ELE125 M1-3 PDF: Language-in-Education Policies in the Philippines

LANGUAGE-IN-EDUCATION POLICIES IN THE The policy aims to improve literacy and learning PHILIPPINES THROUGH THE YEARS outcomes by building on students' linguistic and...

LANGUAGE-IN-EDUCATION POLICIES IN THE The policy aims to improve literacy and learning PHILIPPINES THROUGH THE YEARS outcomes by building on students' linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Introduction Challenges include developing teaching Language-in-education policies in the materials and training teachers in various Philippines have been influenced by various languages. historical, political, and social factors. These policies have played a crucial role in shaping Current Language-In- Education Policies the linguistic landscape of the country, The Bilingual Education Policy (BEP) impacting national identity, cultural continues, with both Filipino and English as preservation, and educational outcomes. mediums of instruction. The MTB-MLE policy remains crucial for early Pre-Colonial Period education, emphasizing mother tongue The Philippines was home to various instruction. indigenous languages and dialects. Ongoing debates focus on the effectiveness of Oral traditions were central to education, with bilingual education and the preservation of knowledge passed down through storytelling indigenous languages. and communal teaching. Languages were tied closely to local cultures Challenges And Issues and communities. The Philippines' linguistic diversity presents challenges in implementing language policies Spanish Colonial Period (1565-1898) uniformly. Spanish became the official language of Balancing the promotion of Filipino with the administration, education, and religion. need for English in global contexts is an Education was largely controlled by religious ongoing issue. orders, focusing on converting the population to There are concerns about the marginalization Christianity. of non-Tagalog languages and the Indigenous languages were marginalized, with effectiveness of MTB- MLE in practice. limited access to education for the broader population. Phillipson And Skutnabb-Kangas (2017) Listed Several International Covenants That Cover One's Linguistic American Colonial Period (1898-1946) Rights. English was introduced as the medium of The Charter of the United Nations (1945) instruction, replacing Spanish in schools. commits its member nations in its general The public school system was established, articles to promoting "universal respect for, and significantly expanding access to education. observance of, human rights and fundamental English became a dominant language, freedoms for all without distinction as to race, overshadowing both Spanish and indigenous sex, language, or religion" (paragraph 6.11, 55). languages. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Post-Colonial Period (1946-1973) paragraph 2: "Everyone is entitled to all the English and Filipino (based on Tagalog) were rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, adopted as official languages. without distinction of any kind, such as race, The Bilingual Education Policy (BEP) was colour, sex, language, religion, political or other introduced, mandating the use of both Filipino opinion, national or social origin, property, birth and English in schools. or other status." The policy aimed to promote national unity while retaining English for global International Covenant on Civil and Political competitiveness. Rights (1966, Article 27) states: "In those states in which ethnic, religious or linguistic The 1987 Constitution And Language Policies minorities exist, persons belonging to such Filipino was declared the national language, minorities shall not be denied the right, in with English retained as a second official community with other members of their group, language. to enjoy their own culture, to profess and The constitution encouraged the use of regional practice their own religion, or to use their own languages in the educational system and local language." governance. The policy aimed to balance linguistic unity with The UN Convention on the Rights of Child respect for cultural diversity. (1989) stresses the maintenance of identity, including "nationality" and "name." Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (Mtb-Mle) Introduced in 2012, MTB-MLE mandates the The UN's Declaration on the Rights of use of students' first language (mother tongue) Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, as the medium of instruction from Kindergarten Religious, and Linguistic Minorities: "that the to Grade 3. promotion and protection of the rights of persons belonging to national or ethnic,  religious and linguistic minorities contribute to In the article, Cenoz (2013) also identified three major the political and social stability of States in factors that have contributed to the "visibility of which they live." (Preamble) multilingualism": 1. globalization, Conclusion 2. transnational mobility of the population, and Language-in-education policies in the 3. the spread of new technologies Philippines have evolved significantly, reflecting the country's complex linguistic and cultural In the article of Phillipson and Skutnabb-Kangas, they landscape. comprehensively explained the need for linguistic These policies play a crucial role in shaping diversity in their book chapter, "Politics and Policies of national identity, cultural preservation, and Language and Language Teaching" (p. 32-33). Here educational quality. are some of the key points they presented on why Ongoing evaluation and adaptation of these linguistic diversity is needed: policies are essential for fostering inclusive and Languages are "libraries of the intangible effective education. heritage of humankind" (p. 32). Human ___________________________________________ knowledge, history, and experiences are encoded and stored in languages. LANGUAGE PROGRAMS AND POLICIES IN Languages reflect an individual and a MULTILINGUAL SOCIETIES community's culture, tradition, and identity. Diversity in languages and cultures results in Unit I: Multilingualism and Language Policy more ideas and creativity for communities to Globalization has immensely bolstered collectively adapt to the changing world and find interconnectedness between and among solutions to new issues that arise. nations, people, and cultures. As a result, The significance of linguistic diversity was language communities come in contact more compared with ecological diversity where often, which makes multilingualism as the norm diversity is directly related to stability, which is of the present world. important for long-term survival. ___________________________________________ ✓ The multiplicity of languages in the world is definitely real. LANGUAGE CHOICE AS THE CORE OF LANGUAGE ✓ It is also known as “linguistic diversity”. POLICY ✓ The multitude of languages that exist at present is approximately at 6,000-7,000 languages 1. Relating Language Choice with Sociolinguistic worldwide. Contexts Language use varies based on the Multilingualism is a natural phenomenon. Cenoz (2013), sociolinguistic context, which is often defined by on her article on "Defining Multilingualism," clearly factors such as: presented the concept of multilingualism and its Location (urban vs. rural settings) inevitability as a phenomenon. Participants (relationship, power dynamics) Topic (formal vs. informal subject matter) Why is multilingualism a common phenomenon? Because there are more languages in the world Example 1: Urban vs. Rural Settings (almost 7,000) than countries. It follows that a In urban areas of the Philippines, English and significant number of speakers have more than Filipino (Tagalog) are more commonly used in one language official domains like business or government, Because languages are "unevenly distributed"; while in rural areas, local languages (like speakers of the minority language groups need Cebuano or Ilocano) dominate daily to learn and use the language of the majority conversation. In this case, location plays a key groups; role in language choice Because we have immigrants who speak their first language and who need to acquire and Example 2: Formal vs. Informal Contexts speak the language of the host (or new) In formal settings such as courts or classrooms, country; and the use of English in the Philippines is more Because we learn additional languages, like prevalent due to its association with English, for better social and economic professionalism and international opportunities. communication. However, in informal settings like family gatherings, people may switch to “A multilingual individual is anyone who can their local language or Filipino for greater communicate in more than one language be it active or intimacy and shared cultural experience passive” – Li, 2002 Language choice is never arbitrary; it is a deliberate “Multilingualism is the ability of societies, institutions, selection that serves the purpose of communication, groups and individuals to engage, on a regular basis, considering participants' relationships, power, and the with more than one language in their day-to-day lives” – setting's formality European Commission, 2007 2. Eight Basic Motivations in Language Planning number of languages spoken and the roles Language planning, which includes the choice these languages play of official languages or languages of instruction, is motivated by various factors. These CLASSIFICATION OF SOCIOLINGUISTIC MIX: motivations help explain why certain languages are chosen or maintained within a country's Monolingual Countries policy One dominant language spoken by the majority of the population. THE EIGHT MOTIVATIONS: Example: Japan, where Japanese is overwhelmingly the primary language. Identity A language can be chosen to reflect national Bilingual Countries identity or ethnic pride. Two major languages are widely spoken, often Example: The revival of Hebrew in Israel linked to different regions or social groups. Example: Canada, with English and French as Communication Efficiency official languages A language is selected for its ability to serve a wide group of people. Multilingual Countries Example: English in India, where many Multiple languages are spoken due to diverse languages exist, but English acts as a lingua linguistic communities. franca. Example: India, where over 20 languages are officially recognized in the constitution Political Unity A language is chosen to unify diverse linguistic The sociolinguistic mix of a country affects the groups under a single political state. complexity of its language policy. Monolingual countries Example: Swahili in Tanzania may have simpler policies, while multilingual countries face the challenge of balancing the needs of various Economic Development language communities. A language may be chosen because it facilitates trade or access to global markets. 4. Language Choice and Community Beliefs: Creating a Example: English in Singapore for international Language Community Profile business A Language Community Profile is a tool used to explore how the language choices of a Education and Literacy particular group are shaped by social attitudes A language that promotes educational goals and beliefs and literacy is often chosen. Example: Spanish as the medium of instruction STEPS IN CREATING A LANGUAGE COMMUNITY in most Latin American countries PROFILE: Modernization Identify the Community The adoption of a language that is seen as Select a community with a distinct linguistic necessary for science and technology. identity. Example: The use of French in many former Example: The Basque-speaking community in colonies of Africa to access scientific literature northern Spain. Cultural Preservation Analyze the Language Context A language can be promoted to preserve the Determine which languages are spoken, when, culture and traditions of a group. and by whom. Example: The promotion of Māori in New Example: In Spain, Basque is spoken at home, Zealand but Spanish dominates public life National Security Investigate Attitudes and Beliefs A language may be chosen to assert Research how people feel about their sovereignty or maintain control over a region. languages and how those attitudes influence Example: Russian in post-Soviet republics language use. where it serves political or military interests Example: Many Basque speakers maintain their language at home to preserve their These motivations often overlap, but they heavily culture, even though Spanish is the dominant influence language policy. For instance, a country may language choose a language for both economic and educational reasons Examine Language Policies Look at how government policies support or 3. Classifying Countries According to Sociolinguistic Mix suppress the language. Countries can be classified based on their Example: The Basque language is officially sociolinguistic diversity, which reflects the recognized and promoted in education, which reflects a positive shift in attitudes toward the  language Language choice in a community is shaped not only by formal policy but also by deeply held beliefs about the importance and value of a language. These beliefs influence whether people continue to use, teach, and transmit the language to future generations Conclusion Language choice, at its core, reflects the complex interplay of sociolinguistic factors, motivations for language planning, and community attitudes. Understanding these dynamics is key to grasping how and why certain languages thrive while others face decline. Through examples and the use of tools like Language Community Profiles, the influence of sociopolitical and cultural contexts on language choice becomes evident