Mother tongue-based education to expand

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) is expecting the inclusion of more local languages in the curriculum of young learners.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro recently signed an order setting the guidelines for the mapping of language use among students enrolled in public elementary and high schools.

“In anticipation of the expansion of the 19 languages in the mother tongue-based multilingual education MTB-MLE program, there is a need to build an inventory of languages used in the classroom that includes the mother tongue or first language of the learners,” said DepEd.

“This is especially important for learners with mother tongue that are non-dominant languages or come from small language communities,” DepEd added.

Starting next year, parents or guardians will be required to submit a student information sheet that identifies the mother tongue and first language of their children.

Teachers are also tasked to observe the students to confirm their respective first languages.

The data, which will be submitted to the learner information system of DepEd, will be used to produce new teaching and learning materials, including support materials such as dictionaries.

The goal is to develop a culturally responsive MTB-MLE implementation strategy for all learners, including those from indigenous communities.

Piloted in 2011, the MTB-MLE is a curriculum reform implemented by DepEd as part of the K to 12 education program.

It involves the use of the students’ mother tongue as the medium of teaching and learning from kindergarten to Grade 3.