My 5 year old stepchild learning tagalog

[grahamw48]

lastlid, my point is that they should continue to learn English, but also be taught how to improve their written and spoken Tagalog...as that is the official language of their country.

[lastlid]

lastlid, my point is that they should continue to learn English, but also be taught how to improve their written and spoken Tagalog...as that is the official language of their country.

I don't completely disagree with you. After all the Dutch do a fine job of that. But I wouldn't like to see the Philippines get too bogged down in maintaining their own languages in schools. Probably a question of getting the balance right.

[Steve.r]

Its a crazy argument imo, if you loose national identity then you end up with a united bland earth community. The world needs diversity and cultural differences, of course speaking and understanding English is an advantage, but at the cost of losing your culture is just daft and irresponsible. Like I have said, my son will learn both, I never want him to forget his heritiage or family history.

[lastlid]

Its a crazy argument imo, if you loose national identity then you end up with a united bland earth community. The world needs diversity and cultural differences, of course speaking and understanding English is an advantage, but at the cost of losing your culture is just daft and irresponsible. Like I have said, my son will learn both, I never want him to forget his heritiage or family history.

And the crazy argument is an all too familiar one, particularly at home here in the United Kingdom Great Britain, Northern Island and Islands. But the world moves on....

[Rhose]

From what I have seen, once the children have been here a while they soon drop any Tagalog they have learnt and have no inclination to continue with it, even if mom wants them to.

three thumbs up!!!

[Rhose]

Its a crazy argument imo, if you loose national identity then you end up with a united bland earth community. The world needs diversity and cultural differences, of course speaking and understanding English is an advantage, but at the cost of losing your culture is just daft and irresponsible. Like I have said, my son will learn both, I never want him to forget his heritiage or family history.

I agree with that!! I'm so proud when I heard some of my cousins talking in waray a dialect here in Philippines, but they were born in other country. My uncle teach them how to speak our own language. At home they speak in waray and when they are with their friends they speak english.

[eliza]

On a day to day basis OBVIOUSLY Filipinos speak and write their own language (just look on their facebook pages).

That will never change. Why on earth should it ?

Let us all be grateful that they DO learn English at school, otherwise a lot of us would not now have Filipina partners.

Also, 600,000 jobs would not have been created in call centres in recent years.

Quite honestly it's nothing to do with us what the Filipino government and people decide to do in their education system.

As far as I can see, they have reached a happy medium where the teaching of languages is concerned, and certainly well in advance of what happens in our country.

I think not all b-coz i always write or speak english
for my friends in other country too mostly for my
Niece or my nephew can speak English,tagalog,kapangpangan

[grahamw48]

I didn't say ALL.

I think you misunderstood my post.

[lastlid]

......then you end up with a united bland earth community.

Unfortunately this is inevitable. It comes with the world getting smaller etc etc. Theres not a lot that can be done to hold back the tide. I think that is the harsh reality.

[raynaputi]

I think you missed the point Lastlid, Tagalog is the native language of the Philippines, like English is for us. We learn french, german or spanish at school. So what is wrong with nurturing your own language and learning English as a second language... no difference, I think you are just being a bit pedantic.

I'm with lastlid on this one. The curriculum of the schools in the Philippines already contains the Filipino subject (all about correct word usage, meanings, etc.), take note, upto College degrees. BUT, the problem with DepEd now is they require all the subjects, including Math & Science, to be taught on their local language until 3rd grade. I'm not sure if they're removing the English subject too till 3rd grade. It'll be more difficult for them by that to learn English. Anyway, my point in this matter, English would always need to be learned as it is the common language wherever you go. I know a lot of Visayan in Cebu or Davao speaks very good English (I got friends/colleagues from there) and it's very useful in the working world. Most people I've talked to here in the UK always make a comment about how good I can converse in English, and when I told them it's because it's been taught since I was in kinder, they say it's a very good thing.

[Steve.r]

SO what I am getting from this is that you (or concensus) would rather completely remove your native language from your country so that you 'blend' in with what you think the world expects. I think that's quite sad.

[grahamw48]

Steve....I get what you're saying.

..Haven't noticed ANY of the highly successful Asian 'Tiger' countries, plus China teaching English to the detriment of their own language. Yes, they teach English, but they have not allowed it to take over their culture, globalisation or not.

[lastlid]

SO what I am getting from this is that you (or concensus) would rather completely remove your native language from your country so that you 'blend' in with what you think the world expects. I think that's quite sad.

I am not sure if that is an accurate summary of my opinion.... Thats stretching things a bit.

[raynaputi]

Errr Hang on Steve..I didn't say remove the native language. As what I said, Tagalog or the subject Filipino is being taught even in college. I just don't see the point of teaching other subjects in native language too. Can you tell or say the equivalent of the word ribonucleic acid in Tagalog? Or can you say the equivalent of the word gigabytes in Tagalog? I just don't think the education system should based teachings purely in Tagalog.

[grahamw48]

I would be learning Manadarin right now...given the choice. Sod French and German.

[lastlid]

I would be learning Manadarin right now...given the choice. Sod French and German.

You might be right Graham....

[grahamw48]

I just don't think the education system should based teachings purely in Tagalog.

No, of course not...totally agree there.

[lastlid]

Steve....I get what you're saying.

..Haven't noticed ANY of the highly successful Asian 'Tiger' countries, plus China teaching English to the detriment of their own language. Yes, they teach English, but they have not allowed it to take over their culture, globalisation or not.

I think that Doray Espinosa's write up kind of addresses this quite favourably...

Quite a long read but the last sentence is...

"Language, they say, is the key to understanding others. What many Filipinos miss is that English can also be used as a key to understanding ourselves. English, after all, does not belong to America. If we accept it with grace and use it with wisdom, it can belong to the rest of the world. "

[sars_notd_virus]

the problem with DepEd now is they require all the subjects, including Math & Science, to be taught on their local language until 3rd grade. I'm not sure if they're removing the English subject too till 3rd grade.

I dont think they can remove English totally (the teachers will have a hard tme as well lol)...but they want to introduce the ''mother tongue'' at an early stage of child learning which I think is fine and brilliant but what I dont understand is why DepED dropped science in k to 3 students??? science subject can help develop cognitive skills in children
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/349141...science-pupils
Based on the design of the new curriculum, the learning areas for Grade 1 will be Mother Tongue, Filipino, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Music, Art, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, and English – which will be taught in the second semester and will mainly focus on oral fluency.

[lastlid]

I dont think they can remove English totally (the teachers will have a hard tme as well lol)...but they want to introduce the ''mother tongue'' at an early stage of child learning which I think is fine and brilliant but what I dont understand is why DepED dropped science in k to 3 students??? science subject can help develop cognitive skills in children
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/349141...science-pupils
Based on the design of the new curriculum, the learning areas for Grade 1 will be Mother Tongue, Filipino, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Music, Art, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, and English – which will be taught in the second semester and will mainly focus on oral fluency.

Music?

What a lot of good that did me. It was the biggest mistake I made at A level... I enjoyed it though.

[raynaputi]

I dont think DepEd will remove english from their curriculum , but they want to introduce the ''mother toungue'' at an early stage of child learning which I think is fine and brilliant but what I dont understand is why DepED dropped science in k to 3 students??? science subject can help develop cognitive skills in children
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/349141...science-pupils
Based on the design of the new curriculum, the learning areas for Grade 1 will be Mother Tongue, Filipino, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Music, Art, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH), Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, and English – which will be taught in the second semester and will mainly focus on oral fluency.

It would just make kids in the Philippines behind what it used to be. So while other kids in the world would be advanced by their 3rd grade in Science and Technology subjects, Filipino kids would just be starting to learn things about Science.. not good in my opinion..

Science was my favorite subject when I was in gradeschool...then Math when I started highschool..

[raynaputi]

Maybe they would replace Science with Religion...

[Lhailhani]

yes , Ive read that in the news the Department of Education is bringing back the filipino language enrichment activities,..I think its brilliant

that's true..

[sars_notd_virus]

[FONT="Verdana"][COLOR="purple"] It would just make kids in the Philippines behind what it used to be. So while other kids in the world would be advanced by their 3rd grade in Science and Technology subjects, Filipino kids would just be starting to learn things about Science.. not good in my opinion..

Its fine , am sure the filipino generation ''y'' or the throphy kids will be able to adapt whatever thrown to them
and of course , the intelligence gene inherited from their parent plays a major role.

[Steve.r]

Errr Hang on Steve..I didn't say remove the native language. As what I said, Tagalog or the subject Filipino is being taught even in college. I just don't see the point of teaching other subjects in native language too. Can you tell or say the equivalent of the word ribonucleic acid in Tagalog? Or can you say the equivalent of the word gigabytes in Tagalog? I just don't think the education system should based teachings purely in Tagalog.

I never said only teach in Tagalog, of course there are many words in many languages that have the same use where no other word will do, we see this in what we call 'tagalish' right? as well as words from other languages. In English we use a lot of French terms/words for things because of our close historical bond.

But the continued dilution of a native language will also, I think harm the culture as you become 'more' westernised.

Half of the magic of being in a relationship with somone from another country is because of the differences between you, I dont want my son to lose the 'magic' of being able to communicate with his elders who, maybe have not been as fortunate as him to be free to travel the world. Imagine him not being able to tell his grandmother about the places he has been or things he has seen. She speaks no English, so how else can he talk to her.

English has it's place of course and advances those who want to push forward, i have no problem with that.

[lastlid]

I dont want my son to lose the 'magic' of being able to communicate with his elders who, maybe have not been as fortunate as him to be free to travel the world. Imagine him not being able to tell his grandmother about the places he has been or things he has seen. She speaks no English, so how else can he talk to her.

I empathise with that completely. But, a child of ours and his or hers grandmother in the Philippines will have great difficulty speaking to one another, if at all. My wife and I have discussed this. My feeling is that if we were to give him or her Tagalog lessons in the UK it simply won't work, I am sorry to say. I have spoken to a few Filipina moms here with children and the children aren't interested in developing their Tagalog here. They are driven by what their mates are doing or not doing and want to speak like them (no fault of their own).

And equally, English lessons for this grandmother is a tall order.

[sars_notd_virus]

But, a child of ours and his or hers grandmother in the Philippines will have great difficulty speaking to one another, if at all. My wife and I have discussed this.

you are limiting your childs diversity...I have loads of friends here too...the mum is visaya , the father is norwegian ,..they live in uk for 20 years ..the kids speaks tagalog,visayan,norwegian and british english ...amazing!!
now they are all back in the Philippines for a year stay , and i think the kids are being taught the american english
...sometimes its important to go back to your roots

[lastlid]

you are limiting your childs diversity...I have loads of friends here too...the mum is visaya , the father is norwegian ,..they live in uk for 20 years ..the kids speaks tagalog,visayan,norwegian and british english amazing!!

Well I have to say, that is amazing. A lot can depend on the kids too.....
Did they get taught Tagalog and Visayan here? (My wife speaks both).

Ironically, my eldest daughter (100% British) took Latin at school and took a 4 year degree in Russian.....

[Steve.r]

Cant forget your roots and shouldn't

But on a slight tangent here ........ I have met with several filipino people here in the UK with friends and at the meeting in Scarborough, and you know what happened when the girls got together..... they all talked to eachother in .... TAGLOG ... nuff said!!

[sars_notd_virus]

Well I have to say, that is amazing. A lot can depend on the kids too.....
Did they get taught Tagalog and Visayan here? (My wife speaks both).

yes, yes they are