Just a little note — I’m sharing from my personal experience, so this write-up focuses mainly on learning Chinese. Thanks for understanding!
My story...
This is a topic that’s really close to my heart. I’ve always admired people who are truly bilingual — it’s something I wish I could say about myself, but honestly, I’ve never been very gifted when it comes to languages.
I grew up in a Chinese-speaking family, and up till Primary 1, I couldn’t speak English at all. My English vocabulary was limited to the alphabet and maybe a few basic words like "cat" and "dog." Learning English was a real struggle. I remember feeling completely lost in class. During a listening comprehension practice in Primary 1, the teacher brought in a cassette player and played the recording. I stared at the worksheet in front of me — full of words I didn’t understand and rows of ovals with letters. I had no idea what to do. When I looked around and saw my classmates shading the ovals, I just randomly shaded some patterns with the ovals.
By Primary 2, my English teacher asked to speak to my mum. She showed her my workbook filled with red crosses and said I needed tuition. My mum went home and told my older brother to tutor me, but nothing sank in. He was so frustrated that he eventually told my mum he couldn’t teach me — because I really had no grasp of English at all.
Even as I grew older, my environment remained largely Chinese-speaking. Most of my friends at school came from Chinese-speaking families too — it was quite normal back then. Outside of lessons in school, I didn’t have much reason or opportunity to use the language. My home was filled with Mandarin and Hokkien conversations, and honestly, even now, the people around me still mostly speak Mandarin.
My view...
I think we’re really fortunate to live in a country where our education system gives us the opportunity to become bilingual. Even though I personally struggled with English growing up, I’ve come to truly appreciate Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s foresight in making English our main working language while still keeping our mother tongues a compulsory part of the curriculum.
Looking back at my own experience, I realised just how important the environment is when it comes to learning a language. I was terrible at English at first, but I eventually picked it up — because everything in school (except Chinese) was taught in English. I was immersed in it, so I had to adapt and learn.
Now, things are quite different for many children. It’s almost the reverse of my experience.
Thanks to our education system, most of us parents are now bilingual, or even multilingual if we count dialects. That already puts us in a better position than our own parents’ generation, many of whom spoke either Mandarin or English, but not both. In theory, we should be well-equipped to support our children in both languages. But in practice, many children today grow up speaking mostly English — and Chinese becomes the "difficult subject" that they dread.
And I get it. Chinese is harder to learn — especially without the right environment. I had the advantage of growing up in a Chinese-speaking household and only had to pick up English, which is generally easier to grasp. But today’s kids are surrounded by English: at home, in school, even when they’re ordering food or chatting with friends. Without enough exposure to Chinese in daily life, it’s easy to see why it feels foreign or even unlikable to them.
This is a trend I’ve noticed over the years. I even asked around — I spoke with many parents who mainly use Mandarin when speaking to their own parents and friends, but chose to speak English at home with their children. For those with older kids, I asked if they ever regretted that decision.
The most common reason they gave for choosing English was this: since every subject except Chinese is taught in English, they believed their children would benefit more from being strong in English. To them, Chinese was “just one subject,” so English seemed like the more practical focus.
Interestingly, many parents of older children later told me they did regret speaking English at home. Their kids ended up disliking Chinese — even with tuition, they struggled or just couldn’t connect with the subject.
I also came across a story of a woman who grew up in an English-speaking environment. She had Chinese tuition all through school and even scored well in exams. But once she left school, she stopped using the language completely and couldn’t carry a conversation in Chinese anymore.
I think it’s just human nature — we tend to stick with what’s easiest. If someone can get by with just one language, especially one that feels more natural or is easier to learn, there’s little motivation to work on the other, especially if it feels harder or less “necessary.”
Here’s a podcast featuring Mr Chee Hong Tat, the current (2025) Minister for Transport, where he shares the very first question Mr Lee Kuan Yew asked him during their interview. It highlights just how much importance Mr Lee placed on the Chinese language — and how deeply he understood the need to create the right environment for it to thrive.
If you’re interested in learning more about Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s efforts in building a bilingual Singapore, I highly recommend this book -- My Lifelong Challenge - Singapore's Bilungual Journey. Reading it made me truly appreciate how much he did and how far we’ve come. Our bilingual environment gives us an edge over many other countries — it’s something we should really treasure.
On Learning Languages...
I understand that some kids don’t enjoy learning Chinese. Let’s be honest—Chinese isn’t the easiest language to pick up. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make the learning process fun!
In my opinion, mastering Chinese isn’t just about sending your child to expensive tuition classes or relying solely on school teachers to do the job. Language learning isn’t like math or science—it’s not something you can fully grasp just by memorizing. Yes, some memorization is necessary, but the key to truly learning a language is to cultivate an interest in it—or at the very least, not develop a dislike for it.
The most effective approach is to create an enjoyable environment where they can engage with the language naturally. If you understand Chinese, I highly recommend speaking to your child in Mandarin at home. Kids today have plenty of opportunities to use English, but their exposure to Chinese is often lacking. If you don’t know Chinese yourself, why not take this as a chance to learn alongside your child?
My daughter's proficiency in Chinese is largely due to our use of Mandarin at home. We naturally incorporate the language into our daily lives by consuming Chinese entertainment, such as nursery rhymes, Mediacorp Channel 8 dramas, and Mandopop music. She has also participated in Chinese enrichment programs like singing and acting, which she enjoys. When immersed in a Chinese-speaking environment, learning happens effortlessly—often without even realizing it.
When my daughter started learning a third language in secondary school, she often struggled with questions I couldn’t help her with. I had to tell her, "Sorry, I don’t understand this." I could see the frustration and loneliness she felt. Seeing her discouraged, I decided to learn the language with her using Duolingo. That small step made a big difference—she was thrilled that I understood the challenges she faced. And when I had questions, I asked her to teach me, which boosted her confidence. I even started using simple phrases to remind her to drink water or ask if she needed the bathroom—she found it amusing! Creating a happy and supportive learning environment makes language learning far less stressful and much more enjoyable.
In conclusion, when it comes to language learning, a supportive environment — along with patient, understanding parents — can make all the difference. Children thrive when they feel encouraged rather than pressured, and when language is part of their daily life, not just a subject in school. As parents, the way we guide, speak, and support them shapes how they view and embrace the language. With the right environment and mindset, bilingualism isn’t just achievable — it can be something they grow to enjoy and take pride in.
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