June 22, 2023

Bilingualism is generally viewed as a point of pride for Singapore, yet proficiency in mother tongue languages seems to be low amongst young adults. ‘Lack of fluency hinders parents from raising effectively bilingual children’ (Straits Times, June 2023) explores the causes of this issue through conversations with young adults, academics, and stakeholders in language education.

Dr Azhar Ibrahim (NUS Malay Studies) is one of the academic experts consulted. He offers two strands of causes for the observed decline in mother tongue language ability amongst young adults and children.

Firstly, the spaces for these languages to be used have decreased compared to previous years. Singapore’s involvement in the English-speaking world means that English has become the preferred language for communication, and the relative importance of mother tongue mastery has correspondingly diminished. Dr Ibrahim believes that social recognition of their usefulness and importance is a crucial component in encouraging fluency in mother tongue languages.

The second factor lies in the way students come in contact with their mother tongue languages. Dr Ibrahim argues that mother tongue languages are reduced to subjects that students must pass. The focus on examinations and grades makes learning mother tongue languages uninteresting for students. Instead, having more project-based work and community engagement in language studies can help students better appreciate the applications and use of their mother tongue languages better.

Read the article here: https://str.sg/i3sW