Translanguaging as a Bridge: Embracing Multilingual Voices in Rural Philippine Classrooms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18906369Keywords:
bilingual education, Filipino language, multilingualism, rural education, translanguagingAbstract
This conceptual commentary explores how translanguaging functions as a bridge for learning both Filipino and English as second languages in rural Philippine classrooms. Drawing from classroom reflections and recent scholarship in multilingual education, it highlights the role of translanguaging in enhancing comprehension, confidence, and inclusion among learners. Despite the long-standing Bilingual Education Policy (1974) and the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) policy (2012), many rural learners continue to struggle as they shift from mother tongue instruction to Filipino and English. This commentary foregrounds rural Filipino teachers’ experiences navigating linguistic environments where Bisaya, Waray, and other local languages intersect with academic discourse. It argues that translanguaging transforms linguistic diversity into a pedagogical asset rather than a barrier. Ultimately, the paper advocates for a flexible and inclusive bilingual pedagogy—one that acknowledges learners’ multiple languages as tools for meaning-making and equitable participation.
Downloads
References
Bernardo, A. B. I. (2020). Multilingual education in the Philippines: Possibilities and challenges for language and literacy development. Philippine Journal of Linguistics, 51(1), 1–19.
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2017). Translanguaging as a pedagogical tool in multilingual education. In J. Cenoz, D. Gorter, & S. May (Eds.), Encyclopedia of language and education: Language awareness and multilingualism (3rd ed., pp. 1–14). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02240-6_3
Creese, A., & Blackledge, A. (2010). Translanguaging in the bilingual classroom: A pedagogy for learning and teaching? The Modern Language Journal, 94(1), 103–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2009.00986.x
Department of Education. (1974). Department Order No. 25, s. 1974: The Bilingual Education Policy. Department of Education, Manila, Philippines.
Department of Education. (2012). Department Order No. 16, s. 2012: Guidelines on the Implementation of the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). Department of Education, Manila, Philippines.
García, O. (2009). Bilingual education in the 21st century: A global perspective. Wiley-Blackwell.
García, O., & Li, W. (2014). Translanguaging: Language, bilingualism and education. Palgrave Macmillan.
Mahboob, A., & Cruz, P. (2013). English and mother-tongue-based multilingual education: Language attitudes in the Philippines. Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 1(1), 1–19.
Martin, I. P. (2014). English language teaching in the Philippines. World Englishes, 33(4), 472–485. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12108
Tupas, R., & Martin, I. P. (2017). Bilingual and multilingual education in the Philippines and the policy of mother tongue-based multilingual education: Discourses, debates, and directions. In O. García, A. Lin, & S. May (Eds.), Bilingual and multilingual education (pp. 251–264). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02258-1_19
Tupas, R. (2020). Inequalities of multilingualism: Challenges to mother tongue-based multilingual education. Current Issues in Language Planning, 21(2), 150–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664208.2019.1701962
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
