The importance of mother tongue in education and national development cannot be overstated. Mother tongue is the language that a person learns first and is most comfortable with. It is the language of thought, emotion, and identity. When children are educated in their mother tongue, they are able to learn more effectively and develop their full potential.
There are many reasons why mother tongue education is important. First, it allows children to learn more easily and quickly. When children are taught in a language they do not understand, they have to spend extra effort trying to understand the language itself, which can hinder their ability to learn the content being taught. Second, mother tongue education helps children develop their cognitive skills. Studies have shown that children who are educated in their mother tongue have better problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and memory.
In addition, mother tongue education plays an important role in national development. When people are able to use their mother tongue in education, work, and government, they are more likely to be engaged in society and contribute to the development of their country. Mother tongue education also helps to preserve and promote cultural diversity, which is essential for a vibrant and dynamic society.
There are many ways to promote the effective use of mother tongue in education and national development. One way is to develop and implement mother tongue-based education policies. These policies should ensure that children have access to education in their mother tongue from early childhood to higher education. Another way to promote the effective use of mother tongue is to train teachers in mother tongue teaching methods. Teachers need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to teach effectively in their mother tongue.
Furthermore, it is important to create a supportive environment for the use of mother tongue in education and national development. This can be done by raising awareness of the importance of mother tongue education, providing resources for mother tongue education, and promoting the use of mother tongue in the media and public life.
In conclusion, the effective use of mother tongue is key to educational quality and national development. By promoting the use of mother tongue in education, we can help children learn more effectively, develop their cognitive skills, and become engaged citizens who contribute to the development of their country.
The Power of Mother Tongue Education
1. Empowering Multilingual Students:
- Meet Việt, a fifth-grade student from the Mông ethnic group. Việt stands out for his language abilities, comfortably conversing in three languages: Mông, Vietnamese (Kinh), and English.
- For ethnic minority children living in remote and challenging areas, Việt’s story is not common. He shares his motivation to master his mother tongue and other languages: “Learning in my mother tongue is essential. Besides studying other subjects in Vietnamese, being bilingual based on my mother tongue provides me with a solid foundation and confidence to pursue my education.”
- Việt emphasizes that once he reads and writes proficiently in Mông, he finds it easier to imagine and switch to other languages. This proficiency extends to subjects taught in both Vietnamese and Kinh.
2. The Journey of Bilingual Education:
- Việt and many other Mông students attend a boarding elementary school in Bắc Hà, Lào Cai province. Their journey in bilingual education begins at the age of 5 in preschool.
- Alongside Mông and Kinh, Việt also expresses interest in English. His efforts have paid off, as he consistently excels in language-related competitions. For four consecutive years, he has been recognized as an outstanding student, achieving second place in the Trạng Nguyên Tiếng Việt contest at the district level.
- Việt believes that language knowledge opens doors to understanding foreign languages, such as English. His achievements demonstrate the importance of encouraging and preserving cultural heritage and practices among ethnic minority communities.
3. The MTBBE Program: A Decade of Impact:
- The MTBBE program, introduced over a decade ago, focuses on bilingual education using the mother tongue as a foundation. It aims to:
- Develop well-rounded students.
- Enhance cognitive abilities.
- Build a strong base for further learning in the second language (Vietnamese), which is the official language in the national education system.
- After a successful trial period, Lào Cai province continues to expand the program, applying this approach to children’s education. Like Việt, many mountainous children benefit from this holistic educational model.
4. A Global Perspective:
- The MTBBE program not only benefits Việt but also highlights the importance of promoting and preserving indigenous languages worldwide.
- From 2005 to 2018, with technical support and financial assistance, the MTBBE model was introduced as an innovative approach to enhancing comprehensive education for mountainous children in Vietnam. It was implemented through action research and pilot programs.
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