MAKATA FILIPINO TEACHING

The author is Teacher City, Pampanga

ROMER A. NUCUM

In a typical Filipino classroom, there is this mental stereotyping that students should speak the language the way the poetic texts of Balagtas and other Philippine Literature Writers are written. The use of some obsolete Filipino words is even applied during the conversations. As a result, the entire process seems funny.

Filipino being the language common to all the islands of the Philippines should be an effective medium of communication among its peoples. Effective communication, as it suggests, should never be complicated. There are various theories of communication. The bottom-line of these is the senderchannel-receiver model. At any point in the communication process, the effective and easy utilization of the channel, which is the language used, should set a strong bond between the sender and the receiver.

Since Filipino is a language, it basically has its phonetics and syntax. The inculcation of these rules which may be unique in this language should be understood so well by the students so that they may appreciate it all the more. The use of Filipino is encouraged basically in its conversational state.

While Filipino might be the first language learned by the students, it can still be appreciated more when the other beauties of the language are exposed to and understood by the students. This understanding of the richness of the language may be revealed through the revelation of the artistic juices squeezed from the creative minds of the forerunners of the language like Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Balagtas, and many more.

These people proved that the beauty of the language may potentially uplift the patriotic spirit of the Filipinos. Filipino, aside from being a language, may also serve as an identity to a nation. Aside from its flag, anthem, name, and the President, one notable thing that sets identity to a country is its language. Its richness, dynamism, and historicity may easily be represented by its language.

Filipino is a language that needs to be proud of by its people. I have high hopes that time would come in this motherland that the official language in the official documents, laws, and transactions would also be said and written in Filipino. Filipino need not always be used the makata way. As long that it serves as a medium towards understanding, cooperation, and peace in the country as one strong nation, the basic aim of Filipino being a channel between the sender and receiver will be achieved.

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III at Northville 16 Elementary School, Mabalacat