Dollosa, Janice / Jimenez, Jila ABEL112 (Introduction to Research)

III – ABEL B Jessie S. Paragas

GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR THESIS WRITING

What are the various definitions of MOTHER TONGUE? Have at least 5.

Definition 1: Mother tongue, also known as first language, native language, or L1, is a language that a
person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period – language that a person learned as a
child at home (First Language, 2018).

Source: First Language. (2018). In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 8, 2018, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_language

Definition 2: Garbes (2012) pointed out that the definition of “mother tongue” is interpreted by some as
the cultural language, but others as the language taught from birth, regardless of whether it is part of
traditional heritage.

Source: Garbes, L. (2012). Mother Tongue Based Education in the Philippines. Retrieved from
https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/mother-tongue-based-education-philippines

Definition 3: Mother tongue or native language denotes not only the language one learns from one's
mother, but also the speaker's dominant and home language, i.e. not only the first language according to
the time of acquisition, but the first with regard to its importance and the speaker's ability to master its
linguistic and communicative aspects (Nordquist, 2017).

Source: Nordquist, R. (2017). The Meaning of the Term "Mother Tongue". Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/mother-tongue-language-1691408

Definition 4: Mother tongue (or father tongue) is defined as the first language we were exposed to, our
L1, the first language we speak, the one we grew up with or that our parents did speak with us (Limacher-
Riebold, 2014).

Source: Limacher-Riebold, U. (2014). Mothertongue, first language, native language or dominant

language?. Retrieved from https://expatsincebirth.com/2014/02/19/mothertongue-first-
language-native-language-or-dominant-language/

Definition 5: Mother tongue is the first language a child learns to speak at home (Bañez et al., 2016).

Source: Bañez, R.C., Corpuz, B., Dekker, D., Flojo, O., Giron, P., Japson, M., … Young, C.M.B. (2016).
Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education: Guide for Teacher Educators and Students.
Quezon City, Philippines: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

What is the MOTHER TONGUE-BASED MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION (MTB-MLE)? Have at least 5.

Definition 1: As stated by the Department of Education (2009), through the DepEd Order 74, s. 2009,
MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education) is the effective use of more than two languages
for literacy and instruction.
Source: Department of Education (2009). DO 74, s. 2009 - Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based
Multilingual Education (MLE). Retrieved from http://www.deped.gov.ph/orders/do-74-s-
2009

Definition 2: 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 (Capitol University,
2015).

Source: Capitol University (2015). Mother Tongue- Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). Retrieved
from http://www.cu.edu.ph/?page_id=3290

Definition 3: Nolasco (2008) stated that MTB-MLE starts from “where the learners are and from what
they already know” – it is reading, writing, and thinking in one’s first language or L1 along with teaching
Mathematics, Science, Health, and Social Science in the said L1.

Source: Nolasco, R.M. (2008). Grammar ng Sorsoganon [Master’s Thesis]. University of the Philippines-
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Definition 4: According to Bañez et al. (2016), MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education)
is a structured program of language learning and cognitive development which provides a strong
educational foundation in the first language with successful bridging to one or more additional languages,
and the use of both or all languages for life-long learning.

Source: Bañez, R.C., Corpuz, B., Dekker, D., Flojo, O., Giron, P., Japson, M., … Young, C.M.B. (2016).
Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education: Guide for Teacher Educators and Students.
Quezon City, Philippines: Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Definition 5: MTB-MLE refers to the bilingual education across multiple language communities – each
community using their own mother tongue plus the official school language for instruction (Malone, 2007).

Source: Malone, S. (2007, September). Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education: Implications for
Education Policy [PDF File]. Paper presented at Education Policy and the Right to
Education: Towards More Equitable Outcomes for South Asia’s Children Seminar.
Retrieved from
https://www.sil.org/sites/default/files/files/mtbmle_implications_for_policy.pdf

What is the educational basis of using mother tongue as medium of instruction? Have at least 5
sources.

Source:

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Source:

Source:

Source:

Source:

What has happened in the K-12 transition relative to media of instruction? Have at least 3
sources.

An official of the Department of Education has stated that the use of mother tongue as a medium of
instruction is not a reason why Filipinos might be less proficient in English. According to Tonisito Umali,
DepEd Undersecretary, the use of mother tongue in schools has benefits such as increased subject
comprehension and additional language learning. It will be of great help to students who are learning a
second language or other languages. A study conducted by Hopkins International Partners showed that
the English proficiency of college students in the Philippines is lower than the target proficiency of high
school students in Thailand after the administration of the Test of English for International Communication
(TOEIC) in the Philippines. This shows that the use of mother tongue is effective as a foundation in learning
a second language or even other languages. Currently, the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education
(MTB-MLE) initiative which covers 19 languages (Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, Iloko, Bikol,
Ybanag, Sinugbuanong Binisaya, Hiligaynon, Waray, Bahasa Sug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, Chavacano,
Ivatan, Sambal, Akianon, Kinaray-a, Yakan, and Sinurigaonon) is being implemented in two modules – as
a learning/subject area and as medium of instruction (Montemayor, 2018).

Source: Montemayor, M.T. (2018, March 7). Mother tongue-based learning doesn't affect English
proficiency: DepEd. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved from
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1027726

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Two teachers from Pasig Elementary School pronounced their anxiety about the implementation of the
MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education). They felt apprehension towards how they are
going to teach mathematical concepts and scientific terminologies if taught in the mother tongue.
However, upon close observation, the students became better in expressing their ideas, explaining subject
matters, and responding to questions. Students developed confidence and their fear in committing
mistakes lessened as they can converse in the mother tongue, a language that they already know.

Source: Department of Education (2016). Mother Tongue-based learning makes lessons more interactive
and easier for students. Retrieved from http://www.deped.gov.ph/press-
releases/mother-tongue-based-learning-makes-lessons-more-interactive-and-easier-
students

Since its implementation, the MTB-MLE as a medium of instruction and as a learning subject failed to meet
the expectations that it has pronounced. In a study conducted in the Division of Pangasinan I elementary
schools, Grade I teachers found it hard to contend with modules that are either inadequate or
inappropriate. This, in addition to the fact that the performance of the observed Grade I students who are
still processing their manner of learning with the use of mother tongue. Results showed that the majority
of the instructional objectives in the mother tongue are found weak in terms of grammar awareness,
vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. Moreover, the Grade I teachers have used another
language besides the mother tongue which made the entire learning process harder than it already is.

Source: Cruz, N.T. (2015, March). The Implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual
Education in Grade I in the Public Elementary Schools in Pangasinan I [PDF File]. Paper
presented at the DLSU Research Congress 2015. Retrieved from
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/conferences/dlsu_research_congress/2015/proceedings/LLI/01
4LLI_Cruz_NT.pdf

What is the history of Pangasinan as a language? Have a brief historical study from at least 3
sources.

Pangasinan as a language was believed to have started when Austronesian speakers settled in the Maritime
Southeast Asia during the prehistoric times – perhaps more than 5,000 years ago. The ethnic speakers of
Pangasinan were the descendants of these settlers who were probably a part of the prehistoric human
migration originating from Southern China via Taiwan between 10 and 6 thousand years ago. The word
Pangasinan, means “land of salt” or “place of salt-making”. It was derived from the root word asin, the
word for “salt” in Pangasinan (Pangasinan Language, 2018).

Source: Pangasinan Language. (2018). In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 8, 2018, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pangasinan_language#History

According to Omniglot (n.d.), Pangasinan is an Austronesian language belonging to the Philippine branch
of Malayo-Polynesian languages. It is closely related to the Ibaloi, a language spoken in the neighboring
provinces of Benguet and Baguio City (located north of Pangasinan). Since the Spanish conquest of 1571,
Pangasinan has been written with the Latin alphabet. Prior to that, the language was written in
Pangasinense script, which is related to the Tagalog script, and other scripts of the Philippines. It has
similarities to the Tagalog and Ilocano languages as well as Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesia), Malay
(Malaysia), and Malagasy (Madagascar).

Source: Omniglot. (n.d.). Pangasinan (Salitan Pangasinan). Retrieved from

https://www.omniglot.com/writing/pangasinan.htm
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The Pangasinan language or Salitan Pangasinan is of the Malayo Polynesian branch of the Austronesian
languages. It was believed to have been brought by ancestors who settled in the archipelago during the
waves of migration. There are sixty two languages of the Philippines share Austronesian ancestry – the
reason why there are noticeable resemblances in the baybayin of Pangasinan compared to other ethno-
linguistic syllabary scripts. During the Spanish period, the colonizers established communication with the
locals by speaking Pangasinan themselves which resulted in the retention of Pangasinan as a prestige
language. Despite the willingness of the Spaniards in learning the language, they refused to learn the
Pangasinan babayin script which ceased to be used and was replaced with the alphabet. The natural
growth of the Pangasinan vocabulary was impeded by the cultural development during the Spanish period.
With the coming of Americans, the Pangasinan language occluded through the emergence of multilingual
milieu where Pangasinan, Tagalog, Spanish, and English as selection languages being used depending on
social classes and discourse contexts. The Japanese occupation did not make any influences in the
language but by the 1960s, it was observed that the prestige status of Pangasinan has declined due to
the population of people, especially the youth, who speaks Ilokano and Filipino. What’s even worse is that
there was very little production of Pangasinan literary works. As time progressed, there were a number of
solutions to answer the call to revive the prestige status of Pangasinan; one of which was instigated by
former governor, Amado Espino, Jr. by enlisting the Ulupan na Pansiansay Salitan Pangasinan (UPSP) to
study and publish the Pangasinan orthography and hold annual literary competitions using the Pangasinan
language as medium. Due to the limited domains of Pangasinan language in today’s urbanized society,
there is a progressive threat to the language which if not prevented may result in further language
endangerment. Today, the adaption of mother tongue-based learning in the K-12 curriculum may signal
the hope of the Pangasinan language in surviving amidst globalization; thus sustaining Pangasinan as a
prestige language for future generations (Pasalo, Mangahas, & Mananquil, 2015).

Source: Pasalo, V.J., Mangahas, F.B., & Mananquil, R.C. (2015). Pangasinan Pinablin Dalin: History,
Culture, Development. Pangasinan, Philippines: Pangasinan Historical and Cultural
Commission