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Slide 4Ethnologue 2005:

Plurilinguistic situation and language
education in the Philippines» Actually lists 175 languages (171 living; 4 extinct)» Of the 171, 7 are not Austronesian–––

Shirley N. Dita, Ph.D.
De La Salle University
shirley.dita@dlsu.edu.ph––» The four extinct––––

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS)
July 12, 2019

Slide 2EnglishSpanishVarieties of Chinese (Mandarin Chinese, Min nan Chinese,Yue Chinese)
Philippine Sign Language
Chavacano
Dicamay Agta
Tayabas Ayta
Villa Viciosa Agta
Katabaga

Slide 5Ethnologue (2018)• 187 – individual languages• 183 – living; 4 – extinct• Based on Expanded Graded Intergenerational
Disruption Scale (EGIDS), of the 183 living• 41 – institutional, educational• 72 – developing• 45 – vigorous• 14 – in trouble• 11 - dying

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Philippine MAJOR languages

How many Philippine languages are there?
» Reid 1971: more than 80» McFarland 1980: listed 118» McFarland 1984: listed only 110» Constantino 2000: “maybe about 110”
» Headland 2003: “There are between 100 to 150
languages spoken in the Philippines today”» Ethnologue 2005: lists 168 Austronesian languages
spoken natively in the Phils.
» SIL: 181 languages (incl extinct)

123456789101112

Tagalog
CebuanoIlocanoHiligaynon
Bicol
Waray
Kapampangan
Pangasinan
Kinaray-a
TausugMeranao
Maguindanao

21.5 M
18.5 M
7.7 M
6.9 M
4.5 M
3.1
2.3 M
1.5 M
1.3
1M
1M
1M

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Population estimates (in M)

Social Weather Stations (2008):(NSO 2000 Census)» on English as the L2 of Filipinos

22.

22.5

–––––

18.5
15.

7.5

7.7 6.9
4.53.1 2.3
1.5 1.1 1.

1.

1.

0.

76% understand spoken English;
75% could read English
61% could write in English
46% could speak in English
38% could think in English– 8% - not competent in any way when it comes toEnglish

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Other ‘arguable’ claims

Philippine languages• Is reputed to be the English Mecca in Asia (basedon the influx of Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese
who come to the Philippines to study or learnEnglish)• About 92.58% of the population can speak English• Ranks 1st in speaking English in Asia and 4th in theworld

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Linguistic situation in the Philippines» A highly multilingual country;» On an average, a Filipino can speak 3-5 languages– Tagalog, English, mother tongue» 85M out of 95M are able to speak Tagalog» Tagalog – national lingua franca;– (other) Regional lingua francas:– Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan,– Ibanag, Kinaray-a, and so on– These lingua francas are popular even in Social MediaEnglish in the Philippines• As for the spread of English in the Philippines, just like in thewhole world … is (likewise) remarkable, amazing, andimpressive.
• The number of users of English in the Philippines did increasesignificantly, from not even 5% to more than 1/3 of thepopulation in just nearly 50 years, and almost three-fourths ofthe entire population in less than a century (Gonzalez, 1996).
• “One of the most successful linguistic events in the history ofmankind, perhaps rivaled only by the revival of Hebrew inModern Israel, was the successful teaching of English as asecond/foreign language in the Philippines during the American
Colonial Period (1898-1946)” (Gonzalez, 2000, p. 1).

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Slide 16English in the Philippines• The Philippines is also one among those who have madeEnglish an official language, and this is enshrined in the 1987
Constitution, Article IV, Sections 6-8:
• For purposes of communication and instruction, the official
languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, unless otherwise
provided by law, English. The regional languages are theauxiliary official languages and shall serve as auxiliary media
of instruction therein. Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted
on a voluntary and optional basis.
• This Constitution shall be promulgated in Filipino andEnglish and shall be translated into major regional languages,Arabic, and Spanish.

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Multilingual country

Brief History of Philippine English•

English was brought to the Philippines by American colonization
towards the end of the 19th century. Initially taught by soldiers,
the language was eventually learned by Filipinos from wellqualified teachers sent by the United States to their new colony
by the beginning of the 20th century.
Filipinos acquired English quite fast. In fact, the then Board ofEducational Survey of the Philippine Islands noted in 1925 thatFilipinos were only two years behind their American counterparts
with their English language skills.
English was acquired so rapidly that the percentage of thepopulation who had an ability to use the language increased
exponentially, from below five percent at the beginning ofAmerican colonization to almost three-fourths at the end of thesame century (Gonzalez, 1996), making it “[o]ne of the mostsuccessful linguistic events in the history of mankind” (Gonzalez,••

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Brief History of Philippine English••• We are, by virtue of our geography and history, amultilingual people.
• This gift has for too long been viewed as a liability.
• This negative viewpoint has affected how theeducational system has implemented the Bilingual
Education Policy.

Interestingly, the 1925 educational survey board noticed that
Filipinos spoke differently from Americans. Further
contrastive reports (Raqueño, 1940, 1952) also point
towards the distinctive way of Filipinos’ use of English.
Gonzalez (1997, 2008) says that, when Filipino teachersbegan teaching fellow Filipinos English, which was around1920s, Philippine English was born but it was only towards
the end of 1960s when a linguist, Teodoro Llamzon, called
attention to an emerging variety of English in thePhilippines.

How?
1.Because it is impossible to make instructional materials
for all those languages
2.Because parents want their children to learn English assoon as possible
3.Because teachers are not trained to use the mothertongue as the language of instruction.
4.Because there are no funds to make materials andassessment tools• The list of “cannots” and “there are nots” is endless.

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Article 30

National Language• “In those States in which ethnic, religious or
linguistic minorities or persons of indigenous origin
exist, a child belonging to such a minority or who isindigenous shall not be denied the right, incommunity with other members of his or her group,
to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess andpractice his or her own religion, or to use his or herown language.”

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Response of the Phils.

Medium of instruction• DepEd Order #74, series of 2009
– K-12– Mother Tongue–Based – Multi-Lingual Education(MTBMLE)• “the effective use of more than two languages forliteracy and instruction”• Linguistic (and cultural) diversity in the Philippines• Address linguistic discrimination

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Backgrounder

MTB-MLE• United Nations Convention on the Rights of theChild)• is an international statement of the civil, political,economic, social and cultural rights of children.
• The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention
and opened it for signature on 20 November 1989
• Philippines is a signatory• http://childrenandyouthprogramme.info/pdfs/pdfs_un
crc/uncrc_summary_version.pdf• DepEd Order #16, series of 2012– 12 languages will be used in the MTB-MLE program- Bicolano- Maguindanaoan- Cebuano- Maranao- Chabacano- Pangasinense- Hiligaynon- Tagalog- Ilocano- Tausug- Kapampangan- Waray-waray

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MTB-MLE

10 Fundamental Requirements for a Strong
MTB-MLE• In 2014, 7 more languages were added to the list totaling
19 languages in all:– Aklanon– Ibanag– Ivatan– Kinaray-a– Sambal– Surigaonon– Yakan

1. A working orthography (spelling) for the chosen locallanguage
2. Development, production and distribution of inexpensive
instructional materials in the designated language
3. The use of the learner’s L1 as the primary MOI from preschool until, at least, Grade III
4. Mother tongue as a subject and as a language of teaching
and learning to be introduced in Grade I for conceptual
understanding

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10 Fundamental Requirements for a Strong
MTB-MLE

What’s Mother Tongue?
• the language/s that one has learned first• the language/s one identifies with or is identified asa native speaker of by others• the language/s one knows best and the language/s
one uses most• ‘primary’ or ‘first’ language(UNESCO, 2003, p. 15)

5. Inclusion of additional languages (e.g., Filipino, English
and other local or foreign languages) to be introduced as
separate subjects in a carefully planned pacing program, orno earlier than Grade II.
6. In the secondary level – Filipino and English to be theprimary MOI; learner’s L1 to be still utilized as anauxiliary MOI.
7. Other than English, Filipino or Arabic, the choice ofadditional languages to be at the behest of parents andendorsed by local stakeholders and as resources permit.

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MTB-MLE• The use of more than two languages for literacy andinstruction. It starts from where the learners are, and fromwhat they already know. This means learning to read andwrite in their first language or L1, and also teachingsubjects like mathematics, science, health and social
studies in the L1.
• L1 (first language) = mother tongue• Any language which is not an L1 is a second language (L2)or a third language (L3).
(Nolasco, 2009, p. 1)

10 Fundamental Requirements for a Strong
MTB-MLE
8. The language of instruction to also be the primary language fortesting in all regular school-based and system-wide examinations
and in all international benchmarking and assessment exercises.
9. A continuing in-service training (INSET) in partnership withMLE specialists on the effective use of L1 as language of
instruction to facilitate reading, CALP, and the development ofcognitive and HOTS of the learner.
10. Ensuring critical awareness, maximum participation, andsupport from the LGU, parents, and community for theimplementation of the language and literacy program strategy.
(Enclosure No. 1 to DepEd Order No. 74 s.2009)Slide 31

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Legal Bases of MTB-MLE:

BASES for the implementation of MTB-MLE

UNESCO Guidelines on Language & Education• Principle 1: UNESCO supports mother tongue instruction as ameans of improving educational quality by building upon theknowledge and experience of the learners and teachers• Principle 2: UNESCO supports bilingual and/or multilingual
education at all levels of education as a means of promoting
both social and gender equality and as a key element of
linguistically diverse societies.
• Principle 3: UNESCO supports language as an essential
component of inter-cultural education in order to encourage
understanding between different population groups and ensure
respect for fundamental rights

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Legal Bases of MTB-MLE:
1987 Philippine Constitution

Theoretical Bases of MLE• Section 6. The national language of the Philippines isFilipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed andenriched on the basis of existing Philippine and otherlanguages.
• Section 7. For purposes of communication and instruction,
the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and,
until otherwise provided by law, English.
• The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in
the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction
therein.

Linguistic Interdependence Hypothesis (IcebergHypothesis) (Cummins, 1984, 2000)- reveals the relationship of the first language to thelearning of another language. What appears to be twovery different phenomena on or above the surface isactually interdependent psychologically.

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Legal Bases of MTB-MLE:
UN Declarations and Agreement

Common Underlying Proficiency (CUP)(Cummins, 1984, 2000)• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)• Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to
National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities(1992)• UNESCO Constitution: language should not induce any
kind of discrimination• 1960 Convention against Discrimination in Education:lays down the educational rights of persons belonging tominorities.

• Knowledge/proficiency acquired in one languagetransfers to the second language.
• Knowing how to read and write in one language
helps you to read and write in a second language.
• Knowing science concepts in one language means
you do not need to relearn the concepts, you justneed to know the vocabulary in the new language
which applies to the concepts.

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3 Principles of the Program

Empirical Bases of MTB-MLE
MLE in the Philippines: History andPossibilities(Quijano, 2010)

Slide 38(1) the use of the children’s first language for teaching
and learning in Grades 1 and 2;(2) the use of the children’s own cultural model ofworld to help them process information,
understand concepts and form new ones;(3) the introduction of new concepts and skills bybuilding on existing knowledge structures

Slide 41First Iloilo Experiment: 1948-54• Hiligaynon is used as the mode of instruction in
Grades 1-2.
• The experiment showed that children learning in
Hiligaynon outperformed English-taught students in
Reading, Math and Social Studies at the end of the
1st year of implementation.
• Further, children were able to transfer what they hadlearned to English after six months of exposure

Slide 39

Lubuagan MLE Program: The First in thePhilippines (1998-Present)• Goals of the project:- higher achievement
rate,- stronger English andFilipino acquisition,- lower drop-out rate.

Slide 42First Language Component-Bridging Program(FLCBP): 1986-93

Lubuagan MLE Program: The First in thePhilippines (1998-Present)• The FLCBP was a 6-year pilot project in the Ifugao
province that used Tuwali as mode of instruction.
• The program was built around the hypothesis thatchildren who acquire reading and writing skills in thefirst language, accompanied by a structured programof language arts that provides “bridge” to Filipino
and English, will be more competent in all areas ofstudy than those who learn in the two officiallanguages.

• Lilubuagen was used for instruction in Grade 1for all subjects• Literacy was first developed in Lilubuagen• Then transitioned to Filipino• Then transitioned to English• 3 schools had higher achievement scores inreading comprehension in all 3 languages

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Lubuagan MLE Program(Nolasco, 2010)Same competencies, different paths
Mainstream
children who
speak theschoollanguage

L1 (schoollanguage)

Competencies
to be achievedby the end ofGrade 3

Mainstream
children who
do NOT speak
the schoollanguage

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Lingua Franca Project (1999-2001)• The Lingua Franca Project involved
experimental groups using three lingua franca:
Ilokano, Tagalog, and Cebuano as mode ofinstruction in Grades 1• On the other hand, the control groups used
English and Filipino in designated areas(bilingual policy).

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Issues and Concerns• Changing mindsets– Teachers– School heads– Parents– Students• Preparation of teaching materials• Massive teacher training• F.U.N.D.S.

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End Result: Children who are...

Components of MTB-MLE Strategic Plan
Pre-ServiceTeacher
Education

SocialPreparationandAdvocacy

In-ServiceTraining(INSET)of Teachersand SchoolManagers

Six
FocusedAreas

Materials
Development

PolicyDevelopmentand ResourceMobilization

Assessment,
MonitoringandEvaluation

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The Success Path

Concluding remarks …
• There is much to be desired as far as MTB-MLE
implementation is concerned• Changes do not happen overnight …
• With the concerted efforts of the government andNGOs and the Filipino people in general, we canmake things happen

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Statement of Pnoy
“My view on this is larger thanjust the classroom. We should
become tri-lingual as a country;➢Learn English well andconnect to the world.
➢Learn Filipino well andconnect to our country.
➢Retain your mother tongue
and connect to your heritage."

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Coming soon…
• Omnibus Policy on Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual
Education (MTB-MLE) Program Implementation– A 38-page policy that outlines the issues confronting
MTBMLE implementation and the detailed answer orsolution to these issues– Is yet to be released

We can do this!!!

• Thank you!