mother tongue
@adaengkantada (37)
Philippines
May 21, 2009 4:57am CST
studies have come out with proof that using the mother tongue as a medium of intruction in the first few years of learning enables children to learn much quicker.
but with globalization, the english language is opted by the philippine government. It encourages english as the medium for instruction as it would help filipinos be more "globally competitive"
I think there is a big screw up here as the government focuses on shallow refoms, focusing on teaching the english l;anguage to children will not ensure that they will have quality education and learn the necessary skills and knowledge to get ahead in life.
do you favor using the mother tongue as the means for instruction? would you prefer english speaking but "dumb" children to more educated Pilipino speakers?
1 response
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
21 May 09
Let me tell you from personal experience that what your govt is doing is absolutely correct. I say personal experience because in my state, the govt had decided to abolish English from primary level and introduce it only from Class VI and that also as a second language without much importance. The reasoning was the same as you give...children learn better in the mother tongue...this continued for some two decades resulting in generations of educated youth without the savviness required in the job market.
However, it really depends on whether in your country English is given any importance like here in India. Here quality higher education is invariably in English, interviews are held in English, wherever you go, you are thought as more smart and polished if you speak fluently in English. If this is the scenario in Philipines then your govt is correct in laying so much emphasis on English.
@adaengkantada (37)
• Philippines
22 May 09
during the 2 decades that the mother tongue was used in primary education, did your gov't ever make an assessment or a study about it? I think that maybe it ust needs a liitle tweaking. Chinese are savvy, and so are Singaporeans. They teach children in their native tongues and it hasn't stop them from conquering the world.
I am just saying that the government's priority is not clear. it is misleading. it focuses on the external factors instead of addressing the quality of education they are providing children, which deteriorates every year based on international and even local studies done.
