e-Mother Tongue Languages Symposium Live Panel Discussion
– Creating an Immersive Environment for the Learning of MTLs
Guest of Honour: Minister for Education, Mr Lawrence Wong
MOE Edutorium, Ministry of Education Headquarters
29 Aug 2020 (Sat), 10am – 11am
Pure Talents founder Danny Yeo was invited to be a panelist on the opening day at Ministry of Education’s very first online edition of the annual Mother Tongue Languages Symposium. The panel discussion was moderated by Minister of State for Education and Chairperson of Committee to Promote Chinese Language Learning (CPCLL) Ms Sun Xueling, with Guest of Honour Minister for Education Mr Lawrence Wong. The panel was made up of advocates, academics, educators and community partners of MTL learning.
Minister Wong was impressed by Danny’s sharing about the various factors contributing to a child’s learning of mother tongue languages and mentioned the acronym that Danny came up with: PIE (parents, interest, environment). The idea was etched on many attendees’ minds. Danny spoked about how parents can persevere and hold on a little longer, how interest can be cultivated using creative means while they’re younger, and how the environment can help to build them up a lot more stronger. He also posed a few questions to parents: what if it is not learning but living the language? What if it isn’t about education but interaction? What if we don’t treat it as a second thought or a second language but a first love?
Danny has been a CPCLL committee member since 2008, and currently serves as the Vice Group Leader of the Outreach and Engagement Group.
