Mother Tongue

Based-Multilingual
Education
By: Janet C. Parpa, Ph.D.
At the end of this Module, the learner
should be able to:

EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANT INSIGHTS AND REASONS FOR

MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION IN MAKING EDUCATION MORE
RESPONSIVE TO CULTURAL DIVERSITY;
APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF USING HIS/HER OWN MOTHER
TONGUE IN DEALING WITH ANY CLASSROOM SITUATIONS;
AND
SIMULATE DIFFERENT CLASSROOM SITUATIONS USING
THEIR OWN MOTHER TONGUE.
BASIC TERMINOLOGIES
INTRODUCTION:
This module will explain why MLE is the
way to go if Filipinos truly want a long-
term solution to the ills plaguing the
Philippine educational system, such as
high functional illiteracy, low learning
outcomes, and high drop-out rates. This
is also useful in advocating and gaining
support for mother tongue instruction as
a means of improving educational quality
as well as saving the world's many
endangered languages.
 DISCUSSION
Language is, in fact, the foundation of every culture.
Language is an abstract system of word meanings and
symbols for all aspects of culture. It includes speech,
written characters, numerals, symbols, and gestures and
expressions of non-verbal communication. According to
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, language does more than
simply describe reality; it also serves to shape the
reality of a culture.
UNESCO's Principles on Language
and Education

Developing a writing system for a hitherto unwritten

language often has an educational purpose - whether
to record and transmit local history and knowledge to
the next generation, to use the language in formal
schooling, or to facilitate adult literacy acquisition.
The educational use of a language depends, except
in the most informal settings, on a written form which
can be employed in learning.
UNESCO's three principles of education in a multilingual world
underline this necessity: mother-tongue instruction,
bilingual/multilingual education, and intercultural education:

PRINCIPLE 1: PRINCIPLE 2: PRINCIPLE 3:

UNESCO supports UNESCO supports

UNESCO supports language as an essential
mother tongue bilingual and/or
multilingual education at component of intercultural
instruction as a means of education in order to
all levels of education as
improving educational encourage understanding
a means of promoting
quality by building upon between different
both social and gender
the knowledge and population groups and
equality and as a key
experience of the ensure respect for
element of linguistically fundamental rights.
learners and teachers. diverse societies. (UNESCO 2003: 30)
Mother tongue - means one's native language; the
language learned by children and passed from one
generation to the next.
 What is mother tongue-based
multilingual education or MLE?

Multilingual Education typically refers to "first-language-first"

education, that is, schooling which begins in the mother
tongue and transitions to additional languages. MLE is the use
of more than two languages for literacy and instruction. It starts
from where the learners are, and from what they already know.
This means learning to read and write in their first language or
L1 and also teaching subjects like mathematics, science, health
and social studies in the L1.
 Typically MLE programs are:
"Strong Foundation" "Strong Bridge"

an essential difference between

Research shows that children
MLE programs and rural "mother
whose early education is in the
tongue education" programs is the
language of their home tend to
inclusion of a guided transition
do better in the later years of
from learning through the mother
their education (Thomas and tongue to learning through another
Collier, 1997). tongue.
 Stages Stage I - learning takes place

of an
entirely in the child's home
language

MLE
Program
Stage II - building fluency in the
mother tongue. Introduction of oral L2.

Stage III - building oral

fluency in L2. Introduction of Stage IV - using both L1 and
literacy in L2. L2 for life-long learning.
Source 5: Continue building fluency and confidence in
Malone using L1, L2 and L3 for everyday communication
and for learning new concepts.
Planning for Introduce reading and writing In L3
Mother Continue building oral and written L1 and L2
Tongue- Introduce oral L3

based Continue building oral and written L1 and oral L2

0
MLE Introduce reading and writing in L2

Continue building oral and written L1

Introduce oral L2

Continue building oral L1

Introduce reading and writing in L1

Build small children's fluency and confidence in oral L1

 MLE is an innovative approach to learning. Apart from
programming the use of several languages, it also
involves the following:

(a) the development of good curricula (i.e. cognitively demanding);

(b) the training of good teachers in the required languages, content, and
methodology;
(c) the production of good teaching materials (i.e., error-free and culturally relevant);
(d) the empowerment of the community (i.e. school-based management). MLE will
not work when one simply changes the language by translating existing materials into
the local languages.
MLE aims to produce learners who are:

Multi-literate- they can read and write competently in the local language,
the national language, and one or more languages of wider communication,
such as English;
Multi-lingual- they can use these languages in various situations and
interactions for learning in school;
Multi-cultural- they can live and work harmoniously with people of cultural
backgrounds that are different from their own, they are comfortable living
and working with people from outside their community while maintaining
their love and respect for their home culture and community.
Thank
You
 Teaching
Multicultural
Classrooms
BY: KATHLEEN M. MORALES, M.A.
AT THE END OF THIS MODULE, THE
LEARNER SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

give a concise personal definition of multicultural education

using a graphic organizer (diagram, concept map....);

draw icons for each of the Levels of multicultural education by

James Banks;

list at least three challenges or concerns discussed in the

lesson that means a lot personally; and

write out response to the call of multicultural education.

INTRODUCTION:
The challenges faced by a new teacher do not only
consist of "what" (content) and "how" (pedagogy) to
teach but also of the need to address the diversity
of learners, the "who" of the teaching learning
process. The school through the teacher, is
expected to be responsive to honoring and
celebrating the diversity all learners.
Teachers need to remember that the learner is the
center of the teaching-learning process. Thus, the
need to tailor the learning experiences to the nature
of the learners as a determinant of effective
teaching.
MULTICULTURAL
EDUCATION
"Multicultural education encompasses theories and practices that
strive to promote equitable access and rigorous academic
achievement for students from all diverse groups so that they can
work toward social change. (Patty Bode, 2008)

A multicultural approach to education

cultivates a school environment that celebrates
diversity; supports mutual acceptance of,
respect for, and an understanding of human
differences and provides a balanced viewpoint
on key issues involved in such teaching.
It provides students with a
global, and international
perspective of the world in
which they live. It seeks to
eliminate racial, ethnic,
cultural, and gender
stereotypes and resolve or
ameliorate problems
associated with racism and
prejudice. (de Marquez,
2002)
 THE DIMENSIONS
OF MULTICULTURAL
EDUCATION
 James A. Banks (1979),
a leading scholar in the
field, has historically
advanced a definition of
He formulated the five specific
multicultural education
dimensions (2004) as;
as a broad concept and
extrapolated on five 1. content integration,
dimensions (1991, 2004, 2. knowledge construction
2006). process,
3. prejudice reduction,
4. equity pedagogy, and
5. empowering school culture
and social structure
) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
THE DIMENSIONS OF
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

1 2 3
Content integration The knowledge Prejudice reduction
deals with the infusion construction process describes lessons and
of various cultures, involves students in activities that teachers
ethnicities, and other critiquing the social implement to assert
identities to be positioning of groups positive images of ethnic
represented in the through the ways that groups and to improve
curriculum. knowledge is presented. intergroup relations.
) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
THE DIMENSIONS OF
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

4 5
Equity pedagogy concerns Empowering school culture
describes the examination of
modifying teaching styles
the school culture and
and approaches with
organization by all members
facilitate the intent of
of school staff with the intent
facilitating academic to restructure institutional
achievement for all practices to create access for
students. all groups (Banks, 2004).
 The Goal of
Multicultural Education

1 2 3

It should also
It should help promote the
freedom, abilities It should provide
students to
and skills to cross students with the
develop the
ethnic and cultural skills to
knowledge,
boundaries to participate in
attitudes, and
participate in other social action to
skills to cultures and groups. make the nation
participate in a It should enable kids more democratic
democratic and to reach beyond and free.
free society. their cultural
boundaries.
FOUR LEVELS OF
MULTICULTURAL
EDUCATION
James Banks
THE FIRST LEVEL
CONTRIBUTIONS,
DEALS WITH
HEROES, HOLIDAYS
AND DISCRETE
CULTURAL
ELEMENTS.
THE SECOND LEVEL, ADDITIVE
APPROACH IS WHERE
TEACHERS ADD CONTENT,
CONCEPTS, THEMES, AND
PERSPECTIVES THAT ARE
MULTICULTURAL WITHOUT
CHANGING THE STRUCTURE
OF THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL
MATERIALS.
THE THIRD, TRANSFORMATIVE
APPROACH REQUIRES
TEACHERS TO CHANGE THE
STRUCTURE OF THEIR
CURRICULUM TO ENABLE
STUDENTS TO ENGAGE
CONCEPTS, ISSUES, EVENTS,
AND THEMES FROM A
MULTICULTURAL
PERSPECTIVE.
THE FOURTH, THE SOCIAL
ACTION APPROACH
ALLOWS THE STUDENTS
TO MAKE DECISIONS ON
IMPORTANT SOCIAL
ISSUES AND TAKE
ACTIONS TO HELP SOLVE
THEM.
THANK YOU
EVERYONE!