Sittie Ainah Moh. Perdaus’s scientific contributions

This research explored the experiences of English teachers within the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) framework in the Philippines, addressing challenges and opportunities stemming from the recent exclusion of mother tongue as a standalone subject and with the aim of formulating theories that can enrich existing educational frameworks and promote teacher empowerment. Utilizing grounded theory, eight English teachers from public schools in Visayas were selected based on specific criteria. In-depth interviews were conducted for data collection, and Colaizzi's method facilitated analysis. The data gathered from the lived experiences of the teachers formed four emergent themes, serving as the basis for formulated theories. These theories aim to enhance educational policies concerning Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education. The study sheds light on the intricate balance required between mother tongue and English instruction, offering insights into policies and teacher empowerment in the evolving educational landscape of the Philippines. Keywords: Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), language integration, curriculum development, medium of instruction, multilingual education, language learning, language proficiency