Mother Tongue Languages
Meet the dedicated team of teachers behind the school's Mother Tongue Languages department, offering Chinese, Malay, and Tamil at various levels.
Chinese Language
Subjects Offered
Higher Chinese Language
Chinese Language (G3)
Chinese Language (G2)
Basic Chinese Language (G1)
Overview
Objectives in MTL Teaching:
To allow students to learn MTL to as high a level as they are able to.
To recognise the different starting points of our learners and customise MTL teaching for the different group.
The3 Cs in MTL learning: Communication, Culture and Connection.
Communication – A key outcome is for our students to be able to think critically and communicate their ideas confidently, in both written and spoken forms. Proficiency in both MTL and EL will equip them with the tools they need to present their ideas with impact, thereby contributing to confidence-building. It is an essential 21st Century competency that will give our young a competitive edge in a globalised world.
Culture - Culture and language are closely linked. This close relationship makes language a vehicle for the transmission of values and beliefs that are shaped by the culture of the society. MTL education at the national level therefore strengthens bonding within each community, and reinforces the individual’s sense of cultural heritage. For our ablest learners, some of whom will become our future teachers and journalists, MTL is a useful vehicle for achieving a deeper appreciation of culture, history and values, because the essence of much cultural inheritance (namely traditions, customs, philosophy and literature) is best imbibed in its original language form. For the majority, MTL will enable a better understanding of Chinese/Malay/Tamil culture in the context of Singapore and Asia.
Connection - As more Singaporeans seek out opportunities to work or study overseas, proficiency in both MTL and EL, and the knowledge of the cultures associated with these languages, gives them a distinct edge in understanding other mindsets. It facilitates their transition into new environments, and makes it easier for them to understand other cultures in relation to their own.
Curriculum (CL)
The Syllabus Framework is shown below.
Malay Language
Subjects Offered
Higher Malay Language
Malay Language (G3)
Malay Language (G2)
Basic Malay Language (G1)
Overview
Objectives in MTL Teaching:
To allow students to learn MTL to as high a level as they are able to.
To recognise the different starting points of our learners and customise MTL teaching for the different group.
The 3 Cs in MTL learning: Communication, Culture and Connection.
Communication – A key outcome is for our students to be able to think critically and communicate their ideas confidently, in both written and spoken forms. Proficiency in both MTL and EL will equip them with the tools they need to present their ideas with impact, thereby contributing to confidence-building. It is an essential 21st Century competency that will give our young a competitive edge in a globalised world.
Culture - Culture and language are closely linked. This close relationship makes language a vehicle for the transmission of values and beliefs that are shaped by the culture of the society. MTL education at the national level therefore strengthens bonding within each community, and reinforces the individual’s sense of cultural heritage. For our ablest learners, some of whom will become our future teachers and journalists, MTL is a useful vehicle for achieving a deeper appreciation of culture, history and values, because the essence of much cultural inheritance (namely traditions, customs, philosophy and literature) is best imbibed in its original language form. For the majority, MTL will enable a better understanding of Chinese/Malay/Tamil culture in the context of Singapore and Asia.
Connection - As more Singaporeans seek out opportunities to work or study overseas, proficiency in both MTL and EL, and the knowledge of the cultures associated with these languages, gives them a distinct edge in understanding other mindsets. It facilitates their transition into new environments, and makes it easier for them to understand other cultures in relation to their own.
Curriculum (ML)
The Syllabus Framework is shown below.
Tamil Language
Subjects Offered:
Higher Tamil Language
Tamil Language (G3)
Tamil Language (G2)
Basic Tamil Language (G1)
Overview
Objectives in MTL Teaching:
To allow students to learn MTL to as high a level as they are able to.
To recognise the different starting points of our learners and customise MTL teaching for the different group.
The 3 Cs in MTL learning: Communication, Culture and Connection.
Communication – A key outcome is for our students to be able to think critically and communicate their ideas confidently, in both written and spoken forms. Proficiency in both MTL and EL will equip them with the tools they need to present their ideas with impact, thereby contributing to confidence-building. It is an essential 21st Century competency that will give our young a competitive edge in a globalised world.
Culture - Culture and language are closely linked. This close relationship makes language a vehicle for the transmission of values and beliefs that are shaped by the culture of the society. MTL education at the national level therefore strengthens bonding within each community, and reinforces the individual’s sense of cultural heritage. For our ablest learners, some of whom will become our future teachers and journalists, MTL is a useful vehicle for achieving a deeper appreciation of culture, history and values, because the essence of much cultural inheritance (namely traditions, customs, philosophy and literature) is best imbibed in its original language form. For the majority, MTL will enable a better understanding of Chinese/Malay/Tamil culture in the context of Singapore and Asia.
Connection - As more Singaporeans seek out opportunities to work or study overseas, proficiency in both MTL and EL, and the knowledge of the cultures associated with these languages, gives them a distinct edge in understanding other mindsets. It facilitates their transition into new environments, and makes it easier for them to understand other cultures in relation to their own.
Curriculum (TL)
The Syllabus Framework is shown below.
Mother Tongue Languages Programme
Lunar New Year Celebration 2024
The MTL Department organised the annual Lunar New Year celebration on 9 February 2024, featuring activities that immersed everyone in the festivities while deepening their understanding of the cultural significance of Lunar New Year.
Secondary 1 students crafted festive foods from various ethnicities using air-dry clay, while Secondary 2 students created DIY dragon heads from recycled materials, learning about dragons' symbolism. Secondary 3 students explored the origins of Spring Festival couplets and crafted their own, and Secondary 4 and 5 students wrapped hampers as tokens of appreciation for the cleaners and security guards, spreading the festive joy of the New Year.
The hall event began with a lively lion dance, followed by captivating performances from Modern Dance and Choir. The celebration concluded with a mass sing-along of CNY songs and the symbolic lighting of “balloon firecrackers” by the Principal, Ms. Tan Ming Ming, bringing the event to a joyful close.
MOTHER TONGUE LANGUAGES (MTL) FORTNIGHT 2024
Join us in embracing the spirit of celebration as we unveil the theme for this year's MTL Fortnight programme, Let’s Celebrate! This theme was selected to coincide with the commencement of the programme, which aligns with the festive spirit of Lunar New Year. In addition, it was an opportune moment for students to engage in activities that illuminate the diverse cultural celebrations and festivals from the three different MTL.
The programme kicked off with an exciting skit and captivating performances on 7th February 2024. Following the impressive showcase by our talented students, our respected Principal, Ms. Tan, inaugurated the event by unveiling a mystery box and signing a framed poster contained within, marking the official commencement of MTL Fortnight 2024.
MTL FORTNIGHT SHOWCASE
For this year’s MTL Fortnight Showcase, our dedicated team of teachers put together an exciting programme that featured student facilitations, and interactive activities that highlighted the beauty and importance of preserving the richness of the different cultural heritage. These activities are linked to the theme Let’s Celebrate!
After partaking in the various engaging hands-on activities, participants even got a chance to bring home some sweet treats too! Through such a showcase, the MTL Department do hope that we will be able to foster a greater love for the different MTL and cultures in the school.
MTL BOOK FAIR
This year, we cordially invited book vendors specialising in a rich variety of MTL texts, covering a broad spectrum of genres to captivate the diverse interests of our students and staff alike.
