Menu
Expat.com

What language do they speak in Singapore schools?

Last activity 06 January 2022 by beppi

Post new topic

lisathai9354

I am new into this community, and I am looking for admission in Singapore's top international school for my Kid, and I am unsure about the culture and language spoken there. I am myself from a teaching background but shifting to a new place and country is always tough.

beppi

English is the main language spoken in Singapore, and almost all schools use it as medium of instruction (except of course in classes to learn another language).
The only exceptions are some international or niche schools: The Japanese School teaches in Japanese, the French School in French, etc.

Fred

beppi wrote:

English is the main language spoken in Singapore,.


Do schools there have Mandarin and/or Malaysian as a first or second language as part of their curriculum, or would those be optional?

beppi

In public schools (as opposed to the international schools the OP refered to), all kids have compulsory "mother tongue" lessons - Chinese in Mandarin, Malays in Bahasa and Indians in Tamil - but all other subjects are taught in English. Foreign kids (which are only rarely admitted to public schools) must choose one of the languages.

bessie81

English:) and an option to take on a second language - Mandarin, Malay or Tamil.

beppi

Martenkaevats wrote:

It is more like a general question based on all schools in Singapore and their preferred choice of language within. Hi, My name is Marten Kaevats and living in Singapore last 5 years and I am an education consultant and I am here to provide my answer on this. Well, most of the public schools in Singapore follow the local Chinese or Mandarin language with having some international language options. But, if you refer to American [link under review] in Singapore, then it has English as the primary language for all the students to adopt universally speaking language skills and can settle anywhere across the globe with ease.


This is patently nonsense!
If you are an education consultant, you are a really bad one.
There is NO school in Singapore teaching in Chinese (other than of course classes to learn Chinese language). The difference between the American (meaning USA) school and all other ones is that the former has LESS language teaching and thus prepares pupils less for settling across the globe (other than English speaking countries like Singapore).

Articles to help you in your expat project in Singapore

  • Driving in Singapore
    Driving in Singapore

    Singapore has an efficient public transportation system coupled with excellent taxi services, with phone apps ...

  • Dating in Singapore
    Dating in Singapore

    Moving to Singapore has been fun since you've been exploring a new country and culture. However, if you ...

  • Internships in Singapore
    Internships in Singapore

    Singapore is home to many universities of international repute, as well as companies from a diverse range of ...

  • Marriage in Singapore
    Marriage in Singapore

    Singapore allows both foreigners or a foreigner and a local national to marry in the country. The procedures and ...

  • Using phones in Singapore
    Using phones in Singapore

    As in many developed countries, mobile phones have taken over the landline network in Singapore. Whether ...

  • Finding a job in Singapore
    Finding a job in Singapore

    Singapore has a well-developed job market with numerous outlets providing information on employment opportunities, ...

  • Expat deaths in Singapore
    Expat deaths in Singapore

    It's hard to face, but there comes a time when we must end our time on Earth. While we can't predict when ...

  • Banking in Singapore
    Banking in Singapore

    Singapore offers a wide range of personal banking services and has a complete offering of international banking ...

All of Singapore's guide articles