What advice does Education Minister Desmond Lee offer parents struggling with mother tongue teaching?

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Education Minister Desmond Lee's Advice for Parents Teaching Mother Tongue Languages

Education Minister Desmond Lee acknowledges the difficulties parents face in raising bilingual children within an English-dominated environment. He reassures parents that perfection in their own mother tongue is not a prerequisite for teaching their children, emphasizing that consistent effort and dedication are paramount. Lee suggests practical, small-scale strategies to integrate mother tongue use at home, even as predominant home language use shifts.
Effort and Consistency Over Perfection

Desmond Lee stated that parents do not need to be perfect speakers of their mother tongue to effectively teach their children. He highlighted that the key factors in successful mother tongue acquisition are the parents' effort and consistency in their teaching approach. This message aims to alleviate parental anxiety about their own language proficiency, encouraging them to focus on the process of imparting the language.
Practical Home-Based Strategies

To counter the challenges of teaching mother tongue languages at home, Lee proposed several accessible methods. These include engaging children with picture books during bedtime, conversing about their daily activities in their mother tongue, and listening to mother tongue songs together. These suggestions are designed to be easily incorporated into daily routines, fostering natural exposure and engagement.
Adapting to Changing Home Language Use

Lee observed that fewer families are predominantly using their mother tongue at home, which presents a significant hurdle for language transmission. Despite this trend, he encouraged the continued use of both English and mother tongue languages within households. This dual-language approach acknowledges the reality of Singapore's linguistic landscape while still advocating for the preservation and practice of mother tongue languages.

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What advice does Education Minister Desmond Lee offer parents struggling with mother tongue teaching?

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