TEACHING VARIOUS COURSES USING FILIPINO PUSHED (MyReview)

TEACHING VARIOUS COURSES USING FILIPINO PUSHED by Ghio Ong

Phil Star, P13, Education 3-3-16

- SYNTHESIS -

The news is about the effort of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino (KWF) to use Filipino language as a medium of instruction in teaching some courses in college, especially those which specialize in Sciences, mathematics and law.

It is the belief of Mr. Benjamin Mendillo Jr., the head of translation department in KWF, using Filipino in some subjects can provide better language proficiency and deepen the learning competence of the students.

- ANALYSIS -

To deepen our understanding about the above issue, the following Pros and Cons of the seen program were enumerated:

It was seen in some research and studies that by using the learners’ home language, learners are more likely to engage in the learning process. With these I believe that using Filipino as a medium of instruction in teaching college will allow learners to make suggestions, ask questions, answer questions and create and communicate new knowledge with enthusiasm. It also gives learners confidence and helps to affirm their cultural identity.

Likewise, when teaching starts in the teachers’ and learners’ home language, the experience is more natural and less stressful for all. As a result, the teacher can be more creative and innovative in designing teaching/learning materials and approaches, leading to improved learning outcomes. It means learners get more involved in the learning process and speeds up the development of basic literacy skills. It also enables more flexibility, innovation and creativity in teacher preparation.

Some authors like Cadsawan said that “If the professor uses Filipino in teaching, he will be able to expound some more particularly on areas which may be somehow difficult to simplify by just explaining in English. On the part of the Filipino students, they should be able to better understand or deepen their knowledge on what the professor will be conveying.”

On the contrary, there are some disadvantages, the most popular one being how the Filipino language is unfit for some subjects. Some educators in the Philippines said that every faculty member may not psychologically ready to use Filipino as medium in teaching. Some teachers and professors will insist that Filipino can’t be used for some subjects.

Another disadvantage is not only the existence of foreign students in the University but also the reality that most of the students are more proficient and can communicate better in English than in Filipino.

- REFLECTION -

As history teacher, it is my personal aim to see learners embracing and taking pride in our own language. For me, this initiative of Kagawaran ng Wikang Filipino will be very beneficial in our educational system. It may help learners to be more involved in discussion and in learning experiences.

But we also have to consider some aspects before further pushing this initiative. We have to consider the time so that we can be prepared to the changes that it may bring. After all, the decisions to use Local language in teaching college are in the hands of the stakeholders. That if they deemed in necessary to do so, the support will be on hand as long as it will help learners master contents and meet the standards of their courses. After all, it is perceived that teaching in Filipino depends on the skills of the professor and the needs of the students, regardless if it will be easier or harder for the teachers to teach and the students to understand.

- RECOMMENDATION FOR POLICY -

Since that this initiative seen to have confusion, the following are my recommendation for further analysis to implement this:

If we really see that using Filipino as a medium of instruction in teaching college has various positive effects, we have, at least to have a legal basis for these. Maybe a law that outlines the procedures, benchmarks, and fund appropriations of the program must be passed so that it would be clear to everyone that they have to follow.

Although we can encourage some universities and colleges, it is better that the implementation of this program is not compulsory. Because some schools has foreign enrollees and the usage of local language is discrimination towards them.

There must also a regulating body for this that publishes books which are translated from foreign language to local language. This may help learners to secure the correct and adequate translation of terms specifically used in their field.