Mother Tongue Languages

Confident & eloquent speakers in the Mother Tongue Language

Department Goals

• To develop pupils to be proficient and confident in their command of the Mother Tongue Language

• To inculcate pupils’ love and passion for their own native culture

• To instill moral values and civic-mindedness in our students

Our Approach

The MTL department key approach to make learning MTL fun & applicable to real-life is through the application of E3 pedagogical approach which are mainly Engagement, Experiential & Empowerment to better support the students’ learning in MTL.

Engagement is an important learning condition for deep and meaningful learning. Through the use of ICT tools, pupils are engaged and actively involved in the learning activities. At the same time, assessment for learning strategies are also incorporated in these learning activities to engage pupils and provide support for their learning.

To make learning MTL fun and applicable to real-life, experiential learning is carried out through placed-based learning whereby pupils are provided with opportunities to learn MTL in a fun way.

Pupils are empowered to take ownership of their learning and become self-directed learners. During the learning process, pupils are involved in decision-making and also to view mistakes as learning opportunities.

Key Programmes

Reading-Is-Fun Programme (RIF)

Embarking on our thrilling "Reading-Is-Fun" (RIF) Programme, we're on a mission to ignite a fiery passion for MTL storybooks among our students at OPS! Handpicking the most fervent MTL bookworms, we crown them as our esteemed Mother Tongue Language Ambassadors (LAs), equipping them with skills to dazzle and inspire their peers. Our LAs conducted captivating book talks and storytelling sessions for students in the Student Care Centre (SCC) and for Primary 3, 4 and 5 levels.

But the excitement doesn't end there! Brace yourselves for the exhilarating challenges of the tantalizing twists of CL & TL Reading Bingo cards and ML Reading Achievement Cards, where students delve into the depths of MTL storybook wonders, earning coveted reading badges, tokens and even certificates of recognition as they journey through literary landscapes.

Not forgetting “Stories Come Alive” Carnival which will be held in Term 3.  Join us on this epic adventure as we dive headfirst into the boundless world of books, igniting minds and hearts along the way.

Samples of Winning Entries for OBD Competitions

Primary 4 Chinese Language Young Journalism Programme

Establishing Partnership between OPS Primary 4 Chinese Language Journalists and Beijing Cuiwei Elementary School’s Journalists

Oasis Primary School and Beijing’s Cuiwei Elementary School successfully held their first Junior Journalist exchange activity of the year online. This event marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to promote cultural exchange and mutual understanding between young journalists from both countries.

Participants included Vice Principal Mrs Tan, Mother Tongue Department Head Mdm Ng, Senior Teacher Ms Huang, and P4 CL Journalism programme teachers in charge, as well as Vice Principal of Moral Education Ms Wu Jiuqin, Deputy Director of Moral Education Ms Liu Xi, and moral education staff  from various campuses of Cuiwei Elementary School.

Understanding Each Other and Enhancing Friendship

The event kicked off with speeches from the vice principals from both schools. Following this, representatives from both schools introduced their schools. Through video clips and verbal descriptions, Primary P4 CL  journalists gained a deeper understanding of each school's educational philosophies and cultures.

Ice breaker Activities to Build Rapport

During the icebreaker activities, students from both schools engaged in exchanges and interactions, learning about each other’s countries' histories, cultures, and traditions.

The first Junior Journalist exchange activity was a resounding success, laying a strong foundation for future collaborations. Both schools expressed enthusiasm for continuing the partnership and planned for future activities.

External MTL Competitions

a) Tamil Language Cluster Competition

On 26 April 2024, Tamil Language pupils participated in the Cluster Competition in conjunction with Tamil language month at Casuarina Primary School. We had 5 contestants from Primary 1 to 5 who competed against students from other schools. All of them were awarded with trophies for their victory.

b) Malay Language Scrabble Competition

On 18 May 2024, 5 of our P4 Malay Language students participated in Sahibba (ML Scrabble) Competition held at Riverside School. The students enjoyed the competition and they received certificates for their participation.

2024 Mother Tongue Fortnight Programme

In line with the department’s objective to create an immersive environment for Oasians to experience, learn and appreciate their Mother Tongue Language, the department organised a myriad of cultural experiences and language activities for the various levels.

The Chinese Language students had the chance to learn about Tang Poetry and make their very own rod puppets, opera masks, fans, and screens with their peers. A variety of competitions were also held, from penmanship to bookmarks, mini books, postcards, and creative idioms.

Additionally, students studying the Malay Language participated in a range of activities such as Malay traditional games, making Malay traditional handicrafts, and listening to Malay traditional music. They also participated in language competitions like spelling contests, proverb contests, and vocabulary contests to develop their passion for the language.

Tamil language students explored the significance of the mango tree and performed traditional Indian dances. They also engaged in traditional games like Snake & Ladder. Part of the program involved creating videos on the medicinal uses of herbs. Other activities included designing Kolam patterns using Tamil alphabets, making invitations, and participating in a quiz about Tamil fictional characters.

Primary 2 Mother Tongue Language (MTL) Speech and Drama Programme

The Primary 2 Speech and Drama program this year took place during OLE week. Its purpose was to create an engaging atmosphere where students could confidently express themselves and communicate creatively. Additionally, the program sought to cultivate important values like teamwork, resilience, and responsibility among the students. Utilizing activities such as role-playing, storytelling, and performances, students were able to enhance their confidence in speaking their Mother Tongue language to an audience.

Mother Tongue Languages Showcase

Discover the joy of learning the Mother Tongue language and culture at Oasis Primary School. Our students will share with you their fun and enriching literacy experience. They will also present programmes that develop them to become confident communicators who appreciate the beauty of their language and culture.

Achievements

Year	Event	Award	Recipients
2020	Good-In-Progress in Chinese Language by Chinese Language and Culture Fund (CLCF)		Benedict Teh Ngien Jie (3 Integrity) Teo Thoai Ky (4 Resilience) Lin Yuan Hao (5 Harmony)
	3rd Text Recital Competition for Primary & Secondary Schools	Bronze	Bei Junyu (2 Harmony)
		Silver	Lei Ren Xuan (3 Diligence)
		Silver	Tan Rou Yi (4 Harmony)
		Gold & Champion	Wu Yuqi, Yuki (4 Care)
	6th Annual Singapore Chinese Moo-O Awards	Merit (Team)	Jiang Yixuan (2 Respect) Ng Shao Ze Xavier (2 Loyalty) Bei Junyu (2 Harmony)
	“2020, Our Story of the Battling the Pandemic” National Writing Competition	Merit	Ke Zhiru (5 Harmony)