Punto de Vista | Bill para itigil ang paggamit ng mother tongue bilang wikang panturo hanggang Grade 3
Punto de Vista | Bill para itigil ang paggamit ng mother tongue bilang wikang panturo hanggang Grade 3
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00:00Today, Professor Antonio Contreras will discuss the use of mother tongue in teaching, Professor.
00:20Good morning to all of you in the studio.
00:24The Senate has passed the bill to stop the use of mother tongue in teaching up to grade 3 in elementary or basic education.
00:37A year ago, in February of the same year, the House approved it.
00:42Now that we have a version of the House and a version of the Senate, this will go to the Bicameral Conference Committee.
00:50If they agree to make a reconciled version and it is ratified by all parties, it will go to the President's desk for him to sign, if ever, for it to become a law.
01:04What is a mother tongue? A mother tongue is what we call a mother-tongue-based multi-language education, MTBE, MLE, that has been used for a long time.
01:16The reason why a mother tongue is used is because it is easier for children to understand difficult concepts in mathematics and science.
01:33Is this true? You know, many studies have been conducted in other countries, even in the Philippines, where it has been proven that if a mother tongue is used, the level of comprehension of children is higher.
01:48Mathematics and science are abstract concepts. Mathematics is difficult, there are many fears in it. Science has many abstract concepts.
01:57If you teach it using the language that the child has been used since birth, whether it is Tagalog, Bicolano, Bisaya, or Kapampangan, it will be easier for the child to understand.
02:11There are many studies, but why is it being stopped? Let's look at the reasons. The reason is that the Department of Education is having a hard time implementing it because there is a lack of materials.
02:25Second, there is a lack of teachers who are used to teaching in the mother tongue. Third, there is a complication because there is a reality that in many places in the Philippines, there are many mother tongues mixing, especially in Pangasinan.
02:42There are many places where there is an Ilocano portion and a Pangasinense portion, and not only that, there are places where the mother tongue of the child is English because her house is English speaking. So they are mixing in a classroom. So the question is, what is the mother tongue that is being used?
02:59But to be honest, these reasons are not the reason why the mother tongue is not working in principle. These are the reasons why it is being stopped because it cannot be implemented for now because there is a lack of materials and teachers.
03:16Now, the question is, what do we really need? Not to increase the pace and ability of our students to understand the lessons? We will force them to use English, which is not their language. So what happens is, when you use English, you first understand the English before you understand the abstract concept of math and science.
03:38No wonder our score in PISA is low. Let us remember, in PISA, the core that we always say that we are Kulela, the countries of Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, all of them use their mother tongues in teaching science and mathematics.
03:59So, what is your basis? We cannot stop a policeman because we do not have the ability to do that now. If we do not have the ability, we will look for money to train teachers. We will look for money to produce materials.
04:17For example, I am from Bicol. Our language is different. There is a way to write and produce it. It is an orthography of life. If there is a way, we will do it. If there is money and support, we will do it. And we will train teachers.
04:43So, that is our point here. It is not good to stop the implementation of the mother tongue. There are logistical and administrative problems. If that is a police problem, how will you do it if the classes are mixed? It is not that easy.
05:01The students will be separated or there will be a police that will be involved in the situation. They will be separated into different sections because this is not just in the Philippines. This is only in a few places.
05:16So, that is the point here. As an educator, as a teacher, I believe that the teaching of math and science is more effective if you use the mother tongue first. It is not forever. It is only up to grade 3. And then from grade 4 onwards, they will be taught in English because they already have the habit of English or in Filipino because that is our national language.
05:43That is my point of view this morning. Thank you very much. Diane, back to you.
05:50Thank you very much also, Professor Contreras.