Language Policy PDF

**LANGUAGE POLICY** -- is what a government does either officially through legislation, court decisions or policy to determine how languages are used, cultivate language skills needed to meet national priorities or to establish the rights of individuals or groups to use and maintain languages. INTR...

**LANGUAGE POLICY** -- is what a government does either officially through legislation, court decisions or policy to determine how languages are used, cultivate language skills needed to meet national priorities or to establish the rights of individuals or groups to use and maintain languages. INTRODUCTION -- LANGUAGE POLICY - According to Kaplan and Baldauf (1997), "A language policy is a body of ideas, laws, regulations, rules and practices" - Lo Bianco defines the field as specific history and local circumstances influence. - McCarty (2011) defines language policy as \"a complex sociocultural process \[and as\] modes of human interaction, negotiation, and production mediated by relations of power. - Spolsky (2007), language policy has three "interrelated, but interdependent" components. - Language ideology - Language practices - Language management **Types of Language Policy (Model of Language Policy)** 1. Language Practices/Ecology- The custom of choosing from the variety of linguistic variations that comprise its repertoire. 2. Language Beliefs/Ideology- The beliefs of language and its application. values attributed to the diversity and characteristics of language. 3. Language Management/Planning- Any particular efforts to alter or have an impact on that practice through any type of management, planning, or language intervention. **Levels of Language Planning** 1. Status Planning- Indicates the allocation of new roles to a language, such as making it an official language or an instructional medium. 2. Corpus Planning- Focused on a language\'s internal structure. It entails modifying the language code as well as producing dictionaries and grammars specifically for the selected language. 3. Acquisition Planning- Involves making an effort to disseminate and encourage language acquisition. **Language Policy as a Choice** Language policy is fundamentally a choice, reflecting the values and aspirations of a society. This choice can manifest in various ways, including: \- **Language Education Policies**: Shaping the curriculum and teaching methods for language acquisition, including the promotion of bilingualism or multilingualism (Fiveable, 2023). \- **Language Standardization**: Defining and promoting a standard form of a language, often for use in formal contexts, such as literature, media, and education (Flowers, 2023). **Factors Influencing Language Policy** 1. **Linguistic Factors** \- Linguistic Diversity: distribution of languages within a society. -Language Status: prestige and perceived value of different languages. -Language Complexity: complexity of a language, including its grammar, vocabulary, and writing system, suitability for specific purposes, such as education or official communication. 2. **Political Factors** - National Identity: Language policy can be used to foster a sense of national unity and identity. - Political Stability: Language policy can be a sensitive issue, particularly in multilingual societies. - International Relations: Language policy can be influenced by a country\'s relationships with other nations. 3. **Socio-Demographic Factors** - Population Demographics: The size and distribution of language groups within a society influence policy decisions. - Social Mobility: Language policy can impact social mobility and access to opportunities. - Cultural Values: The cultural values and beliefs of a society can shape language policy. 4. **Economic Factors** - Economic Development: used to promote economic growth and competitiveness. - Labor Market: Language policy can influence the skills and qualifications required for employment. - Tourism and Hospitality: The promotion of multilingual signage and services can enhance the visitor experience and attract a wider range of tourists. 5. **Technological Factors** - Digital Communication: The use of digital platforms has facilitated the spread of languages and the development of new forms of communication. - Artificial Intelligence: Advances in artificial intelligence, such as machine translation, are impacting language policy. **LANGUAGE IN EDUCATION POLICIES IN THE PHILIPPINES THROUGH THE YEARS** 1. **Dept. Order 25, s. 1974 -- The Bilingual Education Program of 1974** This order requires the use of English as the medium of instruction in science and mathematics subjects and the use of Filipino as medium of instruction for all other subjects in the elementary and high school levels. 2. **1987 Constitution of the Philippines Article XIV** Language Section 6. The language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages. Section 7. For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and until otherwise provided by law, English. Section 8. This constitution shall be promulgated in Filipino and English and shall be translated into major regional languages, Arabic, and Spanish. 3. **Dept. Order No. 53 s. 1987 Constitution -- Policy of Bilingual Education** The policy aims at the achievement of competence in both Filipino and English at the national level, through the teaching of both languages and their use as media of instruction at all levels. The regional languages shall be used as auxiliary languages in grade 1 and 2. 4. **DECS Order No. 11, s. 1987 - "An Act Granting Priority to Residents of the Barangay, Municipality or City where the school is Located, in the Appointment or Assignment of Classroom Public School Teachers".** **The Order provides the guidelines to be followed in hiring teachers where it clearly stated that the first priority shall be residents of the barangay where the public elementary school is located which allows the use of local language specifically where local culture should be enhanced in cultural minorities.** 5. **Executive Order No. 335** **President Corazon Aquino issued** **Executive Order No. 335 on August 25, 1988, requiring all official government transactions, communications, and correspondence to use the Filipino language.** 6. **The Language Policy of the Commission on Higher Education (Higher Education Act 1994)** **1994 Republic Act No. 7722 also called as the Higher Education Act 1994. creating Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was assigned.** - **Language courses whether Filipino or English should be taught in that language.** - **Kinder to Grade 3 Mother tongue is the medium of instruction.** - **Grade 4-6 mother tongue transition program which English and Filipino are introduced as media of instruction.** - **Junior and Senior High School English and Filipino will become the primary language of instruction.** 7. **Executive Order NO. 210, s. 2003 (May 17, 2003) -- Establishing the Policy to Strengthen the Use of the English Language as a Medium of Instruction in the Educational System** **Whereas, there is a need to develop the aptitude, competence and proficiency of our students in the English language to maintain and improve their competitive edge in emerging and fast-growing local and international industries, particularly in the area of Information and Communications Technology \[ICT\] (Supreme Court E-Library, 2003.** 8. **DepEd Memorandum No. 81. s. 2003- English Language be used as medium of instruction** **Section 1: The English language shall be used as the primary medium of instruction in all public and private institutions of learning in the secondary level, including those establish as laboratory and/or experimental schools, and non-formal and vocational or technical educational institutions.** **Section 2: Institutions of Higher Education including state Colleges and Universities (SUCs), are hereby encouraged to adopt the use of the English language as the primary medium of instruction in the tertiary level.**