Translation of Target Language to Mother tongue: Strategy Employed by Teachers in Implementing Mother tongue -Based instruction in A Multilingual Classroom Setting

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

One of the latest developments in the Philippine Educational System is the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). The Barangay of Magroyong of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur, Philippines is considered as a home of many people from other barangays of the province and other provinces. A significant population of barangay people contributed to the diversity of the barangay's culture. The languages that are commonly spoken are Tagon-on, Surigaonon, Visayan, English, and Tagalog. Having different languages in the barangay has been a concern because it affects the learning of the pupils. Thus, this study explored the strategy employed by the teachers in implementing MTB-MLE.

METHODS

This study used the descriptive design in determining the problems encountered by the Kinder-Grade 3 teachers of Magroyong Elementary School in implementing the MTB -MLE. Six (6) teachers from Kindergarten-Grade 3 were chosen by the researcher based on purposive sampling. The researcher used survey questionnaires as the major data gathering instrument. The responses were tallied and treated using simple percentage.

RESULTS

Results show that 100% of the total respondents answered that they have encountered problems with the absence of books written in mother tongue. Most of respondents in the classroom setting found the translation of target language to mother tongue as the best strategy. Moreover, the applied strategies of Kinder-Grade 3 teachers in employing the MTB-MLE have an impact to the language development, cognitive development, academic development, and socio-cultural awareness.

DISCUSSIONS

The MTB-MLE in a multilingual setting reflected that the best strategy to apply is the translation of target language to mother tongue. Through this strategy employed by the teachers, they are able to effectively implement the use of MTB-MLE in helping their pupils acquire the necessary information and learning in the classroom. This innovative strategy help the pupils attain the maximum learning and helps build firm foundations, valuing, and developing the oral and written skills that young children bring to school without rushing literacy.