MODULE

MOTHER-TONGUE

MOTHER TONGUE:

for TEACHING
and LEARNING

Prepared by: SITTIE ASLIMAH L. OTILAN

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction............................................................................................................................ ..3
Module Objectives................................................................................................................. ..3
Outcomes .................................................................................................................................3
Time Frame........................................................................................................................... ...3
Module Icons............................................................................................................................4
Pre-Assessment………………………………………………………...………………….....5

UNIT 1: Overview

MODULE 1- Legal and Benefits of Teaching

and Learning the Mother Tongue..............................................................5

Lesson 1.1: Knowing and understanding

DepEd Order No. 74, s.2009 .............................................................................5
Lesson 1.2: The Benefits Why Use the Mother Tongue?...................... .............................9

UNIT 2: Mother Tongue as a Language

MODULE 2- What is Language? ....................................................................................11

Lesson 2.1: Stuctures of a Language ..................................................................................11

Lesson 2.2: My Mother Tongue: The Language I learned First .........................................13

MODULE 3- Phoenetic Features of a Language .........................................................14

Lesson 3.1 The Sounds of a Language ................................................................................14

REFERENCES........................................................................................................................15
 INTRODUCTION
This module will inform you of the necessity of the mother tongue as a subject and as a
language for teaching and learning. Further you will explore the benefits that will be derived
from doing so. It will enumerate the different provisions of the Department of Education Order
74, s. 2009 as a policy that institutuionalizes Mother Tongue Based- Multilingual Education
(MTB-MLE) in the country.

Likewise, other legal basis will also be mentioned. You will further learn in this module
the many benefits that Filipino learners will gain from the use of mother tongue.

Brief Description of the Module

Unit 1 focuses on the legal bases and benefits of teaching and learning the mother
tongue- knowing and understanding and the benefits of using the mother tongue.

Unit 2 focuses on Mother Tongue as a language- what is language and its structures, the
sounds of language and the rules in spelling.

MODULE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the every meetings, the students will be able to:
 Welcome to studying their first language as they prepare to become teachers.
 Use the mother tongue as a language for teaching and learning.

OUTCOMES
After completing the preliminary course , you will be able to:

 Identified the provisions of DepEd Order 74, s. 2009.

 Named the fundamental requirements for a strong Mother
Tongue Based- Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)

TIME FRAME

You will need approximately 4 weeks to finish this module- 3.5 hours for formal study
every week..
This is a distance learning programme, thus the time frame is flexible and largely self-
directed.
 MODULE ICONS
While working through this module manual you will notice the frequent use of icons in
the margin. These icons serve to “signpost” a particular piece of text, a new task or change in
activity; they have been included to help you to find your way around this module.
A complete icon set is shown below. We suggest that you familiarise yourself with the
icons and their meanings before starting your study.

OBJECTIVES ASSESSMENT

OUTCOMES ASSIGNMENT

TERMINOLOGY UNIT SUMMARY

TIME FRAME LESSON

ACTIVITY ONLINE VIDEO

AUDIO REFLECTION
 PRE-ASSESSMENT

Explain the following:

1. What was the first language which you uttered when you started to talk?
2. Why do we need to study Mother Tongue?
3. What are the benefits of studying Mother Tongue?

Unit 1: OVERVIEW

LESSON 1.1 Knowing and Understanding DepEd Order N0.74, s. 2009

Introduction

Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) is the government’s banner

program for education as a salient part of the implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education
Program. Its significance is underscored by the passing of Republic Act 10523, otherwise
known as the “Enhanced Basic Educatiion Act of 2013.”

MTB-MLE is education, formal or non-formal, in which the learner’s mother tongue

and additional languages are used in the classroom. Learners begin their education in the
language they understand best - their mother tongue - and develop a strong foundation in their
mother language before adding additional languages. Research stresses the fact that children
with a solid foundation in their mother tongue develop stronger literacy abilities in the school
language.

In our country, the Department of Education issued Department Order No. 74, s. 2009
Institutuionalizing Mother Tongue Based- Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). This was
strengthened by the declaration of the President of the Philippines Benigno Aquino, Jr, where he
said,
Learn English well and connect to the world.
Learn Filipino well and connect to your country.
Learn your dialect and connect to your heritage.

DepEd Order No. 74, s. 2009

According to DepEd Order No. 74, s. 2009, MTB-MLE is the effective use of more than
two languages for literacy and instruction. Local and international studies have validated the
superiority of the use of the mother tongue first in improving learning outcomes and prmoting
Education for all.

The same DepEd Order established a framework that provides curricular guidance for
teachers, school managers, instructional quality assurance for teachers and other educational
leaders.
Source: Department of Education

In order to provide a strong MTB-MLE program, there are Ten Fundamental Requirements
needed according to DepEd Order No.74, s. 2009. These are:
1. A working orthography (alphabet and spelling) for the local language that is acceptable to
the majority of the stakeholders and promotes intellectualization of that language.
2. Development, producion and distribution of inexpensive instructional materials with special
priority to beginning reading and children’s literature. As much as possible, the materials
should be original, localized in terms of people, events, realities and appropriate to the
language, age, and culture of the learners.
3. The use of the learner’s first language (L1) as the primary medium of instruction from pte-
school until at least Grade 3. It shall be the main vehicle to teach understanding and mastery
of the subjects.
4. Mother tongue of the first language (L1) as a subject and a language for teaching and
learning will be intoduced in grade one for conceptual understanding.
5. The inclusion of additional languages such as Filipino or English and other local or foreign
languages shall be introduced as separate subjects in a carefully planned pacing programs.
6. In the secondary level, Filipino and English shall be the primary medium of instruction
(MOI). The learner’s L1 shall still be utilized as an auxiliary medium of instruction.
7. Other than English, Filipino or Arabic for Madaris schools, the choice of additonal
languages shall be at the behest of parents and endorsed by local stakeholders and as
resources permit. When the pupils are ready, Filipino and English shall be gradually used as
MOI no earlier than grade three. However, L1 shall be effectively used to scaffold learning.
8. The languange of instruction (teaching) shall also be the primary language for testing in all
regular school-based and system-wide examinations and in all international benchmarking
and assessment exercises. It shall be maintained that the focus of the educational assessment
shall be specifically on the learner’s understanding of the subject content and not be
muddled on language testing.
9. There must be a continuing in-service training (INSET) in partnership with MLE specialists
on the effective use of L1 as language of instruction (teaching) to facilitate reading,
cognitive academic language proficiency, and development of cognitive and higher order
thinking skills (HOTS) of the learners. INSET shall likewise equip educators to develop
cultural sensitivity and enhance appreciation for cultural and linguistic diversity.
10. Ensuring critical awareness, maximum participation, and support from the Local
Government Units (LGUs), parents and community for the implementation of the language
and literacy program strategy.

Knowing and understanding the DepEd Order 74 which contains the legal bases for learning
and teaching the mother tongue in school provide a strong foundation for future teachers like
you.
 TERMINOLOGY

L1 (First language): The language acquired at birth, normally informally.

Orthography The way in which the words of a language are spelled.

ACTIVITY 1.1 Exploring My Mother Tongue

1. Choose a partner and form a dyad.

With your partner, list at least 20 commonly used words in your mother
tongue that you use at home. Write these in the boxes provided below.

UNIT SUMMARY

In this unit, we defined the necessity of mother tongue as a subject and as a language for
teaching and learing. We have also shown the framework that provides curricular guidance of
teachers, school managers, instructional quality assurance of teachers and other educational
leaders.
To enable students to have a better understanding of MTB-MLE program, students
should know the fundamental requirements needed according to DepEd Order 74, s.2009.
ASSIGNMENT

Now that you know the use of mother tongue, prepare to answer the following:

Mother Tongue words English Filipino

 LESSON 1.2 The Benefits: Why Use the Mother Tongue?

BENEFITS OF MOTHER TONGUE BASED-MULTILINGUAL

EDUCATION
Aspects of
Benefits of MTB-MLE
Development
 Education begins with the use of the first language of
the learners, a language that they understand.
 School children will have a good language bridge to
Language the next language which is needed to succeed in
school and for lifelong learning.
 The first language that children master will provide a
strong educational foundation.

 The first language becomes the language of thinking,

Cognitive
doing, applying and creationg.

 Beginning school learners express themselves easily

and freely.
Academic  School learners particpate actively in class activities.
 Learners are able to process instruction easily
without doing mental translation.
 School learners bring to the class prior knowledge,
Socio-cultural lived experiences, language and culture.
 Learners perserve their heritage and culture.

More Benefits
Classroom observations have shown that children who are using the first language to
communicate are more participative and confident and have higher self-esteem.
It is because L1 classrooms allow children to be themselves and develop their
personalities as well as their intellects.

Simply put, the use of mother tongue in learning enables the learner to:
 Listen with understanding.
 Speak with understanding.
 Read with understanding.
 Write with understanding.
 View with understanding.

Understanding means making meaning out of what has been heard, read, spoken, written or seen.
 ACTIVITY 1.2 Understanding further our first language.

Question Answer in the Mother Tongue

Rice
Unlimited Rice
Sticky Rice
Brown Rice
Uncooked Rice
Cooked Rice
Left over Rice
Fried Rice
Rice Bran
Rice Husk

ASSIGNMENT

Work with a partner. In essay words, together, discuss briefly your understanding the benefits of
using Mother Tongue. Send me thru gmail: sittieaslimahotilan@gmail.com
 Unit 2: MOTHER TONGUE AS A
LANGUAGE

LESSON 2.1 Structures of a Language

Introduction

In this lesson, you will be intoduced to general concepts about language, its components
and features. It is a step that will guide you to a better view of a language used to communicate
so that you can function well in a speech community.
As a human beings, we live in a a world where we commune and interact with others.

Having a language is perhaps one major attribute that makes human being far different
from animals. To understand our humanity, we need to understand the nature of our language for
this makes us humans. Knowing a language and using it to communicate one’s thoughts,
sentimes, desires, fears among others is a necessary tool to survive in our society.

LANGUAGE IS PRIMARILY SPOKEN

Language is a system of human communication which consists of the structured
arrangements of strings of sound (or written representation) that are put together to form a code.
This labels a concept or an object and which can be put into larger units such as words and
utterances (Richards, 1993).

A language as a linguistic system has components: Phonology, Morphology, and

Syntax.

Components of Language
Phonology
Morphology Semantics Pragmatics
Syntax
FORM CONTENT FUNCTION

 Phonetics looks into how the actual sounds of a language are produced.
 Phonology is sound patterning. It refers to how each sound is put together to form a string
of sounds in order to produce the word.
 How these strings of sounds are put together, in a broad term, called syntax. This is the
arrangement and form of the words.
 Semantics refer to the meaning of words or how these words are used in a speech
community.
 Another growing discipline in language study is pragmantics which deals with how
members of a speech community use language to communicate in ways that cannot be
predicted from linguistic knowledge alone.

THE PHONOLOGICAL SYSTEM

The phonological system of a language is composed of speech sounds known as
phonemes. They are subdivided into segmental phonemes (vowel sounds, the consonant sounds,
diphthongs and triphthongs) and suprasegmental phonemes (the stress, the intonation, pauses
and junctures.)
International Phonetic Alphabet
The IPA is a universally established and standardized set of codes or system that can be
used to represent the sounds of human speech.

These are varied phonemes in a language: vowels, consonants, diphthongs, triphthongs,

pauses or junctures, stress and intonation.

1. Vowel Phonemes are the sounds produced by the articulation of the mouth without any oral
impediment.

heed, beat [i]

hid, bit [i]
hate, bait [e]

2. Diphthongs and Triphthongs. Diphthongs are two vowel phonemes combined to produce
the correct sound of a syllable while a triphthong is a monosyllable that contains three
vowel phonemes.

/ei/ as in ‘take’
/ai/ as in ‘buy’
/ie/ as in ‘fear’

THE MORPHOLOGICAL SYSTEM

The second component of language is the morpheme. The morphological system studies
the smallest unit of meaning called morphemes. There is free morpheme which functions
independently and is considered as the root word, e.g pencil, rain, study. Another is the bound
morpheme which must be used with other morphemes such as affixes or inflections.

Examples are -s in pencils, -ing in raining, -ied in studied.

THE SYNTACTIC SYTEM

The third component of a language is the sytactic system. It is the grammatical structure
or the word order in a language.

THE CONTENT
The content is the meaning intended by the speaker.

ACTIVITY 2.1

Can you speak in more than one language? What languages do you know?
Write down the languages that you believe you can use in communicating and rank them
according to your level of competence.

1. _______________
2. _______________
3. _______________
4. _______________
5. _______________
 LESSON 2.2 My Mother Tongue: The Language I learned First

Language is dynamic
The Philippines is a multilingual country. All Philippine languages are Austronesian
languages and Hesperonesia (Western Austronesian) languages.

Almost everyday knows and understands the English word ‘bag’. What is called in your
mother tongue? There must have been a term for that before. It would be fascinating if you can
still use your own mother tongue to name it.

Language and dialect

In general, language is defined as any particular system of human communication. The
system consists of stuctured arrangement of sounds and their written representations that can
lead to larger units i.e morphemes, words, sentences, utterances. Sometimes, it is understood as
what is spoken by a group of people in particular country or the language that is spoken by only
a part of the total population of a country, such as Hindi in India, Mandarin in China, Catalan in
Spain.

The definition of language or dialect is a bit problematic. There seems to be no non-

arbitry point where. The best way to distinguish one from the other is to temporarily consider
two reasons:
1. To label geographically the distinct varieties; and
2. As a result of standardization

ACTIVITY 2.2. Identify as many Philippine languages are there in the puzzle.

Q S X A S F G H J K L Z X C V B K N M Q W E R T Y U
W T C I O P T A S D F G H J K L A Z X C V B N M Q I
E M V W E K A L I N G A R T Y U L I O P A S D F G O
R L B H I J U K L Z A S X D C F I V G H B N G M K P
T J N A V S S D H F G H J K L Z N X C V B N A S D F
Y L M H A J U K I L Z X C V W A G S W E R T M Y U I
U A Q D T A G A L O G A X K A P A M P A N G A N A N
I U W D A F Q I I Q J D S L R A A Z E A S B G A WA
P O E C N G W O G R D F D Z A K E A N O N S U S E S
O B S V Y A E K A K A N A E Y S E X R Y T T I D R D
A B A F U V R P Y A V G F X Q D K U Y O N O N F T F
S D M H I V M A N E A H G C W F R C T P U Y D G Y G
C H A B A C A N O I O U H V E G T B I N I S A Y A H
D F R J O N R S N O W J S B R H Y V S T P P O H U J
F G T K P M A D K C E B U A N O U B D S H B N J K K
G B U T U A N O N U N’ I R G T J I N G A K T O L I L
H R Y D A L A F H C O O I L O K O M S U B A N O N Z
J S B A N T O N F D A P G H Y I P Q U R A K Q T A U
K G U F S K T G V E E M A N O B O W T F T L M R M C
L L H G D T Y H T G O A O J U L Q I G N I S C E I V
Z S I N A I U J A H P A N G A S E N E N S E Y A G B
Q J D A J R Q A D U R P O A J Q A I R G S Q O A I Q
X H U S K U S X Y A K A N S L U F B E S E W P S NW
C G I D L R E F A F U L Q D K A G A Y A N E N D J E
V F O F K A R A W O S M E F Z K T L H R U R T F K R
B D P G Z Y F V A D A A V G E O E O O N P I I G L T
N S A H X C T U N N M R T H C S R Y M T M D N H Z Y
 Unit 3: PHONETIC FEATURES OF A
LANGUAGE

LESSON 3.1 The Sounds of a Language

Introduction

The study of phonology of a language is concerned with the way the words or utterances
are pronounced. It highlights the significant sounds of a language. The English language has
more vowels phonemes than those in any Philippine languages.
Language learners in the Philippines have been studying English and Filipino as official
languages in the country and apparently gained ample knowledge about linguistic systems.

THE ALPHABET
An alphabet is a standard set of letters or graphemes which is used to write or code ideas.
In the past, the alibata was the representative script of the Philippine Languages. This is
reported to be related to scripts in India.

SEGMENTAL PHONEMES

 Vowel Phonemes are sounds produced by the articular without any oral impediment. The
sound produced may depend on position of the tongue or how the tongue is raised (e.g /a/,
/e/).

 Consonant Phonemes are the sounds that are produced with certain oral impediments.
Some consonants phonemes are completely blocked and they are called stops (e.g /p/. /b/).
Others are particularly blocked called laterals (e.g /l/) or where the openings are narrowed
allowing the escape of air with a friction called fricatives (e.g /f/, /v/).

 Diphthongs are sounds considered as one distinctive vowel a speech sound but involves
two vowels with one gliding to the other phoneme (e.g /ai/, /ou/).

 Triphthongs, on the other hand, consists of three vowels phonemes.

MORPHOPHONEMICS
Another feature of language is is morphophonemics which studies the interaction
between morphological and phonological or phonetic processes. It focuses on the sound changes
that take place in morphemes (minimal meaningful units) when they combine to form words.

There are several types of morphophonemics changes. Some iof these are:
 Stress shift
 Vowel loss
 Metathesis
 Assimilation of one sound to another
 Consonant change
 TERMINOLOGY

A Phoneme Is the smallest distinct unit of sound in a language that can affect
the meaning.

Alibata Is a term that takes the first two letters of the alphabet of
Maguindanao (alif and bet) used in Southern Philippines and
derived from Arabic.

ASSIGNMENT 3.1 Write the symbols of alibata in a short bond paper. Capture the
photo and send it to me on messenger. (Ashing OM)

NOTE: PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION IS YET TO BE SCHEDULED.

REFERENCES
Fina Felisa Alcudia, Purita Bilbao, Ma. Asuncion Christine Dequilla, Angelita Germinal, Daisy
Rosano, Marievic Violeta, “Mother Tongue: for Teaching and Learning” published by Lorimar
Publishing Inc.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2019/01/Mother-Tongue-
CG.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwih3tyMl5vrAhWEQN4KHcjXA74QFjAKegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw0pB
YGB9Mrjn25nmlQncBlb