5.2: KNOWING THE MOTHER TONGUE

Constructivist Learning Theory

Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are two most recognized pillars of constructivist learning theory. Both puts high premium on how children acquire and construct meaning, however, unlike the behaviorists, both Piaget and Vygotsky do not view children as empty vessels (tabula rasa) waiting to be filled by an expert and learned adult. Constructivists argue that children are preformed to learn and acquire language as they go through different developmental stages.

Jean Piaget (1896-1980) argues that children are active learners who construct meaning from their environment. Piaget is the proponent of cognitive developmental theory that explains the interconnectedness of knowledge acquisition and language acquisition through qualitative changes of their mental processes as they develop (Crystal, 1987; Schickendanz, 1993; Vasta et al, 1999). He views children as active learners, constructing knowledge over time, as they interact with their environment through developmental states. "Constructivism" has been a byword in education for generations, applied both to learning theory and epistemology— both on how people learn and the nature of knowledge. We do not need to adhere if it is simply a new fad, but we need to think about our work in relation to theories of learning and knowledge. So we need to ask: what is constructivism, what does it have to tell us that is new and relevant, and how do we apply it to the universe of MTB-MLE? As they say, it will not take rocket science to understand and employ constructivism. There is nothing dramatically new in constructivism: the core ideas expressed by it have been clearly enunciated by John Dewey among others.

Constructivist's perspective of language acquisition is generally centered on brain development. Hung (1965)„ in Schickedanz (1993) provides a summary of Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development and how children construct knowledge and acquire a language.

Lev Vygotsky's emphasized that private speech, of children talking to themselves, for turning shared knowledge into personal knowledge (Slavin, 1997). Vgotsky proposed that children incorporate the speech of others and then use that speech to help themselves solve problems (Slavin, 1997). Vgotsky's theory implies that cognitive development and the ability to use thought to control one's own actions require first a mastery of cultural communication systems and then learning to use these systems to regulate one's own thought processes (Slavin, 1997, Crystal, 1987).

If Piaget's view of learning and language acquisition is centered on the , children's changes of logical thinking through stages based on maturation and experience. Vygotsky's view is centered on the role of culture and social interactions of children with other children and adults in the environment. Vygotsky even argued that children's speech is a major tool in their development of thinking.

What is meant by constructivism? The term refers to the idea that learners construct knowledge for themselves— each learner individually (and socially) constructs meaning— as he or she learns.

Does it actually make any difference in our everyday work whether deep down we consider knowledge to be about some "real" world independent of us, or whether we consider knowledge to be of our own making?

If we believe that knowledge consists of learning about the real world out there, then we endeavor first and foremost to understand that world, organize it in the most rational way possible, and, as teachers, present it to the learner. This view may still engage us in providing the learner with activities, with hands-on learning, with opportunities to experiment and manipulate the objects of the world, but the intention is always to make clear to the learner the structure of the world independent of the learner. We help the learner understand the world, but we do not ask him to construct his or her own world.

Constructivist theory requires that we turn our attention by 180 degrees and look towards all those wonderful, individual living beings— the learners— each of whom creates his or her own model to explain nature. If we accept the constructivist position we are inevitably required to follow a pedagogy which argues that we must provide learners with the opportunity to: a) interact with sensory data, and b) construct their own world.

As future educators/teachers it is our responsibility to inform our students of what the truth is, it is our duty to let them know of what the "real world" is out there.

Let us not fret and be frightened by this great responsibility for we are not left alone in this task, there are guide posts that are laid out for us to consider. 1. Learning they say is from womb to tomb, from cradle to grave, and from navel to gravel. Learning is not just pure absorption process of what is transferred directly from one vessel to another. Hence, it is a process of learning by doing wherein the active engagement of the learner in the process makes it an effective one. 2. Learning is a web process, as a learner is engaged in learning, in the process of it all, implicitly, the learner also learns other concepts or procedures related to what is being learned explicitly. 3. Taking it from John Dewey's reflective activity, learning is a mental process that involves actual doing and reflective action. Reflective action gives the learner a chance to note the significance and connection of the whole process.

Once a learner is able to define a concept in his or her own terms we can safely say that learning took place. This is why we are always reminded to focus on the learner in the process of learning and not on the learning area or subject/

lesson. We have to put premium on the students' interest and ability, and where they are at in the process of learning. We have to note also that part of the learning process is attributed to the experiences gathered by the learners in their own community. If we will fully accept the constructivist point of view, we are reminded that knowledge is not just simply "out there" divorced from the knower, but a complete process of learning by doing and reflecting. It is both a personal and social process, learning does not take place if we do not open ourselves to the world around us.

Comprehension Questions: 1. How do learners learn in a constructivist approach to teaching and learning?

2. What do you think are the gains of adopting a constructivist learning theory in classroom instruction?

3. Can you think of any challenge/s encountered by teachers in implementing a constructivist approach in curriculum and pedagogy?

After discussing these questions, think of a learning activity or experience that makes use of constructivist approach to teaching and learning. The activity may come from any subject or discipline. Write your answer inside the box.

In groups of three, your final task in this lesson is to find a sample lesson plan on MotherTongue as a learning area. Using the sample lesson plan, analyze the activities to determine if it adopts the constructivist approach to lesson development. • Is the learning objective clearly defined? • Is the activity motivating for the learner? • Is the learner informed of how he or she will be assessed? • Does the learner have an opportunity to share ideas with others? • Is the learner provided with sources and support to help build knowledge? Does it allow collaboration among learners? • Does the activity allow the learner to use new ideas in novel situations? • Does it encourage the learner to build knowledge that leads to new insights and discoveries?

Each group must prepare for a five-minute presentation of your analysis.

Criteria for Group Presentation . V . ' \

Breadth and Depth of Content/Analysis 20 pts.

Delivery/Presentation Collaboration lO pts. 5pts.

PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCIES IN TEACHING MOTHER TONGUE

Now that you have the basic concepts pertinent to MTB-MLE, you will now acquire the pedagogical competencies that you need to successfully teach Mother Tongue to your future students. The pedagogical competencies emphasized in this module are as follows: your ability to understand deeper the target language and the culture in which the language is situated; your ability to design and execute instructional plans in teaching mothertongue; and your ability to create assessments to ensure that learning is genuinely taking place.

These pedagogical competencies are discussed in the succeeding units. Lesson 5.1 and 5.2 though will discuss the pre-requisites of teaching MotherTongue— your competency to understand and analyze a mother tongue and the local culture in which the mother tongue is situated.

Lesson 5.1 UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL CULTURE Lesson Objectives: At the end of the lesson, students are expected to: state their own definition of culture and list other related concepts; explain the various definitions of culturally-responsive education and its principles; and list some examples of the elements t)f culture from observing their local communities' culture. Instructional Materials Needed: Copy of the BBC article by Rawlings (2019) entitled "The Man bringing dead languages back to life." (A copy of the complete article is optional).

I. ACTIVATE

Learning Activities:

"For indigenous communities... worldwide that are still grappling with the legacy of colonization, being able to speak their ancestral language is about empowerment a n d reclaiming their identity. It may even carry significant consequences for their mental health.":

This quote is taken from a BBC article by Rawlings (2019) entitled "The Man bringing dead languages back to life." Do you believe in this quote?

The goal of this activity is for each student to think about the interrelationships of language, culture, and community. Reflect about the quote you read on the previous page by using the guide questions below: 1. How do you feel about the quote you read on the previous page?

2. Do you believe that language is related to empowerment and identity?

3. In your words, how would you define culture?

A student's beliefs, attitudes, and subjective norms are all circumscribed in culture. Most of the time, culture affects, in a variety of ways, how different students prefer to learn. Teachers should consider a diverse method of teaching to suit varied aspects of students'different cultures. Even though people are not aware of it/culture governs their thoughts, beliefs, and behavior (Gay, 2010b). Therefore, what is culture? How would you define culture?

II. ANALYZE

The goal of this activity is for each group to create a concept map for"culture." Proceed to your pre-determined groups and follow the instructions below. Encourage every group member to speak.

First, think of words or ideas related to culture. Write those words around the word "culture" seen below. These words will be called the second level of association. Circle each word and draw an arrow from the word culture to the second level words. You may also connect words related to the second level. These will be called the third level of association. The more concepts written, the better the concept map.

After completing the concept map, decide on the most important ideas for your group. Formulate your own group's definition of "culture" by coming up with a sentence combining the words you selected.

Doige (2003) commented that students' academic achievement improves more when the education is culturally relevant and responsive. For example, in a 2011 study, pupils from an ethnic cultural group did not learn as fast when compared to their mainstream counterparts. This gap was attributed to the language barrier between students and teachers. It was also caused by differences in values towards education (Schmeichel, 2011).

How do you become a good teacher to these students? The answer is that there is no single way of being a good teacher since approaches and relevant topics change in different cultures, language, race, ethnicity, class, and gender (Taylor & Sobel, 2011). How do you change the topic and the approach to make education more relevant in terms of race, ethnicity, and culture? How do you become culturally-responsive? What is a culturally-responsive education?

111. ABSTRACT _______________ V ____________________

Think about the elements of a culturally-responsive education. First, read the different definitions of "Culturally-Responsive Education" below. Then, answer the guide questions. Blanks are provided for your answers.

Definitions of Culturally-Responsive Education • To use the experiences and frames of reference based on the diverse culture of the students (Gay, 2010a) • An approach to education where the teacher integrates elements of the students' lifestyles and daily experiences in the instruction and the curriculum (Taylor & Sobel, 2011). A type of pedagogy where teachers are competent in cross-cultural and multicultural setting (Diller & Moule, 2005). • Recognizes the uniqueness of the majority and the minority in the body of students (Cartledge, Gardner, & Ford, 2009... as cited in Taylor & Sobel,

2011).

22 Content and Pedagogy for the Mother Tongue