A new chapter in teaching mother tongue

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http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110119-0000260/A-new-chapter-in-teaching-mother-tongue

A new chapter in teaching mother tongue
by Ng Jing Yng Updated 06:00 PM Jan 19, 2011

SINGAPORE - Instead of describing a picture, a student would be asked to start a conversation in his mother tongue after watching a video clip of an everyday scenario. And rather than putting pen to paper, he could use the computer to reply to an email as part of an examination.

This is a simple snapshot of the way examinations will change but it goes to the heart of the new Mother Tongue Language (MTL) curriculum coming onstream in the next few years.

Technology, interactivity and a shift in home language backgrounds underpin the swath of recommendations announced yesterday by the MTL Review Committee.

Primary school pupils, for instance, will start using video stimuli in their oral exams at the Primary School Leaving Examination from 2017. For pupils taking Higher MTL in secondary schools, oral assessment will be incorporated into their O-Level Exam from 2016.

The aim is for pupils to see how language skills apply to real-life scenarios.

Said Director-General of Education Ho Peng, who headed the review committee: "This will keep Mother Tongue languages alive and encourage fluency outside the classroom."

After a year-long deliberation, it suggested four areas of change to the MTL curriculum. $45 million will be set aside to support some of these efforts (Amended at 5:50 PM Jan 19, 2011).

Other than new exam formats, the curriculum will feature elements such as songs or drama as well as a heavier use of info-communication technologies.

To cater for this, curriculum content will be reduced at various levels, for example, by 10 per cent at Primary Three and Four.

The changes mean that instead of targetting certain learning outcomes, teachers will look at different proficiency descriptions of language use to gauge the achievements of their pupils.

And with greater diversity of learning abilities, more options are also being introduced. Specifically for Chinese Language, there will be a new subject at selected junior colleges from 2015: Chinese Linguistics and Translation.

For pupils weaker in MTL, greater emphasis will be placed on developing communication skills.

The recommendations come six years after the last round of changes allowed more pupils to take the MTL "B" syllabus in secondary school to cope with their difficulties in learning MTL.

At a press conference yesterday, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen also set the latest changes in context: The dynamic shift of MTL usage in homes has led to different starting points for pupils entering an education system in which the bilingual policy remains a corner stone.

Dr Ng said: "Lessons must be more engaging and interactive, so that students can see direct relevance of what they're learning."

Teachers whom MediaCorp spoke to acknowledged that the predominant use of English Language at home has made it more challenging to sustain students' interest in MTL. The pervasiveness of technology has also placed the onus on MTL teachers to make lessons more engaging.

Dunman High School head of department (Chinese Language) Yeong Chan Kong is confident that teachers can instead leverage on technology: "By showing young learners that the language is alive and applicable to real situations, this will pique students' interest and keep them curious about it."

Singapore Tamil Teachers Union president S Samikannu agreed that exam formats should be re-aligned as the curriculum is updated, but stressed that teachers still need to balance between interactivity and written skills.

To allow teachers to have more time to plan lessons creatively by tapping on technology, he suggested that the ministry relook the distribution of teachers' duties.

Parent Ong Bee Chin, who has a son in Primary One, understands how hard it is for her son to pick up Mandarin, which he finds boring. She applauded the use of computers vis-a-vis rote learning.

The Cabinet has approved MOE's plan to implement the recommendations.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in an email correspondence to Dr Ng, said: "We must help every student to attain as high a proficiency in MTL as he or she is capable of with reasonable effort."

 

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http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110119-0000231/MOE-to-hire-more-Mother-Tongue-teachers

MOE to hire more Mother Tongue teachers
by Ng Jing Yng Updated 11:21 AM Jan 19, 2011

SINGAPORE - When it comes to recruiting new Mother Tongue Language (MTL) teachers, preference will be given to local teachers as "there's a culture and ethos", as Education Minister Ng Eng Hen put it.

But as the Ministry of Education (MOE) ramps up hiring of these teachers - to support the changes to the curriculum - Dr Ng yesterday did not rule out the possibility of tapping on foreign sources.

Said Dr Ng: "We're realistic. If we can't get them (here), we may get some from overseas."

MOE plans to deploy 500 Mother Tongue Language teachers - mostly to primary schools - by 2015. The latest recruitment efforts come on the back of a step-up already seen in the past three years, with the addition of about 400 Chinese Language teachers, 80 Malay Language teachers and 20 Tamil Language teachers. Currently, 5 per cent of the 6,666 MTL teachers are foreigners.

There are 50 scholarships available for citizens interested in pursuing a career as an MTL teacher.

Without giving a number, Director-General of Education Ho Peng said that more will be given out. Efforts will also be stepped up to encourage younger people to teach MTL.

With info-communications technology (ICT) set to be used more heavily in the new curriculum, support for teachers will also come in the form of courses and training provided by the respective language centres, said Ms Ho.

Singapore Chinese Teachers' Union president Lim Chin Nam is confident that the current crop of MTL teachers would be able to implement the latest recommendations effectively. Many of them - regardless of age - have already taken courses on using ICT for the classroom, Mr Lim noted.

He added: "To attract new talents, MTL teachers could make lessons more enjoyable and lively, by showing students that the language is useful and applicable to real-life situations and one's own culture."

Besides ICT courses, training will be given in teaching methods.

Singapore Centre for Chinese Language deputy executive director Dr Tan Chee Lay said it would "hand-hold" teachers so they understand the new theories. It will also conduct research in the classroom.

A Chinese Language teacher told MediaCorp that change was inevitable but hoped that older teachers would be given leeway in the current fast-changing IT environment.

Said the 37-year-old: "These teachers are invaluable to us because of their rich classroom and teaching experience. Learning of the language is still the core business. IT and other ways to learn, for example, drama and script writing, should not take the lead. They should only be supportive tools."

 

[metalslug]

I see I see, PAP is going to increase the study stress/pressure of the local students in order to get more of them to jump down from the top floor soon...

 

[po2wq]

wat mother tongue? ... chinese is not ze mother tongue of chinese lesser mortals ...


mayb singrish is ze mother tongue la ...

 

[Ramseth]

The mere notion of teaching mother tongues is oxymoron. By definition, mother tongues needn't be taught in schools by third party teachers or formulated by third party policies.

 

[Windsor]

Mandarin never was my parents' mother tongue as they do not speak Mandarin at all. Oxymorons exactly describe this policymakers and very old world thinking that it solves the problems of the Singapore Chinese of disparate ancestries speaking different dialects, but in reality, many do not speak any Chinese especially Peranakans and those older generations that speak only English at home.

For the other races like Eurasians, they too have an identity problem, and most take up Malay as their MTL. Is this not stupid? Whereas Malays can identify with their mother tongue and most Indians too, the rest have difficulty with Mandarin as after age 7 or so, have problems mastering a 2nd language. Some people have a gift of the tongue in this ability but most do not have. Apart from the individual child's desire and drive to succeed in mastering the MTL, many are simply uninterested, and as parents, what can you do to make them understand that this is what the government wants and it is good for their future? What Primary 1 kid can understand this need to learn? Do all our leaders themselves excel in speaking and writing their mother tongue. I bet some of them will be found wanting in this respect.

To make it mandatory and penalising students and adults because of this policy is sheer stupidity as some students, unable to learn languages excel in other fields, such as art, science, mathematics and music. To expect human beings to fit in a one size fits all mould is exactly one good reason Singaporeans lack individualism and creativity. Having the ability to memorise lessons from studies and getting that paper does not mean much in today's society. What is relevant decades ago may not always work in this day and age.

Worst of all, going to China seeking MTL teachers who cannot understand simple English and putting these new teachers through a crash course in English is also another oxymoron decision. Many of them also have difficulty in learning English, so how is it possible they can impart their teachings to English speakers attempting to learn Mandarin? Kids who were taught by such teachers ended up learning nothing after 6 years of Primary School and then in Secondary it is a foregone conclusion they are hopeless cases. The penalty will be the probable loss of further education when they are actually very bright kids. Whose fault will it be?

With the emphasis that more FTs are needed and the population target at 7.5 million, what then is the necessity for Singaporeans to do well in MTL? Are we not having many PRCs already residing and working here? My take on this is, teach the students to be the best they can be, and those with talents, nurture them so they can contribute their talents for the betterment of the country. If any student cannot pick up a 2nd language, use their valuable time in something that is more beneficial. This is much better than sitting blank face in the classroom absorbing nothing being taught. It is a sheer waste of time for everyone concern.

The mere notion of teaching mother tongues is oxymoron. By definition, mother tongues needn't be taught in schools by third party teachers or formulated by third party policies.

 

[Devil Within]

Fuck LKY and his stupid Mandarin thing! My mother tongue is Cantonese!

 

[halsey02]

Fuck LKY and his stupid Mandarin thing! My mother tongue is Cantonese!

In case you are not aware of it, Mandarin is just another Chinese dialect. Many SINgaporeans in their blind following had killed what their 'mother tongue' in the process killed their heritage.