Litt 516 - Translating Children's Literature as a Class Activity: Implications in the Mother Tongue Based - Multilingual Education (paper)

Philippine Normal University
National Center for Teacher Education
Taft Avenue, Manila
College of Languages, Linguistics, and Literature
DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS, BILINGUAL EDUCATION & LITERATURE
Translating Literary Texts
as a Classroom Activity:
Implication on the MTB-MLE
A Research Primer
In partial fulfillment
of the requirements in
Litt505 (Children and Adolescent Literature)
1st
Semester S.Y. 2012-2013
Submitted by:
Bernard Paderes
Master of Arts in Linguistics
Submitted to:
Dr. Jennie V. Jocson
Faculty
December 2012

There have been a lot of criticisms and resistance regarding the implementation
of the Mother Tongue Based–Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in the new K-12
curriculum. Though it promises to improve the students performance in content
subjects such as science and math; teachers, educators, and parents are apprehensive
that encouraging Filipino students to use their mother tongue in class during the early
years of schooling would lag the development of their second language. Also Stephen L.
Walter, chair of the Department of Language Development of the Graduate Institute of
Applied Linguistics listed some reasons to overlook the language factor in educational
policies.(as cited in Castillo-Llaneta, 2010) Some of the reasons are: the belief that a
nation based on one common language is better that one with diverse languages; the
belief that children need not to be schooled in a language that they already know; and
that there are certain careers that are based on a certain language.
However, there have been numerous researches supporting the effectiveness of
MTB-MLE in the development of proficiency in second languages. In such case like the
Philippines, where people, culture, and languages are so diverse; there would probably
a need for translated materials as MTB-MLE claims the “first language first” ideology
towards literacy. Also, Dr. Ricardo Nolasco, a professor of linguistics at the University of
the Philippines, (as cited in Barawid, 2012) said that there are no instructional
materials prepared for the teaching of local languages.
Since there are no materials prepared for the instruction of the local language, it
seems to be helpful if the students or the community would take part in translating
their own literature. The grammar-translations approach in language teaching has been
set aside together with other “traditional” approaches and methods with the

introduction of communicative approaches. However, there are researches that are
reconsidering the use of translation as an effective technique in language teaching and
even making it more communicative and wholistic.
Primarily, translation as a classroom activity helps improve the students’
knowledge of language form (Vaezi and Mirzaei, 2007). Also, one of the limitations of
translation activities is that it only targets two skills, namely: reading and writing.
(Stoddart, 2000). However there are articles and researches supporting the benefits of
translation activities including their focus on meaning as well their benefit in
understanding the cultural aspects of the target languages.
In an article written by Kaye (2009), he listed the benefits of translation
activities in class: if designed well, it utilizes the four language skills and enhances
communicative competence, specifically accuracy, clarity, and flexibility; contrary to
what most people believe, translation could be a highly communicative activity; it
encourages learners to discuss meaning and use; it is a real-life, natural activity ad
increasingly necessary for global environment; at lower levels, it can be a support for
writing process; it allows discussion of differences and similarities which helps learners
understand the interaction of two languages and the problems caused by their L1.
In an analysis done by Koppe regarding the use of translation in an EFL
classroom, she mentioned the translation activities help students see the link between
language and language use; encourage students to compare and contrast their first and
second languages; allow teacher sand students to identify learning difficulties; and
enable teachers to check comprehension and introduce new vocabularies and learning
and learning strategies which gives learners autonomy and language awareness.

Another research that supports the benefit of translation activities in language
teaching was the work done by Pariente-Beltran (2006). She investigated the use of
translation as a complement to language teaching and its effect to better language
acquisition. As a complement to language teaching, she found out that interlingual
translation activities encourage students to compare the discourses of between L1 and
L2; become aware of the dialect, registers, and social variations of the second language;
and learn more about the cultural aspect of the L2.
As for the acquisition of the language; she also claims that incorporation of
translation activities in second language teaching helps develop students’
comprehension and accuracy; builds up passive and active vocabulary; improves the
students’ writing skills; eases retention of sentence structure; contributes to a better
communication and expression; and facilitates problem-solving decisions.
There seems to be strong supports for the use of translation activities in the
language classroom. Also there are studies supporting the benefits of reading the
literature in the native languages
However, it seems to be timely to look for the benefits or the effects of using
translation activities in literature classes. A study should be conducted to investigate
the following:
1. Will the students get a better comprehension of the text?
2. Will it give the students a better appreciation of the text and literature per se?
3. Will they get to appreciate or understand the culture of the language?

References
Barawid, Rachel C. (June 20, 2012). Speaking in tongues. Manila Bullentin.
Retrieved December 20, 2012 from
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/362782/speaking-tongues#.UNMRA-STyIM
Castillo-Llaneta, Celeste Ann. (2010). The Language of learneing: Mother- tongue-
based multilingual education in the Philippines. The Forum March-April 2010 Vol 11
Issue 2. Retrieved December 19, 2012 from
http://mlephil.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/the-language-of-learning-mother-tongue-
based-multilingual-education-in-the-philippines/
Kaye, Paul. (March 25, 2009). Translation activities in the language classroom.
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/translation-activities-language-classroom
Koppe, Carmen Terezinha . (____) Translations in the EFL Classroon: how and
what to work. Tutora do NAP-UFPR e professora do Centro de Línguas – PUCPR.
http://www.utp.br/eletras/ea/eletras15/texto/artigo15_4.doc
Pariente-Beltran, Beatriz. (2006). Rethinking translations in the second language
classroom: Teaching discourse analysis and text translations to advanced students.
Master’s Thesis. University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Retrieved December 19, 2012
from http://people.umass.edu/bparient/Research/CompleteThesis-
BeatrizParienteBeltran.pdf
Stoddart, Jonathan. (2000). Teaching through translations. Journal 11
http://www.britishcouncil.org/portugal-inenglish-2000apr-teaching-through-
translation.pdf
Vaezi , Shahin and Mirzaei , Mehdi. (September 2007). The effect of using
translation from L1 to L2 as a teaching technique on the improvement of EFL learners'
linguistic accuracy - focus on form. Humanising Language Teaching. Year 9; Issue 5;
September 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2012 from
http://www.hltmag.co.uk/sep07/mart03.htm#C11

Litt 516 - Translating Children's Literature as a Class Activity: Implications in the Mother Tongue Based - Multilingual Education (paper)

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Litt 516 - Translating Children's Literature as a Class Activity: Implications in the Mother Tongue Based - Multilingual Education (paper)