Implementation of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education in Pangasinan I

The Adelphi College 1 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM Rationale The issue of language is always contested at local, national and international level as it is closely associated with identity, politics and development. Education is one of the major domains where language issues emerge creating debates which sometimes are difficult to settle down. Even if they are addressed at the policy level it may not guarantee quality education in practice. As envisioned by the Education for All (EFA) programme and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG), countries around the world, especially the developing ones like Philippines, are provided with both financial and technical assistance from international development agencies. The countries have also attempted various policy changes to ensure access, equity quality and relevance of primary education. One of the policy level innovations we can see is the introduction of learners’ mother tongues in schools both as a subject and the medium of instruction. Various studies (e.g. Benson, 2002; Dutcher, 2003) have identified that children’s overall educational attainment can be enhanced if they are taught in their mother tongue in early grades. In contrary to this, teaching in a dominant language, _____________________________________________________________________________________

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which is different from children’s mother tongue, in early grades invites serious challenges in education e.g. high drop-out rates, low educational attainment and lack of classroom interaction (UNESCO, 2003). Due to these problems, as reported by Dutcher (2004), a large number of indigenous children, who come from different linguistic groups, are still out of school, and even if they have joined the school they are marred with the low performance on the ground of their low competence in dominant language (s) which is used as the medium of instruction in schools. The language-in-education policy is more complex in a multilingual country like Nepal than in a country having only a few languages. The debate of the selection of the medium of instruction in school is the most dominant issue in language planning and policy. There are mainly two conflicting views in this regard. By supporting the importance of a dominant (e.g. Filipino in the Philippines) and global languages like English (in wider socio-economic contexts), a majority of people argue that children should be taught in national and international languages. On the other hand, there is another view that argues for the use of children’s mother as the medium of instruction in schools to help children develop cognitively and linguistically. Educationists and scholars (e.g. Benson, 2002; Skutnabb-Kangas, 2010). who are in favor of the later claim that learning _____________________________________________________________________________________

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through mother tongue fosters children’s overall educational achievement. This debate indicates that there is need of an appropriate approach in language-ineducation planning which ensures the use of both mother tongues and dominant languages in schools. To this end, there is a growing trend of countries adopting the Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) with aims to address linguistic diversity, ensure linguistic rights of children enshrined in various international declarations and national constitutions, promote access and equity in basic education, and enhance quality of education. The language used for teaching dramatically affects children’s ability to learn. This is because children know thousands of oral vocabulary words and have considerable phonemic awareness in their mother tongue—even before they start school. If schooling takes place in a language they do not know, however, they are unable to use this knowledge and build upon it. Moreover, trying to teach children in a language they cannot understand makes teaching much more difficult, since time must be spent on teaching the language and vocabulary first. In one study, analysis of data from 22 developing countries and 160 language groups revealed that children who had access to instruction in their mother tongue were significantly more likely to be enrolled and attending school. Conversely, lack of education in a child’s first language was a significant reason for children dropping _____________________________________________________________________________________

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out (Smits et al., 2008). As a result, many students repeat grades or drop out of school, while those who stay in school lack basic literacy skills and therefore do not master further content knowledge. Learning in a first language, or familiar language, is “essential for the initial teaching of reading” (Dutcher and Tucker, 1997, p. 36). Yet, an estimated 221 million school-age children speak languages not used as the primary medium of instruction in the formal school system (Walter, cited in Dutcher, 2004), creating significant obstacles for teaching and learning. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that the world’s most linguistically diverse societies account for a significant proportion of out of school children: 54 million of the world’s out of school children live in countries designated as “highly linguistically fractionalized.” This represents 58% of primary-aged children (Alesina 2003, Lewis and Lockheed 2006, UNESCO 2008). In sum, these countries represent 72% of the world’s out-of-school children, an indicating a clear link exists between lack of education in familiar languages and lack of access to education. Getting—and keeping—these out-of-school children into the classroom depends in large part on the language of instruction in the classroom. Teaching children in a language they do not understand significantly impedes their ability to

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access a quality education, especially when coupled with other problems including poverty and poor teaching and learning conditions. One of the changes in Basic Education Curriculum brought about by the new

K-12 program

is the

introduction of MTB-MLE specifically in

Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2 and 3 to support the goal of “ Every Child- A- Reader and A –Writer” by Grade 1.” The preponderance of local and international research consistent with the Basic Education Reform Agenda (BESRA) recommendations affirms the benefits of MTB-MLE. Convinced of this overwhelming evidence showing the advantage of learners who undergo learning in their first language, the Department of Education issued DO 74 on July 14, 2009, and thus institutionalized MTB-MLE “as a fundamental educational policy and program” within the DepEd “in the whole stretch of formal education including pre-school and in the Alternative Learning System (ALS).” To this end, the DepEd, along with partners both in government and in non-government organizations, have joined together to support DO 74 by strategically planning for the implementation of MTB-MLE country-wide. MTB-MLE refers to “first-language-first” education that is, schooling which begins in the mother tongue and transitions to additional languages particularly Filipino and English. It is meant to address the high functional illiteracy of _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 6 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Filipinos where language plays a significant factor. Since the child’s own language enables her/ him to express him/herself easily, then, there is no fear of making mistakes. It encourages active participation by children in the learning process because they understand what is being discussed and what is being asked of them. They can immediately use their mother tongue to construct and explain their world, articulate their thoughts and add new concepts to what they already know. MTB-MLE is a structured program of language learning and cognitive development providing a strong educational foundation in the first language, with successful bridging to one or more additional languages, and enabling the use of both/all languages for life-long learning. The purpose of a multilingual education program is to develop appropriate cognitive and reasoning skills enabling children to operate equally in their community language, the national language and English. Effective multilingual education begins in the mother tongue of the learner with transition to the second (Filipino) and third languages (English). Driving both preservice and inservice teacher training are sets of standards for setting the qualifications and competencies of teachers. Within MTB-MLE these standards should reflect the fact that teachers are prepared to successfully educate students who speak a mother tongue different from the target language of instruction. This requires that teachers understand and can implement strategies for _____________________________________________________________________________________

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using the mother tongue as the primary road for children to build their initial literacy skills as well as using it to bridge to oral and written literacy in the targeted second language. The development and implementation of effective standards for teachers in MTB-MLE programs is an important factor in building successful MTB-MLE programs. With MTB-MLE comes the growing apprehension from the teachers that teaching in a mother tongue-based program requires a vastly different set of skills, many of which they apparently do not have at the moment. The teachers are particularly concerned with practical issues such as producing home-grown and contextually sensitive teaching and reading materials, and how to actually develop greater fluency in their own languages. According to Dr. Dennis and Susan Malone, the leading MLE consultants from SIL International, a critical problem is that in most countries, there are too few certified teachers from local language communities who have the level of fluency needed to use both languages in the classroom. Without the advantage of MTB-MLE, many of the students who do not speak the school language have done poorly in primary school and have not been able to progress through secondary school. The Malones claim that effective and sustainable MTB-MLE programs _____________________________________________________________________________________

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require teachers who are fluent in speaking, reading and writing both their students’ mother tongue and the official school language. With the Department of Education’s nationwide implementation of its own version of mother tongue-based education in kindergarten and first grade, teaching education institutions have their work cut out for them in revising their curricula to be congruent with the new education policy. Ricardo Ma. Nolasco, PhD, an associate professor at the Department of Linguistics in UP Diliman and the MLE adviser of the Eggie Apostol Foundation inferred that it will take more than three years before we can produce and equip our teachers with the necessary competencies in the required languages and in academic content and before reforms translate into better learning outcomes and greater participation rates. A mapping on language use not only by the learners but also by the teachers themselves is a prerequisite that must be taken seriously by education officials as basis for planning sustainable MTB-MLE programs. Since MTB-MLE has as one of its main purposes to acquaint students with the principles of reading and then to build actual reading skills, the curriculum needs to develop materials to make this happen. The broad categories of materials needed to implement an MTB-MLE curriculum include early literacy materials in the mother tongue, a variety of on-grade narrative reading materials using the _____________________________________________________________________________________

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mother tongue, possibly subject-area materials in the mother tongue, materials to transition from the mother tongue into the second language, and then, of course, materials as appropriate for the educational system in the second language. In most cases, appropriate mother tongue materials will be lacking and will need to be prepared. Other educational materials in the mother tongue will likewise have to be constructed by those proficient in writing the language and with appropriate educational backgrounds or experience in constructing learning materials. Likely the most technically demanding skills will be needed to structure the primary literacy materials, since effective materials will require knowledge of how to present the symbol-to-sound rules and the sound-to-meaning conventions for writing the language in a way that aligns with the students' capabilities. In view of these observations and data pertinent to the implementation of MTB-MLE and consequently the teachers and administrators’ knowledge, needs, preparedness and attitude towards it that this present study is created. It looks into how a separate Mother Tongue subject beyond Grade 3 will be advantageous in allowing the continuing transfer of linguistic and cognitive skills across languages. Undeniably, any educational reform in its early stage of implementation is without its teething problems so to speak. Studies have been made on the status of _____________________________________________________________________________________

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the implementation of MTB-MLE and each study brings to the fore the pressing concerns teachers have pertinent to it. Findings of the said studies point to areas where teachers are in need of further assistance such as trainings, strategies typical of MTB-MLE, proficiency in the mother tongue as well as learning resources. Of the areas mentioned, teachers handling Grade I in District III of Lingayen, Division of Pangasinan I point to learning resources as a main concern. The dearth of instructional materials keep them from fully optimizing the utilization of mother tongue as a learning subject. It is for this reason that instructional materials or learning resources are hereby proposed to aid the teachers in Lingayen III in Division of Pangasinan I in the teaching of mother tongue (Pangasinan).

Conceptual /Theoretical Framework Educational theories linked to the mother tongue-based multilingual education suggest that children learn best from a familiar starting point. Learning should begin with what a child knows and understands. Thus, children learn best when using a language they speak and understand well. Mother tongue-based MLE programmes enable learners to begin their education in the language they know best. As they use their own language for learning, they are introduced to the new (official) language and begin learning to communicate in that language. At the _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 11 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

same time, teachers help the learners develop their academic vocabulary in the new language so they can understand and talk about more abstract concepts. In the best programmes, learners continue to develop their ability to communicate and to learn in both languages throughout primary school. Considerable evidence exists that teaching children to read in their first language helps them to learn to read a second language, because language skills that are developed in a first language are transferrable to a second language (UNESCO, 2008; Bialystock, 2006; Geva 2006). Moreover, mastering of the first language promotes cognitive development needed to more easily learn a second language. When children do not learn to read in the early grades, they fall further and further behind their peers who can read, and they continue to fall behind in other academic subjects as well. This phenomenon, known as the “Matthew Effect,” is based on research showing that pupils scoring below a certain reading level by the end of grade 1 stay behind throughout their academic career, and the gap widens as they grow older (Stanovich, K.E., 1986). As a result, many students who do not first learn to read in a language they know never master a second language, and they are more likely to repeat grades or drop out of school. And those students who manage to stay in school frequently lack basic literacy skills and face significant challenges to mastering curriculum content. Although a _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 12 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

commonly heard argument is that children learn language easily and quickly, children need to be taught a language before they are expected learn via that language. To do this, they need to be gradually transitioned into a new language, a process that takes years if done well. When curriculum content is presented in an unfamiliar language, an enormous amount of time must be spent first helping children to understand this language, something that is extremely difficult and wastes valuable years in the early grades when children could be learning in their first language. Research since the 1960s has shown that it takes children until about age 12 to full learn their mother tongue. Once they have learned this first language, learning a second language becomes easier to learn. This is because children have the foundation of knowledge and reading skills to help them learn a new language (McLaughlin, 1992). Republic Act No. 10533 known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013″. declared the policy of the State that every graduate of basic education shall be an empowered individual who has learned, through a program that is rooted on sound educational principles and geared towards excellence, the foundations for learning throughout life, the competence to engage in work and be productive, the ability to coexist in fruitful harmony with local and global _____________________________________________________________________________________

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communities, the capability to engage in autonomous, creative, and critical thinking, and the capacity and willingness to transform others and one’s self. It is for the above reasons that our government has created a functional basic education system that will develop productive and responsible citizens equipped with the essential competencies, skills and values for both life-long learning and employment. In order to achieve this. DepEd has made education learner-oriented and responsive to the needs, cognitive and cultural capacity, the circumstances and diversity of learners, schools and communities through the appropriate languages of teaching and learning, including mother tongue as a learning resource. Basic education is delivered in languages understood by the learners as the language plays a strategic role in shaping the formative years of learners. With the implementation of MTB-MLE, instruction, teaching materials and assessment shall be in the regional or native language of the learners, for kindergarten and the first three (3) years of elementary education, The Department of Education (DepED) formulated a mother language transition program from Grade 4 to Grade 6 so that Filipino and English shall be gradually introduced as languages of instruction until such time when these two (2) languages can become the primary languages of instruction at the secondary level.

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The Adelphi College 14 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

The multilingual provisions in RA 10533, also known as the K-12 law, are incontrovertible evidence that our country has shifted from a “one nation, one language” mindset to one that recognizes our linguistic and cultural pluralism. the implementation of DepEd Order No. 60, s. 2008 and DepEd Order No. 74, s. 2009 caused a significant change in the current educational landscape. The former recognizes that the mother tongue, when used as the language of instruction (LOI), is the most effective way to improve student learning. Correspondingly, the latter mandate aptly institutionalized Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) as a fundamental educational policy program, founded on the basic premise of starting "where the learners are, and from what they already know" (Nolasco, 2009: 2). MTB-MLE advances education beginning with the child's first language (L1) and the subsequent gradual introduction of other languages along with the buildup of the child's L1 skills. Almost two years after the Department of Education, through Order No. 74 s. 2009, pushed for the use of the first language in basic education, efforts at implementing MTB-MLE (mother tongue based multilingual education) are now gaining significant ground. Many Filipino children begin their education in a language they do not speak or understand as well as their first language. In this setting, only the learners' first language can provide the kind of bridge to a personal identity that _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 15 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

incorporates both an ethnic and a national dimension. MTB-MLE forwards an alternative, ideological model of literacy which develops the critical thinking skills of the students, builds cognitive and affective domains. and values their local language experience and culture Thus, by 'first establishing the empowering role of language in the social system of the students' community, groundwork is laid for the expansion of the students' identity to include their role in the larger national and international contexts.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL IN MOTHER TONGUE (PANGASINAN) FOR GRADE I PUPILS INPUT 1. Profile of Grade I Pupils in terms of the following: a. Age b. Sex c. First Language spoken at home (L1) 2. Level of Performance 3. Mastered and Not Mastered Skills

PROCESS 1. Preparation, Validation and Administration of the First Quarter Examination 2. Analysis and Interpretation of a. Profile

OUPUT

Instructional Material in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) for Grade I Pupils

b. Level of Performance c. Figure Mastered I and Not Mastered Skills

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3. Development of Instructional Material

The Adelphi College 16 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Paradigm of the Study

Statement of the Problem This study sought to develop instructional material in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) for Grade I pupils at Lingayen III District, Division of Pangasinan I, School Year 2014-2015. 1. What is the profile of the Grade I pupils in terms of : a. Age b. Sex c. Language spoken at home (L1/First Language) 2. What is the level of performance of the Grade I Pupils in Lingayen III District, Division of Pangasinan I in the First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan)? 2.W hat are the mastered skills and not mastered skills of the Grade I pupils based from the First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) ? 4. What instructional material may be proposed to improve the performance of the Grade I pupils in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan)?

Assumption Instructional material improves the performance of the Grade I pupils in Mother Tongue.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study This study is delimited to the analysis of the profile of the Grade I pupils at Lingayen, Division of Pangasinan in terms of age, profile and language spoken at home (first language) as well as their level of performance in the First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) for the school year 2014-2015. It, _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 17 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

then, zeroed in on the mastered and not mastered skills of the Grade I pupils based on the First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan). The study is delimited to the Grade I pupils at District of Lingayen, Division of Pangasinan I in the mother tongue (Pangasinan).

Importance of the Study Language is one of the most important variables affecting education. Indeed, we will not achieve Education for All unless we provide children with the opportunity to learn in their mother tongue and provide them with adequate instructional materials, too. The MTB-MLE path to school success is based on providing children with an equitable opportunity to access learning. With the scope covered by this study pertinent to MTB-MLE, this is considered beneficial to the following: To the school administrators, the results of this study will serve as an eyeopener for them in the light of the concerns the teachers have with regards to the implementation of MTB-MLE and address them. It is with hope that the results of this study will compel school administrators to complement teacher trainings with MTB-MLE techniques and instructional materials. To the teachers, the data in this study will give them a better perspective of what MTB-MLE is and the gains that we stand to obtain from its implementation.

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The Adelphi College 18 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

The results of this study will better equip them in carrying out instruction using the mother tongue and complement it with corresponding instructional materials. To the students, this study will provide them an environment in which they learn best as the language used to teach them is also the one they speak in their home. To the parents, the results of this study will better involve them in their children’s education, since they are less likely to be intimidated by the unfamiliar school environment when their language is the medium of instruction.

Definition of Terms Used The following terms in this study are defined operationally to give the reader a clearer and better understanding on how these terms are used. Age. It refers to the age bracket used representative of the school age of the Grade I respondents. First Quarter Examination. It refers to the first conducted periodic assessment of the pupil-respondents’ mastery of the lessons as well as of the expected competencies or skills. L1. It refers to the first language of the pupil-respondents which is Pangasinan. It refers to their mother tongue. Language Spoken at home. It refers to the medium or dialect predominantly used by the pupil-respondents for communication in their respective homes. Mastered Skills. It refers to the abilities or competencies that the pupilrespondents are able to carry out with pre-determined results within a given _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 19 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

grading period. The skills are said to be mastered by the Grade I pupils if 75% of them answered the test item correctly. Mother Tongue. It refers to the first language or native of the pupilrespondents which they have either learned from birth or within the critical period of language acquisition. It refers to Pangasinan, the mother tongue of the Grade I respondents in this study. Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBM-MLE). It refers to the “first-language-first” education that is, schooling which begins in the mother tongue in the primary grades and transitions to additional languages particularly Filipino and English. It refers to the learning subject made compulsory in Grades IIII as part of the requirements of the implementation of the K to 12 program Not Mastered Skills. It refers to the tasks or competencies that the pupilrespondents failed to learn or accomplish within the time frame or grading period. The skills are said to be not mastered if 75% of the Grade I respondents failed to answer the test item/s correctly.

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES _____________________________________________________________________________________

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This chapter presents a review of literature and studies that have a bearing on this study.

Related Literature For several decades, education and language policies in the Philippines have been a popular subject of debate especially among policy makers and school administrators. The 1974 Bilingual EducationPolicy (BEP) and the 1987 constitutional mandate on the status of Filipino, in particular, were significant issues contributing to the course of the Philippine education system (Rubrico, 1998;Acuña & Miranda, 1994).More recently, the implementation of DepEd Order No. 60, s. 2008 and DepEd Order No. 74, s.2009 caused a significant change in the current educational landscape. The former recognizes that the mother tongue, when used as the language of instruction (LOI), is the most effective way to improve student learning. Correspondingly, the latter mandate aptly institutionalized Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) as a fundamental educational policy program, founded on the basic premise of starting “where the learners are, and from what they already know”(Nolasco, 2009). MTB-MLE advances education beginning with the child’s first language (L1) and the subsequent gradual introduction of other languages along with the buildup of the child’s L1skills Language is not everything in education, but without language, everything is nothing in education (Wolf, 2006). In our constitution, education policies and laws _____________________________________________________________________________________

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are favorable toward using children's home language as a medium of instruction in basic education. Multilingual Education typically refers to "first-language-first" in education, that is, a child’s schooling begins in his or her mother tongue and later transitions to additional languages. Typically MTB-MLE programs are conducted in developing countries where speakers of minority languages tend to be disadvantaged

in

mainstream

education.

"Multilingual

education

helps

linguistically marginalized communities bridge to the broader society, allowing them to acquire the national language without losing their own identity." (Kosonen, 2009) People learn best when they learn in a language they understand well. Multilingual education (MLE) makes quality education possible by adapting conventional instructional methods and materials to fit a local culture. It creates a bridge over the cultural and linguistic barriers that block minority language speakers from learning and living within the wider language and culture. MTB education is instruction in a child‘s first language (L1), usually with a planned gradual transition to a second language (L2) or foreign language at a specified time in primary school. MTB instruction usually takes place exclusively in the language most familiar to children. In some cases, it may be provided as part of a bilingual or multilingual education program. In MTB programs, students have the opportunity to learn core concepts primarily in a familiar language, and, later, _____________________________________________________________________________________

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they learn the labels or vocabulary for those concepts in a new language. MTB education is especially beneficial in early childhood programs, preschool, and the early grades (up to grade 6), when children are learning to read and gaining new concepts. The curriculum associated with a MTB-MLE program determines the scope and sequencing of learning objectives. The goal of the curriculum is to build for teachers a comprehensive framework in which any particular learning objective is understood in terms of its necessary precursors. Particularly in early years, the curriculum has to align itself with the still developing cognitive capabilities of students, their still limited experience, and with their interests. So the precursor for any learning unit acts as a necessary bridge to successful learning of the unit. The fundamental tenet of the MTB-MLE curriculum is that the early learning of the child, most importantly the learning of the principles of literacy and the child's first exposure to reading, must be done in the child's mother tongue (Walter, S. and Dekker, D. 2011). From there the curriculum related to language will consider to what extent the child will continue to learn in the mother tongue and to learn language arts in the mother tongue and the pace at which he or she will transition to another language of instruction. If an educational system requires the use of a second language, the curriculum should also incorporate an instructional strategy _____________________________________________________________________________________

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for bridging from the mother tongue into that language. Typically, this will be done through an explicit subject area called, for example, English (or French, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, etc.) as a Second Language. In this case, the curriculum should follow established principles of second language acquisition. Instructional approaches and strategies are typically spelled out in the curriculum. A finely detailed curriculum might even provide lesson plans or suggestions for lesson plans to guide teachers. Mother tongue-based MLE programmes enable learners to begin their education in the language they know best. As they use their own language for learning, they are introduced to the new (official) language and begin learning to communicate in that language. At the same time, teachers help the learners develop their academic vocabulary in the new language so they can understand and talk about more abstract concepts.6 In the best programmes, learners continue to develop their ability to communicate and to learn in both languages throughout primary school (Shaeffer, S. 2003). The “steps” below help to illustrate the progression of language learning in strong MLE programmes:

Continue building oral and written competence in both languages _____________________________________________________________________________________ Use L2 with L1 for teaching and learning Introduce reading and writing in L2 Continue building oral and written L1 and oral L2 Introduce official language (L2) orally7 Continue building oral and written L1

The Adelphi College 24 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Introduce reading and writing in L1

Booklet for Policy Makers Continue building oral L1 Use L1 for teaching and learning Build competence and confidence in home language (L1) orally (for children who are just beginning school) Use home language (L1) for teaching and learning

Figure 2. Steps in the Progression of Language Learning Having established an educational foundation in their home language, students begin learning the new language, first orally and then in written form. They do not stop using their first language as soon as they have achieved basic competency in the new language. Rather, they continue using both languages for learning, at least through primary school: When children continue to develop their abilities in two or more languages throughout their primary school years, they gain a deeper understanding of language and how to use it effectively. They have more practice in processing language, especially when they develop literacy in both, and they are able to

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compare and contrast the ways in which their two languages organize reality (Cummins, J. 200). The most important features of this process are that: 

Education begins with what the learners already know, building on the language and culture, knowledge and experience that they bring with them when they

start school; 

Learners gradually gain confidence in using the new (official) language, before it becomes the only language for teaching academic subjects; and



Learners achieve grade level competence in each subject because teachers use their home language, along with the official school language, to help them understand the academic concepts. When curriculum content is presented in an unfamiliar language, an

enormous amount of time must be spent first teaching children to understand, speak, read, and write L2 or a foreign language, something that is extremely difficult and wastes valuable years in the early grades that could be spent learning to read and learning academic concepts in L1. Moreover, children who cannot understand the language used in the classroom are unable to demonstrate what they _____________________________________________________________________________________

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know, ask questions, and participate. In contrast, providing children with an opportunity to learn in a language they understand—starting on the first day of school—confers significant advantages for the education system, teachers, parents, and students. Key benefits of MTB-MLE education include the following: • Improves access to education. Children who understand the language of instruction are more likely to enter school at age-appropriate times and attend school regularly; moreover, they are less likely to drop out than those who receive instruction in a foreign language. An analysis of data from 22 developing countries and 160 language groups revealed that children who had access to instruction in their mother tongue were significantly more likely to be enrolled and attending school, while a lack of education in a first language was a significant reason for children dropping out (Smits et al., 2008). In another study in Mali, students in classrooms that used children‘s first languages as the language of instruction were five times less likely to repeat the year and more than three times less likely to drop out (Bender et al., 2005). The chances of keeping children in school, then, are significantly improved if they can understand and learn productively in the language in the classroom. • Improves reading and learning outcomes. A recent review of research reports on language and literacy concludes that becoming literate and fluent in _____________________________________________________________________________________

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one‘s first language is important for overall language and cognitive development, as well as academic achievement (Ball, 2010). Evidence from 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 a repository of vocabulary, knowledge of the linguistic construction of the language, and the ability to pronounce the sounds of the language. This prior knowledge facilitates learning to read, as well as comprehending text. Being able to read and understand the language in turn facilitates academic learning. For example, a recent evaluation of a mother tongue education program in Cameroon reveals that children who were taught in their mother tongue, Kom, performed significantly better—125% on average—in multiple subjects (including math and English) than a control group of peers who attended schools where English was the medium of instruction (Chuo and Walter, 2011). In Vietnam, 68% of grade one students in a mother tongue program achieved the level of ―excellent compared to only 28% of students not learning in their mother tongue (UNICEF, 2011). Similar results were achieved in a program in the Philippines, where children learning in their mother tongue showed statistically significant improvements in all subjects compared to children who were learning only in Filipino (Walter and Dekker, 2011). _____________________________________________________________________________________

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The literature reviewed by the researcher contributed significantly to the present study. These literatures are pertinent and related to the research work since they all pertain to Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education and the issues or cocnerns that arise from its implementation this school year. These literatures provided the researcher relevant data on areas of concern pertinent to MTB-MLE.

Related Studies Foreign MTB-MLE will help to create positive thinking between the individual and society. In a study on integration of local contents in school curricula, Kadel (2011) believed that MTB-MLE at the beginning of basic education will be effective in providing quality education in a learner-friendly environment. His study indicated that the development of indigenous people and ethnic minorities is linked with the students’ freedoms of choices and freedoms of using alternative combinations in order to address their linguistic and cultural needs in harmony with their material conditions and value system. The medium of instruction for basic education should be the child's mother tongue. This is especially true for pre-‐primary and primary education (Grades 1 to 5). Children have a right to basic education in their own mother tongue because of the benefit to their cognitive development and because it helps them to develop a _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 29 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

strong foundation in educational concepts. Children understand subject matter much more easily and effectively in their mother tongue. They are able to use the literacy skills gained in their mother tongue to learn to read and write in additional languages. If we wish to provide quality education to our children, the mother tongue should be used as the medium of instruction in the early grades. Additionally, this Mother Tongue-‐Based Multilingual Education (MTBME) helps to transfer historical identity, knowledge, concepts, culture and skills to the next generation. According to Dr. Ellen Bialystok of York University in Toronto, "There are two major reasons people should pass their heritage language onto children. First, it connects children to their ancestors. The second is [that] bilingualism is good for you. It makes the brain stronger. It is brain exercise. Her research found several cognitive advantages to bilingualism, including that bilingualism can forestall the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Wikipedia defines education as “the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills and values from one generation to another." In line with these assumptions, the Ministry of Education of the Government of Nepal has developed a school sector reform plan in which they have decided to introduce mother tongue-‐based multilingual education in 7500

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Primary schools and distribute guidelines for the implementation of multilingual education. Kadel stressed that first requirement is to bring human resources for the country up to international standards. For this to happen there is a

need to

standardize the public school education system. The current curricula used in the private schools are geared towards meeting western requirements alone. Therefore, they have to recognize the need and importance of public schools in their nation’s development. To meet the requirement to bring human resources for the country up to high standards, basic education should start in the child's mother tongue and gradually introduce instruction in the medium of other languages through the literacy skills that have been obtained in the mother tongue. This will help the children to become good learners throughout their whole lives. Kadel’s study and the present study are related in terms of the subject which both covers MTB-MLE. Both studies underscored the benefits we stand to gain from the incorporation of MTB-MLE in the curriculum. Both studies still differ though in terms of the advantages of MTB-MLE. Whereas Kadel highlighted MTB-MLE’s significance to preservation of culture and transfer of historical identity, the present study zeroes in on the concerns and needs of the teachers with regards to the implementation of MTB-MLE, or specifically the mother tongue as a learning subject. _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 31 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Local Studies indicate that MTB-MLE contributes to student success. In the Lubuagan community, researchers found that children in a mother tongue education program out-performed students in Filipino and English medium schools by a difference of 40 percentage points. Walter, Dekker, and Duguiang undertook the Lubuagan MLE Project in 2007-2008 wherein three experimental class schools implementing the Mother Tongue based MLE approach are compared with three control class schools implementing the traditional method of immersion in two new languages. Schools are of the same SES (Social Economic Status). One school has two sections where students are randomly placed in experimental or control classes. Lubuagan students are monolingual at the time they begin their education. Philippine Policy has it that English and Filipino are the medium of instruction allowing the L1 to be used as an auxiliary language. This creates comprehension difficulties resulting in low achievement. Walter et al in their study forwarded the use of mother tongue to teach curriculum content and to teach English and Filipino as second and third languages. The study showed empirical evidence which supports the value of Mother Tongue education. Using the Mother Tongue will not hinder the learning of second and third languages. The research study showed that the use of the mother tongue strengthens the acquisition of second and third languages. When children learn in _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 32 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

their mother tongue their cognitive skills continue to build, enabling greater ability to handle cognitively demanding study and strengthening learning of other languages. The study made by Walter, Dekker and Duguiang and the present study are related in as far as the subject is concerned, MTB-MLE. Both still differ though in terms of scope or area of concern. While their study focused on the higher achievement scores with the use of MTB, the present study looks into the needs arising from the use of the Mother Tongue as a learning subject. Ilao, Santos and Guevara (2011) made an objective analysis of the levels of agreement, in terms of grammar and orthographic rules, between reference books and actual usage as evidenced from web-mined text corpora for three major Philippine languages, namely Filipino, Cebuano-Visayan and Ilokano.. Their findings concurred that the implementation of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) will require definitive rules for orthography and grammar. While there are such rules for some Philippine languages, there is a need to determine the agreement and points of departure between the rules and the usage to avoid confusion. A list of language rules on grammar and orthography were selected from standard reference books for each of the aforementioned languages. Alternative forms of usage for each selected language rule were identified, and frequency counts were made, to be used as bases for a comparative analysis _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 33 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

between the rules prescribed by standard reference books and actual language usage. The techniques used in this study are important in language education, serving to identify areas of Variation in language use in aspects of grammar and orthography. Looking at the 2009 DepEd circular, and considering the papers that show successful MTB-MLE practice, it is evident that an important prerequisite to this program is a working orthography that is widely acceptable to the learning community, and which is compatible to that language‟s intellectualization. The linguistic diversity of the Philippines, with 171 living languages and around 500 dialects, is a big challenge to such an initiative, where the requisite maturity of orthographic systems of each candidate language of instruction cannot be guaranteed. Moreover, as the MTB-MLE program matures, there comes a need to refine the grammatical and orthographic rules of the language being used for instruction, as it is increasingly being used in the academic setting. These scenarios argue for the need of a system that can periodically monitor the state of a language’s development, by observing how it is being used by a population of users. The study made by Ilao, Santos and Guevarra are both pertinent to MTBMLE. This is where their similarities lie. However, on the whole, both studies differ. They differ on focus and concentration of study. The former focused on the _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 34 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

need for definitive rules in orthography and grammar vis-à-vis the implementation of MTB-MLE while the present study deals primarily on the teachers’ concerns and perceived needs towards the use of the mother tongue as a learning subject. Using descriptive method of research, Corpuz (2012) looked into the status of the implementation of MTB-MLE in Malsiqui District II. It zeroed in on the teacher’s proficiency in the language, adequacy of instructional materials as well as the teachers’ preparedness for the said curricular reform. Results of the study show that majority of the teachers handling Grades I- III are proficient in the language but lacked the instructional materials as well as the training that would make them better equipped to handle the challenges or requirements there are to the use of the mother tongue in the said grade levels. The study conducted by Corpuz and the present study are related. They both deal on the concerns arising from the implementation of the MTB-MLE. They differ, though, in terms of scope. Whereas the study made by Corpuz focused on the status of the implementation of MTB-MLE in the Division of Pangasinan I, the present study looks into the concerns the teachers of Malasiqui District II have from the use of the mother tongue as a learning subject. Three years into its implementation, this educational policy or reform pertinent still seems to be weighed down by concerns from among the primary teachers. Blaquir (2012) determined the status of the implementation of the Mother _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 35 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Tongue as a learning subject and medium of instruction in the Division of Pangasinan I. Utilizing a survey questionnaire, it looked into the preparedness of the teachers vis-à-vis the trainings attended, proficiency in the mother tongue, strategies used typical of MTB-MLE and the problems they encountered with the implementation of MTB-MLE. Results show that primary teachers in the Division of Pangasinan I have to reckon with concerns stemming from their lack of trainings, of having to use another language as accessory to the mother tongue, and that the strategies they employ are few and devoid of the very strategies typical of MTB-MLE such as the Total Physical Response. The study conducted by Blaquir on the status of the implementation of MTB-MLE and the present study are related. They both zeroed in on the status of the implementation of MTB-MLE. They differ; however, on the scope. Whereas the study of Blaquir looked into the concerns of the teachers have had with regards to its implementation, the present study looked into how the Grade I pupils are faring in the Mother Tongue as a learning subject side by side with the skills they ought to have mastered in the First Grading Period based on the results of the First Quarter Examination. Evangelista (2013) conducted a study on the implementation of the Mother Tongue as a learning area in Malasiqui District I. It looked into how the Grade I pupils are able to master the competencies expected of them in the said subject _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 36 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

through a documentary analysis. Based on the results of a diagnostic test, the researcher analysed the respondents’ scores based on the competencies under MTB-MLE. Results of the study show that the Grade I pupils in Malasiqui District I are not satisfactorily performing along the areas of reading comprehension and vocabulary development. Furthermore, the study show how the minimal difference between the languages they spoke at home, Pangasinan and Filipino. This would account for the poor results of the diagnostic test as well as the pupils’ inability to understand the Pangasinan terms, meanings of which elude them. Evangelista’s study and the present study on MTB-MLE are related. Both studies looked into the status of the implementation of MTB-MLE. Still, the study conducted by Evangelista is different with the present study. Though Evangelista’s study focused on the status of the implementation of MTB-MLE, it singled out the use of the Mother Tongue as a learning subject. Moreover, it looked into the mastery of the competencies under the Mother Tongue as a learning subject through a documentary analysis of the results of a diagnostic test. The present study, meanwhile, looked into the status of the mastery or non-mastery of the skills expected of the Grade I pupils in the Mother Tongue. Furthermore, the present study analysed the results of the First Quarter Examination in the Mother Tongue as basis of the pupils’ mastery or non-mastery of the skills. _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 37 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

The studies cited all contributed significantly in the conduct of the present study. The data presented, particularly the results, aided the researcher into a careful deliberation of the analysis needed in determining the salient factors that will make the present study true to the data gathered. Likewise, the studies highlighted facets of the mother tongue in need of further deliberation.

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This chapter presents the methodology of this study. It covers the sources of data, instrumentation and data collection, and the tools for data gathering.

Research Design This study utilized the descriptive-developmental method of research. It described the profile of the Grade I pupils in terms of age, sex and language spoken at home (first language) as well as their level of performance in mother tongue (Pangasinan)

in the First Quarter Examination

in Mother Tongue

(Pangasinan). It also determined the mastered and not mastered skills from the First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan).

It also utilized

developmental method as it proposed to develop instructional material to improve the performance of the Grade I pupils in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan).

Research Subject

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The Adelphi College 38 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

The subjects of this study are the Grade I pupils in Lingayen District III, this School Year 2014-2015. There are 141 pupils of which 52 are males and 89 are females. The 20% of the population of each school served as the subjects of the study. Table 1 shows the distribution of respondents per school and enrolment. Table 1 Distribution of Pupil Respondent School Aliwekwek Aplaya Balococ Bantayan Basing Lasip Matalava Pangapisan Poblacion Rosario Wawa

Enrolment 23 79 52 31 54 56 76 144 79 45 64

Respondents 5 16 10 6 11 11 15 29 16 9 13

Research Instrument Part I of the questionnaire was composed of the profile of the respondents. Part II was focused on the results of the teacher-made test in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) in the First Quarter Exam as the primary tool in gathering the necessary data for the study.

Research Procedure

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Permission to conduct this study was requested by the researcher from the Schools Division Superintendent of Pangasinan I. After permission was granted, the researcher then, coursed through the school heads of the 11 schools under Lingayen III District the questionnaire and explained the mechanics of the questionnaire as well as the importance of the study. The researcher personally coordinated with the said school heads to ensure that data gathered from the respondents will be true to all schools in the district.

Statistical Treatment of the Data Data gathered from the respondents were treated with appropriate statistical measures.

1. To answer problem number 1, the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, age, and first language spoken at home shall be determined through the use of frequency counts and percentage. The formula is : P = fx/n x l00 Where: P = is the percentage fx = is the percentage n = is the number of cases 2. To answer problem number 2, the level of performance of the Grade I Pupils in Lingayen III District in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) in the First Quarter Examination shall be determined by using the

Mean Percentage Score. The

formula is : MPS = M/HPS x l00 _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 40 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Where: MPS = is the mean percentage score M = is the mean HPS = is the highest possible score 3. To answer problem number 3, the mastered and not mastered skills of the Grade I pupils based on the First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue (Pangasinense) shall be determined by using frequencies that were converted into percentages. In the interpretation, a skill/competence where the pupils obtain percentages of 75 or higher indicate a mastery of the skills. In the same manner, percentages of students who got below 75% and lower indicate a non-mastery of the skills/competencies.

CHAPTER 4 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA This chapter deals with the presentation, table reading, analysis, interpretation of the data on the profile of the Grade I pupils in Lingayen III district _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 41 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

as well as their level of performance and mastered and not mastered skills in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) in the First Quarter Examination. The data are presented in the order of the statement of the problem. Profile of the Grade 1 pupils in Lingayen III District In terms of Age Table 2 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Pupils in Terms of their Age (N=141 ) Age 5 6 7 8 9 Total

Frequency 33 104 2 1 1 141

Percent 23.40% 73.76% 1.42% 0.71% 0.71% 100%

Table 2 presents the pupils’ age in Lingayen III District. Ranging from 5 years of age to 9 years of age, the data reveal that of the 141pupils, 73.76% or 104 are aged 6, 23.40% or 33 are aged 5,

and 1.42% or 1 are aged 8 and 9,

respectively. It can be gleaned from the data that majority of the pupils in Lingayen III District are aged 6. Profile of the Grade 1 pupils in Lingayen III District In Terms of their Sex Table 3 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Pupils in Terms of their Sex (N=141 ) Sex Male

Frequency 52

Percent 37%

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Female Total

89 141

63% 100%

Of the 141 Grade I pupils in Lingayen III District, it is noteworthy that 63% or 89 are females while 37% or 52 of them are males. It would seem that elementary schools in Lingayen III District have more female pupils than male pupils. Profile of the Grade 1 pupils in Lingayen III District In Terms of the First Language Spoken at Home Table 4 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Pupils in Terms of the First Language Spoken at Home (N=141 ) Age Pangasinan Tagalog English Total

Frequency 116 25 0 141

Percent 82% 18% 0% 100%

Language spoken at home refers to the pupils L1 (first language) or the language they are proficient at. Of the three languages, Pangasinanense, Filipino and English respectively, it is apparent that the Grade I pupils in Lingayen III District are proficient in Pangasinense as evidenced by the higher percentage for the said language, 82 or 116 of the total 141. It is interesting to note that while 18% or 25 of the pupils claim to have Filipino as the language spoken at home, none of the respondents referred to English as the language spoken at home. The results _____________________________________________________________________________________

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can be taken in two ways, positively and negatively. The result is an affirmation of how the Pangasinan language is still the first language of the pupils, and in the process, an advantage with it being a learning subject and a medium of instruction in the primary grades. On the other hand, the results also imply that none of the pupils’ parents train their children to speak English which can be attributed to the pupils’ deficiency in the said language. Performance in Mother Tongue based on the First Quarter Examination Table 5 Level of Performance in Mother Tongue in the First Oral Examination

Advanced Proficient Approaching Proficiency Developing Beginning Total

Frequency (F) 0 5 2 3 1 11

Percentage (%) 0 45.45 18.18 27.27 9.1 100

How did the Grade I pupils in the Lingayen III District fare in the First Quarter Examination in the Mother Tongue (Pangasinense)? The data in the table reveal the level of performance of the said pupils in the district in terms of their level of proficiency. Of the 11 schools under the Lingayen III District, it can be noted that none reached the advanced level while five (5) schools’ level of performance proved to be proficient (45.45%). It is discouraging to note that six (6) of the schools fared _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 44 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

poorly with two (2) schools approaching proficiency(18.18%), three (3) schools’ (27.27%) level of performance were found to be developing and one (1) (9.1) was found to be still at the level of beginning. Ideally, the level of performance of the Grade I pupils in Mother Tongue in the First Oral Examination should either be proficient or approaching proficiency considering that these pupils have already finished kindergarten and were taught no longer new to the instruction in the mother tongue. Though the overall performance of the schools under the Lingayen III District is generally good, it stills calls for a vigilant monitoring of the delivery of instruction. Likewise, it also calls for

a review of the strategies employed by the teachers to ensure that

optimum participation of the pupils is met. The result also draws particular attention to the need of beefing up of instructional materials so as to generally improve, too, their level of performance which will consequently influence their proficiency level in the quarterly examinations. This is particularly true to the schools whose level of performance is still either at the beginning or developing. Specifically, close monitoring should be done to the lone school with a level of performance under beginning. This implies a comparison and observation of instruction as well as data of Basing Elementary School to those of the five (5) schools in the said district and see how this can be addressed or resolved. The six _____________________________________________________________________________________

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(6) schools lagging behind in terms of their level of performance in Mother Tongue need to be more vigorous in their approaches to instruction and evaluation. What the schools under Lingayen III District can do, particularly those lagging behind, is to benchmark with those schools that are doing well. Moreover, peer coaching and mentoring activities will also do well in addressing the concerns raised. Through these activities, continuing professional development among teachers is best fostered. Teachers who have been in the profession for a good number of years could be at the helm of these professional activities. Likewise, the master teachers in the district could come up with innovations and share their best practices to the teachers, particularly to those who are newly hired or new in the system. Table 6 Skills Mastered and Not Mastered by the Grade I Pupils Based on the First Quarter Examination Objectives

No. of Items

75% of Items

No. of Pupils who Scored 75%

Percentage of Pupils who Scored 75%

Remarks/ Description

5 1

39 42

27.65 29.78

Not Mastered Not Mastered

11

120

Listening 1. Recall the important details in listening to a story 2. Identify rhyming words

Speaking 1. Give the letter that begins the name of a given object /picture

85.10

Mastered

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2. Give the sounds of letters in the alphabet

2

117

82.97

Mastered

3

115

81.56

Mastered

3

119

84.39

Mastered

5

109

77.30

Mastered

Reading 1. Identify the sounds of animals, transportation and objects 2. Answer literal level questions about repository text read

Writing 1. Observe mechanics when copying or writing sentence, capitalization, space between words , correct punctuation

A thorough study of the pupils’ score in the test vis-à-vis the instructional objectives in the pupils’ mother tongue as a subject show how the pupils have mastered 5 of the indicated 7 skills or objectives. The data show how the Grade I pupils in Lingayen III District have mastered and/or are strong in areas pertinent to a) recognizing/giving the letter that begins the name of a given object/picture (85.10%); b) giving the sounds of letters in the alphabet (82.97); c) identifying sounds of animals, transportation and objects (81.56%); d) answering literal level given questions about repository text read (84.39%), and e) observing mechanics when copying or writing sentence such as rules with regard to observance of _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 47 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

capitalization, punctuation and spacing between words (77.30%). The data affirm how the Grade I pupils were off to a good start in as far as the competencies or skills they have mastered in speaking, reading and writing in the First Quarter are concerned. They, however, need to be exposed and guided more in the skills or objectives they failed to master: a) recalling the important details in listening to a story where only 27..65 % or 39 out of the 141 pupils scored 75% , and b) identifying rhyming words with just 29.78 % or 42 pupils who scored 75%. The results call for a thorough exposure and practice on the said areas so the pupils would possess the ability needed to master the skill required of such tasks. From the four basic communication skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, the data reveal that the Grade I pupils of Lingayen III District are strong or doing well along speaking and reading. It is apparent that they are faring poorly in writing and particularly in listening. This implies that activities, instruction and evaluation should target noting details in a story as well as the observance of mechanics in copying or writing a sentence. The quarterly examination sums up and gauges how well the pupils have mastered the skills and attained the objectives vis-à-vis the instruction they are exposed to in their classes. More than just knowing a thing or two about the lesson, it becomes imperative that the pupils become adept or able at the skills required of them with or in each lesson. Thus, to prepare the Grade I pupils in Lingayen III _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 48 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

District to meet the gradation and complexity of skills and competencies of the coming quarter, they should have mastered all the skills or met the objectives in the first quarter. Teachers, then, are tasked to ensure the mastery of all skills and the attainment of lesson objectives by all pupils in every quarter. Ideally, all the competencies should have been mastered by the Grade I pupils. On the other hand, it can be acknowledged that with the pupils learning at their own pace, want the teachers in the district can best do is to gauge how their pupils learn best.

CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY, CONLCUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS This chapter presents a review of the entire study with emphasis on the significant findings, conclusions derived from the findings and recommendations of the researcher.

Summary Many Filipino children begin their education in a language they do not speak or understand as well as their first language. In this setting, only the learners' first language can provide the kind of bridge to a personal identity that incorporates both an ethnic and a national dimension. To this end, the Department of Education issued DO 74 on July 14, 2009, and thus institutionalized MTB MLE “as a fundamental educational policy and program” to address linguistic diversity, ensure linguistic rights of children enshrined in various international declarations _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 49 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

and national constitutions, promote access and equity in basic education, and enhance quality of education This study sought to develop instructional materials in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) for Grade I pupils at Lingayen III , Division of Pangasinan I, School Year 2014-2015 to improve their level of performance and mastery of skills in Mother Tongue. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the Grade I pupils in terms of : a. Age b. Sex c. First Language spoken at home 2. What is the level of performance of the Grade I Pupils in Lingayen, Division of Pangasinan I in the First Quarter Examination in mother tongue (Pangasinan)? 3.W hat are the mastered skills and not mastered skills of the Grade I pupils based from the First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue (Pangasinan) ? 4. What instructional material may be proposed to improve the performance of the Grade I pupils in mother tongue (Pangasinan)?

Findings 1. Majority of the Grade I pupils in Lingayen III District are aged 6 (73.76%) and are females (63%). The language they spoke at home is Pangasinan (82%) which consequently make Pangasinan their first language or mother tongue. 2. Of the 11 schools under the Lingayen III District, none reached the advanced level while five (5) schools’ level of performance proved to be proficient (45.45%); _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 50 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

six (6) of the schools fared poorly with two (2) schools approaching proficiency (18.18%), three (3) schools’ (27.27%) level of performance were found to be developing and one (1) (9.1) was found to be still at the level of beginning. 3. Of the 7 objectives and competencies the Grade I pupils were expected to master and attain , the pupils had mastered 5 and 2 were not mastered. They failed to master the competencies in listening with just 27.65% scoring 75% in recalling the important details in listening to a story and only 29. 78% scoring 75% in identifying rhyming words. Conclusions: 1. The Grade I pupils in Lingayen III District adhere to what the Department of Education required of school age for Grade I as majority of them are aged 6. Pangasinan remains to be the first language of the pupils as it is still the language spoken at their homes. 2. None of the 11 schools under the Lingayen III District has reached advanced level of performance in Mother Tongue in the First Quarter Examination. While majority of the schools were found to be proficient, one school was still in the beginning level or stage. 3. Majority of the instructional objectives and skills/competencies in the mother tongue as a subject were met by the Grade I pupils as indicated by the 5 areas where they have mastered the skills. _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 51 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

4. The developed supplementary instructional material can address the teachers’ problems in as far as the content, suitability and coverage of the MTBMLE instructional materials are concerned. Recommendations Based on the findings of this study and the conclusions drawn from such findings, the following recommendations are hereby offered: 1. The developed supplementary instructional material in MTBMLE shall be subjected to pilot testing before its utilization in all Grade I public elementary classes in Lingayen III District. 2. The effectiveness of the developed supplementary instructional material in MTBMLE can be determined by undertaking an experimental study. 3. Effective and continuous monitoring and evaluation shall be done to determine the impact of the utilization of the developed supplementary instructional material. 4. Educational authorities shall undertake series of trainings for teachers in Lingayen III District in other learning areas that focus on the development of supplementary instructional material/s.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY A. BOOKS Baker, C. (2001) Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism (3rd edn.) Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Celce-Murcia, M. (2006). Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language 3rd Edition. Singapore: Heinle&Heinle A Division of Cengage Learning Chou, D & Walter, S. (2011). Vanishing voices: the extinction of the world’s languages. New York: Oxford University Press. Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Hobsbawm, E. (1990) Nations and Nationalism Since 1780: Programme, Myth and Reality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Malicsi, J. (2005). The ELP Written Communication Strategies 3rd Ed. The Classic Foundation for English Linguistics Projects. Quezon City, Philippines. Nettle, D. & Romaine, S. (2000) Vanishing Voices: The Extinction of the World’s Languages. London, UK; Oxford University Press Nolasco, R. (2009). 21 Reasons why Filipino children learn better while using their Mother Tongue: A primer on Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education (MLE) and other issues on language and learning in the Philippines. GuroFormation Forum. _____________________________________________________________________________________

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Walter, S. and Dekker, D. (2011) Mother tongue instruction in Lubuagan. In publication. Malone, S. E. (2009). Planning mother tongue-based education programs in minority language communities.SIL International.

B. UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS Blaquir, L. (2012)” The Implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education in Public Elementary Schools in Pangasinan I. Lyceum Northwestern University,Dagupan,Pangasinan. Carolyn J. Benson (2002) “Real and Potential Benefits of Bilingual Programmes in Developing Countries” International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, Vol. 5, No. 6, pp.303-317. Corpuz, M. (2012). Status and Prospects of Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education in Malasiqui II District. Pangasinan State University, Urdaneta. Evangelista, L. (2013) “The Mother Tongue as a Learning Subject in Malasiqui II District. Pangasinan State University, Urdaneta, Pangasinan. Ilao, E., Santos, R. & Guevara, M. (2011). Analysis of the Levels between Reference books and Actual Usage in the Mother Tongue. West Visayas State University. Wolf, S. (2006). The Kom experimental mother tongue education project report for 2010. Unpublished research report.

C. JOURNALS AND PERIODICALS Bender, P., N. Dutcher, et al. (2005). In Their Own Language…Education for All. Education Notes, World Bank. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/ EDUCATION/Resources/EducationNotes/EdNotes_Lang_of_Instruct.pdf.

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The Adelphi College 54 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Benson, C. (2010). The primary bilingual education experiment in Mozambique, 1993 to 1997. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 3(3), 149-166. Bialyster, E. (2006). Learning through a familiar language versus learning through a foreign language. International Journal of Educational Development, 27, 487498. Cummins, J. (2004). The Astounding Effectiveness of Dual Language Education for All. NABE Journal of Research and Practice, 2(1) , 1-20. Dutcher, N., & Tucker, G.R. (1996) The Use of First and Second Languages in Education. Pacific Islands Discussion Paper, 1, East Asia and Pacific Region. Washington DC: The World Bank. Kosonen, K. 2005. Education in local languages: Policy and practice in South East Asia. In UNESCO, First Language First: Community-based Literacy Programmes for Minority Language Contexts in Asia, pp. 96-134. Unesco Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, Bangkok, Thailand. Malone, D. (2003). Developing curriculum for endangered language education: Lessons from the field. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 6(5), 332-348, Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters. Pinnock, H. (2009). Steps towards learning: A guide to overcoming language barriers in children’s education. London: Save the Children UK. http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/54_7939.htm. Rassool, N. (2000) .Contested and Contesting Identities: Conceptualising Linguistic Minority Rights within the Global Cultural Economy. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 2000 - channelviewpublications.net Pp-388 Shaeffer, S. (2005), “Language Development and Language Revitalization: An Educational Imperative in Asia” UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, Bangkok, Thailand. _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 55 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

Smits, J., J. Huisman, et al. (2008). Home language and education in the developing world, UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0017/001787/178702e.pdf. UNESCO (2007). Advocacy Kit for Promoting Multilingual Education: Including the Excluded,http://www2.unescobkk.org/elib/publications/110/Booklet%201%20%20Overview.pdf. Skutnabb-Kangas, T. (1990) Language, Literacy and Minorities. A Minority Rights Group Report. London: Minority Rights Group.

D. OTHERS Section 16 of Republic Act No. 10533, known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013” DepEd Order no. 74, s. 2009, Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education UNICEF. (2011). The use of vernacular language in education. Monograph on Fundamental Education. Bangkok: UNICEF. Acuña, J. & B. Miranda. (1994). A closer look at the language controversy in The Language Issue in Education. Acuña, J. (Ed). Manila & Quezon City: Congress of the Republic of the Philippines. Ball, J. (2010). Enhancing learning of children from diverse language backgrounds: Mother tongue-based bilingual or multilingual education in the early years, UNESCO. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/ 001869/186961e.pdf.

Rubrico, J. 1998. The metamorphosis of Filipino as national language. Retrieved July 02, 2011 from http://www.languagelinks.org/oldsite/pdf/fil_met.pdf

APPENDIX A Survey Questionnaire on the Validity of _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 56 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

the Teacher-made Test Directions: Please fill in the blank and/ or check the appropriate item. Name : ______________________________________________________________ Station : _______________________________________________________________ Designation : _______________________________________________________________ 1. How well is the test presented? _______5 - Excellently presented _______4 - Very well presented _______3 - Fairly presented _______ 2 - Simply presented _______ 1 - Not well presented 2. How well are the items suited to the vocabulary level, ability, and behavior pattern of the Grade I pupils? _______5- Very highly suitable _______4 - Highly Suitable _______ 3 - Moderately suitable _______ 2 - Slightly suitable _______ 1 - Not suitable 3. How adequately are the items representative of the competencies for the First Quarter? _______ 5- Very highly adequate _______4 – Highly adequate _______3- Moderately adequate _______2 – Slightly adequate _______1- Not adequate 4. Which item (s) is / are duplicated by another item? Example: 3 & 6 means item 6 and 3 duplicate each other.

5. What is your comment on the test as a whole? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 5. What is your suggestion to improve the test? ___________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 57 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

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APPENDIX B Permit to Conduct the Study THE ADELPHI COLLEGE Lingayen, Pangasinan August 12, 2014 ALMA RUBY C. TORIO, Ed.D Schools Division Superintendent Pangasinan I Division Lingayen, Pangasinan THRU: DR. TEODORA V. NABOR, D.A. Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Madam: Warm Greetings! I am presently conducting a research study entitled “PROPOSED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL IN MOTHER TONGUE (PANGASINAN) FOR GRADE I PUPILS” School Year 2014-2015 at The Adelphi College, Lingayen, Pangasinan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Education Major in Educational Management. In this connection, I would like to request permission from yourgood Office to gather data and administer a teacher-made test to Grade I pupils who will serve as my respondents in Lingayen III District. Your positive approval to the request is very much appreciated. Thank you very much and God bless! Very truly yours, Nora T. Cruz, Ed.D Researcher Noted: LINA C. ALCANTARA, Ed.D Dean, Graduate Studies Recommending Approval:

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The Adelphi College 58 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________ TEODORA V.NABOR, D.A. Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Approved: ALMA RUBY C. TORIO, Ed.D Schools Division Superintendent

APPENDIX C First Quarter Examination in Mother Tongue

UNAAN YA EKSAMIN ED MOTHER TONGUE UNAAN YA BALITANG I.

Dengelen so istorya ya basa ey maestro/maestro tan linpekan so letra ya dugan ebat.

Si Laki Toning Si LakiToning et sakey yadumaralos. Maawang so dalin ya tataneman day pagey tan nambabangil ya pisi-pising.Walay kamatis, okra, kalubasa, talon tan palya.Sosto ed danum tan abono iray tanem da. Papalinan day dikarika umpan umbuna tan manbungay dakel. Kasabi panag-ani, maliket s iLaki Toning.Tiniklis ya bungay pising so ni sempet tan nilako dad tindaan. 1. Anto’y panaanapan nen Laki Toning? A. Managsigay B. dumaralos

C. karpintero

2. Anto ray itatanem nen Laki Toning? A. pagey tan pisi-pising B. mais tan pisi-pising C. iray tanaman ya manrosas

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The Adelphi College 59 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

3. Akin ta mabuna-buna so tanaman nen Laki Toning? A. Sosto’ydanum tan abono da iray tanem da B. Papalinan day dikarika iray tanem da C. Amin ya abitla 4. Antay liknaan nen Laki Toning no asabi panag-ani. A. maermen B. manpapasnok

C. maliket

5. Iner da ilalabo so iray bungay pising da? A. Diad kakaabay B. diad garita II.

C. diad tindaan D. Isulat so dugan letra ta pian na kumpleto so ngaran na kadalitrato. Manpili ya letra ed kahon.

a,

b,

e,

o,

l

6.

___tis

9.

___aso

7.

___tot

10.

___leng

8.

___apis

III.

Limpekan so letranaduganebat.

11.Dinanyaayep so maksil so tanol to? A. aso

B. siwit

C. uleg

12.Dinanyaagagamil so makalnaytanol to? _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 60 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

A. tambol

B. totot

C. relo

13.Dinan ya luluganan so maksil so tanol to? A. kalesa B. bisekleta

C. motor

14.Dinan ya salita so kaparehas na salitan kankong? A. kurong B. kamatis

C. katuray

15.Dinan ya letraya say tanol to “buh” A. W B. B

C. T

16.Palya, parlang, patola, onggapo ed anton letra? A. D B. P

C. B

17.Antoy unaan ya letra so A.

D

B. B

C. M

18.Dinan so litrato so onggapo ed letran /t/? A. tambol

B. relo

C. kampana

19.Antoy ngaran mo? Antoy ebat mo? A. Wala ak lad unaan ya grado. B. Anemira lay taon ko. C. Siak si Ana S. Cruz. 20.Pigaray taon mo la? Antoy ebat mo? A. Manayamak ed Libsong East, Lingayen, Pangasinan? B. Anemira lay taon ko natan C. Siak si Ben A. Sison. 21.Iner so panyaman mo? A. Wala ak lad unaan ya grado. B. Manaayamak ed Lingayen, Pangasinan. _____________________________________________________________________________________

The Adelphi College 61 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

C. Anemira lay taon ko natan. 22.Dinan ya letra ya say tanol to “guh”? A. J B. G

C. Q

23.Dinan dinan yan letra so makakompleto na ngaran na litrato? A. A

B. O

C. E

24.Antoy onggapo ed tanol to yay A. Hm B. Mm 25.Dinan ya litrato so ongagapo et letran /r/ A. rosas B. baso IV.

C. Bb C. tasa

Isulat so ebat ed panpakabat na sarili ed ka da gulis. (5 puntos)

26.Antoy ngaran mo? Siak si

.

27.Pigaray taon mo la? lay taon ko natan. 28.Antoy gradom la? Wala ak lad 29.Iner so panaaralan mo? Manaaral ak ed 30.Siopay maestram? Say maestrak si

. . .

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The Adelphi College 62 Lingayen, Pangasinan _____________________________________________________________________________________

APPENDIX D TABLE OF SPECIFICATION IN MOTHER TONGUE FIRST PERIODIC TEST Objectives

No. of Items

%

Test Placement

Listening 1. Recall the important details in listening to a story 2. Identity rhyming words

5

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

1

14

Speaking 1. Give the letter that begins the name of a given object/picture 2. Give the sounds of letters in the alphabet

10

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

2

15, 22

3

11, 12, 13

5

29, 20, 21

5

26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Reading 1. Sounds of animals, transportation and objects 2. Answer literal level given questions about repository text read Writing 1. Observe mechanics when copying or writing sentence: capitalization, space between words, correct punctuation

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