with more flexibility.
Let us continue to inculcate Filipino languages to the young generation; it is not just a way of communication, but a way of life, and can save lives.
By: Lhannie L. Ubungen |Junior High School Teacher III| Sta. Rita High School Olongapo City
