Mother Tongue Languages

Department Overview

The school believes that the Mother Tongue Languages (MTLs) are important bearers of culture and a source of social belonging and identity. This is why fostering a deep understanding and appreciation of culture, and cultivating a positive attitude towards life and people underpins the department’s efforts to develop in students a strong foundation in their respective MTLs.

Key to this is an emphasis on the core skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing; a focus on interaction skills; tailoring instruction to different learning needs of students; and engaging lessons and resources that capture students’ interest.

Department Members

Key Programmes

Festive Celebrations

The communal celebration of different festivals are leveraged to help students learn and appreciate Singapore’s diverse cultural heritage. By participating in one another’s cultural traditions, students gain insights about people who may be different from themselves, and this fosters acceptance and responsibility towards others. It also creates common experiences and shared memories to help strengthen a sense of belonging to the nation.

Reading Programmes

A love for reading accelerates language development and to nurture this, students read extensively through a structured programme from Primary One to Six. At the same time, students also learn character development and sound moral values through the experience and power of stories.

Mother Tongue (MTL) Fortnight

The MT Fortnight Programme provides students with an engaging and immersive learning experience in Chinese, Malay, and Tamil languages. Through a variety of hands-on activities, cultural workshops, and performances conducted over two weeks, students develop a deeper appreciation of their language, culture, and heritage beyond the classroom.

Little Ambassadors Programme

High-progress MTL learners are supported through enrichment activities and participation in external competitions to help them achieve their full potential in the language. From 2025, the school has introduced the Bicultural Programme as part of the Little Ambassadors (CL) Programme. This initiative aims to help students better understand cross-cultural topics through guided discussions and sharing of ideas from a Singaporean perspective.

Public Speaking

To develop confidence in communication, students are trained and given opportunities to practise public speaking across various platforms, such as school concerts, celebrations, recess activities, and external events throughout the year. The school also recognises students who demonstrate effort and perform well as confident speakers.

Celebrating our students' achievements

6th Text Recital Competition for Primary and Secondary School (2023) (CL)

Bronze /Group:

• Chen Denuo (4 Diligence)

• Du Wenxuan (4 Perseverance)

• Ho Kah Tseng Jazton (5 Care)

• Hu Yahan (5 Empathy)

Link to IG post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyPSI5-BVNZ/?img_index=1&igsh=bTY1ZTd6cDlmaHl1

27th National On The Spot Creative Writing Competition 2023 (CL)

Merit Award (Chinese Category/Primary 4):

• Gu Wanqing (4 Diligence)

• Chow Jing En (4 Care)

Merit Award (Chinese Category/Primary 6):

• Zhao Ruiqing (6 Care)

Outstanding Prize Award (Non-Chinese Category):

• Thoon Wathan (5 Care)

Link to IG post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyPSI5-BVNZ/?img_index=1&igsh=bTY1ZTd6cDlmaHl1

18th National Crosstalk Competition (2023)(CL)

• Ye Haiqi (3 Empathy)

• Ho Kah Tseng Jazton (5 Care)

Link to IG post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuntIZfPrW1/?igsh=bXk5dGFtOXlwaWts

Muthamizh Vizha (2023) (TL)

• 1^st Place - Sundaravadivelu Rishi (1Care)

Thirikurral Vizha (2023) (TL)

• 1^st Place - Sureshprabu Sai Chatresh (4 Empathy)

• 2^nd Place - Yudhish Rajkumar (2 Faith) & Biranav Jeyarajan (3 Diligence)

• 3^rd Place - Shree Vinay Raghavendran (2 Perseverance)

MAGO National Tamil Storytelling (2023)

• Storytelling Champion - Vangal Pradeep Akkrutha (5 Diligence)

National Singing Competition (2023) (TL)

• Singing 2^nd Place - Yudhish Rajkumar (2 Faith) & Rakshana Ravindar (4 Empathy)

15th Inter Primary School Talent Quest Competition (2023) (TL)

Overall, Champions for 2023

P1 – Fancy Dress

• Consolation - Murali Nihilvaibhav (1 Empathy)

• Consolation - Nethaji Amizhdhiniyan (1 Empathy)

P2-Show & Tell

• 2^nd Place - Karthik Kaashvi (2 Empathy)

P3- Singing

• 3^rd Place - Mukilan Aramjith (3 Integrity)

P4- Storytelling

• 3^rd Place – Rakshana Ravindar (4 Empathy)

• Consolation – Aravinthan Jagnavi (4 Empathy)

• Consolation – Sureshprabu Sai Chatresh (4 Empathy)

P5 -Quiz

• 3^rd Place (Pair) - Senthil Nathan Sai Prasanna(5 Care) & Anuj Ravi (5Diligence)

P6 – Oratorical

• 3^rd Place - Jeyakumar Iniya (6 Care)

• Consolation - Amit Arul Kumar (6 Empathy)

Bonus Round 1 – Dance Competition

• 3^rd Place (Team Category) - Vangal Pradeep Akkrutha (5 Care), Nanthakumar Eshika (5 Empathy), Rajan Vihasini (5 Empathy) & Sathesh Kumar Sanjana (5 Empathy)

Bonus Round 2 – Drama Competition

• 2^nd Place (Team Category) - Sree Nikesh (6 Care), Thandapani Raju Madhavkrishna (6 Diligence), Aditi Ganesh Ram(6 Diligence), Sasti d/o Saravana(6 Diligence), Bavadharani Sivaraman(6 Diligence), Amit Arul Kumar(6 Empathy) & Ramasamy Baala Kailas (6 Respect)

7th Text Recital Competition for Primary and Secondary School (2024)(CL)

• Silver: Li Mengkai (3 Care)

 Link to IG post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DA4xafjP6VO/?igsh=Nzh3ajczaWVvaTJj

28th National Primary School On-the-Spot Chinese Creative Writing Competition 2024

• Merit Award (Chinese Category/Primary 6): Chow Jing En (5 Diligence)

• 2^nd Place (Non-Chinese Category): Thoon Wathan (6 Care)

Link to IG post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DA4xafjP6VO/?igsh=Nzh3ajczaWVvaTJj

Tamilodu Vilaiyadu Spelling Bee By Seithi Mediacorp (TL)

• Champions for 2024 (Team Category) - Jaigath Kannan (5Care), Rakshana Ravindar (5 Care), Sureshprabu Sai Chatresh (5 Diligence), Aravinthan Jagnavi (5 Diligence) and  Vivek Venba (5 Empathy)

Thirikurral Vizha (TL)

Thirukural Recital

• 1^st Place - Yudhish Rajkumar (3 Diligence), Nithyanandam Mohith (4 Care), Vangal Pradeep Akkrutha (6 Diligence)

• 2^nd Place- Raghavendran Shree Vinay (3 Care)

•  Motivational Prize - Thiagarajan Manjushree Kavin (1 Care), Kaniyan Karthik (1 Respect) & Vivek Venba (5 Empathy)

16th Inter Primary School Talent Quest Competition (2024)(TL)

Overall, Champions for 2024

P1 – Fancy Dress

• 1^st Place- Kaniyan Karthik (1Respect)

• 3^rd Place - Rishwanth Thayalan (1Empathy)

P2 – Show & Tell

• 1^st Place - Devanshi Sundaraj (2Integrity)

• Consolation - Ashva Veyilan Shankar (2Perseverance)

• Consolation - Pragathi Prem Sundar (2empathy)

P3 – Singing

• 1^st Place - Yudhish Rajkumar (3Diligence)

• 2^nd Place - Raghavendran Shree Vinay (3Care)

• Consolation - Karthik Kaashvi (3Empathy)

P4 – Storytelling

• 3^rd Place - Nithyanandam Mohith (4Care)

• Consolation - Biranav Jeyarajan (4Diligence)

P5- Quiz

• 3^rd Place (Pair) - Jaigath Kannan (5Care) & Sai Chatresh(5Diligence)

Bonus Round – Dance Competition

• 1^st Place (Team Category) - Rakshana Ravindar (5Care), Muthaiyan Rudrapriya (5Diligence), Thanishka Sathish (5Diligence) & Vidyahasini Annamalai (5Empathy)

Yew Tee Junior Star Category

• 3^rd Place - Sai Chatresh(5Diligence)

• Consolation - Thanishka Sathish (5Diligence)

8th Text Recital Competition for Primary and Secondary School (2025)(TL)

• Bronze /Group: Ye Haiqi (5 Care), Teh Yi Xuan Hannah (5 Perseverance), Zhang Hanzhe (2 Integrity), Zhang Yawen (2 Integrity), Shi Ziqi (3 Integrity) & Hu Qingya (3 Diligence)

29th National Primary School On-the-Spot Chinese Creative Writing Competition 2025

• Merit Award (Non-Chinese Category): Marzan Emma Katharina Lim (5 Care)

• 3^rd Place (Chinese Category- Primary 4): WU GUYU (4 Care)

1st National Primary and Secondary School Chinese Reading Fiesta Competition (2025)

• Top 30 of Primary 3–4 category: Xu Boyu (3 Care)

• Top 10 Outstanding Award of Primary 5–6 category: Chow Jing En (6 Diligence)

Link to IG post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNxj8v-XthW/?igsh=MTJ3bWFjMXhxdHMxYg%3D%3D

TLF Tamil Literary Competition (2025)

Storytelling

• 2^nd Place - Vangal Pradeep Anannya (1Integrity)

Thirukural Recital

• 3^rd Place - Karthik Kaniyan (2Respect)

Conversation Contest

• 1^st Place - Karthik Kaashvi (4Diligence) & Raghavendran Shree Vinay (4Diligence)

Essay Writing Competition

• 1^ST Place - Sureshprabu Sai Chatresh (6Diligence)

• 2^nd Place - Thanishka Sathish (6Diligence)

• 3^rd Place - Ganesh Kumar Brindasri (6Diligence)

Navarasa Medai (2025) (TL)

TED Talks Competition

• 1^st Place - Raghavendran Shree Vinay (4Care)

• 3^rd Place - Nithayanandam Yohith (4Care) & Vivek Venba (6Empathy)

17th Inter Primary School Talent Quest Competition (2025)(TL)

Overall, Champions for 2025

P1 – Fancy Dress

• 2^nd Place- Vangal Pradeep Anannya (1Integrity)

• Consolation - Kalaimani Jashwitha (1Care)

P2 – Show & Tell

• 2^nd Place - Thiagarajan Manjushree Kavin (2Care)

• Consolation - Kaniyan Karthik (2Respect)

P3 – Singing

• 1^st Place - Sundaravadivelu Rishi (3Respect)

• 2^nd Place - Agsharaa Jeyarajan (3Empathy)

P4 – Storytelling

• 2^nd Place - Karthik Kaashvi (4Empathy)

• 3^rd Place - Yudhish Rajkumar (4Diligence)

• Consolation - Nithyanandam Yohith (4Care)

P6 - Tamilin Saritharam!  Games Competition

• 2^nd Place (Team Category)- Rakshana Ravindar (6Care), Sureshprabu Sai Chatresh (6Diligence), Muthaiyan Rudrapriya (6Diligence) & Ganesh Kumar Brindasri (6Diligence)

Bonus Round – Dance Competition

• 2^nd Place (Team Category)- Anika Anand (4Care), Mukilan Aramjith (5Care), Ananda Kumar Dhiviyan Kumar (5Empathy), Ramprabu Deeksha Shivani (5Empathy), Satheshkumar Sakthisri (5Integrity), Arun Sabarish Pratheeksha (5Perseverance), Ashikha Jeyaramanan (5Perseverance) & Varen Vel s/o Shankar Ganesh (5Respect)

Yew Tee Junior Star Category

• 1^st Place - Nithyanandam Mohith (5Care)

• 2^nd Place - Saravanan Balamurugan (3Empathy)

Katapella (2025)(ML)

Qualifying round

1. Ammar Mifzal Bin Muhamad Rafii (5 Care)

2. Naseef Bin Sahrin (5 Care)

3. Iman Asyraf Bin Mohammad Hasrul (5 Dil)

4. Muhammad Haaziq Bin Muhammad Haizal (5 Dil)

5. Arissa Shah Rizal (5 Emp)

6. Eva Ellynna Binte Ewan (5 Emp)

7. Adra Mikaella Azroy (5 Int)

8. Noh Arish Bin Abdullah (5 Int)

9. Raden Marissa Binte Radin Sofian (5 Int)

10. Siti Nur Amelina Binti Mohammed Zaini (5 Int)

11. Luth Adrian Bin Faiz (5 Per)

12. Anisah Binte Mohamed Shaifudin (5 Per)

13. Rayhan Naqib Putra Muhamed Zaki (5 Per)

14. Muhammad Aryan Dziqry Bin Faizul (5 Res) 

15. Ariff Rayn Bin Mohamed Haniffa (5 Res)