What it Feels Like to Introduce Your Mother: The Preservice Teachers’ Perspectives

Abstract

Several studies have already been conducted regarding the use of mother tongue-based
multilingual education (MTB-MLE) in instruction. However, there is a very limited data on the
views and experiences of the preservice teachers in implementing MTB-MLE to the Waray pupils
identified to have mixed vocabularies. This paper documented the experiences and views of 34
preservice teachers who were assigned at an MTB-MLE classroom of the Leyte Normal
University-Integrated Laboratory School employing the descriptive single case study design. The
data gathered through interviews, observations, and analysis of classroom documents were
analyzed through open coding to generate themes and patterns. Results revealed the different
benefits attributed to mother tongue instruction, the issues and challenges in its implementation,
and the underlying misconceptions held by the preservice teachers. Recommendations of the
study include the conduct of a re-orientation program and the inclusion of an intensive mother
tongue course in the preservice teachers’ curriculum.