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Interview Paper
Interviewee: Gina B. Empalmado
Position: Grade 1 Teacher
Interviewer: Mary Ann D. Olarte
Interviewer: Aladen C. Esponilla Jr.
Course: Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED II Students)
Date: February 7, 2025
Location: Brgy. San Fernando Elementary School
Introduction
Interviewer (Mary Ann):
Good morning, ma'am. To formally start this interview, magpapakilala po muna kami. So my
name is Mary Ann Olarte po, taga dito din po ako sa Barangay San Fernando. Tapos siya naman
po, si Aladen Esponilla from Gamay. We are from Colegio de las Navas po, taking a degree in
Bachelor of Elementary Education. We are here po to gain knowledge and information about
MTB-MLE. So, start na po, maam.
Interviewee (Gina):
Okay.
Questions and Answers
Interviewer (Mary Ann):
So, my first question is, how long have you been teaching the Mother Tongue subject?
Interviewee (Gina):
I started in 2017. Until now, when I was assigned in Grade 1, I have been teaching this subject.
Interviewer (Mary Ann):
From your experiences, have you encountered any problems or challenges in teaching this
subject?
Interviewee (Gina):
Yes, of course, every teaching session is considered a challenge. Every time we teach, that's a
challenge for us. This is based on my experience in teaching, particularly the Mother Tongue-
Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) at San Fernando Elementary School, especially in
my Grade 1 class.
Handling K-Stage 1 learners from Grades 1, 2, and 3, including kindergarten, is challenging.
Mother Tongue is not a subject in kindergarten, but it is used as a medium of instruction. There
are several prime problems in the teaching-learning process.
First, the competencies covered in this subject are too congested, leading to overworking and
multitasking for teachers. The targeted skills to be developed are too much for beginners,
considering their short attention span. Teachers exert intensive efforts just to maximize learning.
Personally, I often take home unfinished tasks to manage my time better.
Next is the absence of teaching resources and learner materials appropriate for the subject. Most
textbooks and learning activity sheets are written in other dialects, which can hinder learners'
reading and comprehension skills.
Another issue is language barriers. Sometimes learners have different first languages (L1) used at
home, making it time-consuming for teachers to translate materials into the mother tongue. I
struggle to create differentiated activities that cater to the diverse languages of my learners.
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Lastly, there is a lack of teacher training and expertise in handling the subject. A week-long
training is not enough; teachers need ample time for contextualizing learning materials.
Achieving the goals of Mother Tongue education is very difficult due to these challenges.
Interviewer (Mary Ann):
So, from what I have heard, ma'am, may mga solutions po ba na naisip niyo para sa mga
problems na ito?
Interviewee (Gina):
Of course, there are always actions taken to remediate these issues. The principal's welcoming
personality and strategic leadership create a good camaraderie, making the management an ideal
workplace.
Intensive monitoring and supervision, mentoring, coaching, and technical assistance are
provided. The school also maximizes the utilization of the MOOE (Maintenance and Other
Operating Expenses) for necessary supplies.
Sending teachers to trainings and seminars for free is also beneficial. Open communication
between colleagues during meetings and discussions helps minimize issues and maximize
potential.
Interviewer (Mary Ann):
Are there advantages po ba sa pagtuturo ng Mother Tongue for you as a teacher and for the
learners? What are those advantages?
Interviewee (Gina):
In Mother Tongue, the most advantageous part is that learners can easily relate to the topics
because they are familiar with the words. They can express themselves and understand easily,
especially if the group of students shares the same dialect.
However, when there are diverse learners, I need to reconstruct and translate materials into the
language of each child. While Mother Tongue is part of the curriculum, it can be
disadvantageous because global competency may decline. For example, lower-grade students
may struggle to relate to foreign languages like Filipino and English since they are more oriented
to their mother tongue.
Interviewer (Mary Ann):
For the last question, do you have any further recommendations to better achieve the goals of
MTB-MLE?
Interviewee (Gina):
I have several suggestions. First, we should refine the competencies by limiting the skills to be
developed among beginners to avoid overloading them. Competencies should focus on the most
important, relevant, and age-appropriate contexts.
Moreover, we should use localized and contextualized learning materials. Learning activity
sheets and worksheets should be readily available.
Creating a full-time special contextual working expert to handle the crafting of contextualized
instructional materials would also help, so classroom teachers are not burdened with this task.
Lastly, sufficient funding from the Department of Education is crucial. This includes budgeting
for additional manpower, purchasing needed materials, and providing incentives to enhance the
responsibility and accountability of personnel for better school outcomes.
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Conclusion
The interview with Ms. Gina B. Empalmado provided valuable insights into the challenges and
advantages of teaching the Mother Tongue subject in elementary education. Her experiences
highlight the importance of support, resources, and training for teachers to effectively implement
MTB-MLE and achieve its goals.
Interviewers:
Mary Ann D. Olarte
Aladen C. Esponilla Jr.
Date: January 7, 2025
Location: Brgy. San Fernando Elementary School
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Documentations
Documentations
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Communication Letter
Barangay San Fernando
Las Navas N. Samar
espoalladin7@[Link]
February 6, 2025
Mr. Jordan Lambino
Principal
Brgy. San Fernando Elementary School
Brgy. San Fernando
Lavas Navas, Northern Samar
Dear Mr. Lambino,
We hope this letter finds you well. We are Mary Ann Olarte and Aladen Esponilla, both Bachelor
of Elementary Education (BEED) students currently studying at Colegio De Las Navas. As part
of our coursework, we are conducting interviews with educators to gain insights into the teaching
of the Mother Tongue subject in elementary education.
We would like to respectfully request an interview with one of your esteemed teachers who
teaches the Mother Tongue subject or has experience in this area. We believe that their insights
would be invaluable to our understanding of the challenges and successes in implementing
Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE).
We are particularly interested in discussing the following questions during the interview:
1. What are the challenges or problems encountered when teaching Mother Tongue?
2. Are there solutions that have been created so far to address these problems?
3. What further recommendations can be made to better achieve the goals of MTB-MLE?
We are flexible with the timing and can adjust to the teacher's availability. We appreciate your
consideration of our request and look forward to the possibility of learning from your school's
experiences.
Thank you very much for your time and support.
Sincerely,
Mary Ann Olarte
09386192541
Aladen Esponilla Jr.
09261904321
Colegio De Las Nvas
Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEED)