Lyceum Northwestern University

Institute of Graduate & Professional Studies

Name: Cristina Ferrer Date: November, 2017

Professor: Dr. Erlinda Agbayani
Subject:Seminar on Ethnic Histories of the Philippines

Final Examination
(Educ 313)

1. Globalization has somehow made the world narrower in terms of technological

and educational spects.
a. Explain the cultural change brought about by globalization.
b. Cite your insights on the socio-cultural effects of each change.

Answer:

When you open your smart phone, lap top or any electronic devices to chat, send
an email to your colleagues in London, buy clothes online from China, India, USA
and try to deal and negotiate via internet. This interconnection via the Internet is
just one way that you are part of globalization. At its core, globalization is the
complex relationship that connects and mixes cultures, countries, people, and
companies through advanced trading opportunities, investments, and technological
capabilities. Globalization has had many effects on local cultures and society.
While there are many positive effects, there have also been many negative effects
which influence people's everyday life.

The Cultural Changes brought about by Globalization is enormous. Basically, it

increased cultural understanding. Just as you personally experience increased
communication through virtual tools, like the Internet, globalization has helped to
improve human connections. Whether you want to google about business ethics or
meeting people from China, globalization allows you to learn about other cultures
and develop a wider cultural understanding through the Internet and increased
opportunities for international travel. Furthermore, Globalization provides flexible
labor market. Because of globalization and enhanced technology, you can work
across the world with relative ease. If you want to work in China for a Chinese
company, this is completely feasible. Thus, labor doesn't have to come from the
home country and staff can be brought in from all over the world. This year you
 can work in Singapore, and next year you can work in Canada. The labor market is
significantly more flexible than it was pre-globalization. Because Globalization is
the process of international integration as a product of exchange of world views,
products, ideas and other aspects of culture in which worldwide exchange of
national and cultural resources occurs in the process. So the effect on socio-
economic is really views as large more than we can imagine.

My personal insight on the different changes, well, a lot of major social aspect is
that globalization has deeply influenced the social structure of different societies.
Every society used to have its own unique culture with respect to the language,
social norms, morality, civic sense etc. with the advent of media which has this
special capability to influence millions at the same time has challenged the social
institutions of the society mainly family. Families livelihood and decision making
is now with reference with the foreign culture brought about the exchange ideas,
internet micro blogs etc. Today we see the availability of almost all kinds of goods
and services in anywhere in the world with respect to literature, cinema, music,
food, clothing, accessories etc. Western culture has diffused to all parts of the
world to a considerable degree.

2. Discuss substantially the evolution of the English Language in the Philippines and
some reasons for the decline of the English proficiency. What are some of the
initiated measures to reverse its decline as pronounced and implemented in the
government.

Answer:

When the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, they found a region dominated by three
main languages – Tagalog, Llocano, and Visayan. These three are distinct
languages but have enough in common that almost everyone in the country spoke
at least two of them, and thus communication was very easy. In addition, there are
at least 70 other distinct languages spoken by the people of the Philippines, and
there may be as many as 170 – all of them distinct languages, not simply dialects.
The remarkable numbers of languages persist to this day. While Spanish never
supplanted the local languages, it certainly had an influence over them, and many
of the local languages of the Philippines borrowed words, phrases, and structures
from Spanish over the years.

In the early 20th century, Tagalog was selected to be the official language of the
Philippines along with English. The version of Tagalog chosen was renamed
Pilipino in order to distance itself from the Tagalog ethnicity and make it appear
 more universal. In the 1973 constitution, a further call for a language to replace this
– to be known as Filipino – was made, but in the modern day Filipino is really just
Tagalog renamed. Filipino is really just a variety of Tagalog spoken in urban
Manila, and most Filipinos speak it along with their own regional language, and
frequently English as well. Today Filipino (Tagalog) and English are the two
official languages of the Philippines, The Philippines has one of the densest
concentrations of distinct languages in the world, and that linguistic tradition has
helped shaped modern day Filipino, however certain factors affecting the general
use of English which is nationally spoken in schools, court proceedings and all
other public, local and international affairs. But why English language is seemingly
declining?, that once a country where spoken English once ranked as an official
language, now obviously seen its collective proficiency slide over the years, even
as the economic importance of the lingua franca has grown. The decline stems in
part from nationalist campaigns to promote Filipino and from inattention in
schools, which the government is taking steps to undo. Another reason when
Ferdinand Marcos made Filipino (based on the local tongue of Manila and
surrounding provinces) an official language alongside English. So, in the 1970s,
Filipino began to supplant English as the main language of instruction in schools,
in the name of nation building. Since then, advertisers have increasingly run media
campaigns in Filipino to target the mass market. This make sense right, this is the
initial battle of English against Filipino language. And the battle continues when
our Education officials became part of the murdering English language by making
Local dialect compulsory teaching-learning in the educational curriculum.

Along with all other subjects, English has suffered, and not just among school
pupils. By 2004, only one in five teachers in public secondary schools was
proficient in English, department of education figures showed. By 2007 only 7% of
secondary school graduates had a mastery of English. How do government respond
on the problem? The government's response was to mandate the teaching of
English as a second language for six-year-olds, the use of English as the medium
of instruction for some subjects for eight-year-olds, and the use of English as the
main medium of instruction for all subjects in secondary schools. It has also poured
money into improving English proficiency among teachers. The result has been
improvement in the performance of both teachers and pupils. The most recent
survey of Filipinos' own assessment of their own proficiency in English indicated
that English is making a comeback at least!!

3. Choose one ethnic group in the Philippines and describe the evolutionary and
analytical change in their lives starting from their perspective with the present
social approach in life in terms of the following:
a. Education b. Language c. Social perpective d. Kinship

Answer:

The T'boli
There are more than 40 different ethnic groups can be found in the Philippines. The
most well- known is the T'boli Tribe, that lives in the province of South Cotabato,
around lake Sebu. Since the arrival of settlers originating from the other islands of
the Philippines, they gradually moved to the mountain slopes to live in scattered
settlements in the Higlands.

This Tribal group is still living in a traditional way., comparable with how their
ancestors lived centuries ago. The T'boli distinguish themselves from other Tribal
Groups by their colorful clothes, bracelets and earrings, this tribe is famous for
their complicated beadwork, wonderful woven fabrics and beautiful brass
ornaments.

Education:
The T'boli haven’t had formal education generally speaking, Their form of
education mainly relies on traditional learning, that is based on nature. Connected
with and inspired by nature, their dances are a mimick from the action of animals
such as monkeys and birds. The T'boli have a rich musical culture with a variety of
musical instruments, but the T'boli music and songs are not meant for
entertainment only. The Tribal songs are a living contact with their ancestors and a
source of ancient wisdom.

Language:
The T'boli speak a Malayo-Polynesian language called Tboli. In addition to their
native language, many of the T'boli also speak Ilongo or Bilaan.

Social Prerogatives:
T’Boli society is ruled by a datu who assumes several roles. He has social,
economic, religious and political functions. There are a number of datus in the
T’Boli society with varying degrees of power, fame and status achieved or ascribed
by the datus to themselves and recognized by their followers.

The position of datu is not hereditary. No datu enjoys primacy over the others, nor
does he exercise specific jurisdictional control over specific areas or groups. Other
 datu might accord deferential treatment to one of their members, but this is not a
sign of his superiority over them.

Kinship:
T’Boli kesiyahan or marriage is a long process that may be conducted in three
major stages: childhood, puberty and adolescence and the crowning celebration
called moninum. Marriages are prearranged by the parents and may be contracted
at any age, even immediately after the child’s birth. The moninum is a series of six
feasts, hosted alternately by the families of the bride and the groom. Done over a
period ranging from 2 to 6 years, the moninum is an optional celebration which
only wealthy T’Bolis can afford. Each feast runs for 3 to 5 days and nights.
Polygamy is allowed among the T’Boli, a practice resorted to especially by the
chieftains and the wealthy. The grounds for divorce include incompatibility,
sterility or infidelity.

4. Cite some ethnographic activities undertaken in a classroom dominated by varied

cultures and how are these presented to facilitate a more effective teaching of
English to speakers of other languages.

Answer:

Le’t me narrate my experience teaching overseas as an ESL (English as a Second

Language) instructor for different students I dealt with, these numerous students
were from different provinces with their native or local languages. I used to give
them an oral speaking activity that include their body gestures, greetings on people
they meet, facial expressions and other non-verbal communication. I have found
out that they can express more words in English using their own ethnographic non-
verbal communication. With the representation on the said mini-ethnography
activity, it gave me more opportunity to develop ways and means to create a
certain method of teaching English with these students. They may have different
starting levels of English or they may learn at very different speeds - for any
number of reasons. I have developed a method to enhance their language
proficiency, the “discussion and needs analysis”. It is easy for students to get
frustrated in a class of mixed ability. Stronger students may feel held back, weaker
students may feel pressured. The teacher may feel stressed. The best solution to
this is to have an open-class discussion about the classroom situation - to ensure
the best for everyone it is better to acknowledge the situation and for everyone to
agree how to deal with it. It is probably best to stage and structure the discussion.
Furthermore, I have encouraged them to use any learning styles they want from
their tribal communities. Finally, making regular evaluation is essential.
Conducting a “ needs analysis” to prompt the students to reflect upon their learning
style, learning strategies, language needs, learning enjoyment, motivation,
language strengths and weaknesses. Example questions are: What kinds of class
activities do you enjoy / benefit from? Which language skill do you most wish to
develop? Do you prefer working individually or with a partner? Would you rather
sit and listen to the teacher all lesson or participate in group work? By knowing
this, I may develop a new ways to help students to learn ESL or second language
without eliminating their ethnographic behavior or learning style.