How does MOE encourage parents to support mother tongue learning at home?

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MOE Encourages Parents to Support Mother Tongue Learning Through Consistent Effort and Simple Home Activities

The Ministry of Education (MOE) promotes parental involvement in mother tongue language acquisition by emphasizing that perfection in speaking is not a prerequisite for effective modeling. Instead, the focus is placed on consistent effort and the integration of simple, everyday activities into the home environment. These strategies aim to counter the increasing challenge of maintaining mother tongue usage in predominantly English-speaking households.
Parents Need Not Be Perfect Speakers to Model Languages

Education Minister Desmond Lee highlighted that parents do not need to possess flawless fluency in their mother tongue to effectively teach it to their children. The crucial elements are the parents' commitment and the regularity with which they engage with the language. This message seeks to alleviate anxieties some parents might have about their own language proficiency, encouraging them to participate actively in their children's linguistic development.
Simple Home Activities Foster Language Exposure

MOE suggests that parents can initiate mother tongue learning through straightforward, manageable activities. Examples include reading picture books with children before bedtime, engaging in daily conversations about their day in the mother tongue, or listening to songs together. These accessible methods aim to embed the language naturally into family routines, making the learning process less daunting and more organic.
Acknowledging Challenges and Encouraging Continued Usage

The ministry recognizes that fewer Singaporean families predominantly use their mother tongue at home, posing a challenge to language transmission. However, MOE also finds it encouraging that a significant number of households continue to use a combination of English and their mother tongue. This observation underscores the importance of continued, even if not exclusive, home-based mother tongue exposure.

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How does MOE encourage parents to support mother tongue learning at home?

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