Mother tongue languages

Mission

The Hillgrove Mother Tongue language learning experience focuses on exposing students to their cultural roots through a series of workshops, competitions and learning journeys. We believe that language learning is not confined to the classroom and should be actively applied in our everyday lives. Through our curriculum and our enrichment programmes, we seek to develop each Hillgrovian to be a confident and proficient user of their own Mother Tongue Language. Our school also offers Higher Chinese to students who display keen interest and aptitude in the subject. 

Distinguished Chinese Language Teachers Awards 2025

Congratulations to Mrs Pan-Cai Yijin Jane for receiving the 28th Distinguished Chinese Language Teachers Awards

Mrs Pan, who has 14 years of teaching experience, incorporates “character and citizenship education” into her Chinese lessons. She guides students to discuss current affairs in Mandarin, helping them develop critical thinking and empathy in the process.

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Competitions

Chinese Language Unit

6^th Nanyang Chinese Youth Literature Award (第六届南洋华文青少年文学奖) – 2026

• Merit Award (Individual)

2^nd National Chinese Reading Contest for Primary and Secondary Schools (第二届全国中小学阅读乐竞赛) - 2026

• Distinguished Performance Award (Top 10 Finalists & Top 30 Finalists)

9^th National Text Recital Competition (第九届全国课文朗诵比赛) - 2026 

• Lower Secondary Category – 2 Silver Awards (Team) & 1 Silver Award (Individual)

4^th National Chinese Riddle Competition and Workshop (第四届全国中学生灯谜比赛及工作坊) - 2025

• Merit Award (Group)

8^th National Text Recital Competition (第八届全国课文朗诵比赛) - 2025 

• Lower Secondary Category – 1 Bronze Award (Team)

• Upper Secondary Category – 1 Bronze Award (Individual)

1^st National Chinese Reading Contest for Primary and Secondary Schools (第一届全国中小学华文阅读乐竞赛) - 2025 

• Distinguished Performance Award (Individual)

4^th Heartstrings of Singapore Photography Competition (第四届“心系新加坡"摄影比赛) - 2024

• 2 Merit Awards (Individual) 

7^th National Secondary Schools Chinese Mini Fiction Creative Writing Competition (第七届全国中学生微型小说创作比赛) - 2024 

• 1 Certificate of Merit

7^th National Text Recital Competition (第七届全国课文朗诵比赛) - 2024 

• 2 Silver Awards

3^rd National Chinese Riddle Competition (第三届全国中学生灯谜比赛) - 2024

• 6th Place

6^th National Text Recital Competition (第六届全国课文朗诵比赛) - 2023

• 2 Gold with Merit, 6 Bronze

Chinese Street Dance Competition - 2023

• Top 8 Finalist

20^th National Xin Lei Chinese Creative Writing Competition for Secondary Schools (新蕾奖”第二十届全国中学生华文创作比赛) - 2022 

• Gold Award

6^th National Chinese Flash Fiction Writing Competition for Secondary Schools (第六届全国中学生微型小说创作比赛) - 2022

• 1 Bronze Award and 2 Commendation Awards

Story Writing Competition on Singapore Chinese Culture (“华族情·狮城梦”新加坡华族文化故事大赛) - 2026

Create Your Own Newspaper Competition (全国中学编采比赛) - 2026

National Chinese Challenge (华文大比拼) - 2026

National Chinese Riddle Competition and Workshop (全国中学生灯谜比赛及工作坊) - 2026

Malay Language Unit

National Essay Writing Competition - (Pertandingan Mengarang PENA EMAS 2026)

• 18 Gold, 13 Silver & a Top 15

National Essay Writing Competition (Pertandingan Mengarang PENA EMAS 2025) -

• 22 Gold Awards and 2nd Best Team Award

NUSA National Essay Writing Competition (Pertandingan Mengarang ‘Saya Boleh Menulis’ 2025)

• 3rd position, 2 Gold with Honour and 1 Gold

NUSA National Speech Competition (Pertandingan ‘Saya Boleh Berpidato’ 2025)

• 4th and 5th positions, Gold with Honour, and 1 Silver

SG60 Poetry Writing 2025 – Hadiah Mata Tinta

• 3rd and 6th positions; students’ work published in Kejora di Tapak Tangan 2025'

National Essay Writing Competition - (Pertandingan Mengarang PENA EMAS 2025)

• Awarded 22 Gold & 2nd Best Team Award 

NUSA National Essay Writing Competition - (Pertandingan Mengarang 'Saya Boleh Menulis 2025) - 

• 3rd position

• 2 Gold with Honour and 1 Gold

NUSA National Speech Competition (Pertandingan 'Saya Boleh Berpidato 2025)

• 4th & 5th position Gold with Honour, 1 Silver

SG60 Poetry Writing 2025 - Hadiah Mata Tinta:

• 3rd position and 6th position. Students work published in 'Kejora di Tapak Tangan 2025' 

Peraduan Penulisan Cerpen 'Orang Singapura' 2025 - MLLPC 

SG60 Petah Spontan @ Keat Hong CC 

Inter-secondary School Translation Competition 2024 - Pertandingan 3T (TERJEMAH. TUTUR. TEPAT.)

• 5th place

National Level Inter-School (Sec) Essay Writing Competition - (PENA EMASKU 2024)

• Upper Sec Category - 25 Gold Awards (one student achieved Top 30 placing)

• Lower Sec Category - 5 Gold Awards

National Level Inter-School (Sec) Essay Writing Competition (Pena Emasku 2022)

• 5 Gold

Inter-secondary School Translation Competition 2023 - Pertandingan 3T (TERJEMAH. TUTUR. TEPAT.)

• Top 10

Essay Writing Composition by MLLPC 'Kita Orang Singapura" 2026

Achievements & Highlights

Teaching & Learning

• School-based Curriculum Resources

• Reading Programme on Specific Readers and Newspapers

  • ZB Comma

  • Dewan Pelajar

• MT Intensive Programme for graduating students

• Differentiated Learning in Enhancing Learning Outcomes

• GCE ‘O’ Level Preparatory Workshop (Malay Language)

• Cluster Sharing - SEC Examinations Malay Language Preparatory Workshop

• West Zone Chinese Language Network Learning Community (NLC) Sharing

• Personalised Digital Learning Programme (PDLP)

Cultural Exposure

• Festive celebrations: Chinese New Year concert and Hamper Wrapping for various beneficiaries, Hari Raya and Deepavali Celebrations

• The Cultural Performance Exposure Scheme (CPES) Peking Opera “Monkey King Battles the Spider Demons” (“文化随意门”计划 - 京剧《孙悟空大战蜘蛛精》) - 2026

• NTU 11^th National Youth Chinese Cultural Camp (第十一届全国青年华人文化研习与生活营) - 2026

• NYGH Chinese Literature Forum (文学论坛“结一场文学情缘:歌词与文学”) – 2026

• The Cultural Performance Exposure Scheme (CPES) Chinese Crosstalk “La Kopi” (“文化随意门”计划《相声 La Kopi》) - 2025

• MTL Fortnight Cultural Programme:

  • Multi-Ethnic Drumming workshop

  • CL Workshops: Traditional Dumplings, Mis-Autum Lantern Riddles, Name Carving, Puppet Making, Peranakan Culture and Tile Painting, Traditional Bamboo Book Making, Diablo Juggling, Xinyao Appreciation

  • ML Workshops: Drama, Song-writing, Podcasting & Interviewing Skills

Others

• 《育林文集2025》-  compilation of students’ outstanding written work produced in 2025.

• Lianhe Zaobao Student Correspondents’ Club 联合学生通讯员俱乐部 2025