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.

The importance of mother tongue

The importance of mother tongue is studied because when children develop their
mother tongue, they are simultaneously fostering a whole host of other essential skills,
such as critical thinking and literacy skills. It is these skills that they take with them into
formal education, and research tells us that any skills and concepts gained in the
learner’s home language don’t have to be re-taught when they transfer to a second
language.
For example, if a child has developed the ability to guess the meaning of a word through
its context, or to infer meaning by reading between the lines, these skills are easily
transferred when they begin studying in a second language. It is much harder, however,
to teach these abstract skills directly through a second language.

Why is mother tongue so important?

The importance of mother tongue was studied by Professor Jim Cummins from the
University of Toronto in Canada. He explored why is it so important that parents speak
their own mother tongue to their children.
His research uncovers the link between a child’s development and their mother tongue.
He found that children who develop skills in two or even three languages, grow up to
have a deeper understanding of how to form sentences and expressions, making the
use of language as a whole a lot easier.
Children speaking just one mother tongue language had a fixed mindset on how to
communicate what they want or need. He also found that children with only one mother
tongue did not know how to use the language in the same depth as children using two
or mother tongue languages.
He discusses how children that speak multiple languages have more advanced critical
thinking as they have to explore how to phrase and use the language of choice at that
moment in time.
Furthermore, Cummins found that children with a strong mother tongue found it easier
to pick up a second language and develop their literacy skills.

Role of mother tongue in child development

It’s also well known that a strong mother tongue foundation equips children with the
skills they need to learn additional languages, allowing them to transfer their
understanding of the structure of language to several new languages. The intuitive
understanding of grammar that develops when children learn their first language can
easily be passed on to other languages.
With multilingualism becoming an increasingly sought-after attribute within the
workplace, this advantage cannot be overstated; globalisation and increased co-
operation between nations mean that, in many organisations, it has become a
requirement to have language skills in addition to being a specialist within a particular
field.
Language and mother tongue also play a huge role in the development of personal,
social and cultural identity. Children with a strong foundation in their first language often
display a deeper understanding of themselves and their place within society, along with
an increased sense of wellbeing and confidence. Naturally, this flows down into every
aspect of their lives, including their academic achievement.

Advantages of mother tongue in education

There are many benefits to a child learning in their mother tongue language in the
classroom:
 Mother tongue makes it easier for children to pick up and learn other languages
 Mother tongue develops a child’s personal, social and cultural identity
 Using mother tongue helps a child develop their critical thinking and literacy skills
 Research shows that children learning in mother tongue adopt a better
understanding of the curriculum
 Skills learnt in mother tongue do not have to be re-taught when when the child
transfers to a second language
 Children learning in mother tongue enjoy school more and learn faster due to
feeling comfortable in their environment
 Self-esteem is higher for children learning in mother tongue
 Parent child interaction increases as the parent can assist with homework
 Studies show that children that capitalise on learning through multilingualism
enjoy a higher socioeconomic status earn higher earnings
 5 reasons why it is important to know your mother tongue

It is a common belief that as we move towards a society in which the medium of

teaching is English, we tend to move away from our mother tongue. The first language
that a baby learns right from his or her birth is termed as the birth language and thus,
plays a crucial role in our lives for a wide array of reasons. On the International Mother
Language Day (February 21), let us look at these 5 reasons and understand why it is
important to know your mother tongue well:

Intellectual Development

Studies have shown that cognitive development as well as intellectual development is

comparatively faster in those who are fluent in their mother tongue. It has also been
noted that if a student is educated in his/her mother tongue, the rate of his or her
educational success is higher than someone who is taught in a different medium other
than their mother tongue.

Better connection with your culture

Languages are the most important way of keeping our culture alive. Often the direct
translation of one language to another might not carry the same essence as it is in the
source language. Thus, the best way to thoroughly know about a culture is to know the
language. Mother tongue helps us stay connected to our culture and our roots.

Second language learning

If one has a firm grasp of their mother tongue, it is easier for him or her to master a new
language. When a child reads out in their mother tongue since childhood, he or she
would have stronger literacy skills in other languages.
Commercial benefits
As the businesses go the local way, the importance of mother tongues has
exponentially increased. Thus, in such a scenario, having a firm understanding of your
mother tongue where you know how to read and write is immensely helpful if you are
interested in becoming an entrepreneur. The opportunities related to monetizing with
the help of one’s mother tongues are vast in today’s market scenario.
The Pride

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.

Importance of Filipino language

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 .

English as Medium of Instruction

An English-medium education system is one that uses English as the primary medium
of instruction—particularly where English is not the mother tongue of the students.

ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE PHILIPPINES

Proficiency of the English Language is a real deal here in the Philippines. After the
colonization, we Filipinos are well equipped in speaking this language compared to our
neighboring countries in Asia. Nevertheless, it is used as a medium of instruction and all
of us are exposed in this language since then.
There has been an implementation of Executive Order 210 Series of 2003, which
established the policy to strengthen English as a Medium of Instruction in educational
system in the Philippines during the Arroyo regime. In my humble opinion, it is
considered as a successful step in implementing English in our country. All Filipino
children has an equal opportunity in learning the said language. But despite of this,
there are some who doesn’t give some thumbs up in this act. It is said that learning this
language can affect our cultural heritage. Why is that so? By learning English, we tend
to forget our roots- that is our mother tongue! Also, it is stated that English will slow
intellectual development. Imagine speaking English in front of non-speakers will give
them a hard time catching up. It will create a barrier in open communication. How can
they interact when in fact they cannot understand what someone is implying?
Despite of the bombarding arguments between the advantages and disadvantages of
using English Language in our curriculum, it all sums up into one common goal-
innovation. Every success begins with a single step and that step is learning English
language. This language is considered as universal- you can’t go to places not learning
this! To achieve competence, one must learn to communicate effectively. That effective
communication is possible by understanding each other to achieve a certain goal.
We live in a fast-paced world where skyscrapers are built and seems like everything is
just a click away. Surely, we are also a third-world country but it doesn’t stop us there.
Excellence is not overnight, thus, it is trained through years to be achieved. By merely
immersing ourselves in English language, excellence is not just overnight- simultaneous
rather! Through years to come, all Filipino youth will achieve such knowledge that is
useful. A gift that cannot be taken away from them. English language is the key towards
innovation.

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.

Filipino should be the medium of instruction in Philippine schools because it is the

national language. The language of Filipino is the foundation of the Filipino culture.
Filipino is what the students are familiar with and what they use for communicating. The
students are also not using their full potential because they cannot use their own mother
tongue in participating in class. They are having a hard time because they need to
speak in English which they are not too familiar with. As Wolfaardt (2001) said, “the
learners are not always able to understand instructions and as a result they are not able
to perform as they would have done in their mother tongue”. Students who learn with
their mother tongue would easily comprehend the lesson and perform better. In Kalinga,
a test was conducted. Students in grade 1 to 3 were taught in their mother tongue in
subjects of English and Filipino and they were able to attain a grade of 76% for both
subjects (Monsod, 2009). The students were able to pass and gain a score above the
average. Using a student’s mother tongue is more effective in developing a student’s
learning.
English should be the medium of instruction in Philippine schools because it is the
universal language. By learning in English, the student will be bilingual or even be
multilingual and have an edge against other countries such as Vietnam, Korea, or
Thailand. English will serve as an advantage for the students when they travel abroad
or even in their respective fields. Being bilingual develops a person’s mind to become
smarter (Kalkan, 2014). Having it as a medium of instruction, the students will have
greater competence in English and be able to compete since the world is globalizing
(Monsod, 2009).

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/?
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