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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The dilemma of what language to be used inside the classroom has been the

constant problem in the Philippine Educational System. A medium of instruction is

the language used by the teacher to teach students inside the classroom. Language

plays variety of functions including a means of communication, expression and

conceptualization. It is also the most important variables affecting education where

the use of appropriate language in teaching learners greatly contributes to their

academic performances and success in school. Above all, the role of language in

education has been found to be very important.

Mother Tongue, which is also known as native language, is the indigenous

language of one’s parents which is the first language learnt by children (Adediran et

al, 2020). It is noted as ‘first’ because it is regarded as the most important language

spoken by anyone due to its hereditary value as well as its cultural impact on the

concerned individuals. Accordingly, mother tongue or first language contributes

immensely to a child’s personal, social, cultural, intellectual and economic life

(Baker, 2020).

In 2009, the Department of Education (DepEd) recognized the benefits of

teaching learners using mother tongue. Local and international have found that

children learn to speak, read, and write more quickly in their first language and can

pick up a second and third language more easily if taught in their first language. In the

same way, they acquire other academic competencies more quickly particularly in

science and math.

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One of the world organizations advocating mother tongue instruction is the

United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), they

encouraged mother tongue instruction in early childhood and primary education since

1953, monolingualism in the official or dominant language is still the norm around the

world (Arnold et al2006, as cited in UNESCO2007).

Students language is other than the language of instruction may not feel as

ease as their academic compatriot who gets their privilege. ‘It is often held that

children brought up bilingually in places in which two languages are regularly in use

are slower in school work than comparable to monolingual children as a greater

amount of mental effort has to be expended in the mastery of two languages.

Therefore, mother tongue can be fruitful to achieve the desired objectives of the

curriculum.

The important role of language is beyond debate. It is reasonable conclusion to

say that success of any Educational process relies on the language to be used because

it is instrumental in the transmission of knowledge. Based on the above premised, the

researchers will study the perceptions and preference on the use of mother tongue

among elementary male and female learners in Iligan City Central School. The

significance of this study does not only talk about nor end the preservation of the

heritage language, but will also be beneficial to those who are still searching for

additional evidence on the positive effect of the mother tongue-based education

especially in the early years of schooling.

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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The conceptualization of this study is launched from the researcher’s readings

of prior conducted studies dealing with the learners’ perceptions and preference on

mother tongue-based instruction.

The Use of Mother tongue Based Education

The UN has come out in favour of mother tongue based instruction since their

own goal is to improve education quality, and they believe that regular use of regional

dialects in the classroom will help students recognize and understand linguistic

diversity. By starting with the language that young learners speak at home, the gap in

understanding can be bridged better and easier Hence, elementary students can better

absorb lessons (Garbes,2012). Current series of linguistic research have much

revelation on language and literacy. Some researchers concluded that becoming fluent

in one‘s first language is important for overall language and cognitive development,

as well as academic achievement Evidence from different countries like Cameroon,

India, Mali, the Philippines, South Africa, Vietnam, and elsewhere attests to the

benefits of learning in a familiar language. First, children learn to read faster if they

speak the language of instruction, because they already have the cognitive basin of

vocabulary, knowledge of the construction of the utterances, and the ability to

enunciate the sounds of the language (Ball,2010).

Amidst the controversy on the use of mother tongue along instruction, the

debate among educators involved in the K–12 curriculum centers on language and

dialect variance among multi-dialectal learners and the teachers' attitudes toward this

linguistic issue. The Filipino teachers should have the disposition of a polyglot in
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order to handle the language demands of the curriculum. This issue highlights the

difficulty of teaching diverse learners while taking into account their dialect variances

and varied cultural backgrounds. According to Yap (2010), the mother tongues in the

different regions play an important role in the Philippine Educational System. The

Filipino, being bilingual in natures have strong ethnic loyalty and honor in using their

own native tongues in some occasions. In relation to globalization, the use of mother

tongue and the priority in the use of international language sometimes become an

interesting topic among the linguists. Martin (2006) mentioned that language

preferences of teachers and students are often identified as the reasons behind the

continuing deterioration of English language proficiency among Filipino students.

On the other hand, amidst the philosophical battle between English as the

second language of Filipinos and Filipino as the national language, some educators

consider bilingualism in its pedagogical pedestal. It is generally accepted that teachers

of English play a leading role in providing learners with the knowledge, skills and

understanding they need to read, write, speak and listen effectively. This is according

to Arkoudis (2003). However, Goodwyn, et.al (2003) point out that all teachers have

stakes in effective literacy. Learners may fail to understand academic concepts

through the language they are still learning because their subject content teachers are

not skilful of assisting them (Crandall, 1998).

In any curriculum, teachers must update themselves to the literacy demands of

a curriculum especially to the language demands in order to obtain flexible teaching

techniques. Learners who have been immersed in the learning environment in which

the mother tongue has been used showed statistically significant improvements in
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their academic performance compared to children who were learning only in Filipino

(Walter and Dekker, 2011). Although educational researches are still needed to prove

the implications of other based education in various atmospheres and settings,

educating the bilingual pupils in their vernacular language improved cognitive

acquisition and subject-centered knowledge. Several linguistic researches have

already investigated the affirmative effects of Mother Tongue Based Education in

different countries of the world. Such studies have been the basis of the promotion of

Mother Tongue Based Education by UNESCO. In the new K to 12 curriculum, the

Philippines has linked up to this language policy. Faculty members are the role

models for prospective K-12 teachers and can have a significant impact on teachers’

use of instructional materials as well as technology in their future classroom (Parker,

1997). This affects a larger community than Schools of Education because secondary

teachers come from all disciplines. The language prescription and teaching materials

used by the teacher are intertwined together to promote better learning.

Hence, this study provides another pedagogical evidence on the use of mother

tongue and its academic implication in a multi lingual and multi-dialectal setting from

which this study took place.

Gender on Mother Tongue Instruction

Gender, indeed, is one concept that is complex to explain and understand

(Bilaniuk, 2003). It means for the author that gender is not as simple as male and

female, but one that is related to other social construct like religion, ethnicity among

others. Similarly, Aydinoglu (2014) explained that gender and sex are two distinct

things - while sex refer to the classification that relates to biological state of being a
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male and a female, gender on the hand is beyond the dual classification. However,

Gormley (2015) argued that gender is the division made that separates male from

female. At this juncture, the study adopts the definition that gender simply means

being male and female as oppose to using the term sex. It was acknowledged that

semantic difference may exist, but gender carries a euphemistic characteristic- hence

the preference in this study. The main argument in the investigation of gender

difference on English proficiency is that it is a variable extensively studied by

renowned authors like Lakoff (1975). Over the years, investigating the influence of

gender on different language-related constructs remains to be of interest among

different researchers. Illustrative of this claim is the investigation conducted by

Bacang, Rillo and Alieto (2019). The empirical study investigated and analyzed the

influence of gender as regards the use of rhetorical appeals, hedges and boosters in

argumentative essays. The study concluded that males prevalently use logical appeals;

on the other hand, females extensively use emotional appeals in developing their

essays. Moreover, females were found to use more hedges and boosters in comparison

to their male counterparts. Another example is the experimental research of Ramos,

Miñoza and Alieto (2019) which, as one of the goals, investigated the effect of gender

(male and female) in the writing skills of the college students. However, the results of

the said study disclosed that gender was found to have no influence on the writing

skill of the respondents. Therefore, in this present investigation, it is taken to be a

main variable in the investigation of learners’ English language proficiency.

On the other hand, one such study of Wyk et al (2016) who also investigated

the effect of mother tongue instruction and gender on second language acquisition

using a causal-comparative quantitative research design. The two distinguishing

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groups compared were: (a) learners that were taught in their mother tongue (i.e.

Afrikaans); and (b) learners that were not taught in their mother tongue but in English,

from grades 1 to 3. The dependent variable was the second language acquisition that

was accounted for by the learners’ performance in grade 5 in three tests, i.e. on

vocabulary, on syntax, and on oral communication tests. The sample included 2

schools in Windhoek and a total of 70 learners, with 35 learners that had Afrikaans as

medium of instruction, and 35 learners that had English as medium of instruction

from grades 1 to 3. The study aimed to shed some light on the ongoing debate as to

whether mother tongue instruction or immersion in L2 is more beneficial for the

child’s second language acquisition and competence.

Moreover, the study of Wyk et al, 2016 involved an experimental approach

that investigated learning conditions of students who were exposed to mother tongue-

based education and those who were immediately taught using English. This set-up

diverts from this study since in the Philippine setting, the Mother Tongue Based

Education medium of instruction is implemented in Grades 1, 2, and 3 adjacent the

use of English as instructional medium in the other subjects. This means that the

respondents of this study were simultaneously exposed to Mother Tongue Based

Education instruction and English language based instruction contrary to the

conditions in Wyk et al’s study.

Likewise, the research design adopted by Wyk et al paves for a highly

conclusive investigation as to the effects of Mother Tongue Based Education

instruction on second language acquisition. Conversely, this proposed study

presupposes a more modest investigation. This study will correlate the academic
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performance of pupils in their mother tongue subject and in their English subject,

wherein the pupils are concurrently taking up the said courses. A specially prepared

proficiency test will also identify the difficulty index to help determine the specific

areas of difficulty among the pupils in terms of English-related skills. The difficulty

index will be analyzed and interpreted alongside the linguistic features of their mother

tongue to verify if any L1-L2 interference exists and which may be conditioned by

their simultaneous instruction using the mother tongue and English. Although such

analyses may generate findings as to the possible implications of Mother Tongue

Based Education medium of instruction to pupils’ development of English skills;

nevertheless, the theory that such an impact exists can only be inferred from this

study’s prospective findings or which may ignite subsequent research that will

employ a research design that can, more or less, establish greater certainty as to the

causal relationship between the variables.

Challenges of Mother Tongue-Based Education

Despite the many benefits outlined for Mother Tongue Based Education, it

also presents some drawbacks (S. Malone & Paraide, 2011; Oyzon & Fullmer, 2014;

Wa-Mbaleka, 2014) that cannot be ignored in this discussion. First, instructional

materials are not readily available in the majority of local languages. Second, teachers

are not trained in the local languages used for instruction where they teach. Third,

primary school teachers may not have solid training on L1 or L2 learning research and

theories. Fourth, some local languages may not be perceived as important for formal

education. Last, parents may see Mother Tongue Based Education as a disadvantage

for future employability where English is highly valued. All these are major issues
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that any government promoting a Mother Tongue Based Education policy must take

into consideration. Ignoring any of them can certainly lead to certain failure.

Challenges listed above are easily seen in many places around the nation today. The

turmoil is already happening. The future of Mother Tongue Based Education,

however, will be determined by how the Philippine government is able to handle the

turmoil.
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Conceptual Framework

 Perceptions on the use of

Mother Tongue among
Elementary Male and
Female Learners

GENDER

 Preference on the use of

Mother Tongue among
Elementary Male and
Female Learners

Fig. 1. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Figure 1 shows the visual representation of the said study. Gender presents as

the dependent variable, while the Perceptions and Preference on the use of Mother

Tongue among Elementary Male and Female Learners are the independent variables.

The learners were asked to give their preference and perceptions on the use of mother

tongue and to determine the significant differences of both Mother Tongue and

English as Medium of Instruction.

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Theoretical Framework

The language learning theory as stated by Postman (1996) reiterates that

language is a mediating tool in any learning and teaching process. Hence, language

learning in school is crucial for academic growth toward the pedestal of pedagogical

hierarchy. The language academe discourses and knowledge content of any one

subject are closely interconnected.

The use of mother in its pedagogical components, the curriculum reflects the

students' drive to strengthen national identity. Language in the academe is clearly a

complex socio-cultural process that is continually being weighed up by the

multilingual system of the Philippine Educational System (Bernard, 2005).

Halliday (1985) also expresses some of the complexity of the relationship

between the language and learning when he explicated about learning language and

language used in learning. He further expound the aspects of language and cognitive

development, although it must be emphasized that language is a mediating tool

toward the process of constructing meaning and understanding lessons inside the

classroom setting.
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Statement of the Problem

The purpose of the study is to determine the Perceptions and

Preference on the use of Mother Tongue among Elementary Male and

Female Learners. This investigation is led by the following questions:

1. What are the perceptions of Grade 3 learners on the use of mother

tongue as a medium of instruction?

2. What is the preference of Grade 3 learners between the Mother

Tongue as Medium of Instruction and English as Medium of

Instruction?

3. Is there a significant difference in the perceptions of Grade 3

learners on the use of Mother Tongue as Medium of Instruction

based on Gender?

4. Is there a significant difference in the preference of Grade 3

learners between Mother Tongue as Medium of Instruction and

English as Medium of Instruction based on Gender?

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Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined operationally to fully understand the

importance of the study.

Assessment. The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone

or something (Oxford Languages, 2019). As used in this study, this refers to how the

researchers make inferences about the learning and development of students on

various subject areas.

Gender. The characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially

constructed. This includes norms, behaviors and roles associated with being a

woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social

construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time (World

Health Organization, 2022). As used in this study, this refers to all male and female

(or a combination of both) learners who were the respondents of the said study.

K to 12 Program. Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary

education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School

[SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong

learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills

development, employment, and entrepreneurship (Official Gazette, 2018). As used in

this study, this refers to the enhanced basic curriculum in which the Mother Tongue –
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Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) program for education is a salient part

that the pupils are currently using.

Language. A system of conventional spoken, manual (signed), or written symbols by

means of which human beings, as members of a social group and participants in its

culture, express themselves (Britannica, 2017). As used in this study, this refers to the

oral, written, auditory, and visual proficiency used to learn effectively in schools and

academic programs—i.e., the language used in classroom lessons, books, tests, and

assignments.

Learners. Equal and right holders entitled to quality education provision and other

services that ensure survival, development, learning and wellbeing (UNESCO-IBE,

2010). As used in this study, this refers to the pupils of the same school being the

respondents of the said study.

Medium of Instruction. Teaching the language, or educational content, through the

target language increases the amount of exposure the learner gets to it, and the

opportunities they have to communicate in it, and therefore to develop their control of

it. As used in this study, this refers to the language used inside the classroom in order

to teach a particular concept.

Mother Tongue. A person's native language — that is, a language learned from birth.

Also called a first language, dominant language, home language, and native tongue,

although these terms are not necessarily synonymous (Ute’s International Lounge,

2015). As used in this study, this refers to the first language the pupils are exposed to,

the first language they understand and speak.

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Perception. The process by which our brain organizes sensory objects and events,

enabling us to recognize meaning (Study Smarter Co., 2015). As used in this study,

this refers to the subjective perceptions of the learners or their thoughts about the said

study.

Preference. The preference (for somebody/something) a greater interest in or desire

for someone or something than someone or something else (Oxford Learner’s

Dictionary, 2012). As used in this study, this refers to the opportunity or privilege of

the learners in choosing freely their preferred medium of instruction to be used in the

classroom.
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