EFFECTIVENESS OF MOTHER TONGUE-BASED INSTRUCTION IN TEACHING MATHEMATICS TO GRADE 1

PUPIL’S IN MATAIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

ABSTRACT
The use of mother tongue as a medium of instruction in teaching mathematics from kinder 1
to grade 3 posed challenges and opportunities for teachers and curriculum planners/policy makers.
“The conquest of learning is achieved through the knowledge of language” (Roger Bacon). A carefully
selected medium of instruction in teaching Mathematics in primary grade level greatly affects pupils’
learning performance.
This study will examine the effectiveness of mother tongue-based instruction on the achievement
of the Grade I pupils in Mathematics. Specifically, it aimed to describe the profile of the pupils in terms
of age, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnic origin, dominant language used. It will also describe the
profile of teachers in terms of age, sex, civil status, highest educational attainment, length of service
and number of seminars attended. It also aimed to find out if Mother tongue-based instruction allows
learners to comprehend their lessons in mathematics well.
The purpose of the study is to help school leaders cultivate professional development that can
successfully address some identified challenges met by MTBMLE grade 1 teachers. The design
which the study will employs is qualitative method using questionnaires, classroom observations,
and interviews. It will determine the relationships of the demographic profile of teachers and pupils
and mother tongue as medium of instruction as the independent variable and pupils’ achievement
in Mathematics as dependent variable.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aims to find out the effectiveness of using mother tongue-based as a medium of
instruction and the challenges faced by the teachers and pupils.
Specifically, it aims to answer the following problems;
1. What is the profile of pupil respondents in terms of:
a. Age
b. Gender
c. Socioeconomic status
d. Ethnic group
e. Dominant Language used
2. What is the profile of teacher respondents in terms of:
A. Age
B. Sex
C. Civil status
D. Highest educational attainment
E. Length of service
F. Number of seminars and trainings attended in relation to mother tongue as a medium of
instruction
3. Is there a significant relationship between the demographic profile of pupils and teachers with
the use of mother-tongue as medium of instruction in teaching mathematics?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using mother tongue-based instruction to both
teachers and pupils?
 5. Is using a mother tongue-based instruction effective or a burden to both pupils and teachers? IF
burden what are the challenges faced by teachers and pupils
6. How does using mother tongue-based instruction affect the pupils achievement in
mathematics?
7. How does the competency of a teacher affect the learning of the pupils?
8. Is it necessary to apply Mother Tongue-based instruction in pupils with diverse ethnic groups
and cultures?
9. Does the use of Mother Tongue-Based Instruction in mathematics allow learners to
comprehend their lessons well.
K-12 MATHEMATCIS GRADE 1