b. Implementation of the ‘Active Learning’ pedagogy, whereby students learn by engaging in debates, discussions and presentations in class instead of just listening to a lecturer in class. This way, learning is self-driven and students have to think more critically in class, allowing them greater opportunities to participate actively in lessons.

2 Current Measures:

Why is this AOC important: Children being unengaged in Chinese class ultimately leads to a poorer command of the language. In Singapore, hybridisation of East and West is an important selling point of our talent. If we lose this advantage, Singapore will fare less favorably in comparison with other countries.

Problem statement: Boring and over-structured syllabus content (stories in the school textbook are meant to impart morals and values, but the result is the content is not exciting or relevant to young pupils. They begin to associate Chinese with the old-fashioned, uninteresting content in the books) and overemphasis on testing reading and writing result in unengaged students in Chinese lessons. 

Maximise/minimise: Maximise the fun parts of Chinese, minimise the boring, rote learning content

Existing measures:

1 - Wow Wild Learn Programme (2. Instructional
Curriculum to amplify learning outcomes in a teaching‐learning situation)

Officially launched in 2017 by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Ms Low Yen Ling, the Wow Wild Learn Programme is a collaboration between the Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) and Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) to bring the language alive for pre-school children. 

Said Ms Low: "We hope this programme can engage and excite pre-schoolers through learning in a fun way to stimulate their senses."

Said My First Skool pre-school teacher Lu Lan Yin, 46: "This programme is very helpful in teaching lessons applicable to daily life. For example, I used the recent Segar monkey attacks to teach the kids not to feed wild animals. The timing was good as we were going to the River Safari, which also houses monkeys."

2 - Han Language Centre and Junior (3. A commercial/business enterprise opportunity)

Han Language Centre, which has over 20 branches here, incorporates stories, jokes and games into Chinese lessons, making them more lively and less mundane.
Apart from covering the school syllabus, it also uses material from newspapers, songs, movies and dramas.
Mr Ann Jong Juan, 70, who founded the centre in 1993:
"I wanted to go beyond the syllabus, and help students have fun in the process," he said. "When they are happy, they will be more engaged and will enjoy the language. We want them to find joy in coming here to learn, and not see it as a chore," Mr Ann said.

Soon, the centre will be starting a kindergarten, known as Han Junior, which will teach kids through play. Unlike many kindergartens here, Han Junior will use Chinese as a language medium for teaching most of its lessons.

Efforts in integrating students with special needs into society as they reach adulthood can be improved

Current measures/efforts

Children’s Aid Society

Lien Foundation investment