12 major Phl languanges to be used as mediums of instruction

MANILA, Philippines - Twelve major Philippine languages will be used as mediums of instruction in public schools from kindergarten to Grade 3 starting next school year. The move is part of efforts of the Department of Education (DepEd) to boost its Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) program aimed at raising student competency.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the DepEd is expected to finish the learning modules in time for the June school opening.

“We are institutionalizing the teaching of MTB-MLE as one of the subjects from Grade 1 to Grade 3 and as the medium of instruction from Kinder to Grade 3 so that we can develop well-rounded and  life-long learners under the K to 12 basic education reform program,” he said,

Local and international studies have shown that using the language at home (mother tongue) inside the classroom during the learners’ early years of schooling produce better and faster learners who can easily learn a second (Filipino) and even third language (English).

The 12 major Philippine languages are Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, and Chabacano.

Under the program, Filipino will be introduced in the first semester of Grade 1 for oral fluency (speaking). For reading and writing purposes, it will be taught beginning in the second semester of Grade 1.

The four other macro skills – listening, speaking, reading and writing in Filipino – will continuously be developed from Grades 2 to 6.

Meanwhile, English as a subject will be introduced in the second semester of Grade 1, while reading and writing in English will start in the first semester of Grade 2.

Currently, 921 schools nationwide have been pioneering the MTB-MLE, including for children of indigenous people.

The mother tongue pilot program is implemented with assistance from the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao, Third Elementary Education Program, Translators Association of the Philippines, Save the Children Foundation, and the Summer Institute of Linguistics.

The DepEd has also organized a team of MTB-MLE trainers for each region composed of education supervisors.

The existing MTB-MLE regional training team organized for the pilot schools shall be the same team that will be responsible for the division and school-based training of teachers on MTB-MLE for the K to 12 program.

MTB-MLE trained writers will play a crucial role in developing indigenized learning materials to provide students with a variety of learning resources.