Teachers’ Preference on the Local Policy Implementation of the Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Education: An Assessment

Abstract

This study specifically aims to know the teachers’ preference on the local policy implementation of the Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) among the selected teachers in the public and private schools in one of the cities in Zamboanga Peninsula. It is a mixed method employing a descriptive-exploratory research design participated by 33 early grade teachers who voluntarily participated in the study. To meet the research objectives, a survey checklist questionnaire with five-point likert scale was utilized as a research instrument for the quantitative data while the respondents’ answers in the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) served as the supporting statements (qualitative). Based on the data, the study concludes that most of the teachers preferred wherein they strongly agree to use the Chabacano language in teaching the Mother Tongue subject only and translate some words in Filipino whenever the children do not understand the concepts in Chabacano language. On the other hand, they are undecided whether Chabacano should be used as a medium of instruction in all subjects except for English and Filipino. The respondents’ preference on the implementation of the MTB-MLE absolutely concurs to the national guideline of the DepEd Order no. 74 Institutionalizing Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education which clearly states that “the mother tongue of the students shall be a medium of instruction to be used in the classroom”. Also, their preference in translating Chabacano words in Filipino also supports the Philippine constitution, article 14 section 7 which states that for purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English. The regional languages are the auxiliary official languages in the regions and shall serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein.