DepEd set to start mother tongue-based instruction in public schools in SY 2012-2013

By Rutchie C. Aguhob

Sunday 20th of May 2012

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, May 20 (PIA) -- The Mother Tongue-Based Multi-Lingual Education (MTB-MLE) will be implemented in all public schools, specifically in Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2, and 3, as part of the K to 12 Basic Education Program (BEP), starting the School Year (SY) 2012-2013.

This is prescribed in the Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 16, s. 2012 signed by Atty. Alberto T. Muyot, Undersecretary and MTB-MLE Officer-in-Charge, to support the goal of “Every Child-A Reader and A-Writer by Grade 1.”

The Lingua Franca Project (1999-2001) and the Lubuagan Project (1999 up to the present) have provided inputs in the implementation of the MTB-MLE, Muyot said.

He said 921 schools including those for children of indigenous people have been modeling the MTB-MLE with support of the Basic Education Assistance to Mindanao (BEAM), Third Elementary Education Program (TEEP), Translators Association of the Philippines (TAP) and the Save the Children and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).

In the MTB-MLE implementation, the following eight major languages or Lingua Franca and four other languages will be cited as learning area and utilized as language of instruction for SY 2012-2013: Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaoan, Maranao, and Chavacano.

Meanwhile, the MTB-MLE aims at language development which established a strong education for success in school and for lifelong learning and at cognitive development which focuses on Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS).

It also aims at academic development which prepares the learner to acquire mastery of competencies in each of the learning areas and at socio-cultural awareness which enhances the pride of the learner’s heritage, language, and culture.

Per the enclosed guidelines in DepEd Order No. 16, the MTB-MLE will be implemented in two modes: as a learning/subject area and as a medium of instruction (MOI).

As a subject area, the Mother Tongue (MT) will focus on the development of beginning reading and fluency from Grades 1 to 3 while the Learners’ Mother Tongue (L1) will be used as MOI in all domains/learning areas from Kindergarten through Grade 3 except Filipino (L2) and English (L3).

The L1 will continuously be used as MOI in a transition or bridging process, L1-L2-L1 or L2-L1-L2, through Grade 3, while L2 will be introduced in the first semester of Grade 1 for oral fluency and reading and writing in the 2nd semester also of Grade 1.

The four (4) macro skills, namely: listening, speaking, reading and writing will continuously be developed from Grade 2-6, while oral fluency in L3 will be introduced in the 2nd semester of Grade 1.

Reading and writing in L3 will start in the 1st semester of Grade 2, while the macro skills will be developed starting 2nd semester of Grade 2 until Grade 6.

The existing MTB-MLE regional training team organized for the model schools shall be the same team that will be responsible for the division and school-based training of teachers on the MTB-MLE for the K to 12 Basic Education Program (BEP). (PIA 10, Mis. Occ.)