Article published in:
Learning Chinese in Diasporic Communities: Many pathways to being Chinese
Edited by Xiao Lan Curdt-Christiansen and Andy Hancock
[AILA Applied Linguistics Series 12] 2014
► pp. 159–180

Chapter 8. Conflicting goals of language-in-education planning in Singapore

Chinese character (汉字 hanzi) education as a case

| University of Bergen and Shanghai International Studies University
| Michigan State University
This study examines the conflicting nature of official language-in-education planning goals in Singapore through analysing, firstly, the inconsistencies in curriculum reform documents at different levels of the goals and pedagogies of Chinese character (汉字 hanzi) teaching; and secondly, the inconsistencies between what is stated in these documents about hanzi and students’ and teachers’ perceptions as well as teaching practices related to hanzi. Based on student and teacher surveys, supplemented by teachers’ focus group discussions and classroom observations, this chapter provides a critical evaluation of multiple dimensions of the official policies and instructional guides on hanzi teaching and learning in Singapore’s primary schools. The study endeavors to draw attention to the humanistic dimensions of hanzi education such as its values in cultural heritage, artistic/aesthetic appreciation and character cultivation. It calls for a holistic evaluation of hanzi’s role from a broader perspective and aims to place a more proper status of hanzi in the next round of reform of Chinese-as-a-mother-tongue education in Singapore.
Published online: 10 July 2014
https://doi.org/10.1075/aals.12.09sho
References

References

Bamgbose, A.
2004 Language planning and language policies: Issues and prospects. In Linguistics Today: Facing a Greater Challenge , P.G.J. van Sterkenburg (ed.), 61–88. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.CrossrefGoogle Scholar
DeFrancis, J. & Chia-Yee, Y.T.
1976  Beginning Chinese: Second Revised Edition [Yale Language Series]. New Haven CT: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
DeFrancis, J.
1984  The Chinese Language. Facts and Fantasy . Honolulu HI: University of Hawaii Press.Google Scholar
1989  Visible Speech: The Diverse Oneness of Writing Systems . Honolulu HI: University of Hawaii Press.Google Scholar
Huang, M. & Wang, C.M.
2011 Teachers’ philosophies and practices towards curriculum innovation (Jiaoxue moshi chuangxin: Laizi jiaozhe de sikao yu shijian]. In The Anthology of the 10 th International Symposium on Chinese Language Teaching (Di 10 Jie Hanyu Jiaoxue Guoji Yantaohui Lunwenji), 58–74. Beijing: Beijing Language University Press.Google Scholar
Li, L., Zhao, S.H. & Yeung, A.S.
2012 Teacher perceptions of curriculum reform in Singapore primary Chinese education. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 15(5): 533–548. CrossrefGoogle Scholar
Liddicoat, A.J. & R.B. Baldauf
(eds) 2008  Language Planning in Local Contexts . Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar
Liu, Y.M.
2003  Studies on Cultural Significance of Chinese Character in Japan ( Hanzi zai Riben de Wenhua Yiyi Yanjiu). Beijing: Beijing University Press.Google Scholar
2008  Chinese Character in Japan ( Hanzi zai Riben). Beijing: Capital University Press.Google Scholar
Long, J.
1987  The Art of Chinese Calligraphy . Poole: Blandford Press.Google Scholar
Louden, W.
1991  Understanding Teaching, Continuity and Change in Teachers’ Knowledge . London: Cassell.Google Scholar
Luke, A., Cazden, C., Lin, A. & Freebody, P.
2004  A Coding Scheme for the Analysis of Classroom Discourse in Singapore Schools (Tech. Rep.) . Singapore: National Institute of Education, Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice.Google Scholar
Okita, Y. & Guo, J.H.
2001 Learning Japanese Kanji character by bilingual and monolingual Chinese speakers. In Looking beyond Second Language Acquisition: Studies in Tri-and Multilingualism , J. Cenoz, B. Hufeisen & U. Jessner (eds), 63–73. Tubingen: Stauffenberg.Google Scholar
Report
2004  Report of the Chinese Language Curriculum and Pedagogy Review Committee . Singapore: Singapore Ministry of Education.Google Scholar
Shang G.W. & Zhao S.H.
2012 Hanyu Pinyin teaching in Singapore primary schools: Current situation, problems and suggestions. In Studies on the Conceptions and Teaching Practices of International Chinese Textbooks , W. Xu & W. He (eds), 413–419. Hangzhou: Zhejiang University Press.Google Scholar
Shepherd, J.
2005  Striking a Balance: The Management of Languages in Singapore . Frankfurt: Peter Lang.Google Scholar
Syllabus
2007  Syllabus of Primary Chinese Language Curriculum . Singapore: Curriculum Planning & Development Division, Singapore Ministry of Education.Google Scholar
Taylor, I. & Taylor, M.
1995  Writing and Literacy in Chinese, Korean and Japanese [Studies in Written Language and Literacy 3]. Amsterdam: John Benjamins. CrossrefGoogle Scholar
Towndrow, P.A., Silver, R.E & Albright, J.
2010 Setting expectations for educational innovations. Journal of Educational Change 11: 425–455. CrossrefGoogle Scholar
Van Els, T.
2005 Status planning for learning and teaching. In Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning , E. Hinkel (ed.), 971–991. Mahwah NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Underhill, J.W.
2009  Humboldt Worldview and Language . Edinburgh: EUP. CrossrefGoogle Scholar
Wang, H.
2010 A study on the number of hanzi and Chinese language teaching in Singapore (Xinjiapo Huawen yongzi liang yu jiaoxue yanjiu). Review of Language Teaching (Yuwen Jiaoxue Tongxun) 95: 1–7.Google Scholar
Wang, M.L.
2008 Script reform movement under the instrumentalism rationality at the end of Qing Dynasty (Gongju lixing xia de Qingmo wenzi gaige yundong) Zhejiang University Journal (Social Science) 38(5): 34–42.Google Scholar
Wang, J.
2006 Examination of Hanzi Teaching in “Primary Chinese Language” in Lower Primary School (Xinjiapo “Xiaoxue Huawen” Jichu Jieduan hanzi Jiaoxue Kaocha). MA thesis, Guangzhou, Jinan University.Google Scholar
Wee, L.
2003 Linguistic instrumentalism in Singapore. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development 24(3): 211–224. CrossrefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, S.H. & Baldauf, R.B. Jr
2008  Planning Hanzi: Evolution, Revolution or Reaction . Dordrecht: Springer.Google Scholar
Zhao, S.H. & Liu, Y.B.
2010 Chinese education in Singapore: The constraints of bilingual policy from perspective of prestige planning. Language Problems and Language Planning 34(3): 236–258. CrossrefGoogle Scholar
Zhao, S.H. & Wang, Y.M.
2009 On five critical relationships of Chinese education in Singapore. Perspective of language planning (Xijiapo Huawen jiaoyu de wu da guanxi: Yuyan guihua shjiao). Journal of North China University (Social Science) (Beihua Daxue Xuebao (Sheke Ban)) 10(3): 47–58.Google Scholar