LANGUAGE IN INDIA

LEARNING AND TEACHING TAMIL IN SINGAPORE
An Argument in Favor of Engaged Learning and Emphasis on Spoken Tamil

M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

In this article in Tamil, I present a review of the structure and content of Tamil textbooks that were/are prepared and used in Singapore. This review aims at identifying some of the very interesting features of the Tamil textbooks in use in Singapore. The review was presented as my Keynote address to the Seminar/worshop organized by the Tamil Curriculum Development Cell of the Ministry of Education, Government of Singapore in 2006.

Teaching and using Indian languages as part of the curriculum for the Indian Diaspora often takes the role and function of heritage learning. However, in the case of the vibrant and zealous Tamil community in Singapore (and Malaysia), Tamil is an official language with an excellent support base from the national governments as well as culture leaders. However, as new generations enter school, these students, impacted by the global trend of using English even for interpersonal communication, have started losing their skills in their mother tongue. Situation calls for a radical review of the existing textbooks, especially the language style adopted, content introduced, classroom activities organized, and the goals of Tamil teaching and learning.

The article succinctly describes the current situation, the layout and goals of the existing Tamil textbooks, and suggests enagaged learning processes with a greater emphasis on Spoken Tamil. The models offered in Tamilnadu, India may not be entirely relevant for the situation in Singapore. The article readily identifies the deliberately and intelligently designed processes of Singapore Tamil textbooks, and argues for a greater thrust toward bridging the Spoken Tamil and Written Tamil in the textbooks.

The writers of Tamil textbooks in Tamilnadu (a woesome government effort) have a lot to learn and emulate from the existing Singapore Tamil textbooks, while at the same time, Singapore writers have an imperative need to make new headways, in terms of the bridge between the spoken and written varieties.

While it may be a pragmatic step, or it may perhaps be necessitated by the educational policy of the Government of Singapore, that the Singapore Tamil textbooks somewhat ignore the religious genre of literature in Tamil, textbook writers need to find a way to impart some understanding and appreciation of this literary genre. Inclusion of materials from the Chinese and Malay classics is also recommended.

Let us also recognize the fact that neither the textbook writers, nor the syllabus, nor the textbooks and the classroom activities alone can bring about the desired change. Parents, social organizations, opinion leaders, Tamil media, et al. need to work together with young people to accomplish this goal. It is important to exploit all avenues, both curriculuar and extra-curricular, to encourage the students to overcome their reluctance to speak Tamil at home, and with other Tamil persons they come across, in places of work, shopping areas, etc. Let not Tamil take the avatar of a language learned and used only in the classroom! Much is at stake here!

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