EXAMINING THE ROLE OF MOTHER TONGUE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AMONG FILIPINO ELEMENTARY LEARNERS

This study investigates the influence of the native language on English language learning among elementary students at Lapogan Integrated School in Tumauini, Isabela. This study employed a mixed-methods approach that combined quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. A survey questionnaire was administered to 40 Grade 5 and 6 students to gather demographic information and assess the extent of the influence of the native language on English proficiency using Likert-scale items. This study hypothesizes that the mother tongue has an impact on English language acquisition and seeks to quantify this influence and determine if it varies based on demographic factors. Descriptive statistics, means, standard deviations, one-way ANOVA, and t-tests were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed significant differences in the extent of influence of the mother tongue when grouped by age (p<0.000) and grade level (p<0.000) but not by gender (p=0.098). These results suggest that the impact of the native language on English learning varies as students progress through different ages and grades, highlighting the need for age-appropriate and grade-specific approaches to English language instruction. This study contributes to the understanding of language transfer and acquisition in multilingual educational settings by emphasizing the importance of considering developmental factors when designing effective English language learning strategies for elementary students.