Iloko as a medium of instruction in teaching english, math and science

Abstract

Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education is one of the highlights of the K-12 program of the Department of Education in the Philippines. This aims to identify how effective is the use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction in teaching basic concepts like English, Math, and Science. It also employs the mother tongue to build on what the learner knows and is consistent with sound educational theory of the principle of moving from the known to unknown. The study entitled Iloko As Medium of Instruction in Teaching English, Science and Math, sought to determine the effectiveness of Iloko as medium of instruction in teaching English, Math, and Science in Aduas Elementary School, Paniqui Tarlac. The locale of the study was Aduas Elementary School, Paniqui Tarlac. The population of the study was composed of the teachers in Aduas Elementary School. The study made use of descriptive-survey research design. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used as data-gathering tools. The following are the findings based on the analysis: 1. The greatest challenge lie in the inadequacy of instructional materials in Iloko. 2. The teachers perceived that Iloko as medium of instruction in the elementary grades is slightly effective in view of inadequacy of instructional materials in Iloko and in the delivery of lessons so teachers used mix languages and is also slightly effective in terms of teaching strategies using Iloko as medium of instruction due to inadequate training of teachers. Majority of the teachers encountered challenges in using Iloko as medium of instruction, along instructional materials, language spoken by the pupils, and adeptness of the teachers in Iloko. The greatest challenge lie in the inadequacy of instructional materials in Iloko. The teachers perceived that Iloko as medium of instruction in K, I, II, and III and even up to VI, is slightly effective in view of lack of instructional materials, mix languages were used in delivery of lessons, and inadequate training of teachers in teaching strategies using Iloko as medium of instruction. In the light of the findings, the following recommendations are offered: 1. A seminar-workshop on the preparation and utilization of instructional materials in Iloko should be conducted among the teachers concerned. 2. Only teachers who really speak Iloko fluently should handle the teaching of Iloko Mother Tongue as a subject. 3. Further training of the teachers on the use of Iloko as medium of instruction should be launched. 4. Further research on mother-tongue based multilingual education should be conducted among other schools in the province of Tarlac particularly on teaching strategies using the mother tongue.