# data[].attributes.body
In relation to the comments about 'bad English' in the newspaper article, how will your students benefit from the teaching and learning of a) reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication? and b) spoken versus written English?

# data[].attributes.body
(a)  In learning non-reciprocal communication, students gain skills to receive and process information and knowledge from external sources. Reciprocal communication, on the other hand, has its place is allowing students to clarify, express opinions and even co-construct a final understanding with their speaking partner. In relation to the article about Singaporeans using 'bad English', I see my role as an EL teacher in teaching students how to get better in reciprocal communication. A large proportion of our students, while able to communicate effectively colloquially with one another, are unfortunately unable to code-switch when speaking with foreigners who'd expect them to speak standard English.

(b) The explicit teaching of written language has been the larger focus for many language teachers, myself included. After reading about the skills involved in the spoken language, I now have a better appreciation for the need to explicitly teach features of spoken language. This is especially important when students are in situations when they have to communicate with standard English speakers who'd expect certain grammatical forms in our students' speech for them make sense of what they are hearing.

- Esther Heng (AISS)

# data[].attributes.body
Session 1:
There is a place for both reciprocal and non-reciprocal communication, depending on the intent and purpose of the communication event.  Most of our students would prefer to just listen to the teachers and absorb whatever the teachers say as all they need to know.  However, as researchers subscribing to Mikhail Bakhtin’s (1895- 1975) view on language would say, speaking is essentially a social activity and it is through speaking that we learn.  Hence it is important for teachers to help students realise the value of using talk for learning; to understand that having conversations/interactions with their teachers and peers, articulating their thinking and asking questions would help them learn better.

Session 2:
It is important for students to know the differences between spoken and written to acquire true proficiency. We often complain that some students write exactly the way they speak but we fail to recognise that this is the gap we have to address.  In fact, students also need to know and understand how to adopt different levels of formality in spoken interactions so that they can code-switch appropriately.
Shirley

# data[].attributes.body
When I first read Jim Rogers' comments , I got reminded of a time when my colleague and I were very exasperated with a certain student's lack of proficiency in both Mandarin and English Language. We wondered how it was possible to have someone who did not have a good grasp on either language. During the PTM, the parents, who claimed to communicate purely in English, spoke Singlish throughout the entire session, with sentence structures that got us rather confused after a while. There was definitely some form of a language barrier between them and us. This highlights the importance of being able to code-switch whenever appropriate.
Although I do find Jim's comments a little offensive, he might have had similar encounters  and hence, his over-generalised conclusion.

I believe reciprocal and non-reciprocal teaching work in tandem in order for students to better understand and analyse information. Reciprocal teaching allows students to be more responsible in their learning as they listen, ponder and question. They will learn to be active listeners before sharpening their skills to be effective communicator as well, especially in group discussions.

Written English allows students a longer time to process information and to plan how they would like to present their ideas. I find  that this is effective as it allows them to also reflect on what they have written and digest any written feedback , from teachers, at their own comfortable pace. Spoken English, meanwhile, develops students' confidence and ability to express themselves. With the shorter time allowed to process info (as compared to written work), it trains them to think and speak more spontaneously as well. It is important to hone students' skills in both spoken and written aspects of the language so as to ensure that they are aware of when and how to apply them appropriately.

-Haryani

# data[].attributes.body
(a) Firstly, I feel students can definitely benefit from reciprocal communication because through two-way communication, students get to ask questions to clarify or respond appropriately to show interest while listening. Learning reciprocal communication is also relevant and can be an authentic way for students to learn since most of their communications everyday are reciprocal in nature.

With regards to the 'bad English' article, I think students should be taught the existence of varieties of English and that the way we speak English in Singapore may not necessarily be understood easily by someone who is foreign. I think I would teach my students not to be judgemental like Jim Rogers, but instead use skills in reciprocal communication in trying to understand the variety of English used by Singaporeans that he encounters on a daily basis rather than dismiss it entirely as 'bad English'.

There's also value in teaching and learning non-reciprocal communication as students will also need to be taught to be attentive when receiving one-way information, as non-reciprocal communication is something that they will be facing regularly for as long as they are in school or even in the workforce when they attend meetings.

(b) As for spoken versus written English, I agree that it is far easier to speak rather than to write, since the communication is immediate. However one of the challenges people make, students included, is end up speaking without thinking and thereafter regretting what one says. Our students will need to be actively thinking in order to convey their ideas respectfully and thoughtfully in the spoken form. This can be challenging for students and requires a great deal of practice.

For written English,  students get to pen down their thoughts and organise, synthesise ideas, edit/proofread and then present their ideas in a cohesive and fluent manner that can sometimes convey their ideas more effectively than speaking can. However this can be really tough for low to mid progress learners who may be impeded by their limited vocabulary or inability to string ideas together into coherent sentences. If taught the right strategies, these students can gain confidence in expressing themselves through writing.

-Siti Aisyah
Holy Innocents' High Sch

# data[].attributes.body
I am curious to know how Jim Rogers arrived at the conclusion that Singaporeans speak 'bad English'. It also made me wondered what is the standard of 'good English' that he might be using to ascertain Singaporeans' proficiency in the English language.

(a) reciprocal and non-reciprocal communication
Both are equally essential in the teaching and learning of English. Students need to pay close attention to what has been presented/communicated by the speaker(s) so that they can process the information and participate actively when there are opportunities to clarify or discuss what has been put forth. In reciprocal communication, the exchange of ideas/knowledge in group discussions can deepen students' content knowledge and hone their oral competencies.

(b) spoken versus written English
Both forms are necessary for students to build up their proficiency in English. It is crucial to teach students the differences between the two so that they know how to use them in different contexts.

-Cara Mok

# data[].attributes.headline
Reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication? Spoken or written English?

# data[].attributes.subject
Reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication? Spoken or written English?

# data[].attributes.body
Jim Rogers' observations need to be further clarified, specifically in what contexts did he observe the quality of the languages being spoken? My opinion is that Singaporeans are able to code switch between Singlish and EL/ MT effectively depending on the situation, thus it would be helpful to engage in reciprocal communication with Jim Rogers on this matter.

With regards to reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication, spoken or written English - I do not think any can exist without the other. Non-reciprocal communication is necessary for someone to acquire new knowledge and to train one's focus to pay attention to details, write notes down, etc. Reciprocal communication is even more essential to do this, as this is when communicators ask questions and clarify any uncertainties, thus leading to enhanced understanding.

Spoken and written language are just different modes of communicating. They may involve different skills e.g. intonation, projection of voice vs. spelling etc, but there are also many overlaps such as in terms of vocabulary used, sentence structure, grammar, engagement, so one need not necessarily be taught separately from the other. - Jannah (CHR)

# data[].attributes.body
(a) reciprocal and non-reciprocal communication
I suspect there is currently more focus on non-reciprocal communication primarily due to assessment - even our 'spoken interaction' component in the national assessment tends towards one-way communication. That said, we can probably do more with reciprocal communication - I think what the new ELS2020 IMs does with group discussions on thematic topics is a good step.

This probably won't make an impact on the perception of  'Bad English' that speakers of Singlish might give, but I hesitate to (attempt to) prescribe how individuals should speak in their daily lives. As long as they're able to code-switch and speak well in formal situations, that should suffice.

(b) spoken vs written English
This is also something that is probably not really explicitly emphasised - having speech-writing in national assessment tasks, for instance, can be confusing, with what is meant to be spoken being assessed in the written form. Perhaps more can be done (possibly outside of assessment) such that students are able to better navigate spoken situations where standard English is required (e.g. formal interviews)?

-Louis Tan (MSHS)

# data[].attributes.body
One takeaway from the previous course on listening was how listening skills in a non-reciprocal communication setting help a learner build knowledge or receive information efficiently. This in turn allows the learner to communicate effectively. Students will benefit from the TnL of (a) as they will be able to respond with relevant content after listening closely, and TnL of (b) as they respond effectively with proper spoken grammar.
-Theng

# data[].attributes.body
The comments made by Jim Rogers shows a possible lack of the cultural and contextual understanding behind the use of Singlish as a colloquial language in Singapore. If we study into the background of Singlish, it has been perceived as a corrupted language as it uses vocabulary from different languages to form a unique language and thus, a unique identity for the speaker of Singlish. In order for the syntactic and lexical features to be understood, a speaker of Singlish needs to have an understanding of how it is used accordingly to the different contexts. As an American, the English spoken by him would be standard English but the ‘standard’ variant does not sound the same as Singapore English due to the phonology and accent. As such, he would have the misconception that ‘Singaporeans speak bad English’.

The role that teachers in Singapore play would then be to guide students to be mindful of PACC and be efficient in code-switching between using Singlish and standard English in speaking, with the former being used as casual speech and the latter as formal speech. With the above aim in mind, this then relates to the question of how students would benefit from the teaching and learning of a) and b).

(a)    Reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication

Students will benefit from the teaching and learning of both reciprocal and non-reciprocal communication. Non-reciprocal communication (ie. one-way) is important for students in settings such as listening to a lessons or instructions to be followed. As non-reciprocal communication does not allow for clarification at that point, it is therefore important for students to listen attentively and process the message as intended by the speaker.

With reciprocal communication, students will be able to seek clarification and participate actively in settings where engagement of students is encouraged, eg. Class/group discussions. Students will be able to deepen their understanding or clarify misconceptions through questioning and clarifying. With an understanding of both forms of communication, students will thus be able to interact meaningful and purposefully with their peers and build on their content knowledge

(b)   spoken versus written English

Students will benefit from the teaching and learning of both spoken versus written English so that they are able to adjust their use of the English language according to PACC. Spoken English is more fluid in terms of sentence boundaries and allows interaction between different speakers (ie. spoken English as a social activity). With knowledge of spoken English, students will be able to engage meaningfully in class discussions by offering different points of view or in providing peer feedback to work done by their friends.

Written English on the other hand, is permanent and can be planned and revised. It allows students to preserve information that has been discussed and to reflect on the learning as they review the input that they have received. Thus, it is important for students to learn both spoken and written English so as to improve their competency of the English language.

By: Joanne Lee

# data[].attributes.body
How will my students benefit from the teaching and learning  of

1.     Reciprocal versus Non-Reciprocal Communication

Through reciprocal communication, doubts can be clarified. Also, feedback can be collected.  Most importantly, reversal of roles by teacher and students should be encouraged.

2.     Spoken vs Written

With reference to the article(Goh 2007), :

My students will be aware of the “contextual and cognitive demands of real-time speech processing” that are often reduced in writing.

My students will be aware that English grammar is fundamental to oral communication as well as to writing. It is “important however, to make a distinction between spoken and written English and the grammatical features that contribute to this difference”.

Julie Anthony

# data[].attributes.headline
How will my students benefit from the teaching and learning of:

# data[].attributes.subject
How will my students benefit from the teaching and learning of:

# data[].attributes.body
1) Reciprocal vs Non-Reciprocal Communication
There are merits to both forms of communication depending on the objectives we want to achieve during that lesson and the deliverables to assess learning. For some students, they are able to take in information using non-reciprocal communication such as listening to a lecture and reading the presentation slides (receptive skills). On the other hand, there are those who learn better through reciprocal communication such as doing group projects and having debates, both of which require a significant amount of social interaction for learning to take place. Ideas are exchanged through a two-way communication which deepens their understanding of a certain topic through questioning and clarifying. As educators of the English Language and depending on the purpose of the lesson, we need to understand our students' learning styles and use both reciprocal and non-reciprocal communication platforms to help them in knowledge building and create opportunities for them to interact in the spoken language.

2) Spoken vs Written English
In a typical writing lesson, a class or group discussion is usually conducted to brainstorm for ideas and content building for an essay topic. Students get to exchange different viewpoints through verbal interaction with their peers and ideas are recorded in written form so that they could view or re-visit their discussion. During the lesson, the teacher may provide verbal feedback or ask questions for higher-order thinking, which will help them to consolidate their learning. For assessment, students are required to produce language in the form of a written essay as a deliverable. These activities enhance students' productive competence (speaking and writing) and make their thinking visible.

By Grace Maria Lee (KSS)

# data[].attributes.body
In relation to the comments about 'bad English' in the newspaper article, how will your students benefit from the teaching and learning of a) reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication? and b) spoken versus written English?

# data[].attributes.headline
Padlet Response for Sessions 1 and 2 [Marina]

# data[].attributes.subject
Padlet Response for Sessions 1 and 2 [Marina]

# data[].attributes.body
I think my opinion on Jim Roger's can be summed up in the following articles and thought I'd share them here.

A commentary by Associate Prof Dr Tan Ying Ying citing her perspective on Singlish. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/singlish-singapore-english-language-code-switch-uneducated-11477190
and an article on expats learning Singlish and local culture 'https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/expats-get-schooled-in-local-lingo'

1. Reciprocal vs Non-Reciprocal Communication
If ‘bad English’ is the issue, to ensure accuracy and fluency in spoken English, I believe speaking is best developed alongside listening. It’s especially effective if there’s the opportunity for the speaker and listener to exchange roles. Reciprocal speaking and listening, or two-way speaking and listening, is intrinsically more complex and challenging for learners because of the unpredictability of language and I suppose that’s what makes it so effective.

2. Spoken vs Written
In order for our students to be good and effective communicators, we need to ensure that they develop all four basic language skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing. To answer the question, teaching and learning of writing is just as important as speaking, as it would help develop students' competency in both skills. Before speaking, we would usually encourage students to pen down their talking points. This is ideal because writing helps students to visualise their thoughts, allowing teachers and peers to offer feedback for improvement before delivering the final product. Hence, I feel both skills should be given equal attention in language teaching.

# data[].attributes.headline
My Personal Response to Jim Rogers' comments about Singaporeans speaking bad English

# data[].attributes.subject
My Personal Response to Jim Rogers' comments about Singaporeans speaking bad English

# data[].attributes.body
The Use of Singlish
Among ordinary Singaporeans, Singlish tends to be spoken in informal contexts - with family and friends, bargaining at the wet market or when ordering food at the hawker centre. The use of Singlish indicates casual intimacy. Proper English, on the other hand, is used for formal situations - talking to a figure of authority, meeting clients or going for a job interview. I think that Singlish has become a social marker - someone who can effectively code-switch between the two languages is perceived to have higher EQ and of a higher social status than someone who can only speak Singlish. Those who can only speak English, and not Singlish, meanwhile, may be seen as atas, or worse - not a true blue Singaporean.

As an English educator in Singapore, it is paramount to teach our students how to code-switch between the two languages according to PACC and appreciate that Singlish is the hybrid of all our local languages mixed together. The fact that we are living in a melting pot of different races and cultures makes it difficult not to speak any form of Singlish when we are immerse in such a diverse and rich envrionment. What makes us unique is our ability to use language effectively under different circumstances - be it proper English or Singlish. The key here is to teach our students to harness this ability and use both languages effectively for PACC.

By Grace Maria Lee (KSS)

# data[].attributes.headline
How will my students benefit from the teaching and learning of a) reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication? and b) spoken versus written English?

# data[].attributes.subject
How will my students benefit from the teaching and learning of a) reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication? and b) spoken versus written English?

# data[].attributes.body
As I was reading through the article, I had a few thoughts:
1. What is 'good' English, and by whom should it be defined? In one of the Facebook comments, the term 'Queen's English' was used. That got me wondering whether we are equating what is 'good' (and hence implicitly superior) English to the version that was spoken by the British colonisers.
2. Also, when Rogers said that Singaporeans speak 'bad' English (and Mandarin), was he referring to the grammar used, the articulation/pronunciation, or the posture of the speaker?
3. In the article, there was a mention of Singlish being a 'shorter and more convenient' form of communication. As EL teachers in Singapore teaching bilingual students who might take for granted their familiarity (but not necessarily an internationally-recognised fluency) in English, we cannot discount the impact our students' mother tongues and Singlish have on their daily spoken interactions with each other. If we measure effective communication with how successfully one is able to articulate oneself and be understood by others,  and be open to the ideas of others, speaking Singlish actually leads to people communicating effectively, albeit in a manner that might not be deemed appropriate to non-speakers. Then Singlish becomes a form of social barrier.

So. How would my students benefit from learning reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication? Communication takes place when students apply receptive and productive skills;  they benefit when they know how to discern the input they receive, inquire to clarify and consolidate their opinions, and share their ideas with others while respecting different perspectives. Doing these would require them to know how to listen carefully and attentively, as, interestingly, in reciprocal communication, more meaning is sometimes attached to what is not said. Being able to infer meaning based on the nuances of language and the context would allow our students to understand others better. Beyond the classroom, students would find themselves with the content and skills to make meaning out of information and find their voice, be it via written or verbal output. I believe that these would enable them to live richer lives and most importantly, make them less self-centred (and have a broader worldview).

Related to student voice which I mentioned above, since the purpose of communication is to understand others and be understood, we should equip our students with the appropriate set of knowledge and skills to use in the correct context. Having knowledge of the difference between spoken versus written communication sensitises our students to the purpose, audience, culture, and context, in order to not just write to answer essay questions, but to analyse the situation and appropriate response when they are communicating with others.

As mentioned in the YouTube video, there is a perceived difference between the prestige level of written and spoken communication. While the former is more permanent and highly-regarded, the latter has to be done every day. Therefore, we would not want our students to take for granted that they would be able to articulate their ideas relevantly, since speaking is a natural developmental process that supposedly does not have to be taught explicitly, while reading and writing do. This is not always the case. For students who do not speak English at home, or are international students, knowing how to express their ideas to their peers in speech is crucial for them to gain confidence and more importantly, a sense of self in the classroom. Students can work on their writing autonomously, since they can process, review, and revise at leisure, but speaking is a form of reciprocal communication that requires the participation of another party.

I have observed that students in classes that consist mostly of English-speaking students tend to be more vocal and inquisitive, which leads to deeper and more interesting learning. They might not have perfect knowledge of grammar, but there exists a higher level of self-confidence in sharing their ideas and listening to those of their peers. The opposite holds true in classes that have students who are not comfortable with the English Language. In such classes, much more time is spent on building their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. This takes away time from classroom discussions, which is not ideal for lower progress students who precisely need to be engaged in ways beyond the traditional written/spoken texts. Teaching EL is so tough!

Park Han Na
Bukit Merah Secondary School

# data[].attributes.body
Initially, I was rather offended by Jim Rogers' comment, because I think in recent years, EL teachers in Singapore schools have been focusing on developing students' speaking skills more than we did, say a decade ago! However, after pondering over what could have caused him to give such a brutal remark about Singaporeans' spoken English and Chinese, and after reading and viewing the materials provided in Sessions 1 and 2, I do have the following thoughts pertaining to:

(a) reciprocal or non-reciprocal communication - The ability to respond relevantly and confidently in a conversation in any setting requires the participants to first be active listeners. As such, teaching students to develop the right attitudes and strategies for active listening is a critical first step to teaching speaking. Through various strategies for teaching non-reciprocal communication (e.g. listening and viewing a news report), students learn to listen attentively, process the information and then sieve out relevant ideas that will help them in subsequent learning activities involving reciprocal communication.

(b) spoken versus written English - Helping students to understanding the differences between the two will definitely enable them to speak and write better. Perhaps, the lack of fluency in speaking may be attributed to an over-focus on accuracy in terms of syntax and grammar. Some students may also have difficulty trying to code-switch between formal and informal English, or standard and colloquial English. Helping students understand PACC will certainly sensitise them to the conventions of speech in different contexts.

- Amy Yap Chin Ping (Kranji Secondary)

# data[].attributes.body
(a) I think TnL of both non-reciprocal and reciprocal communication are equally important in developing effective communicators. The former to teach and learn the required speaking skills - articulation, pronunciation, word stress, pace, pitch etc and the latter (which encompasses the aforementioned speaking skills and more!) to ensure that our learners can effectively bring their message across and/ or give an appropriate response in a dialogue/ conversation. It's really what we train our students for in Reading aloud (non-reciprocal) and Spoken Interaction (reciprocal).
(b) Tn L of spoken versus written English could help our students hone their ability to code switch. For some students because of the lack of distinction between the 2, their written lang suffers when they incl aspects of spoken EL in their written work.

# data[].attributes.body
I think Jim Rogers' comments were obviously tongue-in-cheek - he was probably just trying to break the ice with the audience at his conference. Nevertheless, here are some thoughts I have on Singaporeans speaking bad English in relation to:

a) Reciprocal vs Non-reciprocal communication: I think the readings and the video just underscored the importance of dialogue as reciprocal communication in the classroom. Singaporeans who are perceived to have poor communication skills might simply lack confidence because they have practised and been exposed to non-reciprocal forms of communication far more often. Creating more dialogue in the classroom means students see reciprocal communication, and the exchange of ideas, as the norm and not an event which should be any cause for anxiety.

b) Spoken vs Written English: I thought the idea of spoken grammar was interesting. I agree with the author's note of caution that spoken grammar might be a useful concept for the teacher to be aware of but not necessarily one that has to be explicitly introduced to students - especially since spoken grammar appears to be culturally dependent. Do we want to teach our students to speak good 'Singaporean English' or would we prefer for all of them to sound like someone from BBC Radio? In any case, it is helpful to point out to students which concepts can be transferred from writing to speaking and which ones are unique to spoken interactions.

-Christopher Tan Ming Quan (TPSS)

# data[].attributes.headline
(a) reciprocal communication: watch an episode of the news at 9pm on Channel 5. Students emulate pronunciation, expression and fluency of newscaster. Subtitles help the visual learners. Content/knowledge is increased as well. (b) The different typical speech and written features can highlight to students with a relatable example for each feature for students to appreciate the appropriateness and versatility of these two skills.

# data[].attributes.subject
(a) reciprocal communication: watch an episode of the news at 9pm on Channel 5. Students emulate pronunciation, expression and fluency of newscaster. Subtitles help the visual learners. Content/knowledge is increased as well. (b) The different typical speech and written features can highlight to students with a relatable example for each feature for students to appreciate the appropriateness and versatility of these two skills.

# data[].attributes.body
-Lee Weng Kin (CCKSS)