The Ministry of Education and the three Mother Tongue Language Learning and Promotion Committees (MTLLPCs) will hold the annual flagship Mother Tongue Languages Symposium (MTLS) on Saturday, 26 August 2023, at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. The symposium will return to a full face-to-face format for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. Now in its 12th year, the theme of this year’s symposium, “Flourish in the Wonderland of Our Languages,” focuses on bringing together educators, parents, and community partners to create a conducive environment for preschool and primary school children to enjoy learning and gain a deeper appreciation for their Mother Tongue Languages (MTL). Young participants can look forward to interactive auditory, oral, and hands-on activities, as well as embark on an immersive journey supporting the MTLS mascots in their missions. There will also be live performances, such as choral speaking, storytelling using songs, and drama throughout the symposium.
3. This year’s symposium will feature more than 40 physical exhibition booths and close to 45 sharing sessions and interactive workshops on ways to promote MTL literacy and appreciation, facilitated by academics, educators, curriculum specialists and media personalities. Parents and children can pre-register for the sharing sessions and interactive workshops via the official MTLS website or the registration link on the symposium’s Facebook and Instagram pages. (Please see Annex for the programme highlights).
4. In the lead-up to the symposium, the MTLS committee has also launched a video creation challenge titled, “Wonders of My Mother Tongue – MTLS Challenge”. Students were invited to showcase their creativity and talent through dance and activities related to their MTLs. A total of 40 video entries were received. The winning entries will be published on the symposium’s Facebook and Instagram pages from 7 August 2023.