I REFER to Tuesday's letter, 'Singlish will undermine education hub', in which methodology in teaching English was discussed.

It is not so much that a series of proven textbooks on grammar will do the trick. It goes deeper than teaching English grammar to a student studying the language in an English-language school where the medium of instruction in other subjects is English.

Without the complementary study of English literature - which most students eschew because it is hard to get good grades - a good student may be able to speak and write proper English and make clinically correct use of the language in school and later life. However, he may not be able to appreciate the finer points of English needed to complete or refine mastery of the language.

To the average learner, the result would be a smattering of the language 'as it is spoke'. Worse still, the speaker may degenerate into Singlish, even in a formal setting, where an attempt to express himself further may trigger this illegitimate outburst.

Literature - English, Chinese or any language used to convey thoughts and ideas - is the lifeblood of the language it is written in. Therefore, eschewing the study of this complementary subject may leave one literate in the language, but not enlightened enough to be considered educated.

Wan Siew Kay

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Dec 18, 2008.