Message by HOD

Message by HOD (English Language and Literature)

In Singapore, English is the medium of instruction in schools and a subject of study for our primary and secondary students. English is Singapore’s lingua franca, and Singaporeans use English to communicate and connect with speakers of other languages. Beyond our shores, English is the most widely spoken language in the world – connecting people, cultures, businesses and countries.

At the most fundamental level, the aim of any good English Language programme is for its learners to be able to read, write, and speak the language fluently. In Serangoon Secondary School, we recognise and value the importance of English as a medium of instruction for all other subjects except Mother Tongue Languages, and as a tool to tap into far more information and knowledge than is taught in school. We also recognise the important role our English teachers play to equip our StaRs with the language and critical thinking skills to be discerning recipients growing up in this age of fake news, and constructive participants in this global community of English speakers.

Our aim as a department is for our students to use English clearly, correctly, confidently, creatively and convincingly. It is important to ensure that all our StaRs are able to attain at the least a functional level of proficiency in the language. This means they are able to communicate clearly in English using correct grammar, spelling and pronunciation – something which we place special emphasis on in the lower secondary levels. It also means that as they move up the levels, they are able to use the language with greater levels of sophistication in speech and writing – for a variety of purposes and platforms, and to varying effects, from everyday interactions whether face to face or on social media, to academic communications.

To produce students who can communicate confidently and convincingly, we also emphasise on oracy and oratorical skills through debating and public speaking exposure and opportunities for some of our students. We have alternately organised debating showcases and public speaking competitions as part of post-exam activities. To hone their writing skills beyond the requirements of the syllabus, we also organise level-wide writing competitions in different areas of creative writing such as flash fiction.

Our EL department has leveraged on technological shifts in recent years to enable our students to hone their English skills through online learning tools such as Google Suite, Padlet, Kahoot, etc., to support active learning, foster collaborative learning, and make thinking & learning visible. Through our pursuit of collaborations with other departments, we are able to extend our students’ learning of English beyond the classroom.

Of course, at the heart of all language learning endeavours is reading. Through reading, a student is able to learn every part of a language: grammar, vocabulary, syntax and so much more. Our EL department emphasises choice in reading because it is a powerful way of encouraging reading as a life-long habit among our StaRs.

Mdm Azrina Bte Md Salleh
HOD (English Language and Literature)