Sun, Baoqi

The importance of adolescent literacy is well established, and in the wake of worldwide concerns with literacy rates, many nations have turned their attention towards effective literacy instruction and strategies. Moreover, with the development of digital literacy, the idea of being able to read and write has extended to being able to understand many types of information. In Singapore, there is an increased emphasis on adolescent literacy, particularly with the upcoming revised curriculum, designed to equip students with 21st century skills through a more student-centric education. This includes equipping students with the ability to use technology, to gather and share information as well as to collaborate, solve problems and present information through multiple information sources. Even though Singapore ranks highly on international literacy tests such as PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) and PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study), there is still a need to understand how best to prepare students for the future, impacted by new forms of digital literacy and social media. In addition, there is a need to understand how young people with diverse backgrounds can be supported with literacy practices. By reviewing external and local research, the dual purposes of this working paper are to depict adolescent in- and out-of-classroom literacy practices, and to outline key factors contributing to effective adolescent literacy instructions. Current issues and future directions are discussed globally, and then locally in relation to the social, cultural, linguistic and emotional needs of young learners in Singapore. Future directions and recommendations are also discussed.

This study examined how Malay Language primary school teachers view Malay Language teaching and learning. A survey about teaching belief and attitude was completed by 33 teachers, and one-to-one in dept interviews were conducted to 6 teachers. The data gave an insight of the challenges Mother Tongue teachers faced during Malay Language lessons in primary school setting. These insights suggest that the main challenge is students’ diversity which is influenced by Singapore’s language planning and bilingual policy. Even though the teachers believe they have a role to play in their classroom to overcome its challenges, it is important to continue to provide avenue for teachers to voice and address their concerns in order to support teachers in teaching and learning.

This study investigated and compared family language policies (FLPs) from the perspectives of two groups of Singaporean bilingual children: 2,971 English-Chinese and 780 English-Malay children (aged 9–11 years). It also examined how different FLP components – namely, language beliefs, practices, and management – influenced their leisure reading enjoyment and reading amount. We found that although both groups of children attached equal importance to their two languages, their language practices tilted towards their stronger language, English. Both groups of children also reported different patterns of language management efforts at home. Regression analyses revealed differential effects of language beliefs, practices, and management on reading enjoyment and amount in the children’s two languages. For both groups and all languages, language beliefs explained the least amount of variance in reading enjoyment and amount compared to language practices and management. For English, language management accounted for more variance than language practices, whereas for the children’s weaker language (i.e., their ethnic language), both language management and language practices were significant predictors. Results emphasize the critical role of FLP in maintaining children’s ethnic languages. Therefore, it is imperative for parents, educators, and policymakers to identify and implement strategies to bolster language management and practices within the home and school environments.

In a constantly shifting world of increasing literacy expectations, technological advancements and global flows, school libraries as learning hubs are crucial to support students’ reading and learning. Following an earlier study documenting the positive impact of well-designed and stocked school libraries on students’ reading, the research team, with the support of CPDD, MOE and the three schools in the study, embarked on a library redesign project from 2019 to 2020. An ERPF grant, DEV02-20 Designing School Libraries of the Future, awarded to the research team, allowed the team to document the redesign process and study the impact of library redesign at the three Library of the Future (LOTF) prototype schools for one full year each between 2022 and 2023.

Long-term school absences during pandemic lockdowns may result in learning gains and losses much like the summer reading loss, but little is known about the actual effects of such lockdowns. This mixed-methods study examined changes in reading enjoyment, amount and resources in three groups of bilingual children—English-Chinese, English-Malay, and English-Tamil speaking children—during the COVID-19 lockdown in Singapore. Results reveal a lockdown reading gap between children’s stronger language (English) and weaker language (Chinese/Malay/Tamil). Within each language, results show differential reading gains and losses for children who enjoyed and did not enjoy reading in print and digital formats. Children’s reading enjoyment before the lockdown, changes in reading enjoyment and print reading amount during the lockdown in English and Chinese/Malay were significantly correlated. Children preferred print reading over reading digitally both before and during the lockdown, and devices were underutilized for reading purposes.

Does print still matter in this digital age? What is the role of technology in reading? Do adolescents who enjoy reading view the reading of print and digital material differently from those who do not enjoy reading? Drawing on survey data from 6,005 students and focus group data with 96 students across six secondary schools, this mixed-methods study examines adolescents’ print and digital reading habits in Singapore. Findings show that adolescents prefer print but move towards more online reading as they get older. Adolescents’ online reading habits are reflective of their print preferences and behavior with physical books. The article explains how both print and technology matter to motivate adolescent reading.

This study examines the intricate relationships between home language use, oral language skills (phonological awareness, morphological awareness, and receptive vocabulary), and literacy skills (word reading and spelling) in English and Chinese among young bilinguals. The sample includes 249 first-grade and 263 third-grade bilingual students in Singapore. Path analysis revealed a developmental shift in the roles of phonological awareness (PA) and morphological awareness (MA) on word reading from Grade 1 to Grade 3. In English, PA was the sole predictor in Grade 1, while MA gained prominence in Grade 3. For Chinese, all three oral skills were significant predictors in Grade 1, but by Grade 3 only MA and receptive vocabulary remained significant. The influence of these oral language skills on spelling was more consistent across grades. English PA and receptive vocabulary significantly predicted English spelling, whereas all three oral skills predicted Chinese spelling. This suggests that oral skills have different impacts on early reading and writing developments. Additionally, the predictive role of home language use, measured by the frequency of English spoken at home, varies across oral language skills and literacy outcomes. While English home language use only affected English receptive vocabulary, it influenced both receptive vocabulary and MA in Chinese, with negative impacts in this case. Furthermore, home language use had both direct and indirect negative impacts on Chinese word reading and spelling across both grades, but no significant effects on English word reading or spelling.