Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL)

Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL)

http://en.sccl.sg/

"The establishment of Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL) was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 6 September 2008.

The objective of SCCL is to enhance the effectiveness of teaching Chinese as a second language in a bilingual environment and to meet the learning needs of students from non-Mandarin speaking homes.

Through the provision of quality training, SCCL hopes to enhance the teaching literacy, competency and professionalism of Chinese language teachers.

It will also strive to promote the development of Chinese culture and language in Singapore. The Centre also focuses on researching innovative teaching and learning strategies, and through the promotion of effective Chinese language pedagogy in a bilingual environment, the Centre hopes to develop unique and effective teaching methods to strengthen the position of SCCL as the regional teaching and research centre for Chinese as a second language.

SCCL had begun its in-service training courses in June 2009."

Here is some points raised by MM Lee Kuan Yew at the opening of the Centre on 17 Nov 2009:

News: The Straits Times - 18 November 2009
MM Lee wants learning of Chinese to be fun
By Clarissa Oon & Cai Haoxiang

"I intervened successively over the years and insisted that my experience should guide the policy. I was taking risks. I started wrong and I put it right. It is not completely right but I will get it right if I live long enough."

"he urged parents and educators not just to expose children to the Chinese language from a young age, but also to stimulate the child's interest in the language, beyond just 'passing exams'."

"I want to get this message into the heads of the younger generation of teachers: Use IT, use drama, use every method to capture the interest of children,' he said."

"One example of how the SCCL is making the learning of Chinese fun is through mobile phone technology. This was shown at a conference yesterday afternoon by one of the centre's lecturers."

For full text of the article, visit:

http://www.pmo.gov.sg/News/Transcripts/Minister+Mentor/MM+Lee+wants+learning+of+Chinese+to+be+fun.htm