By Leilanie Adriano/PNA
LAOAG CITY — A writers’ group based in Oahu, Hawaii has donated at least 1,600 copies of an Ilokano orthography guidebook meant to guide teachers and young learners about Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB- MLE).
Valerie Talamayan, Senior Education Program Specialist of the Department of Education in Ilocos Norte, on Tuesday said the Tarabay ti Ortograpiya ti Pagsasao nga Ilokano (Ilokano orthography guidebook) published in 2012 is now being used by some elementary school teachers in the province in developing instructional materials for their pupils.
“The donated books from GUMIL-Oahu will be distributed to teachers handling Kinder, Grades 1, 2, and 3 classes all over the division,” Talamayan said, citing the book distribution program is in partnership with the Gunglo Dagiti Mannurat Nga Ilokano (GUMIL), the largest association of Ilokano writers around the world which advocates the love for the Ilokano language and culture.
Through their literary works, the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte recognizes that it complements the division’s aspiration as a premiere center of senior high school graduates, who are ethical, innovative, and socially responsive entrepreneurial environmentalists.
“The books will be of great help in the teaching of the MTB- MLE, in which the children’s mother tongue is used in the classroom as a bridge in learning Filipino and English,” Talamayan added.
