Getting started with Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education: Laying the groundwork with communities & y g g

schools in South Central Mindanao, the PhilippinesInternational Conference on Language, Education and MDGs

Twin Towers Hotel Bangkok ThailandTwin Towers Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand9 November 2010

Rebecca Paulson & Bonna DuronSave the Children, Philippines

OverviewOverviewOverviewOverview

1 S th Child ’ iti l &1. Save the Children’s position on language & education

2 MTBMLE Wh i it l t i S th2. MTBMLE: Why is it relevant in SouthernMindanao, Philippines

3. Save the Children’s Response 4. Laying the Groundwork: the Steps & y g

Processes5. Challenges and Opportunities

6. Future Directions

Save the Children works toward the Save the Children works toward the f lfill t f th UN CRCf lfill t f th UN CRCfulfillment of the UN CRC…fulfillment of the UN CRC…

The education of the child shall be directed to:

• (Article 29) development of his or her own cultural identity, language and values

• (Article 30) shall not be denied the right t j hi h lt t fto enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practice his or her own religion, or to use his or her own languageg g

Where we work & what we doWhere we work & what we do

Since 1982, Save the Children has been implementing programs in p g p gthe areas of: • Child Protection• Early Childhood Development • Basic EducationBasic Education • Health and Nutrition• Children in conflict andChildren in conflict and

Emergency

Where we work & what we doWhere we work & what we do

South Central Mindanao Sites

• 2 provinces ( South Cotabato,Sultan Kudarat)

• 4 municipalities

• 24 communities/villages

• 31 government elementary schools

61 d t• 61 daycare centers

The Language SituationThe Language Situation

• approximately 18 language minoritygroupsgroups

• 3 majority language groups (Ilonggo3 majority language groups (Ilonggo, Cebuano, Tagalog)

• at least 3 language groups in SC program areasprogram areas

TboliTboli

MaguindanaoanMaguindanaoangg

IlonggoIlonggogggg

• regional lingua franca, Ilonggog g , gg

• Public schools are mandated to use English and Filipino as the languages of instruction.

Since 2007 Save the Children SouthSince 2007, Save the Children, South Central Mindanao Program Office (SCMPO) has been implementing early(SCMPO) has been implementing early childhood and basic education interventions in the two provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

L tt i hild ’Language matters in children’s literacy and learning.

What would be a good approach toWhat would be a good approach to supporting reading and literacy programs

that takes into account the language,that takes into account the language, culture and context of communities?

MTBMLE: Laying the Groundwork…MTBMLE: Laying the Groundwork…MTBMLE: Laying the Groundwork…MTBMLE: Laying the Groundwork…

RESEARCH MOBILIZATION

RECRUITMENTPOLITICAL

ENVIRONMENT

SC MTBMLE FUNDING TRAINING

Program

LITERATURE

CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

EVALUATION & DOCUMENTATION

MANAGEMENT & LITERATURE DEVELOPMENT

MANAGEMENT & COORDINATION

11. Formative Research. Formative Research11. Formative Research . Formative Research

• last February 2009, a formative research was conducted

• to analyze the language and learning contextto identify areas where multicultural orto identify areas where multicultural or multilingual education approaches can be utilizedu ed

• to improve ECD and basic education t f hildoutcomes for children

Key Findings

Language Use

Classroom Practices

Instructional Materials

Perceptions about LanguagePerceptions about Languageand Learning

Key Findings: Challenges

Language Use

o Teachers use Filipino and English to teach theo Teachers use Filipino and English to teach the lessons, but students have difficulty understanding.

I l h l i l ho In some classrooms, there are multiple home languages spoken by learners.

o Filipino and English are not usually spoken or p g y pused outside the classroom.

o Some teachers do not speak the learners’ home languagehome language.

o Some teachers lack confidence in their ability to use English and Filipino.

Key Findings: Challenges

Classroom Practices

o Tend to focus on rote learning and memorizationo Tend to focus on rote learning and memorization

o Reading activities: Focus on accuracy (decoding) rather than meaning (comprehension)

o Some learning concepts/activities not appropriate to local context

Mi i l f ti l i th d l io Minimal use of active learning methodologies

o Assessments in Filipino and English

Key Findings: Challenges

Instructional Materials

o Textbooks in English and Filipino only

o Not enough reading materials

o Environmental prints

reflect national rather than local context and cultureculturenot adequateused for decoration rather than instruction

B k d di t i l t dilo Books and reading materials not readily accessible to learners.

Key FindingsSome perceptions about language and learning

o “The children already know their home language; what they need to learn are y g g yEnglish and Filipino.”

o “Knowing English and Filipino will give children better chances at employment and success in life.”

o “Being taught English and Filipino will make children better prepared for Grade 1.”

o “This is how we were taught and we made it. Our students will also make it somehow ”somehow.

o “Students’ poor performance is due to poverty and lack of parental support.”

o “I want to learn English, but it is very difficult to understand.”

o “If we taught our students in their home language, they will understand more; but…”

22. Raising awareness & preparing communities. Raising awareness & preparing communitiesg p p gg p p g

(June 2009 to May 2010)

S i f f d l i i i hSeries of fora and consultation meetings with partners at the following levels:

D Ed (R i Di i i Di t i t S h l H d )• DepEd (Region, Division, District, School Heads) • Local Government Units ( LGU officials & Department Heads) 

Community orientations and consultations with barangay council members, parents, teachers, tribal elders & other community membersin 10 MLE partner communities

Set up community mechanisms and structuresSet up community mechanisms and structures

Organized the Language Advisory Committee (LAC) at the

Set up community mechanisms and structures…Set up community mechanisms and structures…

Organized the Language Advisory Committee (LAC) at the regional/community levels composed of representatives from the following:

- DepEd Region - DepEd Division - DepEd District- Local Government Units (local government

officials Head of the Municipal Socialofficials, Head of the Municipal Social Welfare & Development Office (MSWDO

- Brgy Captain, School Head, Daycare Worker, Pre School Teacher, Grade 1 teacher, Parents, Council of Elders

Major Roles of LAC

• Direction Setting • Implementation and Monitoring• Implementation and Monitoring • Education and Awareness Raising • Advocacy • Review, Evaluation and Approval of the pp

Curriculum and Materials

33 Capacity Building activitiesCapacity Building activities33. Capacity Building activities. Capacity Building activities

Curriculum Adaptation, Materials Development Teaching Strategies (SeptemberDevelopment, Teaching Strategies (September

& November 2009/June to August 2010)

a Adapt the National curriculum to local contexta Adapt the National curriculum to local contexta. Adapt the National curriculum to local contexta. Adapt the National curriculum to local context

• Developed cultural themes and integrated in the existing national curriculumthe existing national curriculum

• Adapted 1st Grade Language Curriculum for the dapted G ade a guage Cu cu u o t e3 language groups (Tboli, Maguindanaoan, Ilonggo)

b Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb. Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb. Develop Culturally Appropriate Materials

• Alphabet primers in 3 languages

b Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb. Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb. Develop Culturally Appropriate Materials

• Big Books- 9 Big Books (tboli)- 8 Big Books (magui)- 7 Big Books (Ilonggo)

• Listening Stories

b Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb Develop Culturally Appropriate Materials

• Alphabet cards in 3

b. Develop Culturally Appropriate Materialsb. Develop Culturally Appropriate Materials

• Alphabet cards in 3 languages

F BD

b Developing Culturally Appropriate Materialsb Developing Culturally Appropriate Materials

• Alphabet chart in 3 languages

b. Developing Culturally Appropriate Materialsb. Developing Culturally Appropriate Materials

Alphabet chart in 3 languages

c Training on Teaching Strategiesc Training on Teaching Strategiesc. Training on Teaching Strategiesc. Training on Teaching Strategies

• Total Physical Response • Asking Questions g• Two track method • Learning Centers• Learning Centers • Instructional materials demo and micro

teachingteaching 

44 Strengthening SC’s MTBMLE Monitoring &EvaluationStrengthening SC’s MTBMLE Monitoring &Evaluation44. Strengthening SC’s MTBMLE Monitoring &Evaluation  . Strengthening SC’s MTBMLE Monitoring &Evaluation  

• Developed the design, monitoring and evaluationframework for MTBMLE programming

• Defined the goals, program result areas (children’s learning outcomes teachers behavior and practiceslearning outcomes, teachers behavior and practices, parents and community capacity to support MLE and child’s education, changes in policy environment) andchild s education, changes in policy environment) and indicators

55 Creating an enabling policy environmentCreating an enabling policy environment

• With the release of DepEd Order #74, worked closely

55. Creating an enabling policy environment  . Creating an enabling policy environment  

With the release of DepEd Order #74, worked closely with the Department of Education at the regional level by supporting and assisting DepEd MLE initiated activities in non-Save the Children program areas and thereby scaling up advocacy activities involving the entire region.

Conducted a regional-wide forum on MLE attended by more than 180 representatives coming from the DepEd, local

t it th NGO d f d f lgovernment units, other NGOs and forged a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the DepEd Region 12 on MLE implementationon MLE implementation

Challenges and Opportunities Challenges and Opportunities 

• Limited number of MT speaking teachers • Working at various levels of the DepEd • Availability of the teachers for the training• Parents’ concrete support for their children’s education• Meeting the high demands for MLE implementation

given the preparedness of DepEd and limited number of MLE experts (linguists, practitioners) in the area

• Development and production of graded reading materials on a large scale while also maintaining the quality

Future DirectionsFuture Directions

• Pretesting, Finalization and Production of Reading Materials L i S i /M t i f G d 1 t h• Learning Session/Mentoring of Grade 1 teachers

• Finalization of the MLE Program Assessment Tools and Baseline Data Collectionand Baseline Data Collection

• Development of Learners’ Assessment ToolsT i i f D /ECD S i P id d• Training of Daycare/ECD Service Providers and Grade 2 Teachers

• Capacity building of Language Advisory Committee• Capacity building of Language Advisory Committee (LAC)

“ We should become a trilingual nation: Learn English well and connect to the world. Learn Filipino well and connect to our country. Retain your dialect and

t ith h it “connect with your heritage. “

Hon Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, IIIPresident, Republic of the Philippines