Mother Tongue

Our Philosophy and Belief in Mother Tongue Language (MTL) Education

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” ‒ Nelson Mandela

Bedok South’s MTL department believes that a strong foundation in MTL is essential in giving our students a head start for the future workplace and deepening their roots in their culture. With an increasingly globalised workplace, it is important that our students are bilingual and be able to work well in teams of different ethnicities and nationalities. Being able to work well goes beyond just being able to speak the language. It also means having a deep understanding of one’s culture and an inclusive mindset to forge a mutual understanding of each other’s cultures and practices.

Through interactive, authentic and meaningful learning experiences, we aim to nurture our students to be confident communicators of their MTLs, rooted to their culture, open to the world.

The BDS Experience

Student Outcomes and Approach to BDS MTL Education *Bilingualism is a cornerstone of our education system to help students remain connected to their heritage, strengthen their Singaporean identity and connect with native-speaking communities worldwide. * ‒ Ministry of Education (MOE)

Taking guidance from MOE’s bilingualism policy and the 2021 MTL Syllabus (Secondary), Bedok South’s MTL Curriculum aims to develop students to be active learners, confident communicators and proud ambassadors of their own Mother Tongue Languages and cultures, through:

• Authentic
• Interactive and
• Quality learning experiences [Quality entails well-designed lessons with rigour and elements of fun and engagement]

Learning MTL effectively requires the support of stakeholders. To support our students, BDS is committed to work closely with parents and communities to create an authentic and conducive environment where students can see meaning, as well as experience joy and success in learning their MTL. Some Pedagogies and Strategies we adopt to improve lesson designs and build strong language foundations for students:

• Differentiated Teaching with banded groups, to cater to students’ various needs.
• Infusion of ICT in teaching and learning, to achieve higher engagement levels.
• Emphasis on Formative Assessment, to provide regular feedback. BDS MTL Programmes

Mother Tongue Fortnight 2023

In support of MOE’s efforts to promote student learning and appreciation of Mother Tongue Languages and cultures, our BDS MT Department has organized our Mother Tongue Fortnight (MTFN) in Term 2 Week 2 and Week 3 (27 March – 6 April 2023). Our students participated in various fun and meaningful activities within and outside curriculum time to encourage them to use their MTL and deepen their sense of belonging and rootedness.

Top: Peking Opera Mask Drawing Activity for Secondary 1 students
Bottom Left: Tea Appreciation Session at Tea Chapter for Secondary 2 students
Bottom Right: Chinese Drumming Experience for Secondary 3 students

Left: Silat Workshop for Secondary 3 students

Centre and Right: Traditional Games for Secondary 1 students

Tanjak Making for Secondary Two students

MTL Tongue Talent Management Program 2023

As part of our BDS Mother Tongue Talent Development programme, selected students who display interest and aptitude in learning Mother Tongue are given opportunities to participate in activities with authentic settings. These exposures deepen the learning of Mother Tongue Language and provide students with stronger greater understanding and appreciation of their cultural roots. As shown in the photo above, as part of our Mother Tongue Fortnight activities, our Sec 3 Higher Chinese students went through the Student Docent Training program (Photo 1) and facilitated the learning journey of their Sec 3 school peers when they visited Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (Photo 2) in March.

Assessment Matters

Weighted Assessment (WA): Term 1 to 3
WA1 - Functional Writing
WA2 - Language Application (Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary)
WA3 - Alternative Assessment

Semestral Assessment (SA): Term 4
Paper 1: Functional and Essay writing
Paper 2: Language Application
Paper 3: Oral and Listening Comprehension

For more information with regards to National Exam syllabus, please refer to the following links:
Syllabus for GCE ‘O’ Level
Syllabus for GCE ‘N(A)’ Level
Syllabus for GCE ‘N(T)’ Level
Examination Timetable

Parents’ Corner

Supporting your child in learning and loving his/her MTL, is as easy as A, B, C.

Active partnership with the school

• Your child will set a clear goal for assessments in consultation with his/her MTL teacher. Regular check-ins and encouragement from parents will motivate your child to stay on track.
• On-going communication with teachers ensures you remain updated on your child’s progress. Besides scheduled Parent-Teacher Meetings, do drop your child’s MTL teachers an email if you require additional information regarding your child’s learning of MTL.

Balanced approach in home-support

• As MTL is an examinable subject, it is natural for parents to feel anxious if your child has not yet achieved his/her targets. It is important to build up the frequency of language exposure at home, at the same time, ensure your child continues to feel supported and motivated to learn MTL to the best of his/her ability.
• There are some home routines and expectations you may wish to have in place, when your child spends his/her time at home, some examples include:
  (a) Carve out time to read books / articles in MTL
  (b) Tune in to the respective TV channels to listen to news updates in MTL
  (c) Download a dictionary app in your child’s and/or your own mobile phone to expand your child’s vocabulary knowledge.
  (d) Encourage your child to make conscious efforts to speak in complete sentences, using his/her MTL. This would greatly help in language acquisition and build your child’s confidence in using the language.
• Here are some other tips to provide the supportive and balanced environment for your child to learn MTL with joy:
  (a) Celebrate your community’s festivals and learn about the culture, traditions and practices related to them. This will allow your child to gain knowledge and awareness of his/her own cultural roots and be proud of their own identity.
  (b) Allow your child to indulge in watching their favourite or chosen TV programmes in MTL at appropriate timings, if the programmes are meaningful and if he/she shows keen interest in watching them.

Celebrate every little progress and success
* Be the ever-supportive cheer leader of your child. Learning a language is never easy and it will always be a work-in-progress. When your child makes progress, be generous in your affirmation and motivate them to strive for constant improvement.

There are no last-minute study tips when it comes to learning a language. The key to ensuring positive learning outcomes is consistency of language exposure and a supportive home environment for language development. With a strong partnership between school and parents, your child will experience the joy of learning MTL.