THE EXPLORATION OF THE PREFERENCES OF GRADE 11 STUDENTS ON

MOTHER TONGUE-BASED AND MULTILINGUALISM TO THEIR ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE
A Qualitative Research Paper

Presented to
The Faculty of Senior High School Department
Holy Cross College of Sasa Inc.
Km. 9 Sasa Davao City

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Practical Research 1

Serrano, Jhon Aldrich

Aragon, Chrislee May
Aspril, Mary Grace
Almero, Princess
Brent,Tomas

February 2024
 Chapter 1
This chapter presents the introduction, purpose of the study, research

objectives, review of related literature, and theoretical lens.

Introduction

Although there have been countless studies conducted on the different

factors that affect how students perform when it comes to their studies and

academics, the researchers noticed one factor that seemed to stand out among

the Grade 11 students, which would be the factor that this research is going to

focus on. This factor would be the usage of language as well as its effects on the

capabilities and efficiency of learners when it comes to learning and applying

concepts that are new to them. This research will place some focus on the MTB-

MLE program that was initialized in 2009 and fully implemented in the

Philippines in 2012 as part of the K to 12 curriculum with the purpose of using the

learners’ mother tongue languages to improve their learning capabilities in the

early stages then shifting to multilingualism later on in order to strengthen the

foundation of the learners in learning other more dominant languages (Amparo,

2020).

According to international research, every country has aspired to provide

high-quality education to its learners with the goal of making proper functioning

and high-quality professionals in the global stage. It is in this context that the

curriculum for early years of schooling must be effectively developed (Alzhanova

& Chaklikova , 2022).

 According to a national study, subjects that apply multilingualism as the

main medium of instruction aid learners in setting up their foundations and basics

in a different language, while this may only show its effects in the long term,

when learning new concepts, it is of absolute necessity to start from the very

bottom. Mother tongue subjects on the other hand, aim to serve as a bridge that

a learner could use to learn a new language, setting up the foundations for

communication as well as teaching and solidifying the cultural identity of the

learner (Cansino, 2023).

Through the program, young learners begin their education in the

language they understand best, their mother tongue, and develop a strong

foundation in this language before learning in other languages. Children with a

solid foundation in their mother tongue have a higher chance to develop better

literacy abilities in the school. The implementation of MTB-MLE enables the

learners to use different languages for success in school and for lifelong learning.

Essentially, the MTB-MLE also envisions to transgress suitable cognitive and

rational abilities, helping children to adapt and respond in different languages

formally beginning with the native language of the child (Tajolosa, 2022).

According to a local article, the MTB-MLE, as stipulated in DepEd Order

No. 16, is implemented in all public schools, specifically in Kindergarten, Grades

1 to 3 as part of the K to 12 Basic Education Program. According to the program,

mother tongue becomes one subject and, at the same time, the mode of

instruction for all other subjects except Filipino and English. This means students

from kindergarten to Grade 3 are to receive instruction, teaching materials, and

assessments in their respective regional or native languages. The original

intention for implementing this order was to fulfill the purpose of influencing the

language, cognitive, and academic development and sociocultural awareness of

the youth (Valderrama, 2022).

Language plays a vital role in facilitating the learning of pupils and

academic achievement. It is one of the most important characteristic forms of

human behavior as it involves communication with others. For learners, it is a

prominent deciding factor in their future lives, greater proficiency and experience

in language provides a great number of opportunities as well as connections with

other people. Thus, the researchers believe that the medium of instruction used

is something that should be thoroughly analyzed and observed in the learning of

students as it may have a considerable impact on the social life and academic

performance of students.

The researchers have not yet come across a study in this school that

determines the live experience of how the usage of language affects the learners’

learning capabilities, efficiency and academic performance. Because of this gap

in information, there is a need to conduct a study about this phenomenon. In fact,

this study can be adopted by other students who are willing to improve their

academic performance or even teachers who are willing to try something new in

order to improve the engagement of the students. In particular, students,

teachers, administrators, and future researchers can benefit from this study.
Purpose of the Study

This research was conducted with the purpose of expanding the

knowledge regarding how the utilization of language is related to students’

learning capabilities and learning capacity, as well as the advantages and

disadvantages of mother tongue-based and multilingualism as mediums of

teaching, allowing for the readers to be more aware of possible ways to improve

their understanding and learning, thus the following groups of individuals may

benefit from this research in one way or another:

Students. This study is significant for students as it directly addresses

their preferences and experiences. By understanding student preferences, the

study seeks to create a more supportive and inclusive learning environment,

ultimately contributing to a better educational experience and academic success.

Teachers. This study provides valuable insights for teachers, helping

them adapt teaching methods to align with students' language preferences. It

offers a foundation for creating more effective language instruction strategies,

fostering improved communication and comprehension in diverse classrooms.

School Administrators. This study holds importance for school

administrators as it provides insights into students' preferences. This information

helps administrators improve language programs, making them more effective

and aligning them with students' needs. By doing so, administrators can enhance

student engagement, comprehension, and academic performance, contributing

to a positive and successful learning environment in the school.

 Future Researchers. This study is significant for future researchers as it

provides a foundation for exploring how students' preferences may impact

academic performance. In addition, the study's outcomes would provide a solid

foundation for expanding the understanding of effective language education

strategies and their implications for learning outcomes among diverse student

populations.

Research Objectives

The researchers conducted the study in the hope of finding the following:

1. To determine the lived experience of how the usage of language is related

to students’ academic performance.

2. To determine the preferences of students towards the usage of mother

tongue-based and multilingualism.

Research Questions

This research ought to find answers to the following questions:

1. What are the students’ lived experiences regarding how they perceive the

relation between language and their academic performance?

2. What medium of instruction do students prefer more between mother

tongue-based and multilingualism?

Review Related Literature

In this research on the topic of the preferences of students in regards to

the medium of instruction used in their classes, we wish to know the various

implications and reasons for learners to have their preferences regarding the

medium of instruction used to aid their learning processes, this in itself has a very

wide scope of investigation and for that reason, a literature review has to be

conducted in order to lessen and specify the possible topics or related topics we

can use for conducting our research.

Mother Tongue-Based

Mother tongue-based is the usage of a person’s mother tongue in the act

of conversing or writing. Mother tongue-based instruction mainly deals with the

teaching of a subject with the use of the language that learners regularly use in

their frequent daily interactions with other people. It has been frequently

observed that learners being able to make use of their language in their school

subjects perform more actively in schools than with the usage of the English

language (Cortez, et al., n.d.).

Mother tongue is important in forming and solidifying the thoughts and

emotions of people. Learning one’s mother tongue is of absolute importance in

developing basic cognitive and mental skills and serving as a foundation for

further development which is important especially when it comes to children.

Being fluent in the mother tongue, which is also known as the native language,

benefits people and children in a number of ways. It associates their culture to

themselves, ensures enhanced cognitive development, and supports in the

learning of other languages. A child first comprehends what is around them

through the language they hear their mother communicating in from before they

are born and throughout their whole lives (Nishanthi, 2020).

Studies have shown that learners not only do better when they are taught

in their mother tongue, but they also develop a more positive attitude in

continuing their education. Language is closely tied to cognitive development,

when learners are taught in their mother tongue, they can better understand and

process information. This familiarity with the language allows them to grasp

concepts more easily and engage in deeper critical thinking. Proficiency in the

mother tongue can positively influence the development of second language

skills. When learners have a strong foundation in their native language, they can

transfer language skills such as vocabulary, grammar, and cognitive strategies to

a second language more effectively (Why mother language-based education is

essential, 2022).

Multilingualism

Multilingualism refers to the use of multiple languages through the act of

speech or the act of writing. As a method of instruction, it also refers to the usage

of other languages that is different from one’s mother tongue with the intention of

developing the learners’ cognitive and linguistic skills throughout the course of

the learners’ education. Multilingualism exposes people to different cultures,

connections and ways of life, it helps one develop different perspectives, greater

levels of adaptability and better appreciation of things in the situations people are
constantly put in within their daily lives (The Benefits of a Multilingual Education,

2023).

One of the important characteristics of high-quality teaching is the ability of

teachers to tap into the students’ prior understandings and experiences and

background knowledge of a lesson or topic. This knowledge is encoded in their

home languages, and therefore it is vital that teachers facilitate the transfer of

both concepts and skills from students’ home languages to English. Teaching

practices that tap into multilingual ways of reading, writing and speaking allow

students to access the cultural resources that enhance the personal significance

of their classroom work, as well as expanding access to knowledge through texts

in more than one language (Ollerhead & Taylor-Leech, 2019).

As the world becomes greatly interconnected and united in the global

scale, many schools all around the world are pushing for greater diversity and

unity especially when it comes to language. Language is a great tool especially

when it comes to seeking opportunities and connections with other people and

this is a fact that is further enhanced when one is fluently multilingual.

Multilinguists get to learn more, understand more, have access to more

materials, as well as comprehend things easier. In this age of great

industrialization and modernization, communication is of utmost importance,

information from all around the world can easily be accessible with

communication. While communication can be comprehensively developed

through the usage and teaching of multilinguistic skills and principles in school

through the usage of multilingualism as a medium of instruction (Turner, 2019).

MTB-MLE Program

In 2012, the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)

scheme was implemented as a component of the Department of Education’s

implementation of the K-12 Basic Education Program. The MTB-MLE is a

controversial language policy that faced many challenges before and during its

implementation. Many years into its implementation, however, the scheme has

still not been fully accepted by parents and teachers who still prefer the usage of

English as the main medium of instruction (Melchor, 2020).

In the program, the learners’ mother tongue is viewed as the medium

which will facilitate the concept mastery and provide the foundation for the

learning of additional languages such as English. Since the learners’ own

language allows them to express themselves more freely and easily, learners will

be more encouraged to participate and engage in class as well as be more

willing to learn and grasp the ideas that are taught to them during their class

discussions. It is a program that pushes learners to be more expressive and

thoughtful about the lessons which they are exposed to. It was implemented to

mainly serve as a bridge used to cross the gap of the illiteracy and lack of

interest of students, to pave the path for further development of the learners’

communication and cognitive development (Laurora, n.d.).

The issues and challenges that the MTB-MLE program faced during its

implementation and usage includes the lack of available educational materials in

a majority of the spoken local languages, the lack of experienced and qualified

teachers to serve as instructors and implementers of the program, as well as the

many signs of disagreement that the parents and teachers gave out towards the

program due to a variety of reasons. Several drawbacks on the implementation

of MTB-MLE focuses on the problems with the comprehension and overall

academic performance of the students which is also the main focus that the

program is trying to improve and develop on (Adrianno, Franco, & Estrella, 2021)
Interview Guide Questions

Main Question Interview Guide Questions Probing Questions

What are the 1. Why do you think it matters 1. How would your teacher’s
students’ lived that students in different grades language affect your studies and
experiences might like different languages learnings during your classes?
regarding how for learning?
they perceive 2. What do you feel when your
the relation 2. Do you think it would be more teacher uses the language you are
between motivating and enjoyable to more comfortable with in your
language and study if your teachers used classes?
their academic languages you are comfortable
performance? with? 3. Why do you think teachers need
to figure out what language the
3. What problems do you think students prefer as their medium of
we might face when figuring out instruction?
what language students like and
prefer to learn with? 4. What do you think you should do
to improve further when it comes to
4. Do you think it’s more difficult the usage of language?
to achieve and learn more if you
are being taught in a language 5. What do you think should
you don’t prefer? students do to maximize their
learning efficiency and capacity
5. Do you think students' when dealing with languages they
language preferences impact aren’t familiar with?
their academic performance?
Main Question Interview Guide Questions Probing Questions

What medium of 1. Do you like learning in your 1. Why do you have this
instruction do own language? preference?
students prefer
more between 2. How do you think it affects 2. What do you feel when your
mother tongue- how well you do in school? teacher instructs you using this
based and language?
multilingualism? 3. How can we find out what
languages you and your 3. Why do you and your friends
friends prefer for studying? prefer it this way?

4. Do you think the language 4. How do you think language

used in teaching is important? affects us when we try to learn and
If so, why? listen to our teachers?
References

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Professional Foreign Language Communicative Competence of Students in a

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Tajolosa, T. (2022). To be or not to be? A question of linguistic resilience among

young speakers of batak, a critically endangered Philippine language.

https://www.al-kindipublisher.com/index.php/ijllt/article/download/3182/2784

Valderrama M. (2022). Valderrama: Mother tongue and the conversational

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and-the-conversational-bisaya

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