From linguistic tokens and functions into English language teaching pedagogical tools: Exploring schoolscape in Marawi’s Islamic and integrated school

Juhaid H. H. Abbas; Annie Mae C. Berowa

doi:10.12928/eltej.v9i2.16751

Authors

Juhaid H. H. Abbas Mindanao State University
Annie Mae C. Berowa Mindanao State University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v9i2.16751

Keywords:

English language learning and teaching, Linguistic functions, Linguistic landscapes, Linguistic tokens, Schoolscapes

Abstract

Schoolscape, a focused strand of linguistic landscape research, refers to the linguistic displays in school environments that reflect institutional ideologies, language practices, and pedagogical priorities. This study qualitatively examines the schoolscape of Dhayfullah Islamic Institute Foundation (DIIF) in Marawi City, Philippines, with particular attention to the extent of English representation and its role in facilitating English language teaching and learning among learners and teachers. Data were collected through systematic photographic documentation of school-based signs, complemented by in-depth interviews with administrators, English teachers, and selected students. The signs were analyzed through linguistic and functional classification, while interview transcriptions were examined thematically and compared with the visual findings to identify converging and divergent perspectives. The findings reveal that English-only signs were highly visible with 58.24% of the schoolscape. Additional multilingual signs, combining English with Arabic and Filipino, constituted 35.71% of the corpus, indicating that multilingual representation was present but less prominent than English. Participants perceived the schoolscape as a useful environmental linguistic resource that provides repeated exposure to English, reinforces classroom learning, supports incidental vocabulary engagement, and creates low-stakes opportunities for language use. The study does not establish measurable learning gains or treat schoolscape as a tested instructional intervention. However, it shows how systematically designed linguistic displays can complement formal instruction, while more intentional multilingual representation can strengthen the cultural and linguistic inclusivity of the school environment.

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