Mother Tongue weighting won't be reduced, but teaching methods to change
Posted: 11 May 2010 1511 hrs
SINGAPORE: The weighting of the Mother Tongue language will not be reduced at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) -- but it will be taught in a new way to meet the dynamic needs of the student population.
Speaking at an hour-long news conference Tuesday at the Istana, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said more resources and teachers will be devoted to the teaching of Mother Tongue languages.
A committee headed by director-general of Education, Ho Peng, is already looking at how Mother Tongue languages can be taught to cater to different proficiencies.
The aim is to allow students of various abilities to achieve the best level they can and exams will be changed to support this new approach.
The committee is expected to come up with preliminary recommendations in a few months but the changes will be fully implemented over five to 10 years.
PM Lee said: "I think if we can define more of these proficiency levels, then I think we can get our students to go from level to level and jump step from one step to the next, instead of trying to do one high jump to the top and he didn't quite hit the bar and he crashed somewhere down and then you say, ah well, I think I give him 45 marks for good effort but actually he didn't get anywhere.
"But if I can have steps to get all the way up and I know that he made the first step the second, then the 4th one maybe not quite, then I think there is proficiency which is verified and there is achievement from the kid who says yes I know I am getting somewhere this is something I am able to attain. I won't get full marks because I didn't reach the highest level that people want but I am getting somewhere and it is not a hopeless waste of time."
- CNA/jy
Posted: 11 May 2010 1511 hrs
SINGAPORE: The weighting of the Mother Tongue language will not be reduced at the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) -- but it will be taught in a new way to meet the dynamic needs of the student population.
Speaking at an hour-long news conference Tuesday at the Istana, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said more resources and teachers will be devoted to the teaching of Mother Tongue languages.
A committee headed by director-general of Education, Ho Peng, is already looking at how Mother Tongue languages can be taught to cater to different proficiencies.
The aim is to allow students of various abilities to achieve the best level they can and exams will be changed to support this new approach.
The committee is expected to come up with preliminary recommendations in a few months but the changes will be fully implemented over five to 10 years.
PM Lee said: "I think if we can define more of these proficiency levels, then I think we can get our students to go from level to level and jump step from one step to the next, instead of trying to do one high jump to the top and he didn't quite hit the bar and he crashed somewhere down and then you say, ah well, I think I give him 45 marks for good effort but actually he didn't get anywhere.
"But if I can have steps to get all the way up and I know that he made the first step the second, then the 4th one maybe not quite, then I think there is proficiency which is verified and there is achievement from the kid who says yes I know I am getting somewhere this is something I am able to attain. I won't get full marks because I didn't reach the highest level that people want but I am getting somewhere and it is not a hopeless waste of time."
- CNA/jy
