Empowering Every Learner in Their Bilingual Journey

In multilingual Singapore, bilingualism is not just an educational goal but a way of life that connects us to our heritage and the world. However, contrary to conventional wisdom, children do not become bilingual just by being in a bilingual setting. Many continue to face challenges in developing both English and their Mother Tongue Languages (MTLs) in a balanced way, making bilingual education a continuing priority for educators, parents and policymakers. Over the decades, sustained national efforts – from the regular 10-year reviews of both English and MTL curricula to language campaigns and community events – have sought to address these challenges. These initiatives, together with ongoing local research, have greatly deepened our understanding of bilingual teaching and learning. This issue brings together the latest findings and classroom innovations aimed at better supporting the next generation of bilingual learners.

The Research in Action article presents insights and practical implications from the latest findings of the longitudinal GiBBer project, or short for “Growth in Bilingual & Biliteracy Proficiency: Environmental, Individual & Experiential Factors”. Led by Dr Beth O’Brien, the study tracks children’s bilingual development from Kindergarten to Primary 4, shedding light on key trends in language and literacy growth, individual learning differences and the challenges faced by young learners.

In the People article, Professor Annabel Chen shares what recent neuroscience reveals about bilingualism and the learning brain. Her research shows that bilingualism supports brain health and can benefit children with learning difficulties. This article highlights key findings from brain imaging studies, debunks common myths and offers practical, evidence-based strategies for supporting diverse bilingual learners.

What does bilingual education look like in practice? In the Classroom Perspectives article, Mdm Christine Lee and Mdm Charlotte Sng – Heads of the Mother Tongue Languages and English Language departments at Admiralty Primary School, respectively – share how findings from the GiBBer project have informed their classroom teaching. They describe how evidence-informed strategies, such as targeted vocabulary instruction, phonological awareness support, multimodal activities and intentional questioning help bridge language gaps and build learner confidence. Their stories highlight the power of research-practice partnerships in everyday teaching.

Learning to read is an important milestone for children, and achieving literacy in two languages makes this accomplishment even more remarkable. As educators and researchers, it is essential that we stay attuned to current research and continue exploring various dimensions to provide equitable, engaging and fruitful learning experiences for all learners.