The Future of Chinese Language Requires Our Collective Protection

华文的未来需要我们共同守护

最近，有读者在《联合早报·交流站》发表了《当"会说华语"成了稀有技能》《华文好坏，我们还在乎吗？》《出席林琼先生纪念会有感》等文章，真诚地分享他们对华文教学现状的观察与忧虑，体现了社会各界对母语传承共有的责任感。文中所关注的问题，也正是我们在课程设计与教材编写过程中持续思考的重要议题。借此机会，我想与大家分享一些我们的想法，也让大家看看我们的用心与努力。

教育部正持续、系统性地加强华文教育。近年来，我们并未放松对华文的要求，而是在不同阶段全面增加力度，巩固华文学习的根基：在幼儿园的试点，每天增加30分钟的母语接触时间，为语言发展奠定基础；在小学阶段，推出"和书一起飞"阅读计划，系统培养学生的阅读习惯并增强语感；高级华文方面，自2026年起放宽选修条件，让小六会考华文科表现优秀的学生不再受整体成绩限制，能够继续选修高级华文。这些举措都具体地体现了教育部"保底不封顶"的理念，让更多学生把华文学好、学深、学精。在以英语为主流的社会环境中，华文更需要受到重视、支持和推广，这是华文在此环境中蓬勃发展的关键。

我们注意到读者对"教材越改越简单""教学过度追求有趣而忽略深度"的担忧，我们也理解公众对教材与教学方式的不同看法。课程改革始终秉持"以学生为本"的原则，根据学生日益多元的语言背景与基础调整教材与教学设计。现代教学强调互动与趣味，但这并不与深度学习相互冲突。我们的课程在融入趣味性的同时，始终坚持打牢语文基础、丰富文化内涵、提升思维能力、培养21世纪核心技能。教材调整的目的并非为了降低标准和难度，而是在学生语言背景日益多元的情况下，帮助更多孩子有效掌握华文，并逐步走向更高层次的语言学习和运用。我们也将不断评估与反思课程内容，确保在可行性与深度之间取得良好平衡。

近期也有读者投函建议华文教师在课堂上善用报章内容来设计教学活动，在带动学生了解时事的同时，也培养学生的语言技能和批判性思维。新闻时事确实是学生学习华文的重要素材。为了让学生多接触新闻时事，丰富他们的学习体验，2021年推出的中学华文课程更着重将新闻时事内容融入华文教学中。为此，教育部与本地媒体机构合作，根据教材中课文的主题，为学生提供适合的新闻素材。

此外，另有读者认为，我们应该从汉字的结构入手，帮助年幼的孩子了解笔画和部首偏旁如何组成汉字，这样就能消除孩子对汉字的惧怕心理。这个看法正好与2024年新推出的小学华文课程《欢乐伙伴2.0》的理念不谋而合。课程采用多元识字策略，让学生通过部件、字理、游戏、看图、韵语等多种不同方式巩固识字能力。教育部也制作了相关的识字资源，例如《神笔》汉字动画系列，通过趣味的方式帮助学生理解字义、记忆字形，了解汉字文化并体验识字的乐趣。这些都体现了我们在设计课程和编写教材时"以学生为本"的理念。

没有好老师，就没有好华文。再完善的课程，若缺乏优秀的教师，都难以真正落实。读者对良师的回忆令人动容，也再次印证了华文教师在学生成长过程中的关键作用。教育部正通过多种途径吸引并培养具有语言功底与教育热忱的华文教师，并以课程、工作坊、专业社群与教学辅导等多元方式，系统并全方位地支持他们的专业成长。我们的目标很明确：让华文课堂既有要求，也有温度；既严谨扎实，也能点燃热忱，成为孩子们爱上华文、持续学习华文的起点。

华文学习不止于课堂，更需要真实运用与文化体验来共同滋养。推广华文学习委员会与社区伙伴全年举办多样活动，例如"新空下"全国学生新谣音乐节，让学生在愉快的氛围中体验华文在现实生活中的应用，建立文化认同与使用信心。除了教育部以外，新加坡华文教育学会也与国家图书馆合作，于2023年在碧山及榜鹅图书馆举办"小小书迷俱乐部"讲故事活动，培养4至6岁幼儿对华文绘本的兴趣。我们也通过文化活动、双文化课程，并与本地艺术与媒体行业的合作，让学生看见华文在现实生活与未来世界中的意义——它既连接家庭、社区与文化，也打开视野、创造机遇。

语言塑造我们理解世界的方式，华文的价值远超于考试成绩。新加坡要与国际接轨，英语固然重要，但华文让我们得以保有亚洲文化中的人际联结与情感表达。华语不仅是"陪阿公阿嬷聊天"的语言，更是新一代新加坡人走向世界的重要工具与桥梁。

华文学习离不开家庭、学校与社会的合力支持，华文的未来，需要我们大家共同守护。我们鼓励家长在家中多使用华文，激励学校持续创造真实的语言使用环境。我们也将继续与各界携手，不断改进华文教育，让华文成为一门有温度、有文化、有生命、被主动选择的语言，培养出"热爱华文、传承文化、面向未来"的新一代新加坡人。

王梅凤
教育部 课程规划与发展司（母语处）司长

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The Future of Chinese Language Requires Our Collective Protection

Recently, readers shared their observations and concerns about the current state of Chinese Language (CL) education in three forum letters published in Lianhe Zaobao: "When 'Speaking Chinese' Becomes a Rare Skill", "Do We Still Care About Chinese Language Proficiency?" and "Reflections on Attending Mr Lin Qiong's Memorial Service". Their sincere reflections demonstrate the shared sense of responsibility across society for preserving our Mother Tongue Languages (MTLs). The issues they raised are also important matters that we continually consider in designing our curriculum and developing teaching materials. I would like to take this opportunity to share some of our perspectives, as well as the thought and effort that we have put into this work.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has been strengthening CL education in a sustained and systematic manner. In recent years, we have not eased the requirements for learning CL; instead, we have stepped up efforts to strengthen the foundations of CL learning across levels. In a kindergarten pilot, we have added 30 minutes of daily MTL exposure to lay the groundwork for language development. At the primary level, we launched the MTL Soar reading programme to systematically cultivate students' reading habits and develop their feel for the language. For Higher Chinese Language (HCL), we have broadened the eligibility criteria from 2026, allowing students who perform well in CL at the Primary School Leaving Examination to continue offering HCL regardless of their overall results. These measures give concrete expression to MOE's philosophy of "保底不封顶" — providing a strong foundation for all while enabling every student to go as far as possible — so that more students can build strong foundations in CL, deepen their learning and attain mastery. In a society where English is the predominant language, CL needs even greater attention, support and promotion. This is key to enabling it to flourish in our environment.

We recognise readers' concerns that "teaching materials are becoming increasingly simple" and that "the emphasis on making learning fun is at the expense of depth". We also understand that the public holds differing views on teaching materials and approaches. Curriculum reform has always been guided by a student-centric principle, with teaching materials and instructional design adapted to students' increasingly diverse language backgrounds and levels of proficiency. Modern teaching emphasises interaction and engagement, but these are not at odds with deep learning. While making learning engaging, our curriculum remains firmly focused on building strong language foundations, enriching cultural understanding, developing thinking skills and cultivating 21st Century Competencies. The aim of revising teaching materials is not to lower standards or reduce difficulty, but to help more children, amid increasingly diverse language backgrounds, acquire CL effectively and gradually progress to higher levels of language learning and use. We will continue to evaluate and review the curriculum to ensure a sound balance between accessibility and depth.

A reader recently suggested that CL teachers make effective use of newspaper content when designing classroom activities, so that students can keep abreast of current affairs while developing their language skills and critical thinking. News and current affairs are indeed valuable resources for learning CL. To give students greater exposure to current affairs and enrich their learning experience, the secondary CL curriculum introduced in 2021 places greater emphasis on integrating news and current affairs content into CL teaching. To support this, MOE works with local media organisations to provide students with suitable news materials aligned with the themes in their textbooks.

Another reader suggested starting with the structure of Chinese characters to help young children understand how strokes and components, including radicals, come together to form characters, thereby easing their apprehension about learning them. This view closely aligns with the philosophy underpinning the new primary CL curriculum, Huanle Huoban 2.0, introduced in 2024. The curriculum uses a range of character-recognition strategies, enabling students to consolidate their literacy skills through character components, character formation principles, games, pictures, rhymes and other approaches. MOE has also developed related resources, such as the "Magic Brush" Chinese character animation series, which uses engaging methods to help students understand character meanings, remember character forms, learn about the culture of Chinese characters and experience the joy of recognising them. These efforts reflect our student-centric approach to curriculum design and the development of teaching materials.

There can be no strong CL education without good teachers. Even the most well-designed curriculum cannot be effectively implemented without excellent teachers. Readers' moving recollections of their teachers reaffirm the pivotal role that CL teachers play in students' development. MOE is attracting and developing CL teachers with strong language proficiency and a passion for education through various pathways. We also support their professional growth systematically and comprehensively through courses, workshops, professional learning communities, mentoring and instructional coaching. Our goal is clear: CL classrooms should set high expectations while retaining warmth; they should be rigorous and grounded, yet able to kindle enthusiasm. They should be where children begin to love CL and are inspired to continue learning it.

CL learning extends beyond the classroom and must also be nurtured through authentic use and cultural experiences. The Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning and its community partners organise a wide range of activities throughout the year, such as the Xin Kong Xia National Student Xinyao Music Festival. These activities allow students to experience the use of CL in everyday life in an enjoyable setting, while building their cultural identity and confidence in using the language. Beyond MOE's efforts, the Singapore Chinese Education Society partnered the National Library Board in 2023 to organise storytelling sessions for the "Little Book Lovers' Club" at Bishan and Punggol libraries, cultivating an interest in Chinese picture books among children aged four to six. Through cultural activities, bicultural programmes and partnerships with the local arts and media sectors, we also help students see the relevance of CL to their lives and future. It connects them with family, community and culture, while broadening their horizons and creating opportunities.

Language shapes how we understand the world, and the value of CL extends far beyond examination results. English is undoubtedly important for connecting Singapore with the world, while CL enables us to retain the interpersonal bonds and forms of emotional expression rooted in Asian culture. Chinese is not merely a language for "chatting with grandparents"; it is also an important tool and bridge for a new generation of Singaporeans to engage with the world.

CL learning depends on the collective support of families, schools and society. The future of CL is ours to safeguard together. We encourage parents to use more CL at home and schools to continue creating authentic environments in which students can use the language. We will also continue working with all sectors of society to improve CL education, so that CL becomes a language imbued with warmth, culture and vitality — one that people actively choose to use. In doing so, we hope to nurture a new generation of Singaporeans who love CL, carry their culture forward and are ready for the future.

Mdm Heng Boey Hong
Director, Mother Tongue Languages Branch
Ministry of Education