Objectives

• To promote the use of good English among Singaporeans.
• To drive the message that speaking good English is about speaking simply and clearly, and that it comes from having a good reading habit.

Target Audience

1. Working adults – skilled blue and white-collar workers
   To encourage working adults especially those in the service industry to speak good English. They include service staff and other customer-facing employees such as those in the retail, hotel, food & beverage, transport, healthcare, and administration industries.
2. Adults in positions of influence to other Singaporeans
   To encourage adults in positions of influence to be positive role models for speaking good English to those around them. Such adults include parents, teachers, leaders of organizations, and leaders of divisions in Human Resource, Corporate Communications or staff training.

About the Speak Good English Movement

The Movement was launched in 2000 by then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong to:

1. Ensure Singaporeans recognise the importance of speaking Standard English
2. Encourage Singaporeans to speak Standard English

Starting from 2003, the Movement has kicked off annually with a launch followed by year-long programmes and activities, and has succeeded in raising awareness among Singaporeans that speaking good English matters in their work and personal lives.

To help Singaporeans move away from the use of Singlish and to Speak Well. Be Understood, the Speak Good English Movements from 2000 – 2004 ran programmes to:

• drive the message that with practice, it is not difficult to speak good English
• improve the standard of English of teachers
• promote the advantages of speaking good English when conducting business
• reduce the use of Singlish in broadcast media

Buddy readers from Tampines Primary School introduced 4 to 6 year old pre-schoolers to interesting books.

Venue: Tampines Regional Library.

The young had a chance to emulate and foster good reading habits with them.

Does it really make a difference whether one reads aloud or reads silently? Which method is better? Does the age of the child make a difference? Are picture books childish? Do you need special training to read aloud?

Ms Rosemarie Somaiah from SRL addressed these questions at a ‘hands-on’ workshop to enlighten parents and children.

In these fun-filled sessions, parents and their toddlers were introduced to books suitable for children aged 1 to 3 years old. NLB librarians also taught the parents rhymes that they could ‘boogie’ to at home with their toddlers.

Rajeswary Vijay from MERCU Learning Point and NLB organised a session to help foster and encourage the love for reading in 3 to 8 year olds.

Are you too busy to talk to your children? Do you watch TV together, but don’t read together? Is your children’s homework more important than anything else? What values are you signalling to your children?

Ms Julia Gabriel educated parents on raising a confident child who loves to read.

Mr Peter Chan from NLB shared imaginative storytelling techniques with parents to help them narrate stories to their children in different ways.

Families gathered at this fun and interactive session to share their stories and strengthen their family bonds.

These stories were then played out by the Playback Theatre professional team.