TEACHING IN SINGAPORE
By Kelly Barbazette
Singapore is
a diverse city and state, combining Asian cultures with westernized ways.
Instructors
for The Training Clinic, which has presented its “train the trainer”
workshops internationally for the past nine years, say Singapore is a clean,
safe and structured country with a driven people.
“For the
most part, environment wise, it was very westernized and very modern,” said
instructor Ron Garnett, who taught workshops in Singapore in summer 2000.
His first
impression of Singapore is that it has a substantial population and an average,
working-class people.
“For me,
it was a lot like America, the people were in the hospitality side, very good
and attentive for the most part. I think they really rely on that side of the
business. I think they really concentrate on taking care of you.”
He noted that service at some restaurants and retail shops was good, but was
also quick to point out, that at others it was not as good or comparable to some
shops in the United States.
The country
Formally
called the Republic of Singapore, the city has a population of 3.1 million.
Singapore consists of the main Singapore Island and 58 smaller islands. Half of
the land mass is made up of urban areas while the other half is comprised of
parks, reservoirs, plantations and open military areas.
Singapore
lies nearly on the equator and receives hot and humid weather year-round. Major
industries include shipping, banking, tourism, electronics and oil refining.
The people
Singaporeans,
while diverse in ethnicity, are united by the language of English.
Some 78
percent of Singapore’s population is Chinese, 14 percent Malay and 7 percent
Indian. The primary language is English with people also speaking Mandarin,
Malay and Tamil.
Religions
practiced also vary. Some 31 percent of Singaporeans are Taoist, 28 percent
Buddhist, 18 percent Muslim, 10 percent Christian and 4 percent Hindu.
Experiences
On her first
trip to Asia, Ann McDonough taught a five-day workshop in Singapore in 1999. She
said she found the country to be stunningly beautiful and the people to be very
friendly.
“It was a
smaller population than I expected,” she said. “It was very spacious and
green.”
She said
residents – from an adult learner to a taxi driver – were very informed
about the country’s history and held strong opinions about local politics.
“It was
really the most fascinating country I’ve ever visited,” McDonough said.
Instructor
Linda Ernst first visited Singapore in December 1995 when the entire city was
decorated for Christmas. While teaching workshops to Unilever and Singapore
Airlines, she said she was careful not to use American jargon.
“Their
English is the British English. Singaporeans are more formal with the
language,” she said. “But they still like that. They want to get to learn
some of the American jargon.”
Ernst said
she observed that citizens are very loyal to the government and are accustomed
to laws that other cultures consider too stringent.
While
teaching for Singapore Air, Ernst said she was included in a group lunch each
day. “They were very sensitive to my tastes,” she said.
Likewise,
the Unilever group included her in their dinner plans every evening. She
recalled one evening outing consisted of visiting a Karaoke bar.
Instructor
Kathleen Terry’s first impressions of Singapore were that it was clean, safe,
organized, and structured. She recalls enjoying the shopping and eating –
“two things people do a lot of,” she added.
She also
noted that the snacks served were healthier fare compared to what one might find
in the United States. There also were tea breaks instead of coffee breaks, she
said.
Singaporeans
are generally very receptive, Terry said.
“They’re
not overtly friendly or an outgoing culture,” she said. “It doesn’t mean
they’re not friendly. They just don’t express familiarity as much as
Americans do.”
Inside the classroom
McDonough
said she found adult learners to be articulate, polite, hospitable and eager
listeners.
“They
participated more than I thought they would,” she said.
Garnett said
he observed adult learners often to be reticent about speaking out in class.
“One on
one, outside of the classroom, they would talk to you and express themselves,
but in the group sessions no one would want to expose themselves,” he said.
Terry, who
has taught workshops in Singapore each year for the past three years, said
Singaporeans are a more indirect culture. If a participant has a problem, an
instructor likely won’t be able to tell by their facial cues.
“I could
be doing a program for an entire day and not tell if they like it or not,"
she said. “I’ve learned that you have to read a nonverbal language.”
Her audience
also was less participatory than she expected and seemed more comfortable with a
lecture format type of workshop.
“There’s
a lack of questions, they don’t challenge you - don’t question, and they
don’t share a lot of stories,” Terry said. “There’s not a lot of
disclosure about problems or sharing of information. In some ways you feel like
all the information has to come from you.”
Instructors’ advice
McDonough
said in her experience in teaching a mix of companies and cultures while in
Singapore, she has learned to be aware of a people’s customs and mannerisms.
“Be
mindful that they know a lot more about your culture than you do about
theirs,” she advises. “Keep your eyes and ears open to return the
courtesy.”
Terry
advises that trainers adapt any written materials to their audience, by using
examples more pertinent to Singapore. Don’t make the assumption Singaporeans
will be familiar with U.S. cities, brands, etc., she said.
She, like
McDonough, also suggests that trainers learn something about the Singaporean
culture before visiting and to be open to changing their teaching approach.
