FORMATION OF THE COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE CHINESE LANGUAGE LEARNING (CPCLL) AND ITS WORKING GROUPS
1. Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee, (CLCPRC) chaired by Mr Wee Heng Tin, former Director-General of Education was set up in February 2004 to articulate the objectives and target groups of the various CL syllabuses, and to review the structure, curriculum content, pedagogy and assessment methods used in CL teaching and learning today.
2. The CLCPRC has recommended a Chinese Language (CL) curriculum designed to enthuse all CL students and develop in them an abiding interest in the Chinese language and culture. In addition, the CLCPRC had proposed that MOE set up a committee to garner the support of the community for these recommendations, and to facilitate a continuing process of collaboration between our schools, community organisations and the media.
3. The Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) was therefore set up in January 2005 to garner support for the recommendations of the CLCPRC and to create a conducive environment for promoting the use of CL beyond the schools.
4. It aims to mobilise the community in organising activities to support the teaching and learning of CL, with the emphasis on the production and import of interesting reading materials and quality media programmes as well as organising events that complement the activities of schools, clusters and Centres of Excellence.
5. The committee is led by Minister of State (Education) Chan Soo Sen and comprises Members of Parliament, representatives from MOE, tertiary education institutes, Chinese Community Organisations, the media, publishers and other professional bodies. The composition of the CPCLL is in Annex A.
6. Based on the key recommendations proposed by the CLCPRC, 5 working groups are set up to address 5 specific areas:
(a) Pre-school CL education;
(b)
(c) Writing Programmes;
(d) Media and Programme; and
(e) Educational Exchange Programmes.
7. Each working group comprises of a group leader, core members from the CPCLL main committee and other working members.
8. Working Group (a), chaired by Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, MP for Aljunied GRC, focuses on the support for CL education in pre-schools. The working group will provide support in enhancing the learning of Chinese Language in pre-schools, so as to make CL learning fun and enriching for our children, while ensuring that the pre-school curriculum is closely aligned with the primary CL curriculum at the same time. In addition to promoting the teaching and learning of CL to the community at large (e.g. parents and public), the working group will also work closely with MOE, community organisations, media, etc, in communicating the key features of the pre-school CL curriculum guidelines to the community at large. It will also encourage community organisations and service providers (includes publishers, enrichment centres, media, etc) to develop interesting activities, programmes and materials that would support parents and the home environment to imbue children with enthusiasm towards CL learning. The composition of Working Group A is in Annex B.
9. Working Group (b), chaired by Mr Gan Kim Yong, MP for Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC, focuses on reading and reading materials. The group will seek to promote reading among the youth in the community so as to support the learning of CL in schools and to produce suitable reading materials and CL children literature work to enhance the reading activities. The working group will also assist schools to set up reading clubs and to coordinate the CL Reading Programme and related activities with National Library Board (NLB), Media, Publishers and CL Literature Clubs etc., so as to create a conducive reading environment to support the CL learning in school. For a start, the working group will work with the Singapore Chinese Publishers’ Association to produce suitable print reading materials for primary schools. Xinzhi Reading club will work with SCTU to assist schools to set up reading clubs and to conduct training for CL teachers. Master Teacher Mr Chye Cheer Lim will work with SCTU and MOE to improve the reading programme in schools. The composition of Working Group B is in Annex C.
10. Working Group (c), chaired by Mrs Ho Woon Ho, Principal of Nanyang Junior College, focuses on the promotion of writing programmes. It aims to promote and create opportunities for continuous interests in writing among students of different levels as well as adults. The working group will work closely with various organisations and schools to create more avenues for expression in CL through activities or competitions such as CL song writing competitions, using SMS to write short poem competitions and writing via online platform etc. and publications of pupils’ literary works and to provide resources for and assistance to schools in promoting writing programmes. The activities in the pipeline include talks by writers in schools and writing camps. Competitions include the Multimedia Project Competition in CL organised by
11. Working Group (d), chaired by Mdm Chua Foo Yong, CEO of MediaCorp TV, focuses on media and programme. The working group will seek to deliver and promote effectively the “Learning of Chinese” messages through the mass media, to harness each media’s uniqueness in approach and delivery to raise interest towards the learning of Chinese Language, to utilise the full potential of each medium in the conduct of promotional activities for the CPCLL and to encourage each medium to promote the language via its news reporting, publication and programming. The working group will look into producing or importing quality and authentic Chinese children’s programmes, especially animations, instead of the translated versions. It will also work closely with MediaCorp in exploring all possibilities of incorporating CL subtitles to CL programmes and collaborating with the other working groups in organising activities and competitions that involve wider community. In addition, TV, Radio and Print (newspapers, periodicals) will work hand in hand to make the learning of CL a fun process for all. We will look into the possibility of celebrities’ involvement and appointing them as “ambassadors” for CL learning. The composition of Working Group D is in Annex E.
12. Working Group (e), chaired by Mr Hee Theng Fong, Council Member of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, focuses on educational exchange programmes in the local context as well as exchanges between schools in
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Annex A
COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE TO PROMOTE
CHINESE LANGUAGE LEARNING (CPCLL)
CHAIRMAN
Mr Chan Soo Sen
Minister of State (Education)
MEMBERS
Mr Gan Kim Yong
Member of Parliament, Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC
Mr Yeo Guat Kwang
Member of Parliament, Aljunied GRC
Mr Yue Lip Sin
Deputy Director, Languages and Literature, Curriculum Planning and Development Division
Dr Ho Soo Guang
CL Co-ordinator, Pre-school Unit, Education Programme Division
Mrs Ho Woon Ho
Principal,
Mr Ong Kock Hua
Principal,
Mr Ng Teng Joo
Principal,
Mr Tan Choon Kheng
Principal,
Mr Chye Cheer Lim
Master Teacher/Chinese Language
Assoc Prof Lee Cheuk Yin
Head, Department of Chinese Studies, NUS
Asst Prof Koh Hock Kiat
Asian Languages and Culture, Nanyang Technological University
Mr Hee Theng Fong
Council member,
Mr Lim Fang Chee
Chairman of Cultural Committee,
Mr Lee Peng Shu
Mr Lim Jim Koon
Chief Editor,
Mr Yeow Kai Chai
Deputy Editor, Life! & Lifestyle, The Straits Times
Mdm Chua Foo Yong
Chief Executive Officer, MediaCorp TV
Ms Veron Yeo
Assistant General Manager (Chinese Programming), MediaCorp Radio
Dr Wee Chow Hou
Chairman, Promote Mandarin Council
Mr Lee Ngian Kai
President,
Mr Tan Ik Ching
President,
Mr Yap Koon Chan
President,
Mr Chia Hwee Pheng
President,
Mrs Kiang-Koh Lai Lin
Deputy Director, Service Innovation and Development, National Library Board
Mdm Lee Chaw Eng
Xin Zhi Reading Club
Mdm Lim Geok Ling
President,
Annex B
COMPOSITION OF WORKING GROUP
(PRE-SCHOOL CL EDUCATION)
GROUP LEADER
Mr Yeo Guat Kwang
Member of Parliament, Aljunied GRC
MEMBERS
Mr Tan Choon Kheng
Principal,
Dr Ho Soo Guang
CL Coordinator, Pre-school Unit, Education Programmes Division, MOE
Ms Tan Ah Hong
Lecturer, Asian Languages and Cultures, National Institute of Education
Ms Ho Yin Fong
Assistant General Manager (Curriculum and Professional Leadership),
NTUC Childcare
Ms Ruth Low
Acting Chief Executive, PAP Community Foundation Headquarters
Mdm Li Li
Senior Teacher, Creative O Preschoolers’ Bay
Ms Kathleen Chan
Part-time Lecturer, Regional Training and Resource Centre –
Mdm Lim Geok Leng
President,
Mr Peh Chong Teck
Curriculum Planning Officer, Curriculum Planning and Development Division, MOE
Annex C
COMPOSITION OF WORKING GROUP
(
GROUP LEADER
Mr Gan Kim Yong
Member of Parliament, Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC
MEMBERS
Mr Ng Teng Joo
Principal,
Mr Lee Ngian Kai
President,
Mdm Lim Geok Leng
President,
Mr Chye Cheer Lim
Master Teacher/Chinese Language
Mdm Lee Chaw Eng
Xin Zhi Reading Club
Mrs Kiang-Koh Lai Lin
Deputy Director, Service Innovation and Development/National Library Board
Ms Ng Puay Eng
Associate Fukan Editor, Lianhe Zaobao
Annex D
COMPOSITION OF WORKING GROUP
(WRITING PROGRAMMES)
GROUP LEADER
Mrs Ho Woon Ho
Principal,
MEMBERS
Mr Ong Kock Hua
Principal,
Assoc Prof Lee Cheuk Yin
Head of Department of Chinese Studies, NUS
Asst Prof Koh Hock Kiat
Assistant Professor of Asian Languages and Culture, NIE/NTU
Mr Chan Yen Teng
2004/05 Vice-chairperson for Working Group,
Mr Tan Ik Ching
President,
Mr Chia Hwee Pheng
President,
Ms Teoh Hee La
Correspondent, Fukan Desk, Lianhe Zaobao
Annex E
COMPOSITION OF WORKING GROUP
(MEDIA AND PROGRAMME)
GROUP LEADER
Mdm Chua Foo Yong
Chief Executive Officer, MediaCorp TV
MEMBERS
Ms Veron Yeo
Assistant General Manager (Chinese Programming), MediaCorp Radio
Mr Yeow Kai Chai
Deputy Editor, Life! & Lifestyles, The Straits Times/Singapore Press Holdings
Mr Lim Fang Chee
Chairman, Cultural Committee,
Mr Chua Chim Kang
Associate Local News Editor, Zaobao/Singapore Press Holdings
Ms Ho Soo Fung
Channel Vice President, Network Programming & Promotions (Chinese Broadcast), MediaCorp TV
Ms Tan Hwee Ping
Principal,
Mrs Cheng Huey Teng
Principal,
Miss Ek Soo Ben
Principal,
Annex F
COMPOSITION OF WORKING GROUP
(EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES)
GROUP LEADER
Mr Hee Theng Fong
Council
DEPUTY LEADER
Mr Lee Peng Shu
Deputy-Secretary
MEMBERS
Mr Yap Koon Chan
President,
Mr Chua Chor Huat
Principal,
Mdm Ong Ai
Vice-Principle,
Mr Ng Buck Chwee
HOD, MTL,
Mdm Ng Tai Cheen
HOD, MTL,
Ms Yap Wah Choo
Supt/E5, Schools Division
Ms Poon Sing Wah
Senior Correspondent, Lianhe Zaobao