Yale-NUS students seize language learning opportunities over the semester break

As the linguist Frank Smith once wrote, “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.” More than just a tool for communication, language can enrich our worldviews and deepen our sensitivities towards diverse cultures — skillsets that are increasingly prized in an interconnected world.

To this end, robust language training is extensively supported at Yale-NUS College. Over the instructional semester, Yale-NUS students can choose from a myriad of language electives, ranging from Russian, Spanish and Singapore Sign Language, to Latin and Sanskrit.

Beyond that, language learning extends to the semester break as well: summer language scholarships, supported by the College’s numerous donors, furnish students with valuable opportunities to embark on immersive language programmes at host institutions.

“An immersive language environment is an integral part of the summer language experience. When safety considerations prevented our students from studying abroad, Yale-NUS pivoted to providing funding for online or in-person study in Singapore to ensure the continuity of language learning over the semester break,” said Benjamin Van Son, Assistant Senior Programme Manager at the Centre for International & Professional Experience (CIPE) at the College.

Despite transitioning to a virtual mode of learning, the interactive and experiential dimensions of the programmes were not compromised. Many of the College’s host institutions harnessed creative online programming, such as introducing language buddies and even hosting online cooking lessons.

For one, Joshuga Vargas (Class of 2023) found himself learning to cook Chinese dishes such as mapo tofu (tofu in spicy sauce) and egg fried rice, and penning Chinese poems — all while connecting with his peers and instructors through his computer screen.

Left: Joshua Vargas and his instructor in a one-to-one tutoring lesson at Princeton in Beijing. Right: Joshua presenting a cooked dish after an online cooking session. Images provided by Joshua.

Joshua was awarded the Chinese Language Scholarship, which is generously endowed by the Tan Chin Tuan Foundation. Under the scholarship, he took part in an online course by Princeton in Beijing, where he intensively honed his ability to read, write, and converse in Chinese.

Reflecting on his motivations to learn Chinese, Joshua said, “As an Urban Studies major, I wanted to learn Chinese because of China’s increasingly important role in global urban development. Furthermore, developing fluency in Chinese would allow me to access a whole new realm of literature, as well as communicate better with more people should I get the chance to work or study in China.”

Joshua introducing himself during an online lesson. Image provided by Joshua.

During the eight-week programme, Joshua refined his grammatical structures and pronunciation, so as to better capture Chinese’s tonal intricacies. Beyond the pragmatic front, he also found himself delving deeply into Chinese cultural and linguistic history, starting from the standardisation of Chinese language (putonghua), to China’s reform period.

The holistic curriculum, Joshua shared, has since better equipped him to “navigate intercultural communication with finesse and sensitivity”. By the time the programme concluded, Joshua’s proficiency in Chinese had improved by leaps and bounds such that he was fully capable of articulating his thoughts and worldviews through creative writing.

“I even gained enough skill to write a poem about the challenges faced by Filipino migrant workers in Singapore, which the faculty chose for a presentation at the programme’s graduation ceremony,” Joshua delightedly shared.

Similarly to Joshua, the COVID-19 pandemic did not hamper the spirits of Nathalia Murillo Rengifo (Class of 2022). Under the Summer Language Scholarship, Nathalia pursued an online, intensive German-learning course, hosted by the German Language School Berlin (GLS Berlin).

Nathalia Murillo Rengifo received the Summer Language Scholarship to study German at the German Language School Berlin (GLS Berlin). Image provided by Nathalia.

During the five-week programme, Nathalia fine-tuned her grammar and vocabulary, and polished her conversational skills. Her daily practice consisted of free writing sessions centered around diverse topics, under the guidance of her private instructor. She shared that although she initially felt doubtful, she slowly warmed up as she became more comfortable and conversant with German over time.

Nathalia credited her understanding classmates for supporting her through her learning journey.

“Everyone in my class was very accommodating. They really motivated me to make an effort and have the best attitude during my early classes, and to make the best out of this experience,” she shared.

Despite the summer session having come to a close, Nathalia plans to continue learning German on her own, into the longer-term.

“I plan to continue learning German through online language apps. I’ve finally come across some that offer me structure while learning and are easy to complete on my own time. At Yale-NUS, I also have close friends who speak the language, so I also plan to talk to them more in German as well as learn more about their culture.”