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Cross‐currents in teaching English in Singapore
Author(s) -
KWANTERRY ANNA
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
world englishes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.6
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1467-971X
pISSN - 0883-2919
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-971x.1993.tb00008.x
Subject(s) - westernization , ambivalence , government (linguistics) , politics , literacy , sociocultural evolution , political science , dominance (genetics) , sociology , economic growth , pedagogy , psychology , economics , social psychology , law , linguistics , philosophy , modernization theory , biochemistry , chemistry , gene
This paper examines the political, sociocultural and economic factors governing the teaching of English in Singapore. It reviews the changes which took place in the last ten years, showing how these changes were brought about through deliberate measures on the part of the government in conjunction with the free choice of the people themselves. Special attention is given to the ambivalent attitude of both the government and its people towards the increasing dominance of English in the island state. Whilst the government is anxious to promote the use of English to support commercial and technological developments for economic success, it is at the same time concerned about the effects of Westernization which may ultimately undermine the country's economic growth. Similarly whilst the people have, for pragmatic reasons, chosen English education for their children, they are concerned about the falling standard of Chinese in the society. This paper also studies the effects of the bilingual or bi‐literacy policy in Singapore's education system and its impact on inculcating Asian cultural values.