LANGUAGE POLICY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

Summary

This presentation discusses language policy planning and development in the Philippines, focusing on the 1987 Constitution's establishment of Filipino as the national language. It outlines various policies and programs, including the creation of the Commission on the Filipino Language (KWF), Executive Order 335 promoting Filipino in government communication, and the Department of Education's Order 81 standardizing the Filipino alphabet and spelling. The Bilingual Language Policy and the College General Education Curriculum's language policy are also highlighted, along with the K-12 program's introduction of Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) to enhance language proficiency.

Takeaways

• 📜 Language planning involves developing policies or programs to direct or change language use, such as establishing an official language or modernizing a language.
• 🏛️ The 1987 Philippine Constitution defines Filipino as the national language and mandates its development and enrichment based on other existing dialects and languages.
• 🏫 The government is directed to promote the use of Filipino as the medium of official communication and the national language of instruction in the educational system.
• 🌐 The National Language Commission (Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino or KWF) was established to coordinate and promote research for the development of Filipino and other languages.
• 💼 Executive Order 335 by President Corazon Aquino in 1988 required government entities to use Filipino in official transactions, communication, and correspondence.
• 🗣️ KWF Resolution No. 1 to 19 adapted a working description of Filipino, recognizing it as a native language spoken in urban centers and used for inter-ethnic communication.
• 🔤 The Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (DECS) Order No. 81 provided guidelines for the Filipino alphabet, spelling, grammar, and the use of loanwords.
• 🎓 The Bilingual Language Policy (BLP) aims to achieve national competence in Filipino and English through their use as media of instruction at all educational levels.
• 🏛️ The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued a general education curriculum requiring higher education institutions to offer Filipino language courses.
• 👨‍🏫 The K-12 program introduced Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) to develop proficiency in Filipino and English by starting with the learners' first language.

Q & A

What is language planning?

Language planning is the development of policies or programs designed to direct or change language use, which can include establishing an official language, standardizing or modernizing a language, or developing or altering a writing system.

What is the role of the 1987 Constitution in language policy in the Philippines?

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines defines Filipino as the country's national language and acknowledges its evolution. It directs the government to initiate and sustain the use of Filipino as the medium of official communication and the national language of instruction in the educational system.

What is the function of the Commission on the Filipino Language (KWF)?

The Commission on the Filipino Language (KWF) was created to coordinate and promote research for the development, propagation, and preservation of Filipino and other languages in the Philippines.

What was the impact of Executive Order 335 on language use in the Philippines?

Executive Order 335, issued by President Corazon Aquino in 1988, mandated all government departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities to use the Filipino language in transactions, communication, and correspondence, and to translate official names into Filipino.

How does the KWF Resolution No. 1 describe Filipino?

KWF Resolution No. 1 describes Filipino as a native language spoken and written in the national capital region and other urban centers in the Philippines. It is used as a language of communication between ethnic groups and is recognized to be in the process of development through loans from other Philippine languages and non-native varieties.

What is the significance of the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports Order No. 81?

The Department of Education, Culture, and Sports Order No. 81 laid down the letters of the Filipino alphabet and rules on spelling, grammar, and translation, including how and when to use loanwords, syllables, and punctuation in the Filipino language.

What is the Bilingual Language Policy (BLP) in the Philippines?

The Bilingual Language Policy in the Philippines aims to attain competence in Filipino and English at a national level through their use as media of instruction in all levels of education, with the goal of propagating Filipino as a language of literacy and furthering its development as the national language.

How does the College General Education Curriculum's language policy relate to the Bilingual Education Policy?

The College General Education Curriculum's language policy requires higher education institutions to have at least nine units of Filipino language courses, coordinating with the Department of Education's bilingual education policy, ensuring that language courses are taught in the appropriate language.

What is the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) in the context of the K-12 program?

The Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTBMLE) is a part of the K-12 program that aims to develop proficiency in Filipino and English by starting basic education with the first language of learners. It introduces Filipino and English as subjects from grade one, with a transition program to make them the primary languages of instruction by junior high school.

How did the introduction of the K-12 program affect language education in the Philippines?

The introduction of the K-12 program in 2013, along with the MTBMLE, aimed to build proficiency in Filipino and English by starting with the mother tongue of students. This shift was intended to make language education more accessible and effective, with the goal of achieving higher levels of language proficiency by the end of high school.