The Importance of Mother Tongue
The Importance of Mother Tongue
The Importance of Mother Tongue
Mother Tongue referred to as your first language or native language. It is the language
that you most commonly speak. However, mother tongue is always referencing the
language that the child has used from birth for important and impacting times in the
child’s life.
For example there are instances where a child is brought up until school age using a
particular language at home spoken by their mother, father or other family members,
and due to living in another country, begin to adopt the language spoken in their
interactions such as fun groups, school etc…but if the child comes back home
continually to another language, this is impact can be lessened.
The mother tongue meaning for a child involves more than just language and includes
the child’s personal, social and cultural identity.
Intellectual Development
Knowing your mother tongue well is a matter of pride. It boosts one’s confidence and
creates awareness in the individual’s mind while also helping them connect with their
cultural identity in a better manner.
Mother tongue has a huge positive influence in defining the personality of an individual,
however, the medium of education which is usually English also encourages parents to
speak to their children in their second language. Thus, this leads to confusion in the
minds of the children and hence, they face difficulties in mastering both first and second
language.
Mother tongue is the language which a child starts hearing after being born and thus, it
also helps in providing a definite shape to our emotions and thoughts. Learning in your
mother tongue also is crucial in enhancing other skills such as critical thinking, skills to
learn a second language and literacy skills. Thus, we can say that the mother tongue
can be used as an effective tool of learning.
The Tagalog language is important because it is the basis of the Filipino language — a
language used officially by Filipinos across the nation, regardless of province or island
or whatsoever. However, it has this importance because it just so happened that the
people in Manila (capital city) have historically used it primarily; any other dialect could
have just as easily been used in place of it, had the Manileños spoken that dialect
instead.
“Language is a part of one’s culture and identity”. In the article, Laneheart explains the
connection between language and identity and how they are related with each other.
She claims that “our identities emerge from our transaction” which is develop within a
culture, whither language is essential.
There are many different languages spoken around the world. Sometimes it can create
a barrier when trying to communicate. Other times it may cause you to be judged
because you have a different accent or you use different terminology. Language can
play a small role in how people’s identities are formed.
The effect language has on our identity comes from the different varieties of languages
in each country, dialects, accents, and terminology used in each language.
Today, there is no denying the necessity of learning how to speak and write in the
English language, especially that it has become the language of globalization. The
Philippine government itself has made pronouncements with regards to the importance
of being good speakers of English in order for the Filipinos to be globally competitive.
This is done by the continuous use of English as the medium of instruction in schools
and by making it as the preferred language of communication.
Yes, it is important for the Filipinos to be able to communicate very well in English. But,
every one who thinks of himself as Filipino has also the responsibility to love the country
of his birth and, naturally, his own language. It is only in their language that the Filipinos
are able to distinguish themselves from other peoples of Asia, especially now that it is
already possible to change the color of the skin and the shape and features of the face.
In a sense, it is only the language that seem to be the remaining link to the Filipino spirit
and his potential towards a lasting national identity.
Language serve as the message of our hearts for each and everyone of us .
Medium of instruction
The medium of instruction is the language used by the teacher to teach. Teaching the
language, or educational content, through the target language increases the amount of
exposure the learner gets to it, and the opportunities they have to communicate in it,
and therefore to develop their control of it.
Example
English is used from the beginning of a course as the main language in class, and the
teacher adapts their methodology to support meaning, by using a lot of visual
information and non-verbal communication to support meaning.
In the classroom
The question of which medium of instruction to use, and the impact on learners and
learning, is a complex one. It is useful to consider how the language used supports the
aims of the class. For example, it may fit the aims to give all classroom instructions in
English in a low level class, because this is useful exposure to new language and will be
learnt, but explaining the methodology behind an activity to the same group might be
done in L1.
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY: THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE
PHILIPPINES
It is not all about English. In the Philippines, English prevails as the predominant
medium of instruction. English is used more in teaching rather than its own national
language which is Filipino. All subjects except the subject of Filipino is taught in English.
Philippines one of the few countries that does not use its own national language as its
medium of instruction. Filipino should be the medium of instruction in Philippine schools
because it is the national language and it is already developed yet the students have
not mastered it.
Using Filipino as the medium of instruction is vital in students learning. Although English
is a universal language, Filipino is still the national language and as studies show,
learning in the mother tongue is more effective for both Filipino and English. By learning
in their first language, the students will be able to build a strong foundation and will
master not only their mother tongue but also additional languages such as English.
Students who learn in their mother tongue are able to learn more effectively. Even in the
issue of globalization, Filipino should still be the medium of instruction because Filipinos
will be able to contribute their culture to the whole world with their language. Also by
making Filipino the medium of instruction, it will no longer face the problem of being
weakened by English. It will be saved and strive furthermore (Ball, 2014).
Filipino should be the medium of instruction in Philippine schools because it is already
developed yet the students have not mastered it. The lack of exposure of the Filipino
language is making the students unable to master and be fluent in Filipino. By making
Filipino the medium of instruction, the students will be exposed to it daily and gain
fluency. However, many think that subjects cannot be taught in Filipino but it is possible
since there are available translations. Subjects such as science, math, and even
economics have books translated in Filipino. There are many written resources that will
aid in making these subjects teachable in Filipino. Teaching in Filipino will solve the
problem of the students not mastering Filipino. With the students failing the subject of
Filipino in the National Achievement Test just proves how badly the students need
Filipino. The results for the National Achievement Test (NAT) have never surpassed the
52% mark for the subject of Filipino. The students continuously fail and this has been
happening for the past years. The students are continuing with their studies even
though they have not mastered the basic skill of mastering their own language (San
Juan, 2014). There is a great need for students to master their own language.
English should be the medium of instruction because it will not affect the mastery of
Filipino. Filipino is already the first language of the Filipinos so learning English will only
add on their skills. Learning in English will help them learn a new language and there is
no effect whatsoever in their performance in Filipino. Learning English for a non-native
speaker will not affect his/her performance in other subjects (McNally, 2012).
Although learning English will not affect Filipino but there is no denying that the students
have not mastered Filipino. It is more important for the Filipinos to master their first
language before they shift to another. By not being able to master Filipino, they also will
not be able to master English. They will only learn half of the skill and not the complete
skill. They have to start from the basics.
No one can deny the need for learning English but it should only be learned and not be
used as the medium of instruction. Filipino should not be degraded and treated as if it is
the language that is unnecessary. Filipino must be the medium of instruction since it is
the very own language of the Philippines and the students have not mastered it even
though it is already establish. Filipinos must realize that they must prioritize their own
language for it is their part of their identity and culture. Filipino is part of their being.
REFERENCES:
https://ie-today.co.uk/people-policy-politics/the-importance-of-mother-tongue-in-
education/#:~:text=Mother%20tongue%20makes%20it%20easier,critical%20thinking
%20and%20literacy%20skills&text=Self%2Desteem%20is%20higher%20for
%20children%20learning%20in%20mother%20tongue
https://reva.edu.in/blog/5-reasons-why-it-is-important-to-know-your-mother-tongue-well-
21-february-international-mother-language-day/
https://eljhayeljhay.wordpress.com/2017/03/07/importance-of-filipino-language-2/
https://englishmajors2016.wordpress.com/2016/12/30/english-as-a-medium-of-
instruction-in-the-philippines/?
fbclid=IwAR3JgB_p5c4WuUN4FjHXCoTrhH6X3rzLFZljUy1wf7XGQsFb-kjfYdueyMY
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/medium-instruction
https://a55arellosahana.wordpress.com/2015/04/22/argumentative-essay-the-medium-
of-instruction-in-the-philippines/?
fbclid=IwAR3pI5pOZ6IB8xEyLexsHb42GDhlNwK7VmRZ0KEbqSwayoVKUVDtYuIjxzU
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