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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Advocacy – PTA meetings
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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
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Reading primer – sounds are sequenced according to sound frequency count of a language
Each sound is taught through a story – big book
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Teachers Guide – detailed lesson exemplars
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Online repositories
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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
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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
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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)
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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.
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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
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