Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Massive overhaul of Chinese teaching
Yesterday, while I was at my neighbourhood stationery shop waiting for the shop assistant to photocopy my documents, he suddenly commented: " 这样改, 以后干脆不要考华文. ". Then, I realised he was refering to the news broadcasted over the radio regarding the change of Chinese teaching.
If you do not know what I mean, I had attached the news from today's Straits Times at the end of this post.
My feelings abt this: If the government thinks that this new way of teaching is to makes learning Chinese much easeir for the English speaking students, I don't think it works for all. I have seen many of my ex-classmates and my tuition kids who don't converse well in Chinese, yet can get a pass and up to an A in their exams by working hard. That is, memorise all the words and defination, and even 造句 from the 词语手册. Now the panel is moving away from testing vocabulary and memory to giving more marks to how they speak and use the language in the right way. So these 'ang-moh 派' students can't depend on 死背 their 手册 and 课本 to score anymore.
their marks will dropped and they tend to dislike learning chinese even more. Possibility of this right?
Massive overhaul of Chinese teaching
Focus will move from rote learning to effective communication
By Ho Ai Li and Sandra Davie
THE teaching of Chinese language is in for its biggest overhaul in decades, with a new focus on getting children to speak read the language confidently, and to use it even after they leave school.
The starting point for schools will be to know their students and put their needs first, depending on whether they come from English-speaking homes or start Primary 1 with some exposure to Chinese.
With more Singaporean children growing up with English at home, a government-appointed review panel has proposed wide-ranging changes to the teaching of Chinese, and the Education Ministry has accepted them.
Releasing its 64-page report to the media last Friday, Education Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam called the changes 'fundamental' and said that they will 'allow each Chinese language student, regardless of home language background, to enjoy learning Chinese language and gain confidence in using it'.
Big changes all round will be phased in from next year: in what is taught, how lessons are tailored to children's ability, and how teachers will do more to engage and motivate students in fun and creative ways.
Helpful electronic dictionaries that provide a short-cut to writing Chinese characters and phrases will become standard equipment in class and even for examinations, reducing the need for children to memorise long lists and practise writing for hours.
The aim is not only to make the learning of Chinese less of a turn-off, but to get students enjoying their lessons and wanting to use the language for more than passing exams.
Primary school is where the action will be, because that is where many now run into trouble, discouraged by doing badly in tests or overwhelmed by rote-learning and repetitive drilling.
The way children are tested and assessed will change too, to move away from testing vocabulary and memory to giving more marks to how they speak and use language in the right con- text.
The Primary School Leaving Examinations and O-level exams will change from 2006.
With the revamp come new targets for students of varying ability and interest.
All should leave school enthused enough to have an abiding interest in Chinese language and culture, but the most proficient should be able to proceed furthest, specialising in the history, culture and contemporary developments of China.
The Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee, headed by veteran educationist Wee Heng Tin, carried out a survey of 10,000 students, parents and teachers and met a variety of interested groups.
Its recommendations, to be rolled out in stages from next year till the end of the decade, mark the biggest overhaul of the bilingual policy since it was put in place in 1966.
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who revealed the main recommendations last month, has said change was necessary given the rise in the number of English-speaking homes and the fact that few people can master both English and Chinese.
A key feature of the revamp is a modular system at the primary level, to be introduced in 2008, which will let children proceed at their own pace.
All will do a core module taking up 70 per cent to 80 per cent of curriculum time. Those who need more help will have lessons designed for them, while children who are more able have enrichment lessons.
A second key thrust is to focus more on speaking, listening and reading, so children learn to communicate effectively.
They will learn to write too, but the emphasis on intense memorising and drilling will end.
Textbooks, learning resources and teaching methods will be revised to make learning more flexible, varied and relevant to everyday life.
Songs, choral reading and recitation - and even comics - will add fun to lessons.
With flexibility at the core of the changes, schools that want to devote more time to Chinese in the lower primary classes may be allowed to do so, taking time away from other subjects.
The review panel's adviser, Minister of State for Education Chan Soo Sen, hoped that the Chinese community would see the gains to come and support the changes.
The review panel found that children lose interest in Chinese as they grow older, not least because of the way they are taught and tested.
With the changes, Mr Chan said, they will learn to use the language in real life well after leaving school.
The committee's recommendations will be put before Parliament later this month for debate.
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