This document discusses the importance of a child's mother tongue in their development and future learning abilities. It argues that a child's first language, which they learn from birth from their mother, creates the powerful basis for their future life and learning. It provides several reasons for this, including that the mother tongue is essential for transmitting culture and developing a sense of identity and belonging. It also discusses that being proficient in one's mother tongue helps facilitate learning additional languages later on in life. The document recommends several techniques for promoting the use and development of a child's mother tongue at home.

1. Child’s First Language Creates the
Powerful Basis for Future Life And Learning
:A Linguistic Analysis
Kalpanarani Dash
Lecturer, Dept. of Education
J.M.Women’s College, Jajpur
&
Sankar Prasad Mohanty
Lecturer, Dept of Education
Ravenshaw University, Cuttack

2.  Language is a means of communication. It is the
medium by which thoughts are conveyed from one
person to another.
 When we think anything, we give shape to our
thinking in the form of language.
 Mother tongue refers to the language that a
human learns from birth and from mother--refer to
the language a child is first exposed to, particularly
from birth to 9 months.
 Bilingual homes can have more than one mother
tongue.

3.  An instrument for transmitting culture in the socialization of the
child.
 Mother Tongue-- not only basic source of quality education but
language of feelings, expression and dreams of human being.
 English medium schools ask both children and Parents to give
up Mother Tongue.
 Children up to the age of six can pick up five languages at a
time.
 There is no need to give up one’s own language to learn some
other language.
 In this regard the efforts of Saraswati Vidya Mandirs in
emphasizing on Mother Tongue are quite praise worthy.

4. Importance of Mother Tongue or Languages
 Connects and strengthens our roots
 Knowledge of our culture
 Develops a Sense of belongingness
 Develops a sense of Respect for other languages &
culture
 Develops better linguistic skills
 Helps for A better society
 Saves from Extinction

5.  Mother language for emotional and mental growth
Nelson Mandela says “If you talk to a man in a language he
understands, that goes to his head, if you talk to him in his language
that goes to his heart”.
 Mother tongue is an indicator of cultural identity
 Mother tongue creates the basis for learning
another language
Jim Cummins (2010) emphasized
“children who come to school with a strong
foundation in their mother tongue develop
stronger literacy abilities in the language used at
school and succeed educationally”.
 Mother tongue develops children’s bilingual abilities

6. Balanced bilingualism brings many positive cognitive
benefits
 Strong level of creativity
 Solid problem-solving ability
 Monolingual people only use 20% of their brain! When
another language is learned, a different area of the brain is
activated and engaged, utilizing a greater percentage of the
brain
 Greater capacity for inventiveness and creativity with oral
and written language
 Greater sensitivity to grammatical functions
 Heightened respect for different languages and cultures,
creating learners with a more global approach to life
 Higher performance rate than monolinguals on tests of
intelligence and tests of fluency, flexibility, and originality

10. Techniques to promote mother tongue
 Parental Motivation- children love mother tongue by finding
ways
 Leave second language to the outside world and speak to
children only in your mother tongue at home.
 Devote time each day to reading and writing in mother
tongue
 Tell stories and discuss interesting topics on your
childhood ,celebrations, develop both their oral and
vocabulary skills.
 Provide a reward system and make learning mother
language competitive among children.
 Watch TV series or favorite cartoons with them in the target
language.
 Listen to songs in mother tongue.
 Send children to centers that offer courses and other types

11.  Keep journals in home written in mother language.
 Communicate your expectations about your home
language to your child’s teachers. As
professionals, they can encourage and support
your child in keeping and developing their home
language in many ways.

12. THANK YOU