Mother Tongue Languages

The Mother Tongue Department aims to nurture Saints to be active learners and effective communicators of their Mother Tongue Languages (MTLs) through interactive, authentic and meaningful learning experiences. We also aim to cultivate in our students the love of learning MTLs and to develop their interest in the understanding and appreciation of our cultural heritage, while promoting ethical and civic behavior.

Bilingualism is a hallmark of our education system. We should not lose this bilingual competitive edge, yet we acknowledge that different learners have different proficiency in their MTLs. We support our students at every level to help them build their confidence and enhance their motivation to learn MTLs. To provide greater flexibility catered to the different learning needs of our students and tp align ourselves to the transformation in the educational landscape, students who are good at their MTLs are offered Higher MTLs or Subject-based Banding so that they are motivated to excel. Higher Chinese lessons are held in school within curriculum

Teachers adopt a myriad of teaching pedagogies and strategies such as critical thinking, collaborative learning, role-play, oral presentation, project work and reflection to engage the students and to infuse Joy of Learning in our lessons.

The MTL Department Programme includes:

• MTL Fortnight and Cultural Camp

This programme seeks to promote language and cultural awareness among our students and provide a platform for students to learn and use their Mother Tongue Languages in novel and authentic ways.

Immersive Reading

To nurture a love for reading through the Mother Tongue Languages and equip students with critical thinking skills through discussion of current affairs, short stories, novels and comic strips. This programme is conducted across all levels weekly within MTL lessons.

MTL Preparation workshop for students taking National Examinations by S5 Cluster

In an effort to ensure the readiness of the students and to equip them with the necessary skills for the national examinations, a joint exam preparation workshop is organized and conducted by teachers from schools in the South Zone 5 cluster.

Intensive revision program for students taking GCE O Level Examination by MTL Department teachers

Students undergo intensive revision program during the last week of May to gear them up GCE O Level MTL Examination held in June. During this program, the MTL Department teachers conduct MT lessons from 8am to 2pm and conduct consultations for students who require more help till 5pm.

Structured Remedial Programme

The objective of this programme is to better support students’ learning progress in a small group setting. This enables them to reflect and focus on their areas for improvement as they gear up for upcoming assessments and examinations.

Internal Competitions

Creative writing competition

This is a pilot program initiated by the MT teachers which aims to encourage students to be innovative and express their thoughts and feelings through various literary forms, such as comic strips, report writing, advertisements and short stories. This program will be part of the year-end post exam activities.

External Competitions

Essay writing and Translation

These competitions serve as platforms for student to showcase their talents, as well as to appreciate the Mother Tongue culture and enhance their interest in the language.

Oral Presentations

The main objective of these presentations is to guide students to communicate critically and confidently during oral examinations.