Home Language Shift and Its Implications for Language Planning in Singapore: From the Perspective of Prestige Planning

Word Reading in L1 and L2 Learners of Chinese: Similarities and Differences in the Functioning of Component Processes

“…In the past few decades, the global influence of English as a lingua franca has had considerable consequences for the sociolinguistic milieu in Singapore. Perhaps the most significant of these is a gradual home language shift from the ethnic languages to English, which is particularly pronounced in the Chinese community (Zhao & Liu, , ). As a result, even though all ethnic Chinese children learn to become literate in Chinese through 12 years of formal instruction (from Grade 1 to Grade 12), they bring diverse experiences to the process of literacy acquisition.…”

“…These students, for instance, have opportunities to interact with family members in Chinese and watch Chinese TV programs on a daily basis (cf. Zhao & Liu, ). Such language use contributes to their development of a stronger phonological foundation of Chinese and a vocabulary repertoire greater in both quantity and quality than that of their peers who speak English at home (Zhao, Liu, & Hong, ).…”

Mother tongue education in Singapore: concerns, issues and controversies

“…The underlying message of Lee's speech is that the modernization of Singaporean society has resulted in the need to promote an unprecedented vigor in the use of English. As a result of such repeated emphasis by official planners on the economic values of English, the MTLs have been stigmatized as having low instrumental value, which further cause a decline in the use of these languages (Zhao & Liu, 2007). Singapore used to be a Chinese educational bastion for Southeast Asia, with the most comprehensive CL educational system but due to the spread of the English language, and as a result of the premium placed on English-medium education by parents, the CL ceased to be used as a medium of instruction in schools in 1987.…”

“…Given Singapore's heavy reliance on international trade, English will continue to be the de facto language for trade, science and politics, and the symbolic and cultural values 368 C.L.P. Ng associated with English will continue to be part of the linguistic landscape (Zhao & Liu, 2007). In addition, the institutionalization of English as a compulsory school subject has a long history in Singapore.…”

“…As a result of the emphasis on the learning of the English language in the school curriculum, more and younger Chinese Singaporeans have opted to align themselves with the English language instead of the CL. Over the years, Singapore has developed into a society where social stratification is based on linguistic differentiation (Zhao & Liu, 2007). Typically, this problem has been highlighted in the polarization within the Chinese community resulting in the marginalization of its Chinese-educated members.…”