Mother Tongue

Learn about the Mother Tongue Languages curriculum and the enrichment and immersive experiences that develop language proficiency and appreciation of culture.

Last updated 20 August 2026

Mother Tongue

Curriculum
Our MTL curriculum aims to equip our students with the competencies required in using their MTL to communicate proficiently in everyday life. In addition, we want to help our students gain awareness of their cultural identity, find their roots as well as develop in them an appreciation for the richness of the culture and history of the respective MTL.

Curriculum Approach
Our teaching is focused on developing oracy skills at the lower primary before the learning of reading and writing. Oracy learning begins with listening activities (e.g. listening to a story narration, watching an animation or video), followed by oral practices set in authentic contexts. Interactive oral practices (e.g. role-play, pair/group discussion) encourages students to use the oral vocabulary and sentence structures that they have learnt and thus helps to build up foundational language skills. As students progress to upper primary, learning progresses from reading to oracy and writing. Reading activities will be supplemented by oral presentations and similarly writing activities could be preceded by oral activities which allows students to verbally present their ideas before expressing them in writing.

Programmes
The development of language skills has to work closely with the development of cultural awareness. The Cultural Exposure Programme provides platforms for students to use and learn the language and culture beyond the classroom and school. Activities such as speech and drama, watching cultural performances provide opportunities for students to use MTL and experience the culture. Activities during the MTL Fortnights and Language and Cultural Camps provides an immersive environment for students to learn and use MTL in a more in-depth manner, and to appreciate MTL cultures through hands-on task such as craftwork making and storytelling.

Young students in blue uniforms pose around a teal desk with colorful cards arranged to form a Chinese character.

Students in school uniforms design and display red Chinese New Year packets with gold characters in a classroom.

Children holding colorful lanterns pose with a teacher in front of a Mid-Autumn Festival wall display with red lanterns and rabbit cutouts.

Young students in blue uniforms display colorful clay kuih creations on plates near a Kuih Tat Nutella poster.

Five boys in school uniforms hold colorful handmade ketupat decorations near large windows.

Three school event photos showing students learning Tamil culture: banana leaf dining, Theru koothu folk art, and a Deepavali show.

I am a little Tour Guide (P2)

Cartoon drawing of a school labeled in Chinese, with two children standing in front and a speech bubble in Chinese.

Click the link in each letter below to explore more:
A (opens in new tab) - Level 1, B (opens in new tab) - Level 2, C (opens in new tab) - Level 4, D (opens in new tab) - Level 5, E (opens in new tab) - Level 7

I am a little Tour Guide (P4)

3D Google Maps view of Punggol Northshore, Singapore, showing schools, HDB blocks, LRT station, and waterfront.

Click this link (opens in new tab) to explore more.

I am a little Tour Guide (P5 Overseas Immersion):
Hangzhou West Lake:

Yiwu Socks Factory: