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Chinese Part 6


Aiyah, why didn't they choose my brainwave?

I found myself agreeing with quite a lot of a letter in yesterday's ST, 'Learning a language: Get priorities right'.

Let me quote the best parts of the letter:

There are three considerations in learning a language.

If a language is to be used as a tool to teach other languages and subjects, that language must be mastered well.

If a language is to be used as a means of communication to enhance business opportunities, a simpler level of teaching and learning it will suffice.

And if the purpose of a language is to connect a person with his culture and roots, then the decision to learn it should be left to the parents, rather than as a matter of compulsory education policy.

I agree!

I also agree with his suggestion that secondary school students take a third language 'to reflect Singapore's multicultural society'. But knowing the fixation with grades and top schools, I doubt this idea will popular.

Finally, I didn't know till I read this letter that (a) children in India learn three languages in school and (b) English is used to teach these 'new' languages to children (i.e. in India). According to the letter writer, 'most of them do well'. Should we not learn from some successful models?

(don't ask me what happened with the spacing in the text)

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