1. 24-26 February 2016; Bangkok, Thailand
Mainstreaming Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education in the Philippines: Initial Gains and Challenges
Maria Mercedes “Ched” Arzadon University of the Philippines / 170+ Talaytayan MLE ASIA EDUCATION SUMMIT ON FLEXIBLE LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN
24-26 February 2016; Bangkok, Thailand
Good morning . I will talk about our recent changes in language policy in schools. The Philippines is among the most linguistically diverse. We have more than 170 languages, hence the name of our group is 170+ Talaytayan – bridge…We were colonized by the Spaniards for 300 years and the Americans afterwards. For decades the languages of instruction was English and Tagalog after WW2. But in 2009 we shifted to MTBMLE thru a series of policy measuress

2. Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)
The child’s mother tongue (L1) is used (at least 6 years)
Meaningful communication
Development of higher order thinking skills
Early literacy
Teaching concepts on science, math, social studies
Bridge to learning additional languages (L2)
Language of testing
Systematic introduction of additional languages
Oral fluency L1  Read/Write in L1 Oral fluency L2 –Read/Write L2
MTBLE refers the use of more than two languages for literacy and instruction. It starts from where the learners are, and from what they already know. This means learning to read and write in their first language or L1, and also teaching subjects like mathematics, science, health and social studies in the L1.
Removes bariers to school participation, safe and child friendly, give them a voice, makes learning meaningful and challenging, engages community, cost effective (elim dropout) opens windows to various reforms
MLE removes barriers to school participation, makes learning meaningful and challenging, engages the community, cost effective (eliminating dropout), opens windows to other reforms

3. Unwelcomed, pushed-out and faulted
50% of the world’s out-of-school children live in communities where the language of the schooling is rarely, if ever, used at home (World Bank, 2005)
Recent trends in the US show that dropping out is caused mainly by school- related factors (Doll, Eslami, & Walters, 2013)
Multiple burden for a young learner – learn to read and write in a language he has not fully learned
Social educationists theorize dropout as discontinuity between home and school.
There is also a notion that the school is a sorting machine that
reproduces larger social structures, including social inequities based on ethnicity.
And so the notion of beauty as fair skin, tall nose – is reproduced by the choice of scl muse
A WB report states that…
Reasons – regulation on attendance, discipline, language
there are studies that show that DO is caused mainly by school related factors….
You can imagine the experience of a 5 year old learner who enters school for the first time,
he learns the school manners, raise hands, ask permission… learn to read and write,
count in a language that he is still learning…
This makes the school an unwelcome place… We welcome guests by using their language
This practice also ignores the wealth of knowledge that she can bring in if he is allowed to
speak in his language… she is silenced… subjected to language fines
Math. Science, --become a language class
Common notion that if you speak english you are intelligent
If they dropout they are faulted for being lazy
MTBMLE is a departure from a deficit perspective that puts
the blame on the children/learners
Dennis Malone

4. MTB-MLE reduces repetition and dropout
Mali – children in first language classes are 5 times less likely to repeat the year and more than 3 times less likely to drop out of school.
Guatemala - grade repetition in bilingual classes is 50% less than traditional schools, while dropout rates are about 25% lower
(WB 2005)
Most Filipino teachers report that MTB-MLE lessens absenteeism and dropping out

5. Philippines’ positive experiences
Results
Outperformed learners taught in English only, in all subject areas
Learned L2 better
Active participation
Facilitated involvement of the community
Lessened dropout and repetition
Iloilo experiments ;
Rizal Experiment:
First Language Component-Bridging Program (FLC-BP):
Lingua Franca Project:
Lubuagan MLE Program: 1998 to 2012
Culture-Responsive Curriculum for Indigenous People-Third Elem. Educ. Project:
In the Philippines, we have had several experiments to use the local language …
Students in experimental classes performed better in all subject areas including language subjects like Tagalog and English
Better classroom interaction

6. MTB-MLE in the Phils—bold, daring & rapid
After about 10 failed policy proposals (1900 – 2008), DepEd Order # 74 Institutionalizing Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in 2009
RA 10533, MTB-MLE as part of the new K-12 Curriculum
All 43,000 government schools
As of 2015, total of 212 languages / dialects used
19 languages (small and large) given initial funding
 Structure language & education policies around LEARNING and INCLUSION not on dated political/post-conquest agenda
As early as 1900, Filipino mentors requested to use the local language because the English only policy was seen to be the cause of 80% dropout
Rigidity of schooling, based on Prussian model of schooling in 1800 spread thr colonialism… not trained how to teach using an unfamiliar language
Structure of language policies…
Part of the campaign promise of President Benigno Aquino – finish the law and implement it in 6 years

7. Components of MTB-MLE Research
Analysis of the languages, socio-cultural factors, stakeholders; orthography, programming, pedagogy, contextualization, bridging L1 to L2, funding/resources
Advocacy/mobilization – FAQ, top level and grassroots
Policy – broad and supporting policies (MOE, regions)
Working orthography (writing/spelling system)
Training/capacity building - trainers, teachers, school heads
Materials development – primer, big/small books, teachers guides
Monitoring and evaluation
non-linear, recursive

8. Advocacy and multi-sectoral engagements
Language & education sectors – policy makers, higher education, NGO, Min of Education officials, local writers, teachers, private individuals
The policy is a result of advocacy….why? Resistance from pro-national language…. Fear of the economic cost
HIGHER EDUCATION – greater autonomy, produce and reproduce knowledge, information; networks, see beyond the “best practices” towards the why and why not, resource to policy makers

9. Policies
Includes all the components of MTB-MLE
Non restrictive “mother tongue” – no limit of number of languages
Contextualization and localization of materials
Supporting policies on teachers training, pedagogy, local funding, materials , language mapping, monitoring, learning assessment, teacher’s language skills, contextualization, Information System
Weakness – only four years of MT, lack of continuity until higher education; Privileging of Tagalog (Filipino) and English

10. Teachers Training Intensive Training of Trainers (40 days)
Mass training for all teachers
Simulations
Workshops on making of primer, big books, teaching aids
Training video (SEAMEO)
Biweekly School Learning Action Cell (LAC) sessions
Trainers – crucial that they had previous teaching experience in early grades
Grounding on learning theories, whys and whys…. Language, materials devt, teaching strategies, assessment
Strong on teaching early literacy
Needs:
Teaching science math in the MT
Language analysis, understand how languages shifts
Bridging models

11. Culturally relevant, community generated big books and other instructional materials
Hand printed
Print on demand (POD) digital technology
Community – elders; contests on writing stories, songs, poems, essays
Quality assurance
Literature based reading program – big books; stories – oral communication, phonemic awareness
160 big books – 3 yrs

12. Communicative, affective and challenging learning environment
Activating multilingual and meta-learning capacities
Active participation, better comprehension
Meaningful discourse
Rich vocabulary , complex sentences
Humor, endearment
Deeper level questioning
Spontaneous correction
Confidence
Less anxiety
Activating broader linguistic repertoire
bilingual children are "better at taking control of their own learning and planning how to use information to learn

13. Advocacy – PTA meetings

14. MTB-MLE Materials provided to all schools
These materials should be as much as possible, original, reflecting local people, events, realities; appropriate to the language, age, and culture of the learners (DO 74. s2009)
Curriculum Guide
Reading Primer
Teachers Guide – 19 languages
Daily lessons, Stories, Assessment tools, illustrations
Learner’s materials / worksheets
Digital copy to be downloaded from

15. Reading primer – sounds are sequenced according to sound frequency count of a language
Each sound is taught through a story – big book

16. Teachers Guide – detailed lesson exemplars

17. Online repositories

18. Teacher Education Institutions
Formulate new courses –
Teaching in the Mother Tongue
MA in Multilingual Education
Create reference materials for teachers – dictionary, readability software, primer
MTB-MLE in laboratory schools
Organize forums, teachers training, conferences
Technical support to the Dept of Education
Research projects
Our dean at the college of education – was seconded to the DepEd to head the implementation of K-12 and MTB-MLE our faculty members were invited to formulate L1 to L2 bridging framework, facilitate mass training

21. Popularizing local languages
La Union Provincial Government’s “Local Language Code”
Provincial governments see that they have to support the language program in schools by increasing the use of local languages in public places.
Businesses – waiters should greet the customers in the MT, % of local radio programs, day care centers to use MT
Purchasing dictionaries, big books for the schools
Ordering local colleges/universities to include a course on MTB-MLE
Still a handful of provincial government units have

23. Concerns Advocacy – teachers, parents
Transition model from grade 4 onwards
Teachers training/support on
Teaching science and math in the mother tongue
Demystifying languages; language analysis
bridging from L1 to L2
Classrooms with many languages
Diversity
Orthographies
MTB-MLE friendly pre-service teacher education curriculum
Research (ex: child’s language mix)

24. Mother languages in a multilingual approach are essential components of quality education, which is itself the foundation for empowering women and men and their societies. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General ………………………………… Agyamanak! Maraming salamat! Thank you.

25. Refeences
Doll, JJ, Eslami, Z, & Walters, L. (2013). Understanding Why Students Drop Out of High School, According to Their Own Reports Are They Pushed or Pulled, or Do They Fall Out? A Comparative Analysis of Seven Nationally Representative Studies. SAGE Open. DOI:  /  
Quijano, Y. (2010). MLE in the Philippines: History and Possibilities. First National MTBMLE Conference. Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.
World Bank (2005). In their Own Language: Education for Al . New York: World Bank