SINGAPORE: The Government has accepted the recommendations made by a review committee on the way Chinese language is taught here.
The bold changes set the foundation for a more interesting and less stressful learning experience for students.
It took 10,000 participants and nine months to come up with the recommendations.
From next year, Chinese language lessons will shift its focus from memorising characters to communication skills and reading.
Songs and even Chinese comics are expected to become instructional materials.
And a modular approach to primary Chinese education will be in place by 2008.
Under the modular approach, all students will take the same core Chinese lessons.
But students who have little exposure to the Chinese language will take bridging modules which focus on listening and speaking skills at Primary 1 and 2.
Students who need additional support can take reinforcement modules at Primary 3 and 4.
Those who display ability in the language can take enrichment modules throughout their primary education.
Schools can determine their own Chinese language and English language subject time allocation.
For example, Tao Nan School will implement two additional Chinese language periods per week next year.
These two periods will replace the time allocated for one English and one Science lessons.
PSLE examinations for the Chinese language will also change by 2010.
Project work and presentations are likely to be components of the overall assessment.
There will also be a shift to school-based assessment instead of a centralized examination system….
Teachers on their part are upbeat about the changes.
Lay See Neufeld, principal of Tampines North Primary, said: “We will be able then to tailor more interesting, more relevant lessons for children so that we know whether they need reinforcement or bridging or actually enrichment, so that we may be able to meet the children’s needs at a more personal level compared to what we’re doing now.”
But one concern is manpower.
Foo Suan Fong, principal of Nan Hua Secondary, said: “As far as this review is concerned, the teachers will be the key personnel to roll out all good programmes in school. So I can see that in future the demand of the teachers in both quality and quantity will be an area of concern.”
Ngee Ann Polytechnic will offer a Diploma in Chinese next year to train more Chinese teachers.
And the Language Elective Programme will be launched in one more junior college to nurture the talent pool.
With such widespread changes, the Government is confident in grooming bilingual Singaporeans.
Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said: “Our bilingual education policy must succeed. It is how we retain our pride and identity as Singaporeans, and how we will engage with Asia and the world.”
These proposed changes will be put in a White Paper and debated in Parliament this month.
