English
Discover how the English Language and Literature department builds confident communicators through reading, creative writing, and performance programmes.
"A language many-coloured and richly storied" - James Joyce
Mission
To provide a rich and rigorous English Language and Literature curriculum that develops critical thinking, effective communication, and empathy. We create meaningful learning experiences, nurture a love for reading, and encourage students to express their ideas with clarity, creativity, and confidence, so that they may use their voices to lead and serve others.
Vision
To develop Theresians into articulate and thoughtful communicators who harness the power of language to lead, serve, and effect positive change in an evolving global landscape.
Key Programmes
STC Reads
STC Reads is a school-wide initiative designed to cultivate the joy of reading and nurture a community of thoughtful, passionate readers. Students are exposed to a diverse range of genres—fiction, commentary, poetry, speeches and more—to broaden their perspectives and develop the habit of reading widely and with curiosity.
As part of the programme, students:
Participate in our Book Exchange, where they share well-loved titles with peers, discover new authors, and experience the joy of reading as a communal and relational act.
Access curated resources through STC Reads Portal which features our school newsletter, Theresian Threads, as well as book recommendations to support independent and interest-driven reading.
Engage with guest speakers from the National Library Board (NLB), who conduct talks to promote love for reading
Together, these experiences foster a vibrant reading culture where students read for pleasure, think deeply about the world around them, and grow into confident lifelong readers who use stories and ideas to understand themselves and others.
STC Creative Writing Programme
The STC Creative Writing Programme nurtures students who show strong interest and aptitude in writing. Through targeted enrichment sessions such as the Creative Writing Camp, students deepen their skills in creative expression, narrative craft, and editorial refinement. They explore a range of writing forms—from personal essays and short stories to poetry and songs—and learn to develop their confidence and sensitivity to audience, purpose, and context.
Students engage in:
The Creative Writing Camp led by teachers and invited practitioners, where they experiment with literary techniques and storytelling strategies.
Publication opportunities, such as contributing to Theresian Threads, allowing students to share their ideas with wider audiences and experience the pride of authorship.
Writing Events or Competitions such as the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition, Live On Writing Competition
This programme aims to inspire students to see writing not just as a skill, but as a form of personal voice, creative expression, and meaningful influence.
Literature on stage
Lit on Stage is a signature Literature programme in STC that brings texts to life through performance. The upper secondary Literature students step into the roles, voices, and worlds of the characters they study in their Literature texts —exploring how language, movement, and expression shape meaning.
Through stage performances, students:
Deepen their understanding of character motivation, relationships, themes, and dramatic techniques
Develop expressive confidence in voice and physicality
Learn to collaborate, listen, adapt, and support one another as a creative ensemble
The programme begins with a learning journey to watch a live theatre performance and culminates in performance showcases, where students present scenes from their lit texts to the school. These showcases honour students’ interpretive choices and creative risks, spotlighting their ability to communicate ideas with presence and clarity. Lit on Stage also nurtures student agency. Students make decisions about staging, tone, movement, and emphasis—learning that their perspectives shape the meaning of a text. In doing so, they become active meaning-makers, discovering that Literature invites interpretation and personal voice.
Head of Department English Language & Literature
Ms Tan Siew Hui (tan_siew_hui_a@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Subject Head Literature
Mr Timothy Chow (timothy_chow_rui_jun@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Department Staff
English Language
Mr Afdillah Aman (afdillah_aman@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Mr Alfie Yang (alfie_yang@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Mrs Clara Ang (wong_kit_han_clara@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Mr Edgar Seow (seow_siang_kim_edgar@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Mr Lee Boon Leong (lee_boon_leong@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Ms Ling Kay Bin (ling_kay_bin@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Mr Mark Tan (mark_tan_jie_yi@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
English Language and Literature
Ms Dawn Tan ( tan_qiu_yin_dawn@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Ms Joyce Tan (tan_shu_min_joyce@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Ms Maggie Lee (lee_peck_lin_maggie@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Ms Megalai D/O Rajandran (megalai_rajandran@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Ms Kasthuri Davaraj (kasthuri_mahanthran@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Ms Isabelle Teo (teo_zhi_yi_isabelle@moe.edu.sg) (opens in new tab)
Mr Samuel Zou (zou_en_samuel@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))
Mr Timothy Chow (timothy_chow_rui_jun@moe.edu.sg (opens in new tab))