Mother Tongue
Learning Mother Tongue @GESPS
In GESPS, the Mother Tongue (MT) Department takes pride in designing meaningful lessons and programmes to provide authentic and joyful learning environments for our students.
Students are equipped with skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, as well as spoken and written interaction to enhance communication skills. Teachers guide students to understand and appreciate cultural materials to strengthen students’ global and cultural awareness. In addition, the department also create opportunities for students to learn and use the various language skills in authentic situations beyond the classrooms.
Embracing all Students – Curriculum Customisation
In GESPS, we embrace learners of all abilities, offering different programmes to cater to the needs of our students. Examples of programmes offered by the MT department are as follows:
1. Love for Reading Programme
All students will have the opportunity to visit the library during MTL lessons to explore their love for reading. Suitable reading materials will be recommended by the teachers to support their needs.
2. Higher Mother Tongue Languages (P3-P6)
Students who are very proficient in the MTL will be offered HMTL at the end of P2. Students will be able to stretch their flair and fluency through this programme.
3. Support Programmes
Mother Tongue Support Programme (MTSP) is a two-year programme customized for students who needs extra support to develop their proficiency in the MTL. Teachers teaching these classes are trained to provide varied teaching strategies and resources to engage students as well as to increase their proficiency level at the end of P4. For students requiring more support, the department also conducts the remediation programme for selected students.
Fostering the Joy of Learning – Special Programmes
To support GESPians to be active and proficient users of their Mother Tongue Languages, various programmes were designed to foster the joy of learning.
1. Young Reporters’ Programme (CL & ML)
Young Reporters’ Programme is designed to develop students’ spoken interaction skills in their respective Mother Tongue Languages – Chinese or Malay. During this programme, students are taught various reporting skills, such as script writing, hosting live reports and interviewing of students/teachers.
2. Mother Tongue Fortnight
Mother Tongue Fortnight is a two-week programme that provides students with various cultural experiences. Unique, thematic experiences are planned for students to embrace their own cultures and languages.
3. Signature Programme – Conversational Chinese and Malay Language
Conversational Chinese and Malay (CCM) Programme is introduced as a Signature Programme in GESPS to encourage the connection between the diverse ethnic groups in the school for P3 to P6 students. Students are encouraged to learn basic conversational Chinese or Malay so that they will be able to hold a simple conversation in authentic situations with a native Chinese or Malay speaker. The ability to converse in another Mother Tongue language helps strengthen racial harmony.