The History Of Singapore Bilingual Education

Language has been an issue of great sensitivity in the development of history and society in Singapore, serving to unite the four ethnic groups as one. Yet, English education and Chinese education caused estrangement between the Chinese. Bilingual education gradually lessened the sensitivity and removed the estrangement. Although there are no Chinese schools now and Chinese standard is lowered in English schools, Chinese is taught in more schools and more Singaporeans can speak it, which makes Singapore a better language environment for English and Chinese than ever before.The stages of Singapore bilingual education are divided in a new perspective in this dissertation to better show its characteristics and bilingual education model. This dissertation introduces 9 world-famous bilingual education models and sums up Singapore bilingual education model, comparing Singapore bilingual education with the above 9 models. Singapore bilingual education model is different from that in other countries. It is "transitional-maintenance bilingual education", in which "transition" is the major theme. "Transition" and "maintenance" coordinate their functions with each other so well that they united the education system, school streams, language medium and national identity, which makes Singapore a country with political and social stability, ethnic groups in harmony, highly developed economy and a proper maintenance of mother tongues. Judged from the language competence, the big majority of Chinese students do best in English, pretty well in Chinese, and more and more students can speak equally good English and Chinese. "Transitional-maintenance" model is an important means to maintain mother tongues. Singapore bilingual policy conforms to Singapore's reality and is very successful. The goal of the policy has been realized.China's actual conditions are different from those in Singapore, but we can learn a lot from Singapore's successful bilingual education, for instance, its bilingual education policy and bilingual education model.