新加坡雙語教育政策的沿革與新機遇

Bilingual Education Policy in Singapore: Evolution and New Opportunities

吳英成(Yeng-Seng GOH)

《臺灣語文研究》 5卷2期 (2010/09) Pp. 63-80

https://doi.org/10.6710/JTLL.201009_5(2).0004

摘要

自新加坡1965年獨立建國以來，雙語教育即成為主流教育體系的基石。新加坡學生除以英語為主導教學媒介語外，還必須修讀所屬族群的「母語」課程，希冀實現政府既定的用英語謀生立業，以族群「母語」傳承文化的教育目標。這一重大政策對新加坡華族社群語言生態以及華語教學發展產生了根本性的影響。本論文旨在通過文獻分析和歷史回顧從縱向剖析新加坡雙語教育的沿革與新機遇。本研究發現，雙語教育政策是造成新加坡華族年輕人家庭常用語從「脫方入華」到「脫華入英」的關鍵；「講華語運動」在不同時期的目標、對象和內容各不相同，是促成「脫華入英」轉變的催化劑。同時，本論文也針對三次重要的華語教學改革從背景、內容、影響等方面進行分析和反思，指出了特選中學、華文B課程的作用與殘留的問題，提出了雙語並用華語教學法、雙文化課程等華語教學的新方向。最後，從全球語言視角切入，詮釋華語在新加坡的新機遇。

關鍵字

語言政策 ； 雙語教育 ； 教學媒介語 ； 全球語言

並列摘要

Since the independence of Singapore in 1965, the bilingual education policy has become a cornerstone of the mainstream education system. This requirement to learn two languages is implemented in pursuance to the government's dual education objectives of learning English to make a living and learning an ethnic ＂mother tongue＂ for the transmission of culture. Having a critical impact on the language ecosystem of the Singapore Chinese community and the teaching of Chinese, this major policy is a pivotal cause of the language shift ＂from Chinese dialects to Mandarin＂ and ＂from Mandarin to English＂ in the household language of the younger Chinese generation. With different goals, target audience and content at different stages, the ＂Speak Mandarin Campaign＂ became a catalyst for the switchover ＂from Chinese dialects to Mandarin＂. Through undertaking a literature analysis and a historical overview, this paper seeks to analyze the evolution of the Singapore bilingual education system and the new opportunities it faces ahead, and to further examine and rethink the past three major Chinese language pedagogical reforms. The effect and remaining problems of the Special Assistance Plan schools and the Chinese Language ＂B＂ syllabus are further discussed. This paper also sets out a number of pedagogical practices, including the Bilingual Approach to the Teaching of Chinese and the Bicultural Studies Programme. An outline of the new opportunities that the Chinese language in Singapore faces ahead is further addressed from a global language perspective.

並列關鍵字

language policy ； bilingual education ； medium of instruction ； global language

參考文獻

Curriculum Planning & Development Division(2002).Chinese Language Syllabus (Secondary).Singapore:Ministry of Education.

Goh, Yeng Seng(1999).Challenges of the rise of global Mandarin.Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association.34(3),41-48.

Leow, Bee Geok. 2001. Census of Population 2000 Statistical Release 2: Education, Language and Religion. Singapore: Singapore Department of Statistics.

(Ministry of Education, Singapore. 1999. Ministerial statement by DPM BG Lee Hsien Loong on Chinese language in schools in parliament. Singapore Ministry of Education Press Release, 20 January.).

(Ministry of Education, Singapore. 2004a. Bilingual Approach (BA) to the teaching of Chinese language at the primary level extended to seven other schools, Singapore Ministry of Education Press Release, 23 February.).