English

Our Vision and Mission

At Haig Girls’, we aim to develop every Haig girl to be a confident, creative and effective communicator. She will be able to use the English Language effectively as a means to explore and understand the world, and as a tool to express herself, thus contributing meaningfully to the society.

Our Approach

We aim to build a strong foundation in our students through the implementation of a rigorous curriculum which focuses on the following areas of language learning:

●    Listening and Viewing

●    Reading and Viewing

●    Speaking and Representing

●    Writing and Representing

●    Grammar

●    Vocabulary

The curriculum encompasses the following programmes and approaches:

1) Extensive Reading Programme 

We recognise the importance of students reading extensively. Engaged and avid readers are generally better speakers and writers. Students can search for books in the HGS Library by accessing the HGS Library Catalogue online. We also encourage students to borrow books from the National Library Board, which has book lists, book recommendations and e-resources for children. 

Through the programme, we hope to grow in each of our students a love for books, and most importantly, a love for the language.

2) Learning Support Programmes

We support the learning of our Low Progress Learners who requires more learning support in their learning of reading and writing through the implementation of the following programmes:

3) Whole School Approach to Writing

We adopt a whole-school approach to writing by using a common language, our HGS Writing Goals, in every EL classroom.  This approach has enabled us to develop effective writers who are able to connect intimately with their readers and express their ideas clearly and effectively.

4) Talent Development Programmes 

     (i) Speech & Drama     (ii) Creative Writing

We talent-spot students who demonstrate a flair for writing, and invite them to join our Discover, Develop and Dedicate your Talent Time (D3T2) Creative Writing programme, which aims to expose good student writers to writing experiences beyond the classroom, and to contribute their writing back to the community through published writing. 

1. A Rich But Unknown Past

Gaining inspiration from six artefacts from the Ancient Singapore section at the National Museum of Singapore’s History Gallery, students wrote imaginative poems, stories and information texts to tell young readers about Singapore’s rich, mysterious past. 

1. D3T2 Creative Writing Poems

Some of the poems in this collection were the result of a workshop on nature poems by Singaporean poet Patricia Tan, while others were written in response to the theme ‘Dreams and Stories’. Many of these poems were included in Vietnamese artist Tran Trong Vu’s artwork at the Gallery Children’s Biennale entitled ‘Sonnet in Blue’.  

1. Play

With the help of advertising agency TBWA  Singapore, students wrote advertising campaigns on playground safety, which are linked via QR codes in this publication. Students also wrote poems and short stories that were inspired by the ‘The More We Get Together: Singapore’s Playgrounds 1930-2030’ exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore, as well as from interacting with children from the Thye Hua Kuan Moral Charities EIPIC Centre @ Tampines at an inclusive playground through the National Council of Social Service’s Children in Action programme.