Commitment
to Bilingualism
An award-winning teacher, Mr Muhamad Shahril Bin Samri is blazing a trail in his efforts to cultivate children’s love for the Malay language.
iithin the vibrant community of PCF Sparkletots @ Marsiling, one can find Mr Muhamad Shahril Bin Samri, 35, who teaches both Malay and English to the Nursery 2 and Kindergarten 1 classes, comprising children aged four and five, respectively.
Mr Shahril joined the early childhood sector in 2017, entering a profession that consists predominantly of women. He was initially concerned about not having someone to seek advice from if he encountered challenges. However, his worries were quickly put to rest once he met his colleagues and experienced the centre’s collaborative work environment for himself. Motivated by his teammates, Mr Shahril grew into his role and, in 2021, he received the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Outstanding Preschool Mother Tongue Language Teacher Award.
To inject fun into the classroom, Mr Shahril taps into
children’s imagination and innate desire to explore.
A Natural Storyteller
Dramatisation and outdoor exploration are some of the strategies that Mr Shahril adopts to make Malay language learning fun and engaging for children. “Instead of reading stories to them word for word, I use different intonations, expressions and body movements to play the characters in the books so children can enjoy them more,” he said. “While outdoors, I ask the children questions and encourage them to ask questions of their own, as it fuels their curiosity and builds their confidence in speaking Malay.”
Ms Rahimah Abdullah, mother of four-year-old Shaura, praised Mr Shahril for sparking her daughter’s interest in her Mother Tongue. “Teacher Shahril engages the little ones through storytelling, songs and games,” said Ms Rahimah. “Under his thoughtful guidance, Shaura’s proficiency in the Malay language has grown tremendously. Shaura returns home from preschool, eager to share what she has learned in Malay class that day. For instance, if she has learned a new song, she will request an online version of the song so that she can sing with her siblings at home.”
Teacher Shahril engages the little ones through storytelling, songs and games.
Under his thoughtful guidance, Shaura’s proficiency in the Malay language has grown tremendously.
Teacher Shahril engages the little ones through storytelling, songs and games. Under his thoughtful guidance, Shaura’s proficiency in the Malay language has grown tremendously.
Ms Rahimah Abdullah, parent
Beyond the classroom, Mr Shahril also comes up with creative project ideas that parents can do at home with their children to extend their learning. One such suggestion, in line with the learning theme of ‘My Beautiful House’, was for parents and children to build a 3D house together. “Through such projects, we get to work with Teacher Shahril in helping Shaura learn the language,” said Ms Rahimah.
Making the Language Come Alive
Mr Shahril recently notched another career achievement when, as part of a team from his centre, he participated in the biennial Fiesta Bahasa 2023 on July 8. Jointly organised by MOE and the Malay Language Learning and Promotion Committee, this year’s edition of the festival saw preschools being invited to take part for the first time ever, alongside primary and secondary schools as well as junior colleges. The fact that PCF Sparkletots @ Marsiling was one of only two selected preschools served as a testament to the commitment shown by Mr Shahril and his team in promoting the Malay language among young children.
At the event, the centre set up an interactive booth and had children act as booth ambassadors. Mr Shahril and his colleagues planned various activities for the children to demonstrate to people who visited their booth. For example, an online game allowed younger visitors to match rhyming words using a laptop, while a one-minute rhyming challenge was devised for secondary school students and adults. Some of the children’s parents showed up as well to lend their support.
At the Fiesta Bahasa 2023 event, teachers and parents joined
forces to promote children’s use of the Malay language.
“This initiative brought about valuable exposure for our children, as they got to interact with visitors to our booth and participate in activities prepared by other schools at their respective booths,” explained Mr Shahril. “They had fun during these interactions, which boosted their confidence in language learning. They also shared their experience of the event with their peers through a ‘Show & Tell’ session back in preschool.”
Shahril’s dedication to providing enriching learning experiences for children, as well as collaborating
with parents and colleagues, makes him an extraordinary educator and an inspiration to all.
Shahril’s dedication to providing enriching learning experiences for children, as well as collaborating with parents and colleagues, makes him an extraordinary educator and an inspiration to all.
Ms Kaixin Lau, senior centre principal
As senior centre principal Ms Kaixin Lau observed, developing the children’s Malay language skills has enabled them to connect with their Malay heritage and traditions, fostering cultural diversity and inclusion. She added that Mr Shahril’s outgoing personality — which can be seen in his enthusiastic emceeing of various events such as Sports Day — further endears him to children, parents and fellow teachers. Said Ms Lau, “Shahril’s dedication to providing enriching learning experiences for children, as well as collaborating with parents and colleagues, makes him an extraordinary educator and an inspiration to all.”
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