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TÓNGTONGAN: A Colloquium on Selected Problems in Philippine Linguistics
December 3 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
TÓNGTONGAN:
A Colloquium on Selected Problems in Philippine Linguistics
December 3, 2024 | 2:00PM-3:30PM (PhST)
Online via Zoom
Register at <https://bit.ly/TongtonganRegistration>
The Tóngtongan Colloquium serves as a platform for students enrolled in the Philippine Linguistics 390 course at the UP Department of Linguistics, to inquire into a specific problem in Philippine linguistics and share their findings to the public through an oral presentation.
Presentation 1
Title: The development of Filipino in the eyes of a foreign language learner/educator
Presenter: Kenichiro Kurusu
About the talk:
After ninety years have passed since Filipinos chose to have a national language, the development of the Filipino language has been done through various strategies, and the domain where Filipino is dominantly used has been expanding more than ever. However, several issues and challenges remain to be pointed out, such as intellectualization, orthography, and limited resources compared to other national languages around the world. This talk, therefore, aims to evaluate the development of Filipino in the eyes of a foreign language learner. First, it overviews various issues and challenges Filipino faces, based on some key studies on the development of Filipino. Second, it identifies some specific issues that can prevent it from developing the language further from the perspective of the speaker, who himself is a foreign language learner and educator. Finally, it discusses how foreign language learner/educator’s perspectives can contribute to the development of Filipino.
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Presentation 2
Title: Disappointed but not Surprised: Understanding the “Failure” of the MTB-MLE Policy
Presenter: Francisco C. Rosario, Jr.
About the talk:
With the enactment of Republic Act (RA) 12027, the Philippine educational system has officially ended the implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) Policy. The medium of instruction will now revert to Filipino and English, the official languages of communication and instruction as stipulated in the 1987 Constitution. Looking back, it was in 2009 when the MTB-MBLE Policy was institutionalized through the Department of Education Order No. 74 mandating the use of the learner’s mother tongue or first language (L1) as the medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 3, and was first implemented in School Year 2012-2013 as part of the K to 12 Basic Education Program. The implementation of the MTB-MLE policy faced different issues and challenges, including a lack of communication and awareness, insufficient teaching and learning materials, inadequate teacher training, and other implementation challenges. This presentation will highlight key findings from studies conducted on the implementation of MTB-MLE across different areas in the Philippines. It will also address the question why, despite the policy’s good intentions and its perceived positive outcomes, the Philippine government took a step backward leading to its removal.
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Discussion/Reaction
Assoc. Prof. Maria Mercedes “Ched” Estigoy Arzadon
About the discussant:
Maria Mercedes “Ched” Estigoy Arzadon is an Associate Professor at the College of Education, University of the Philippines. She completed her Ph.D. in Anthropology and Sociology of Education from the same university, and her dissertation was an ethnography on policy enactment of Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in an indigenous school community.
She is one of the founding members of Talaytayan MLE, a nongovernment organization that promotes MTB-MLE in the Philippines through advocacy, policymaking, teacher training, and materials development.
Ched is also a part of the UNESCO-Bangkok MLE Working Group. Her family is from Pangasinan, but she spent her early childhood in Benguet. Her family members speak Ilokano, Pangasinan, Bikol, Filipino and English.
Source: UP Department of Linguistics Facebook