Indigenous Songs as Instructional Aids in Teaching Mother Tongue to Pupils of Bontoc Central School: Its Educational Implications

Abstract

Indigenous Songs play an important role in the development of young children learning the mother language. This paper begins by looking at why indigenous songs can be considered valuable pedagogical tools in teaching the mother tongue this K12 curriculum of the (DepEd) Department of Education. In particular, it will discuss how indigenous songs are used in communication arts that can help young learners (particularly those who are not from Bontoc) of Bontoc Central School in Bontoc, Mountain Province improve their communication skills. The researcher will also discuss how the selected indigenous songs can reflect culture and increase the young learner’s overall enjoyment of learning a mother language and second language on songs translated into English. The researcher will then attempt to show, through useful examples, how the selected indigenous songs (both in mother tongue and English translation) can be used as language tasks. Finally, the paper aims to explore how indigenous songs for children can be adapted to suit a particular theme or part of the curriculum a teacher in the primary level might wish to teach in the mother tongue teaching.