Puwede Bang Tagalog sa English Class?

After three meetings that I did not meet my class because of suspension, holiday and a simulation exercise, we all missed each other. The worst of it is that some of my students have either missed the fact that they are in an English class with me, or that they have missed how to use the English language.

I was teaching them about the use of the American Psychological Association's referencing and documentation style. Our lesson focused on how to cite sources of borrowed information in the body of the text. I have read several versions of the APA manual except the latest one. I have as well given seminars on its use to faculty members in the school. Lastly I have been using it for the many research papers I did since my MA years. But that's not the story I want to tell.

The challenge in our lesson is that I didn't have to tell the students the rules in APA in-text citation. Instead, I presented them an exhibit of how it is appropriately used. So they had to read through a one page document using the APA referencing style. Then, they had to come up with 15 rules they can think of, but they should justify why those are the rules.

I noticed one student was having difficulty in the task. She said, "Sir, bakit di mo na lang ibigay sa amin yung rules? Alam ko na yan nung high-school pero nakalimutan ko na". (Sir, why don't you just give us the rules? I know them from highschool, but have forgotten them already). So she knew it before, just half year ago from highschool. I told the class, that she had a legitimate comment, but I could not grant the request.

I told the class that I can read them all the rules, and explain them, but they won't withstand the gruelling task of listening to me, because there are just so many of those rules. I also emphasized that if i give them the rules then show them examples, they will just forget them anyway after all. But if they examine the text, think of the applicable rules, then they own the knowledge they have learned on their own. So, after a few minutes that the class was having some trouble in thinking of the rules, I called their attention to focus on the exhibit.

So I taught for a couple of minutes, blah blah blah blah. I asked them to look at one line where there is a citation, and then I asked why and why and when and where and how. Then I called one. Hmm. He was for a minute so articulate, and he was making sense with the rule and explanation he was bringing up. Then I asked him another question for another line.

He articulated for a while in English then ran out of words. Suddenly he squinted, "Sir pede po ba ipaliwanag sa Tagalog?" (Sir,can I explain in Tagalog?" I retorded, "Maari mo namang ipahayag ang kung ano ang iyong nababatid na paliwanag patungkol sa tuntunin na nakikita mo sa teksto. Gayundin, ang sinuman rito ay maaring manaGalog, kung kanilang nananaiisin. Ngunit, kung kayo ay maghahayag ng inyong mga kaisipan sa Tagalog, nais kong matuwid at pormal na paggamit ng wikang Pambansa. Ayaw kong makarinig ng anumang Taglish."

One student answered. "Sir, Nais ko pong magbigay ng aking haka-haka." I told him, "Hindi maari, dahil tinawag mo akong Sir,at iyan ay hindi Filipino." The class rolled in laughter. Then he switched into using English, and so did the rest of the class.

After a while when my students have shared some of the rules they could think of, the task was easier for them to complete.Never again, did I hear anyone from that class, speak to me in Tagalog. Check this cartoon, that explains why our students can't speak straight English.