Tamil Language

The school’s Tamil department aims to develop pupils to be able to use the language fluently and confidently in formal and informal contexts.

Besides developing pupils to become passionate Tamil learners, we also focus on exposing the pupils to the Indian culture so that they can truly appreciate their roots and traditions.

Many programs and activities are planned and carried out in order to achieve the desired outcomes.

1) Pongal Learning Journey 2023

The upper primary students embarked on a Learning Journey to Little India during the Pongal Festival Celebration week. Students engaged themselves in different activities conducted at the premise. They had their first-hand experiences with the props and instruments which provided them with great experience and rich knowledge. The TL Department extended the cultural experience and knowledge of Pongal festival by conducting recess play for all levels in school. The Tamil students facilitated these activities and shared the significance of Pongal. They also taught the students on how to tie flowers. Students participated actively by listening and engaging themselves in the activities.

2) Seithi Pongalo Pongal Contest 2023

Tamil girls from different levels participated in SEITHI PONGALO PONGAL CONTEST 2023 organised by the Seithi Mediacorp. Two girls, one from primary 1 and one from primary 3, placed top 6 in the drawing and greeting card making contest respectively.

P1 Winner

P3 Winner

3. MTL Fortnight 2022

In alignment with the objectives of MOE, our SMS(P) Tamil Language teachers organised the following activities to expose our students to appreciate the richness of the Indian culture. Activities such as “Agal Vilakku Painting” , “Kolam”, “Kolattam” and Flower Tying were conducted across the levels during the week of MT Fortnight.

‘Agal Vilakku’ are oil lamps lit during the festival of Deepavali and other celebrations to symbolize prosperity in the New Year. All the students painted and decorated their lamps passionately and creatively. Students were introduced to the Indian Cultural Art known as ‘Kolam’. Students were very excited to use their creativity to come up with their own Kolam designs. In the ‘Kolattam’ activity, students were given the opportunity to combine rhythmic movements, songs, and music with sticks. Through these activities, our students were not only engaged but also experienced the various aspects of our Indian culture.

Agal vilakku painting	Flower tying
Kolam activity	Kolattam dance

4) P1 and P2 Speech and Drama 2022

Tamil speech and drama for the lower primary students have helped them to gain confidence articulating in Tamil language with confidence over the span of six lessons. Lesson based activities have also provided an interest in learning Tamil language through story songs. These story songs taught, focused more in a variety of warm up activities, voice and speech exercises, facial expressions and body movements. Student showed their involvement and participation with deep interest and passion. The six lessons taught has rather explicitly improved their:

1.     Vocal variety emphasizing on volume

2.     Staging and spatial awareness

3.     Independent enactment with minimal prompts

4.     Working cohesively in a group

5.     Confidence in staging a performance

At the end of the lesson, the lesson-based program has met its objective to a certain extent creating an interest and connectedness in Tamil language upon seeing the students staging their final story songs for both levels.

1) IMTL Portal
https://imtl.sg/login/index.php

2) Nam Naadi
http://sangamam.moe.edu.sg/namnaadi/slot/u105/archives/2011/may/index.htm

3) Parents In Education
http://parents-in-education.moe.gov.sg/primary-education/learning-resources-pri/tamil-language-learning-resources