Mother Tongue
Department Vision
To nurture passion in learning Mother Tongue Languages and cultures and empower our students to be effective communicators.
Our Curricular Approach
The teaching and learning of Mother Tongue Languages (MTL) in River Valley Primary School is anchored on MOE’s objectives of developing proficient language users from three perspectives – Communication, Culture and Connection, guided by the RVian pedagogical framework of “Equip” ”Empower” ”Explore” and “Enrich”.
To equip our students with the necessary language skills in view of the needs of the local language context, students’ language skills are built up progressively from the lower primary levels with oracy paving the way for acquisition of reading and writing skills, while for the upper primary, there is increased focus on reading and writing which will in turn, enrich the students’ oracy skills. There is also emphasis on interactive skills so that students are empowered to communicate and connect with others effectively.
The MTL curriculum is structured in a thematic style that facilitates the exploration of the use of MTL in connection with situations in everyday life, from the personal level to wider perspectives such as environmental issues and progress of human in history.
Recognising that our students come from homes with highly varied language backgrounds, our MTL classes focus on engaging and interactive pedagogy that is facilitated by customisation and varied means of assessment to cater to the different needs of students. Programmes are designed to target their learning needs as well as enrich their awareness of and appreciation for culture.
Programmes for Chinese Language
Talent Development Programme
Talent Development Programme (TDP) is designed for selected Primary 4 and Primary 5 higher ability students who have consistently shown high levels of proficiency in the Chinese Language. The programme aims at heightening students’ interest in the Chinese Language as well as to provide an out-of-classroom context for greater effectiveness in communicating in the language. Through TDP, students will learn the basic skills in news reporting and broadcasting, thereby enhancing their proficiency in the Chinese Language, oral presentation skills and inter-personal communication skills. Students will be also be trained in basic techniques of filming and news editing.
Primary 3 Primary 4 HCL Mother Tongue Enrichment Programme
The Primary 3 and Primary 4 Higher Chinese Language Enrichment programme aims to develop students who have flair for the language, and have demonstrated strong interest and positive learning attitude. As an enrichment programme offered to the group of selected students, it aims to deepen their knowledge of the language and appreciation of the Chinese Culture, nurturing them into proficient learners of the language.
China Cultural Immersion Programme
Our annual China Cultural Immersion Programme is conducted at the end of Term 2 every year. The objective of this immersion programme is to deepen and enrich our students’ knowledge of the Chinese language, history and culture. The programme provides students the opportunity of immersing themselves in the rich history and culture of China through exchange programme in a local primary school in China and visits to national monuments and historical sites.
Guided Reading Programme @ RV
The guided reading programme aims to instill joy and cultivate the habit for reading through enriching our students’ reading experiences from different genres of stories and newspaper articles. Students are guided to read different reading materials.
Fun with Chinese Language (语文乐)
Fun with Chinese promotes the learning of Chinese Language through fun and interesting language games. It is also a collaboration between our PSG and the MTL department to reach out to our students during their recesses to enhance their learning experience outside their classroom. Besides the games stall set up by our PSG during recesses, this innovative programme also includes biweekly brain teaser activity sheets to help students develop an interest in Chinese language.
Primary 1 and Primary 2 Fun with Chinese Stories @ RV
Fun with Chinese Stories @ RV is conducted during the school holidays for the Primary 1 and Primary 2 students. The intent of this holiday enrichment programme is to promote the joy of reading Chinese books among Primary 1 and Primary 2 students. During this fun-filled and interactive session, students are exposed to interesting Chinese stories and engage in some hands-on post-reading activities.
Primary 3 to Primary 4 Fun with Chinese Culture
The Cultural Workshops are conducted during the school holidays for Primary 3 and Primary 4 students. These cultural workshops aims to provide a wide range of interesting hands-on MTL activities to deepen students’ interest in the cultural aspects of the language.
Parents’ Workshops
Having a close partnership with the school will help parents to better understand students’ learning experience, and better support our students’ learning. Primary 5 & 6 Parents’ Workshop are conducted in Term 1 every year to equip parents with some basic knowledge on helping their children to learn better and do well for Chinese.
MT Modular Programme
The Mother Tongue Modular programme provides a platform for the Primary 1 students to explore, imagine and learn with curiosity and most importantly to experience the joy of learning the Mother Languages. Students will participate in a series of lessons consist of rhymes, music and movement, language games and story-telling. These age-appropriate activities allow the students to learn the different thinking skills and to be creative, as well as be more confident in using their Mother Tongue language. At the end of the programme, students will be showcasing what they have learned by putting up a performance.
为了让一年级的学生能在玩乐中学习华文华语，此课程设计特意加入了音乐的律动和不同种类的综合游戏，训练学生的语言表达能力及提升他们的自信心。同时，通过听故事活动，达到创意思考及思维逻辑的训练。在课程结束前，学生还将通过短剧展示所学
Other MTL Programmes @ RVPS:
- MTL Fortnight
- Conversational Malay P3 & P4
- Chinese New Year Celebration
- Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration
- P2 & P4 Cultural Performance Theatre Experience
