Perception of Parents of English Native Speakers on MTB-MLE

Instruction
Calvo, Xin Xian, Canete, Kent Aryll, Cinco, Michael James
University of San Jose - Recoletos

Abstract
This study delves into the perception of the parents of learners whose first language
is English towards Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) as a
Subject. The perception of the parents was accumulated through Questionnaire.
Moreover, the degree of agreement of their perception was determined by computing the
weighted mean and standard deviation with the use Descriptive Analysis Methodology.
The findings of this study revealed that parents whose child is an English native speaker
agreed to the benefits of Sinugbuanong Binisaya in the Language and Socio-cultural
Development of the learners. The learners are surrounded by a language new and/or
strange to them holds the water that the learners will be unconsciously learning the
language from time to time most especially that their environment uses the Sinugbuanong
Binisaya language. Furthermore, seeking the perception of parents of the learners whose
first language is English provides an important guide for University of San Jose -
Recoletos or any other institutions across the Philippines who have not implemented fully
MTB-MLE as a subject to consider its implementation as a subject.

Keywords: MTB-MLE, perception, mother tongue multilingual education

1.0 Introduction
The Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) is the world’s
current trend in teaching and learning(Cruz, 2015). It bridges the children’s development
in learning their second language (Nolasco, 2009). Many Southeast Asian countries are
currently utilizing the MTB-MLE approach (Cruz, 2015). Thus, the Philippines
implemented the MTB-MLE policy just recently. Its implementation includes not only in
Public, but also in Private Institutions (Awid, 2000). Consequently, this study seeks to
find out the perception of parents of the English Native Speakers on MTB-MLE
Instruction.
Language is but the means for people to communicate and understand one another
in a classroom setting thus the devoid of which is a loss for all humanity (Benson, 2004).
Furthermore, Suzanne Romaine and Daniel Nettle (2000) on their book “Vanishing
Voices” emphasized the direct correlation of language to the preservation of ethnic
identity, cultures, and knowledge. In the educational aspect, learning to read in one’s own
language provides learners with a solid foundation for learning to read in any L2
(Nolasco,2009). Thus, fluency and literacy in the home language offers a cognitive and
linguistic foundation for learning another language (Ball, 2010). As a result, the
Department of Education implemented the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education
based on Republic Act No. 10533 with DepEd Order No. 60, s. 2008 to preserve
indigenous languages, to stop the growing number of endangered language (Gacheche,
2010; Ghimire, 2012; Wa-Mbaleka, 2014), to reach an effective long-term knowledge
assimilation through a medium that children understand (Mondez, 2013), and to address
the high functional illiteracy of Filipinos where language is one of the significant factor
(Capitol University, 2017). When it comes to MTB-MLE perception, Bado (2009), as
cited by Chakma (2012), affirmed that successful bilingual education requires parents and
teachers’ support. It has even been sought that the mother tongue or the home language is
a valid bridge or transitional medium of instruction (Duguiang and Dekker, 2010). Hence,
Rosario (2010), as cited by Gallego and Zubiri (2013), states that parents are more open
to using the mother tongue as medium of instruction in schools given their view on their
own language. According to Chakma (2012), parents and teachers in Chakma community
prefer the children or the learners to learn mother tongue first and then gradually shift to
the second language as they believe that MTB would promote loyalty to the mother
tongue. In contrast, Gallego and Zubiri (2013) cited various researches which the parents,
and teachers prefer to master L2 over L1, such as Rafael and Rosario’s (2011) which
notes that Pangasinan parents prefer that their children learn Filipino and English first
because these enable their children to communicate with a wider range of people; Posel
and Casale’s (2011 which states that English was favored by South African parents and
administrators regardless of the first language of the learners due to its promised
economic and social benefits, and Grivas & salome’s (2011) and Adarve and Hipolito’s
(2011) which comments that teachers showed explicitly preference towards English, not
only because the language is the prescribed MOI, but also because the teachers feel that
more exposure to English would improve the students’ skills in language. Thus, the cited
researches of Gallego and Zubiri (2013) concluded that parents oppose L1 instruction as
they see it as an empty and worthless effort. Moreover, there are no researchers have yet
collated the perceptions of parents of the learners whose first language is English affected
by the MTB-MLE Instruction.
This study provides important insights on the instruction of MTB-MLE from the
parents’ and teachers’ perception whose learners are native English speakers. The
researchers believed that identifying the perception of these people helps the
professionals to find out the teachers’ problems inside the classroom about the MTB-
MLE implementation, to identify the support of the parents to the learners, to address
programs in order to bridge the first language to the second language, to guide the
organizations and administrators to make a separate program for these learners.

2.0 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This study is anchored on the theory entitled Implicit Personality Theory by Bruner
and Tagiuri. According to Bruner and Taguiri (1954), Parents observe the most evident
traits and then create stereotypical assumptions about their child’s behavior and
personality. Moreover, implicit means automatic, thus, these assumptions are not
something parents do intentionally or consciously. It is a subconscious reflect--- a way for
their minds to begin processing information about their child. English language minority
learners as well as native English language students are appearing in the classrooms, and
teachers are faced with the challenge of providing a quality education for them (Collier,
1995). In addition, a parent whose learner speaks English as his/her first language may
perceive implicitly the advantages and disadvantages of MTB-MLE for his/her child in
terms of Language Development and Sociocultural Development. Based on J Cummin’s
Threshold Theory (1995), in terms of Language Development, the lower the mastery
level of the first language becomes, the harder it is to achieve bilingualism. Furthermore,
if one language is learned with the negligence of the first language, this may harm the
overall growth and success of a/the learner. Thus, in order for the native language to
grow, it should be used at least through elementary years. Thomas and Collier (1997) also
asserts that language development discusses the learners’ verbal skills—both oral and
written skills--- such as vocabulary, morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics,
pragmatics, discourse, and paralinguistics. Also, the greater the students’ native language
proficiency skills become, the more adept they become in their second language. Thus, it
is necessary that teachers and parents are aware of these aspects and how these aspects
affect the learners whose first language is English (Collier, 1995). It is important for the
teachers and parents to note that “the more developed the first language is, the easier it
will be to learn for the learners” (Baker, 2011, p. 169). Hence, good communication
which makes these learners better able to engage in socialization and to learn from their
environment and from formal classroom instruction may affect the learners (Child
Development, 2016). According to Hortwitz (1988) as cited by Crossref (2010), learners
believe that learning a second language primarily involves engaging oneself to the
common field experience of the people using the language, thus, it will give them more
opportunities to communicate effectively and enjoyably with the Native speakers of the
language. As a result, language development may affect sociocultural development of
these learners. According to Kelompok (2011), language plays a very important role in
social interaction. It is a tool to make integration and social adaptation as well as a tool to
hold social control. Thus, it is a means of communication to form and share cultural and
social practices; that is why Lev Vygotsky (1978), in his Sociocultural Theory, placed an
emphasis on the community in which these learners communicate and interact with their
peers, friends, family, and other people surrounding them. In addition, according to
Walter and Dekker (2011), learners who have been immersed in the learning environment
in which the mother tongue has been used showed statiscally significant improvements in
adopting the language. Thus, all the higher functions originate as actual relationships
between individuals. In relation to Implicit Personality Theory (1954), parents may
perceive the effects of the immersion of these learners to MTB-MLE.

Figure 1
Conceptual Framework
3.0 Research Methodology
Participants and Design
This study utilized qualitative and quantitative research design. It is qualitative because it
describes the perception of parents of students whose first language is English in the
success of their endeavors in various dimensions of MTB-MLE. It is quantitative because
it quantifies the perception of parents of these learners in tables and numbers.
Measures and Procedures
The main data-gathering tools that were used in this study was Perception Questionnaire.
It was composed of 2 categories as seen in the conceptual framework which consist of
possible perception of parents and teachers about MTB-MLE. The instrument used is
carefully planned to see the perception of the parents and teachers of native English
speakers. The tool is researcher-made questionnaire which was validated through a dry-
run in a group of parents. The reliability index of the tool was measured using Cronbach
Alpha. Thus, the tools were valid and reliable with the index of 0.77, which is reviewed
by the Statistician.
Datas after collecting are tallied and analyzed by the researhers. Afterward, the
frequency of each question which was answered by the repondents and was then
determined through tallying. A weighted mean was computed to determine the average of
which the perception of parents belongs to a certain degreement of agreement which will
be seen in the verbal interpretation, and the standard deviation was computed to
determine the degree of dispersion in order to estimate the variability.

4.0 Results and Discussion

In this section, the researchers seek to interpret the analyzed datum which were
gathered in the previous sections. With the use of descriptive analysis methodology and
the essential statistical tools such as Measure of Central Tendency focusing on the mean
and the Measure of Variability focusing on Standard Deviation, the researchers found out
that the parents of the English Native Speakers agreed on the MTB MLE Instruction
when it comes to the Language Development and the Socio-Cultural Development of the
English Native Speakers. (Add more introduction)
 Table 1: The average and the dispersion of Parents’ Perception on MTB-MLE impact
in terms of Language Development.

Questions M SD VI

1. My child pronounces well the Sinugbuanong

2.80 3.74 Agree
Bisaya words.

2. My child mixes English and Sinugbuanong

2.93 2.50 Agree
Binisaya in speaking.

3. My child differentiates similar Sinugbuanong

2.73 1.91 Agree
Bisaya sounds of words.

4. My child speaks Sinugbuanong Binisaya

2.80 2.38 Agree
without stammering (muka-ka).

5. My child reads well Sinugbuanong Binisaya

2.60 3.50 Agree
paragraphs/sentences during study time.

6. My child reads well Sinugbuanong Binisaya paragraphs/sentences during leisure

2.33 3.20 Disagree
time.

7. My child spells correctly Sinugbuanong Binisaya words during study

2.40 4.35 Disagree
time.

8. My child makes correct Sinugbuanong Binisaya sentences. 2.40 2.38 Disagree

9. My child asks for translations of different

3.33 2.97 Strongly Agree
Sinugbuanong Binisaya words.

10. My child is able to retell well Sinugbuanong

2.27 3.10 Disagree
Binisaya stories using Sinugbuanong Binisaya.

Total Weighted Mean: 2.70 3.00 Agree

Statement number nine (9) contains the highest weighted average (M) of 3.33 with
2.97 standard deviation (SD). It implies that children often ask for translations of
different Sinugbuanong Binisaya words as it is perhaps because of their inclination on
learning the Sinugbuanong Binisaya language. It can also be deduced that despite their
supposed experienced difficulty, they still strive to learn the Sinugbuanong Binisaya
language which is their second language in this context. This acquiesced with J.
Cummin’s Threshold Theory which states that the greater the students’ native language
proficiency skills become, the more adept they become in their second language.
Moreover, According to Hortwitz (1988) as cited by Crossref (2010), learners believe
that learning a second language primarily involves engaging oneself to the common field
experience of the people using the language, thus, it will give them more opportunities to
communicate effectively and enjoyably with the Native speakers of the language.
However, with higher SD, it also implies that parents’ perception are disperse in terms of
this view. Moreover, it can be deduced that learners asked for translations because they
were required to do so as an academic obligation. (Add related literature)
Parents sought the difficulty of the said speakers in retelling well stories using
Sinugbuanong Binisaya as the result bore a 2.27 M with 3.10 SD, the least among the
weighted average of the questions in the Language Development. This simply implies
that the said speakers are having more difficulty in reading than in speaking because one
has to comprehend the words and understand the context of what one has read despite the
complexity of the words used. Hence, one needs more concentration to achieve reading
comprehension. (Debate Organization, 2015). However, with higher SD, this also means
that parents’ perceptions are disperse. Moreover, it implies that parents also perceive that
the learners can retell stories using Sinugbuanong Binisaya. (Add related literature)
In the tabulation, it is but vivid that most of the statements having most of the
weighted average with higher standard deviation are geared towards the speaking skills of
the said speakers in Sinugbuanong Binisaya while the statements having least of the
weighted average are geared towards the reading skills of the said speakers. It can be
clearly concluded that the parents’ perception towards those views are divided. This may
manifest that parents have seen the positive or negative sides of it.
Table 2: The average and the dispersion of Parents’ Perception on MTB-MLE impact
in terms of Socio-cultural Development.

Questions M SD VI

1. My child talks to his/her neighbors using Sinugbuanong Binisaya. 2.83 5.56 Agree

2. My child relates to the expressed

2.83 4.99 Agree
Sinugbuanong Binisaya words for his/her friends.

3. My child responds to elders' command and

3.10 4.11 Agree
request using Sinugbuanong Binisaya.

4. My child interacts with his/her classmates and

teacher using Sinugbuanong Binisaya during 2.17 2.21 Disagree
break time.

5. My child buys food in the canteen using Sinugbuanong Binisaya

2.67 1.89 Agree
with my presence

Total Weighted Average 2.72 3.75 Agree

Statement number three (3) contains the highest weighted average of 3.10 with 4.11
standard deviation which implied that when the said speakers are at home, they respond
to and interacts with elders and neighbors through the medium of Sinugbuanong
Binisaya. Thus, they strive to speak the language of the community. In short, they try to
keep up with the environment. This is an implication that though the said speakers are
English Native Speakers, they still speak the language of the people around them which
can be a good start of learning the language. According to Socio-Cultural Theory by Lev
Vygotsky, learners construct the new language through socially mediated communication,
thus, gradually adopting the language plenarily. Moreover, according to Walter and
Dekker (2011), learners who have been immersed in the learning environment in which
the mother tongue has been used showed statiscally significant improvements in adopting
the language. However, with a higher SD, this also implies that these learners are just
trying to fit the norm. (Add related literature)
In contrast, statement number four (4) contains the lowest weighted average of 2.17
with 2.21 standard deviation that can be deduced that when the said speakers are in
school where English is used as the medium and instruction, the child uses the language
of the people around him which is English in conversing or interacting. This is a
manifestation that the said speakers code switch depending on the language of the
environment.

Furthermore, this coincides to Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory which places an

emphasis on the community in which these learners communicate and interact with their
peers, friends, family, and other people surrounding them. It is but seen that when the
said speakers are with a hoard of Sinugbuanong Binisaya neighbors and elders, they tend
to speak the language of the said elders and neighbors. Thus, same goes through when the
said speakers are with their teachers and classmates who communicates through the
medium of English. Vygotsky’s Theory assures the role of the community in shaping the
learners’ mastery of the language.

(ANOTHER PARAGRAPH - DISCUSS HERE THE OVERALL ANALYSIS OF

LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIO-CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT)
(GUIDE: IF STANDARD DEVIATION IS HIGHER THAN THE MEAN, IT IMPLIES
THAT THE PARENTS’ PERCEPTION IS DISPERSE. HENCE, THEIR
PERCEPTIONS ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO POINT OF VIEW: THE STUDENTS
MAY WANT TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE OR THE STUDENTS ARE JUST
FORCED TO DO SO SINCE ITS THEIR ACADEMIC OBLIGATION/ THEY WANT
TO BE PART OF THE NORM. MOREOVER, IF THE SD IS HIGHER THAN THE
MEAN, THEIR PERCEPTIONS ARE UNCERTAIN)

5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations

 The study concludes that parents’ perception on the impact of MTB-MLE in terms of
Language Development and Socio-cultural Development was inconclusive. At this
moment, parents’ perception was divided into two sides, agree or disagree. Hence,
parents’ perception is not certain on MTB-MLE’s impact as instruction in terms of
Language Development and Socio-cultural Development. In addition, similar studies
such as English Teachers’ perception by Wa-Mbaleka (2014) produce the same result.
Furthermore, further researches, which deal about the actual impact of MTB-MLE as
Instruction in terms of Language Development and Socio-cultural development, have to
be conducted. Other essential studies have to be conducted also which focus on
Instructional Materials and Teaching Strategies utilized in MTB-MLE as Instruction.

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