Division of Educational Development and Cultural and Regional Studies, Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University
Online published on 22 January, 2015.
This study explored the use of three languages, in which two languages are local, Bicol, the mother language of the respondents, and Filipino, the official and national language of the country, and English, another official language and the instructional language of science in primary level. This study focused on using Bicol and Filipino words that have similar content and meaning in English. The non-technical terms using the local languages were then incorporated into vocabulary tests in three languages to determine the primary students’ comprehension. To achieve the objectives, the researcher administered science tests using the three languages to determine in which language students had better scores and in which they obtained the least. The findings show that most students attained better scores in the tests using Filipinothan in their mother language. Most of the students obtained the lowest mean scores in tests in the English language.
Science Education, Mother tongue-based instruction, Non-technical words in science, Primary science in the Bicol region
