The Discontinued Mother Tongue as Medium of Instruction in Elementary Level: Insights from the Primary Teachers

Abstract

Language is an essential educational tool that shapes students' learning and interactions in the educational settings. In Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd) language policy shifted from mother tongue to English and Filipino as mediums of instruction. This study used a phenomenological research design based on Moustakas' methodology to investigate how primary school teachers in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat, have responded to the language policy shift in primary grades with the use of in-depth and in a semi-structured interview questionnaire. The data gathered was analyzed through thematic coding to examine the data. Findings revealed that while some teachers recognized the long-term benefits of early exposure to national and global languages, they encountered challenges in adjusting their teaching strategies, which affected both their instructional efficiency and student performance.  Concludingly, the transition in language policy resulted language barriers not only in the classroom but also within the broader educational community. Teachers also recognized the broader implications of discontinuing mother tongue instruction, particularly its effects on teaching practices. To address these issues, teachers suggested implementing a gradual bilingual transition program that integrates mother tongue support while progressively introducing Filipino and English as the primary languages of instruction.