MOTHER TONGUE BASED-

MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION
(MTB-MLE)
Language is in fact the foundation of every
culture, language is an abstract system of
word meaning and symbols for all aspects
of culture. It includes speech, written,
characters, numerals, symbols, and gesture
and expression of non verbal
communication. According to Sapir Whorf
hypothesis, language does more than
simply described reality; it also serves to
shape the reality of a culture.
 UNESCOS PRINCIPLE OF LANGUAGE AND EDUCATION

 Principle 1:
 - UNESCO supports mother tongue instruction as a
means of improving educational quality by building
upon the knowledge and experience of the learners and
teachers.
Principle 2:
- Supports bilingual and/or multi lingual
education at all level of education as means of
promoting both social and gender equality and as
a key element of linguistically diverse societies.
Principle 3:
- UNESCO supports language as an essential
component of inter cultural education in order to
encourage understanding between different
population groups and ensure respect for
fundamental rights.

MOTHER TONGUE means ones native language;

the language learned by children and pass from
one generation to the next.
 WHAT IS MOTHER-TONGUE BASE MULTI LINGUAL EDUCATION
OR MLE

 Multi lingual education typically refers to “first-

language-first “education, that is schooling which
begins in the mother tongue and transition to
additional languages.
 MLE is the use of more than two languages for
literacy and instruction. It starts from where the
learners are , from what they already know.

 TYPICALLY MLE PROGRAMS ARE:

• *Strong foundation- research shows that children

whose early education is in the language of their home
tend to do better in the later years of their education.
(Thomas and Collier, 1997)
• * Strong bridge- as essential difference between MLE
programs and rural “Mother Tongue Education”
programs is the inclusion of a guided transition from
learning through another tongue.

•
 STAGES OF AN MLE PROGRAM (UNESCO, 2003, 2005)

 Stage1- learning takes place entirely in the

child’s home language .
 Stage2- Building fluency in the mother tongue.
Introduction of oral L2.
 Stage3- Building oral fluency in L2.
 Stage 4- Using both L1 and L2 for life long
learning.
 WHEN WILL CHILDREN START LEARNING FILIPINO AND
ENGLISH?
 -- As they develop a strong foundation in their L1, children
are gradually introduced to the official languages Filipino
and English a separate subjects, first orally then written
form Continue building fluency and confidence in using L1, L2 and L3 for
 . everyday communication and for learning new concepts. Introduce reading
and writing L3.
Continue building oral and written L1 and L2 . Introduce oral L3 .

Continue building oral and written L1 and L2 . 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.

 WHAT KIND OF LEARNER’S DOES MLE INTEND TO PRODUCE

 - MLE aims to produce learner’s 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 this languages in various
situation and interaction for learning in school.
 Multi-Cultural they can live and work harmoniously with
people of cultural backgrounds and 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.
WHY USE THE MOTHER TONGUE OR THEE FIRST LANGUAGE L1
IN SCHOOL?

 One’s own language enables a child to express

him/her self easily, as there is no fear of making
mistakes.
 MLE encourages active participation by children
in the learning process because they understand
what is being discussed and what is being asked
of them.
 Children can immediately use the L1 to construct
and explain their world, articulate their thoughts
and add new concepts to what they already know.
 IS IT COSTLY TO PRACTICE MLE?
 Contrary to popular belief, L1-based education may
actually cost less than a system that is base on L2.
 If we consider the money wasted on drop-outs,
repeaters, and failures, as well as added costs,
studies show that L2-based education system are
more costly than L1 systems.
 A Guatemalan study, for instance, showed that it is
more expensive to produce a grade level passer(in
Grades 1-6) in Spanish medium school($6,013)
than in a Mayan school($4,496).
THE IMPORTANT TASK IN FORMULATING A COMMUNITY
–BASED MLE PROGRAM INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

 1. Conduct preliminary research.

 2. Mobilize resources and develop linkages .
 3. Recruit and train staff.
 4. Develop a writing system.
 5. Develop curriculum and instructional materials.
 6. Develop literature .
 7. Evaluate the program and document progress .
 8. Coordinate the programs.
 EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
 The learners must be exposed to meaningful
use of the L2 outside the classroom situations.
The meaningful exposure which comes from:
 1. Meaningful reading in a variety of genres.
 2. Focusing in the language itself-how it works,
it is used.
 3. Using the language orally and in writing.
 However the problem in most school
situations (L1, L2,andnsible input L3), there
is not enough time given for comprehensible
input( oral and written)
The use of MTB-MLE should result to
children who are multi lingual , multi-
cultural and multi-literate and children who
are confident and capable in the languages
and who maintain their love and respect for
their linguistic and cultural heritage.
ESSENTIAL FEATURES
OF A STRONG MLE
PROGRAM
(SUSAN MALONE, SIL)
 Preliminary research to
collect information for
planning the programme
Supportive political
environment.
Awareness- racing and
mobilization at local, state,
national and international levels

Cooperation among Orthographies/ writing

supporting agencies . Essential features systems that acceptable
of a strong and to the speakers and to
sustained MLE the appropriate
Programmed government agencies
Evaluation and
documentation of
each component of
each programme,
including learners Teaching and learning materials
academic progress. that build on the learners
Graded reading language and culture and
MLE staff with the ensure that they achieved grade
materials in the
training and support level competencies in each
learners home
needed for long- subject.
language and in the
term success.
official language.
 WILL USING THE MOTHER TONGUE AS
LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION HINDER THE
LEARNING OF A SECOND LANGUAGE LIKE
ENGLISH?
 No. Many studies indicate the student
first taught to read in their L1, and then
later in an L2, outperform those taught to
read exclusively in an L2. Learning to in
one’s own language provides learner with a
solid foundation for learning to read in any
L2.
THANK YOU!
