The benefits of a child learning a second or even third language are well documented. So it’s good news that Singapore has a wide variety of school language programmes for students, especially for those who’d like to learn Chinese as a second language. Find out more about what you can expect from these Chinese language programmes or other school language programmes for Mandarin, French, German, Spanish.
Canadian International School
What’s on offer
At the Canadian International School (CIS), students can choose to study languages including Chinese, French, Spanish or Korean in their school language programme. Chinese and French start from Pre-Kindergarten (French from Junior Kindergarten at the Tanjong Katong campus) and are offered in all the grades that follow. Spanish starts in Grade 7 and Korean is offered in Grades 11 and 12 only. If English is your child’s first language, CIS also supports primary students with its English Language Learner programme, where students develop their English literacy skills at their own pace.
To support their linguistically diverse community, the school also offers an after-school paid language programme to students in Grades 1 to 12. Weekly lessons are available in a range of languages including Chinese, French, Japanese, German, Spanish and Dutch; classes change annually in line with community needs. Hoping to raise children who are bilingual and bicultural? Their bilingual programme is available in French-English (Senior Kindergarten to Grade 6 at Lakeside campus, from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 at Tanjong Katong campus) and Chinese-English (Nursery to Grade 6).
An inside look
Both the bilingual programmes are fully aligned to the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. They are taught by two qualified teachers per class – one native English speaker and one native French or Chinese speaker. A key feature of the programme is learning about the culture, as research shows speaking a language without understanding its culture has very little real-world value.
Hear from a parent and student
“CIS is an international IB school with a strong bilingual programme and curriculum where kindness and diversity are a priority. Teachers are native speakers, so the children are immersed in a ‘double culture’, which goes beyond just learning a language as one could at any language centre.” – Gherbi family, French, Senior Kindergarten and Grade 3
“The taxi driver was really surprised that I can speak Chinese very well. When I’m playing in my condo, I speak both languages with my friends. When my mom asks me for help at the restaurants, I explain to her. I have a friend who is also in the bilingual programme and we both speak English and Chinese fluently. We’ll speak Chinese in front of my mom because she won’t understand (*giggles*).” – Wesley, Grade 4
Tanjong Katong Campus, 371 Tanjong Katong Road
Lakeside Campus, 7 Jurong West Street 41
cis.edu.sg
Overseas Family School
What’s on offer
Overseas Family School offers 14 mother tongue languages: Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish and Swedish. This is the most extensive Mother Tongue programme offered by an international school in Singapore, which helps students far from home to keep in touch with their roots. There are four sessions per week, taught by a passionate team of qualified native speakers. Students who choose to immerse themselves thoroughly in the language and culture of their home country will gain and maintain native-level language proficiency for seamless re-integration.
An inside look
The Mother Tongue programme is thoughtfully integrated into the main curriculum at no additional cost. Foreign language study programmes in French, German, Hindi, Mandarin and Spanish are also available as an additional option for parents and students.
Hear from a parent
“Carmen and Alejandra had a great experience with the OFS Mother Tongue Program; they enjoyed learning about their culture while they played. The best thing was that when we returned to Spain, there wasn’t re-integration needed at our children’s current school. Carmen and Alejandra were incorporated directly into mainstream classes, without any special support. In fact, their Spanish level was considered above average from the very beginning. They could write and read as good as their peers in Spain, even better. Even though they started in the middle of the school calendar, they got good marks in all subjects. Their teachers were extremely surprised that after five years abroad, they were able to get these marks without support.” – Luis Angel Fernandez Jove and Belen Torrente
81 Pasir Ris Heights
6738 0211 | ofs.edu.sg
Tanglin Trust School
What’s on offer
All students at Tanglin learn a language in addition to English at the appropriate level of challenge. The Languages and Classics Faculty offers French, Spanish and Chinese as core languages in the school language programme. All three are popular and annually, students choose to pursue them all the way to IB DP and A Level. In Middle and Upper Schools, a lot of the emphasis is put in acquiring language and enabling students to use it. At Post-16, language becomes the vehicle as students learn about aspects beyond the language, such as literature, arts, politics, history and more.
An inside look
Cultural appreciation appears earlier than Post-16 in the form of extracurricular and cross-curricular activities and events that bring the language to life. For example, Tanglin recently held Languages Week, with activities thoughtfully planned to give students exposure to the cultures beyond the language. Some of these activities were Chinese dance, Chinese calligraphy, a cheese tasting workshop, traditional and modern dances, crafts or cooking world food. Others such as beginners’ lessons in Spanish, Catalan, Urdu or Portuguese gave students a chance to explore other languages and cultures.
Hear from a student
“Languages Week was fun and full of activities to further expand our knowledge of food, culture, and history of countries around the world. Lessons such as French were very exciting as we got to try various French foods. I am very grateful for this experience.” – Samantha, Year 8
95 Portsdown Road
6778 0771 | tts.edu.sg
Singapore American School
What’s on offer
Singapore American School students are able to study languages including Chinese, Spanish and French as part of its school language programme. Chinese and Spanish are available from the early years while French is offered from sixth grade. Students have language opportunities integrated into every moment, allowing them to gain high-level mastery of the language and become engaged global citizens.
The school also has a Chinese Immersion programme. This programme operates using a sliding scale model, starting with full immersion in pre-kindergarten with an 80-20 instruction model to a 75-25 instruction model in kindergarten and first grade. 75 to percent of a student’s day is delivered in Chinese through core classes, while lessons in English, music, art, and PE constitute 20 to 25 percent of English instruction. A number of parents who have taken their families to China have great tales to tell of their five- and six-year-olds helping with bookings, ordering meals and more.
An inside look
The immersion classes participate in the same annual excursions as the other grade level classes; kindergarten classes visit a nearby nursing home as part of their service learning. All classes will visit Chinatown just before Chinese New Year as part of Social Studies and learning about important festivals. Opportunities abound in after-school activities including calligraphy, paper cutting, wushu, martial arts classes and even Junior Journalists where students produce their own trilingual magazine in English, Chinese and Spanish.
Hear from a parent
“We didn’t set out to look for a Chinese immersion programme for our younger kids, but after seeing it in action, we were very impressed. It’s amazing to see our First Grader read chapter books in Mandarin and write her own realistic fiction series using Chinese characters.” – Aisha Oravec
40 Woodlands Street 41
6363 3403 | sas.edu.sg
UWCSEA
What’s on offer
The UWCSEA community is drawn from over 90 countries and names over 70 different languages as their first language. Well over half the community speak a language other than English at home and identify as bilingual or multilingual. So, while the main language of instruction is English, the multilingual community has a complex language profile.
Students whose first language is not English are supported to maintain their mother tongue through the unique and highly regarded Home Language Programme (HLP), available on both campuses. This UWCSEA-developed school language programme helps students to maintain and develop literacy skills – speaking, listening, reading and writing – in a language spoken at home when the language is not offered as part of the academic curriculum. Available from K1 to Grade 12, HLP classes are taught by a qualified teacher after school or at lunchtime. Last year, 15 different languages were offered. HLP students also study English and another language or English as an Additional Language during the school day.
An inside look
Academic courses for beginner, foreign or first language learners depend on the campus, the grade level and the student’s past experience in learning the language. Beginner and foreign (continuation) language classes are offered in Chinese, English, French and Spanish. First language courses in the academic programme, starting at different grade-levels and depending on the campus, are offered in Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish. Other languages are also supported in High School through a School Supported Self-Taught option. HLP students may be able to join these first language classes in the academic programme as they become available.
Hear from students
“I think that being able to speak in school the language that I use at home is very special because it’s hard to find a school where people speak and do activities in all the different languages spoken in the world.” – Federico, Grade 4
“I think it’s a great opportunity to speak in Korean and learn Korean culture while living abroad and attending an international school.” – Seoyeon, Grade 3
1207 Dover Road
6775 5344 | uwcsea.edu.sg
EtonHouse International School
What’s on offer
Since its inception in 1995, EtonHouse has nurtured cohorts of fluent bilingual speakers in its Chinese language programme, many of whom are non-native Mandarin speakers. The school offers different tracks in bilingual education to suit different learning styles and goals. Those who want to develop strong Mandarin language proficiency can opt for the ZhongHua Mandarin Immersion Programme offered in multiple early year campuses. In Primary, there is the award-winning Bilingual Immersion Programme, highly commended in the Best Bilingual Programme Award by WhichSchoolAdvisor (Singapore) in 2022. Students can progress further to study Mandarin in the IGCSE and IB Diploma at the EtonHouse Orchard campus. Other language options available at the schools include Hindi, Japanese, Spanish or English as an Additional Language.
An inside look
All the different language-learning models offered at EtonHouse adhere to the same philosophy of helping children pick up the language in an authentic, fun and engaging way through meaningful experiences based on their interests and competencies.
The language teachers deliver the Chinese language programme using an inquiry-based approach while ensuring that the children build and practice the targeted vocabulary through conversations and completing tasks. For example, when some Nursery 1 children became curious about the colour of rain after a rainy day, they were guided by their Mandarin teacher on a series of experiments and experiences to learn more about water. Through the activities, they build their vocabulary and use Mandarin words to express themselves and communicate with their teachers and friends.
The school also integrates history and culture into the curriculum through art, music, calligraphy, opera and the celebration of traditional festivals to nurture a deeper appreciation and love for the language. Children also explore the language and its cultural context through field trips where they are presented with opportunities to speak the language.
Hear from a parent
“My daughter hardly had any exposure to the Mandarin language at home, which was the main reason for us enrolling her into the ZhongHua Mandarin Immersion Programme. Initially, she wasn’t receptive to us speaking Mandarin to her. Now, she has grown to show a keen interest in the language, proactively speaking Mandarin and also requesting that we help translate certain words for her. This would definitely not have been possible without the kind patience and effort from all the teachers in school.” – Jeremy Goh
10 preschools and four international schools islandwide
6746 3333 | etonhouse.edu.sg
The Grange Institution
What’s on offer
The Grange Institution values students’ native and additional language development. In addition to the Cambridge Primary English lessons, students can choose either Mandarin Foreign Language, Japanese Mother Tongue Language (native language maintenance) or Additional English Language (for students who need extra support).
An inside look
The language programmes at The Grange aim to help students acquire language skills and knowledge, while reinforcing learning objectives, fostering self-learning and cooperation abilities, and developing effective learning strategies and appropriate use of languages in a multicultural community. The curriculum is organised around listening, speaking, reading and writing, offering authentic opportunities and interdisciplinary links with IPC Units of Learning. Classes are delivered through both teacher-directed and collaborative learning opportunities. Students apply their learning through engaging and fun activities such as games, role plays, interviewing people in the community and class discussions.
Hear from parents
“The teachers at TGI are very supportive towards non-native students. We were surprised when we heard that our son was the champion of the first Chinese Language Festival by winning three prizes in four categories. As we aren’t native Chinese speakers and cannot communicate in basic Chinese, this shows that the teachers have helped build his knowledge and vocabulary in school.” – Han Lin Aung
449 Yio Chu Kang Road
6817 3630 | thegrange.edu.sg
Camberley Pre-School
What’s on offer
Camberley Pre-School believes in nurturing bilingual and bicultural children who will be ready for the global arena of the future. Besides English as the key medium of instruction, children are exposed to Chinese as a second language and the fun bits of Chinese culture in an immersive environment that sparks intrigue and interest in picking up the language. In the Chinese language programme, children are drawn towards communicating in Chinese at various times throughout the day, five days a week, through learning activities lined up in their programme.
An inside look
The Camberley Pre-School Chinese curriculum draws on the Chinese language programme for early learners developed by the Confucius Institute, Nanyang Technological University of Singapore. The merits of this programme include localised context and terminology, which will equip young children from all over the world with language skills that can be put to use locally. The learning content for Chinese as a second language is theme-based and covers all practical areas useful to a young child. Learning is further enriched through a cultural immersion programme that includes penmanship, speech and drama, visual arts, literature, music and festivities.
Hear from a parent
“Angel thoroughly enjoys her time learning in Camberley Pre-School, especially during Mandarin Language lessons. The programme has brought out a side of Angel that we enjoy so much – she comes home reciting poems and engages in Chinese songs with us during our ride home. I’m very pleased with how supportive her teachers are in immersing her into the aspect of learning her own history and practices.” – Evonne
6383 5025 | 8806 4598 | 16 Flower Road
6235 7555 | 8805 4876 | #02-16 Balmoral Plaza, 271 Bukit Timah Road
6387 7555 | 8854 1677 | 14 Jalan Chelagi
camberley.com.sg
Dulwich College (Singapore)
What’s on offer
Dulwich College (Singapore) has a vibrant school language programme department with Mandarin, Spanish, French and German foreign languages on offer. DUCKS (Dulwich College Kindergarten School) is a dual English and Mandarin language environment. In Junior school, children benefit from daily Mandarin as a second language classes. In Years 7 and 8, students study both Mandarin and a European language of their choice, and many continue studying two languages at IGCSE. Mandarin, Spanish, French and German at Higher and Standard Level as well as ab initio are offered for IB. The College also has students studying in their first language for Mandarin, Spanish, French, Japanese and Korean.
An inside look
The College has a whole range of fun linguistic and cultural CCAs that promote both language acquisition and support first languages. These include Year 12 First Language students teaching Year 7 their First Languages, collaborations with other Dulwich schools for pen pals, and live debates.
The Dulwich Day of Languages is celebrated annually. It’s a day that promotes intercultural awareness, understanding and appreciation of the school’s communities and the world’s languages and cultures through a wide variety of language and cultural activities. For this year, students enjoyed kung fu, pétanque, Cumbia dancing, mahjong, cooking, film dubbing, the unique Spanish festival El Colacho, the inaugural Year 7 spelling bee, and more.
Hear from a parent
“The most valuable and enjoyable aspect of the Dulwich language programme is the seamless integration of multiple languages into the classroom. Further, an emphasis on enjoyment through learning is invaluable to ensure willing engagement. My son is thoroughly immersed in learning whilst simultaneously having fun.” – David Sharratt
1 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8
6890 1003 | singapore.dulwich.org
St. Joseph’s Institution International
What’s on offer
SJI International has a culturally and linguistically diverse community. In Elementary School, Mandarin language and Chinese culture lessons take place daily for all classes. Spanish is another language option for Grades 5 and 6; the course is designed for beginners. The High School curriculum includes Chinese, Tamil, Malay, Indonesian, Hindi and Spanish.
Students whose language is not taught as part of the mainstream curriculum can maintain and develop their home language through the parent-funded Home Language Programme (HLP). The languages currently on offer are Japanese, Korean, French, Thai, Vietnamese, German, Russian and Italian. This Additive Bilingualism experience is done in conjunction with developing their English skills. The HLP is also for students who have a strong cultural connection to another language; and it caters for students who are studying an MOE Mother Tongue-in-lieu language. The aim of HLP is to provide a pathway for students through to the IB Diploma, and in most cases, to study two first languages, therefore achieving a Bilingual Diploma.
An inside look
There’s a full-time Mandarin-speaking assistant in all the Early Years classrooms who supports the student’s language development throughout the day. The HLP stands out from those of other international schools as the lessons are integrated into the curriculum for two lessons per week, instead of taking place after school as a CCA. The students are immersed in the target language through various activities that also cover the cultural and literary aspects.
Hear from a student
“Studying Spanish at GCSE, and now IB as a Higher Level Spanish B student, has greatly impacted my life in two key ways. First, it has allowed me to improve my communication skills, expanding my ability to converse with a wider range of people. For instance, through Spanish, I’m no longer restricted to English-language media, and am able to read and actively absorb television, music and even literature from a plethora of Spanish-speaking countries. Furthermore, the study has given me the opportunity to grow my social skills and form a deeper understanding of a variety of cultures, making me a more globalised and empathetic learner who’s capable of creating connections beyond my own communities.
Without the study of foreign languages in the long-term at SJII, I wouldn’t be able to say that I am becoming fluent in a language that I don’t even speak at home, opening up a world of possibilities for the future, whether in travel, a career path or otherwise, that I could not have fathomed before.” – Reeti Malhotra, Grade 11
490 Thomson Road
6353 9383 | sji-international.com.sg
Invictus International School – Centrium campus
What’s on offer
The Invictus Centrium campus offers a Bilingual Programme where the English and Chinese languages are accorded equal importance. This is integrated with the Cambridge International Primary curriculum and supplemented with Singapore mathematics content and pedagogy. The school also offers an Integrated Chinese Programme (ICP), which involves exposing students to different aspects of learning Chinese as a second language. This includes language interest, Chinese culture, drama and expressions, creative reading, and using Chinese in the acquisition and application of skills such as communication, collaboration and problem solving. As part of an all-through school, students can transition directly into the Invictus secondary school where instruction is in English.
An inside look
Daily Chinese teaching ranges from 60% in Year 1 to 40% in Year 6. Subjects taught in Chinese include daily Mandarin language lessons, music, art and Physical Education. A part of the Chinese language programme are field trips and external learning experiences. Some places students visit include Chinatown, local food centres and supermarkets. These enhance the student’s learning experience of the Chinese language and culture with authenticity and relevance. Visits to places such as the ArtScience Museum, NeWater Centre and Science Centre provide interdisciplinary learning and knowledge building. The whole school also celebrates Chinese New Year with festive performances including lion and fan dances performed by the students.
Hear from parents
“We’re impressed by our son’s improvements in Chinese language. This year, he managed to learn how to speak, read and write in Chinese in a fun and natural way: special thanks to Mr Kalvin and the other Invictus teachers for instilling passion and culture in the most entertaining way!” – Ms Valentina Righi
“As a non-English-Chinese speaking family, we’re very happy that the Invictus Bilingual Programme provides the best environment for our son to learn English as well as Chinese as a second language. The Chinese teachers used a variety of materials and high-quality teaching methods to make the learning journey fun and enjoyable all the time.” – Allen Shim and Choi Heehyun
320 Serangoon Road
6970 2908 | invictus.edu.sg/centrium
Swiss School in Singapore
What’s on offer
Students at the Swiss School in Singapore can opt for the German or French stream. In the Early Childhood years, lessons are taught in English with introductions in German or French. After joining the Kindergarten class, lessons are in German with English or in French with English respectively. In Class 5, students in the German stream will learn French and vice versa for those in the French stream. Mandarin is offered as an extracurricular activity at the school.
The German stream follows the Lehrplan 21, which harmonises the curriculum and the goals of all German-speaking cantons in Switzerland. The French stream follows the Plan d’Études Romand, which defines the global project of student education adopted by all French-speaking cantons in Switzerland.
An inside look
Swiss School guides children to learn and work independently according to their age. Students in the Early Childhood classes experience a play-based approach with focused topics that combine both child-initiated and teacher-supported learning. There’s a mixture of outdoor, art, music, story time, movement and other sensory experiences that encourage interaction between the child and their peers or environment. In Primary level, children experience meaningful learning by actively setting goals, creating their own ideas and working out solutions to achieve their aims and objectives. In Mandarin ECA, students are the centre of learning – they discover Chinese vocabulary in the form of inquiry and learn to use these during game activities.
Hear from a parent
“When Eva started in French kindergarten last year, she was unable to speak any French and was very reluctant to go to school. But what a difference a year and teachers’ dedication make! Not only has she started to speak French fluently, she now prefers to speak it with classmates as she no longer has a language barrier. We’re very thankful to the Swiss School for this opportunity for Eva to learn another language, which will be a great asset for her in the future.” – Mariya Maderych
38 Swiss Club Road
6468 2117 | swiss-school.edu.sg/en
Here’s our huge guide to international schools in Singapore and tips on choosing an international school here.
Patricea Chow
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