Mother- Tongue based Multilingual Education

Salient Features on Mother Tongue Based- Multi Lingual Education
Language Development
A strong educational foundation in the first language
Successful bridging to one or more additional languages
Enabling the use of both/ all languages for life- long learning
Cognitive Development
Is based in the child’s own known environment and bridges to the wider world. “Known to unknown”
The buildup of higher order thinking skills that will:
Transfer to the other languages once Filipino or English has been acquired to use these skills in thinking and articulating thought and
Be used in the process of acquiring English and Filipino more effectively
Social Development
Maintains local language and culture while providing national/ international language acquisition and instruction
Promotes learners’ integration into the national society without forcing them to sacrifice their linguistic and cultural heritage.
Using the culture the child knows enabling immediate comprehension from which new concepts can be built- going form the known to the unknown.
Academic Development
Meaning based education that enables students to learn well with the understanding of what the teacher is saying.
Be well prepared to enter and achieve well in the mainstream education system.
Source: Gazette of the Philippines The WHY’s In an article by Cruz (2011) under grading P-Noy the country’s president Pres. “Noy Noy” Aquino said, “My view on this is larger than just the classroom. We should become tri- lingual as a country; Learn English well and connect to the world; Learn Filipino well and connect to our country; retain your mother tongue and connect to your heritage”. In light to the Legal basis in the 1987 Constitution (Article XIV Sec 7), For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English. The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as

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