Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Education (a) whether there has been any study on the effects of Mother Tongue Language (MTL) options on stress levels for students who have been offered MTL options; (b) whether this practice has led to an emphasis on textbook competency over functional literacy; and (c) whether this practice significantly disadvantages children who may have weaker disposition toward languages, despite being gifted in other academic areas.
Mr Chan Chun Sing: Our Mother Tongue Language (MTL) enables us to understand our own culture and maintain a strong link to our heritage. It also offers Singaporeans a comparative advantage by allowing us to connect with people who speak the same language as well as tapping into wider opportunities in the region. To this end, equipping our students with strong foundation in MTL is important and has been a part of our education policy on bilingualism.
The Ministry of Education recognises that students have different abilities in the learning of MTL. It is understandable for some students to feel stress in subjects that they are weaker in. Our MTL curriculum is differentiated to cater to students of different learning needs and levels of readiness. Students who faced difficulties in MTL can learn at a more appropriate pace. For example, they can receive more individualised support through the MT Support Programme at Primary 3 and Primary 4. They can take the less-demanding Foundation MTL at Primary 5 and Primary 6, and G1 or G2 MTL as they move up to Secondary level and still progress to pre-university.
Our MTL curriculum is designed to enable students to use MTL in everyday situations, beyond just academic settings. For example, our Primary 1 students learn how to use MTL in their daily routines, like buying food in the canteen and greeting their family members. Other students also participate in activities like heritage walk, drama appreciation and songwriting competition to facilitate their learning and use of MTL. Such approaches help students learn better and reduce their anxiety.
Students who are gifted in other areas, such as mathematics and arts, are developed through special programmes in schools. While we develop our students to suit their strengths, we also seek to develop our students holistically so that they will have a wide range of skills to thrive in a dynamic world and connect with people around them.
