Developments in English Language Teaching and Learning in Singapore (Episode 1)

Welcome to the English Language Institute of Singapore's podcast. I'm your host, Audrey Ahn. This is the first episode of a four-part series on the developments in English language teaching and learning in Singapore from the 1950s to the present. The four episodes will feature principal master teacher, Dr. Te Mayin, in conversation with three English language educators. Dr. Te has been a teacher, head of department, curriculum specialist, language educator and is presently a teacher leader. She has given her perspectives in other podcast episodes on teaching the general paper, multi-litrises, and inquiry through dialogue. In this series, you can listen to her conversations with Mrs. Cecil Tutt, Dr. Christina Ragnum and Mrs. Rebecca Mock, all of whom have taught English language to different profiles of students in Singapore classrooms. We hope that this series inspires you to think about what it means to teach students English language. Hi, Dr. Te. Hello, Audrey. Dr. Te, you wrote the monograph on 50 years of developments in English language teaching and learning in Singapore, which documents developments in English language teaching and learning. Could you please give me an overview of the monograph, who it is for and what it is about? There are many teachers like me who would appreciate having an overview. For listeners who have yet to read the monograph, we have included a link under our podcast show notes where you can access the monograph. Sure, Audrey, I wrote the monographs, especially for all teachers, teacher leaders, curriculum developers, language educators and school leaders, so that all of us can build shared contextual understanding about the teaching and learning of English language in Singapore. In it, I discuss the continuity and change that are evident in the evolution of the English language syllabus. I also highlight that the design and development of the English language syllabus over the decades have taken into account global and national considerations. Namely, the changing role of English in Singapore and the world, the needs of our students, the profiles in needs of our teachers, and research in language and language pedagogy. I think it is so important for all of us who are involved in English language, teaching and learning. In whatever roles we play, that we have knowledge and understanding of our past. For it is when we build on our past and have it in form our present and future. Then only can we have a strong sense of identity as teacher professionals in English language teaching and learning. Thank you for the overview, Dr. Tee. I've been an English language teacher for seven years and I'm just wondering if the teaching and learning of English language has always been the way it is, considering the shifts and focus and approach to English language teaching and learning over the decades. Such curiosity is important for teachers of English language, Audrey. I would say that while there are clearly shifts in the focus and approaches to English language teaching and learning, as I've outlined in the monograph, there are some perennial ever-greens. Let me highlight to you what I mean. From the 1950s to the 1980s, there was a predominant focus on form and accuracy in language teaching and this corresponded with the structural approach to the teaching and learning of English language. From the mid-1980s to the 1990s, there was a shift towards a focus on function and fluency and this corresponded with the communicative language teaching approach. Then from the 2000s to the present, there was a further shift towards a focus on a balance between form and function and accuracy and fluency. What are some of the perennial ever-greens? Audrey, I'm glad you brought me back to the point of perennial ever-greens in the teaching and learning of English language. Having inquired into the developments in English language teaching and learning by doing a syllabus document analysis, I've identified a few areas to be the key focus and emphasis. First, the importance of oracy development in our students is one of the perennial ever-greens that has been a key emphasis over the years. Now let's listen to what Mrs. Cecil Tarn has to say. Being able to coax the children to speak because that's the only way you discover whether they are managing, whether they understand and they can communicate. It is evident that Cecil articulates a very same position the English language syllabus 2020 upholds about oracy development. And that is that listening and speaking plays attention on the power of the spoken word and that greater attention should be paid to enabling students to communicate with confidence and persuasiveness. Now we should note that Cecil began her career teaching English language in the late 1950s. She has had more than 30 years of experience as she taught from 1959 to 1994. Yet, her practice of teaching English language is remarkably closely aligned with the English language syllabus 2020, which is the need to deepen language learning through its pluratory talk in a variety of ways, including inquiry through dialogue. So while there have been different approaches advocated throughout the years since the 1950s, there has been consistency and continuity in the subject content and pedagogical principles focused on in English language teaching and learning. What are the other Perennial evergreens? Another Perennial evergreen that has been a key emphasis over the years is the knowledge and understanding English language teachers must have about the subject and discipline of English language. Let's listen to Dr. Christina Ratnam's view. I think really the teachers really need to understand the nature of English language. They need to have understanding of English language. What is it like? Christina speaks with a wealth of experience having been an English language teacher in the gifted education program for secondary students and a specialist inspector of English language and literature in the curriculum planning division of the M.O.E. She also researched into literacy development for early childhood years and headed the preschool education team. You know Audrey, I agree with Christina's view that teachers of English language must have strong fundamental knowledge basis in particular subject content knowledge or SEK for short. Dr. Te, what do you mean by subject content knowledge? Subject content knowledge is the teacher's knowledge about the subject matter to be learned or taught. And for English language teaching it refers to having knowledge of grammar, syntax, discourse, the mental processes involved in language learning, a social and cultural factors affecting language reception and use, the varieties of English, including Singapore English and Singlish and the concepts of code switching and code mixing. And pragmatics which means the effect of context on meaning just to list a few here. Our disciplinary knowledge has a strong bearing and decisive influence on the process, content and quality of our instruction. In fact, according to a mariter professor Amy Tuy, who is an honorary professor of the academic unit of teacher education and learning leadership at the University of Hong Kong, the lack of knowledge in a particular discipline not only compromises the quality of teacher's instruction but also limits their ability to learn and understand that particular discipline. Dr. Te, with the increased emphasis on e-pädagogy and blended learning, what do you think is another perennial evergreen in the teaching and learning of English language? I think it is that all teachers of English language must recognise that they play an important role in the classroom. Let's listen to Mrs. Rebecca Mark's view on this. Rebecca was an English language teacher, language educator and school leader for about 53 years. After her retirement, she went back into the classroom and continued to teach for 14 years in an international school. Absolutely, absolutely. Technology can never replace the teacher. The teacher is essential vital in the classroom. Audrey, what do you think Rebecca refers to when she said that technology can never replace the teacher and that the teacher is essential and vital in the classroom? I would say that teachers must make important choices to cater to their students' learning needs. Yes, Audrey. In addition, I would say that with the many affordances of technology offered to us as teachers of English language, we must possess the necessary teaching competencies. By competencies, I mean the knowledge bases and professional skills, as well as a clear and well-developed personal philosophy of education and of language teaching and learning. With such competencies, skills and a strong philosophical stance, we will be able to make the most appropriate decisions for effective student learning. Dr. T, you have highlighted three perennial evergreens in English language teaching and learning. First, the importance of Oricy development. Second, the knowledge and understanding that English language teachers must have about that subject and discipline of English language. And third, the important role of the English language teacher in the classroom in the face of the many technological tools and resources before us. To all our listeners, you can look forward to episode 2, 3 and 4. When you can listen to conversations I have with Cecil, Christina and Rebecca on the perennial evergreens in English language teaching and learning through the decades. Dr. T, thank you for taking the time to share with us your insights on the developments in English language teaching and learning. And what the key focus and emphasis has been. Most welcome, Audrey. Thank you for listening to this episode on the developments in English language teaching and learning in Singapore. Featuring Principal Master's teacher, Dr. T. May Ginn. This episode's show notes can be found at go.gov.sg/elispodcast. Thank you for listening and stay tuned to episodes 2, 3 and 4.